2027 Houston Marathon - Jan 17

2027 Houston Marathon - Jan 17 Countdown

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Race Information

Race2027 Houston Marathon - Jan 17
CityHouston
Date2027-01-17 at 06:55
Field Size~8,000 runners
Time Limit6 hours
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Official SiteHouston Marathon Committee
RegistrationRegister · 160 USD

Race Day Weather

Average Temperature10°C / 50°F
Humidity65%
Wind12 km/h
Rain Chance20%
Typical ConditionsCool, often dry mid-January morning, typically 45-55F at the 6:55am start

What to Prepare: Mid-January in Houston delivers some of the best marathon racing weather in the US: cool starts, usually low humidity, and little wind. These PB conditions plus the flat course make Houston a premier Boston-qualifying race. Dress for the start temperature minus the warmth you generate; many runners use throwaway layers on the corral and shed them early as the wide downtown streets warm them up.

Based on historical averages for race week. Use our Weather Score Calculator and What to Wear Guide for personalized advice.

Wind Impact on Race Day

Wind at 12 km/h can affect your marathon pace by 5-15 seconds per kilometer. Headwinds slow you down exponentially — a 20 km/h wind costs more than twice a 10 km/h wind.

Calculate your wind-adjusted pace →

Course Profile

Course TypeCity loop
Elevation Gain20m
TerrainRoad
ProfileOne of the flattest and fastest marathon courses in the United States, with about 20m of total elevation gain. The downtown start near Daikin Park sends runners past the Houston Heights, Neartown, Hermann Park and Rice University, out to Uptown, then back through Memorial Park and Allen Parkway to finish inside the George R. Brown Convention Center. A USATF-certified course that hosted the 2012 US Olympic Marathon Trials and has produced multiple American records, it is built for PRs and BQ attempts.
Boston QualifierYes — Check your BQ time

Prepare for 2027 Houston Marathon - Jan 17

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Houston Marathon Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 2027 Chevron Houston Marathon?

The 55th Chevron Houston Marathon is Sunday, January 17, 2027, with a downtown start at 6:55 a.m. local time (first corral). It anchors a race weekend that opens with the Health and Fitness Expo on Friday, January 15 and the We Are Houston 5K on Saturday, January 16. The full marathon shares the morning with the Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

How do you get into the Houston Marathon - is it a lottery?

No, there is no lottery. The Chevron Houston Marathon uses open registration on a first-come basis until the field sells out, which it has done for more than ten years running. Once general entries fill, the main guaranteed routes in are the legacy program for runners who have completed 10 or more Houston Marathons, time-qualifier entry, and Run for a Reason charity (HERO) entries, which stay open until they sell out. Register early; do not wait for a drawing that does not exist.

How much does the 2027 Houston Marathon cost?

Full-marathon entry is sold in rising price tiers as the event fills. The 2027 tiers run from about $160 (Tier 1) up to roughly $210 at the final tier, with intermediate tiers near $170, $180 and $195. Pricing climbs as registration fills, so the cheapest entry is the earliest entry. Charity (HERO) entry follows a separate fee-plus-donation structure.

Is the Houston Marathon a good Boston-qualifying race?

Yes. Houston is one of the most popular Boston-qualifying marathons in the US thanks to its flat, USATF-certified course and cool January weather. A large share of finishers run a BQ each year. Check your target with the Boston qualifying calculator and build the splits you need on the pace calculator.

How flat and fast is the Houston Marathon course?

Very. With roughly 20 meters of total elevation gain across the whole 26.2 miles, Houston is consistently ranked among the flattest and fastest marathons in the country. The point-to-point route starts and finishes downtown and rolls through Houston's central neighborhoods on wide roads. It hosted the 2012 US Olympic Marathon Trials, and Keira D'Amato set the American women's marathon record of 2:19:12 here in 2022, with Conner Mantz running an American half-marathon record of 59:17 at the 2025 Aramco Houston Half.

What is the time limit for the Houston Marathon?

The marathon has a 6-hour time limit. The course closes on a rolling schedule based on roughly a 13:45-per-mile pace from the back of the field, so runners who hold that pace stay ahead of the closures. Map your projected finish on the finish time calculator before committing to a goal pace.

How big is the field and where do runners line up?

The weekend caps total entries at about 27,000 split between the full marathon and the Aramco Houston Half, so the full marathon is the smaller share of that combined number. Both races start in downtown Houston near Daikin Park and finish inside the George R. Brown Convention Center, which keeps gear check and the finish-area logistics indoors and out of the January chill.

What is the weather usually like on race day?

Mid-January is one of the coolest, driest windows of the Houston calendar, with start-line temperatures often in the mid-40s to mid-50s Fahrenheit. Conditions can occasionally turn warm or humid, but more often than not it delivers PB weather. Plan your fluids around the forecast using the hydration calculator and pace your effort with the splits calculator.

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