Houston Marathon

The Houston Marathon is an annual marathon held every January in Houston, Texas. With thousands of runners and spectators, it is the largest single day sporting event in the city. It is run concurrently with a half marathon and a 5 km race. The 2007 race included the first-ever satellite running of the event, run simultaneously in Fallujah, Iraq.[1]

Houston Marathon
DateThird Sunday in January
LocationHouston, Texas
Event typeRoad
DistanceMarathon, Half marathon, 5K run
Primary sponsorChevron (marathon)
Aramco (half marathon)
Course recordsMarathon:
Men: 2:06:51 (2012)
Tariku Jufar
Women: 2:23:14 (2012)
Alemitu Abera
Half Marathon:
Men: 59:22 (2012)
Feyisa Lilesa
Women: 1:05:50 (2019)
Brigid Kosgei
Official siteHouston Marathon
Participants35,000approx. (2020)
23,613 (2019)

The first marathon, run on December 30, 1972, featured 113 runners and a crowd of approximately 200 people. The 2014 edition included a 5K event run Saturday, January 18th and the marathon and half marathon run on Sunday, January 19th. The 5K event had close to 5,000 runners while the marathon and half marathon had nearly 13,000 runners each. The races bring crowds of nearly one half million to view the runners. The 1979 edition of the competition hosted the national marathon championship race for men and women. Houston was selected for the women's Olympic Trials in 1992 and held the USATF women's marathon championship in 1998. The half marathon course hosted the USATF Men's Half Marathon Championship from 2005 to 2008, and also hosted the women's event in 2007 and 2008. The 2012 U.S Olympic Marathon Trials for both men and women were held the Saturday prior to the Sunday races. [2]

George W. Bush ran in the Houston Marathon at age 46 in 1993, finishing with the time of 3 hours, 44 minutes, 52 seconds.[3]

The current corporate sponsor of the marathon is Chevron Corporation. Aramco sponsors the half marathon and Chevron and Aramco co-sponsor the 5K run. The event supports many charities, including CanCare, Texas Children's Hospital, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Course

The fast and flat course starts in the downtown area near Minute Maid Park and takes runners past scenic Houston areas and communities—including Houston Heights and Neartown, past Hermann Park and Rice University, over to Uptown, and then through Memorial Park and Allen Parkway, finishing at the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown. The course is USATF certified and is popular with runners seeking to qualify for the Boston Marathon. The race time limit is 6 hours and a limit of 27,000 entries is enforced, divided evenly between the full and half marathons.[4]

The course was changed for 2014. Changes included starting on Congress St. downtown, eliminating a section of the course through the Heights, and adding 2 miles along Kirby Dr.[5]

List of winners

Key:   Course record • † = Time was a record mark for the state of Texas.

Marathon
Edition Year Men's winner Time (h:m:s) Women's winner Time (h:m:s)
48th January 19, 2020  Kelkile Gezahegn (ETH) 2:08:36  Askale Merachi (ETH) 2:23:29
47th January 20, 2019  Albert Korir (KEN) 2:10:02  Biruktayit Degefa (ETH) 2:23:28
46th January 14, 2018  Bazu Worku (ETH) 2:08:30  Biruktayit Degefa (ETH) 2:24:51
45th January 15, 2017  Dominic Ondoro (KEN) 2:12:05  Meskerem Assefa (ETH) 2:30:18
44th January 17, 2016  Birhanu Gedefa[6] (ETH) 2:10:54  Biruktayit Degefa (ETH) 2:26:07
43rd January 18, 2015  Birhanu Gedefa (ETH) 2:08:03  Yebrgual Melese (ETH) 2:23:23
42nd January 19, 2014  Bazu Worku (ETH) 2:07:32  Abebech Afework (ETH) 2:25:52
41st January 13, 2013  Bazu Worku (ETH) 2:10:17  Merima Mohammed (ETH) 2:23:37
40th January 15, 2012  Tariku Jufar (ETH) 2:06:51†  Alemitu Abera (ETH) 2:23:14†
39th January 30, 2011  Bekana Daba (ETH) 2:07:04†  Mamitu Daska (ETH) 2:26:33
38th January 18, 2010  Teshome Gelana (ETH) 2:07:37†  Teyba Erkesso (ETH) 2:23:53†
37th January 18, 2009  Deriba Merga (ETH) 2:07:52†  Teyba Erkesso (ETH) 2:24:15†
36th January 13, 2008  David Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:12:32  Dire Tune (ETH) 2:24:40
35th January 14, 2007  Feyisa Tusse (ETH) 2:11:39  Dire Tune (ETH) 2:26:52
34th January 15, 2006  David Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:12:02  Firiya Sultanova (RUS) 2:32:25
33rd January 16, 2005  David Cheruiyot (KEN) 2:14:50  Kelly Keane (USA) 2:32:27
32nd January 18, 2004  Marek Jaroszewski (POL) 2:18:51  Margarita Tapia (MEX) 2:28:36
31st January 19, 2003  Sean Wade (NZL) 2:24:43  Albina Gallyamova (RUS) 2:42:37
30th January 20, 2002  Drew Prisner (USA) 2:28:43  Becky Sondag (USA) 2:50:49
29th January 14 2001  Chris Ciamarra (USA) 2:29:27  Stacie Alboucrek (USA) 2:43:40
28th January 16, 2000  Stephen Ndungu (KEN) 2:11:28  Tatyana Pozdnyakova (UKR) 2:32:25
27th January 17, 1999  Stephen Ndungu (KEN) 2:14:56  Tatyana Pozdnyakova (UKR) 2:33:23
26th January 18, 1998  Stephen Ndungu (KEN) 2:11:23  Gwyn Coogan (USA) 2:33:37
25th January 12, 1997  Åke Eriksson (SWE) 2:19:21  Claudia Dreher (GER) 2:36:13
24th January 21, 1996  Tumo Turbo (ETH) 2:10:34  Adriana Fernández (MEX) 2:31:59
23rd January 15, 1995  Peter Fonseca (CAN) 2:11:52  Tatyana Pozdnyakova (UKR) 2:29:57
22nd January 16, 1994  Colin Moore (ENG) 2:13:34  Alevtina Naumova (RUS) 2:34:47
21st January 24, 1993  Frank Bjorkli (NOR) 2:13:21  Kristy Johnston (USA) 2:29:05
20th January 26, 1992  Filemon López (MEX) 2:13:12  Janis Klecker (USA) 2:30:12
19th January 20, 1991  Carey Nelson (CAN) 2:12:28  Véronique Marot (ENG) 2:30:55
18th January 14, 1990  Paul Pilkington (USA) 2:11:13  María Trujillo (USA) 2:32:55
17th January 15, 1989  Richard Kaitany (KEN) 2:10:04  Véronique Marot (ENG) 2:30:16
16th January 17, 1988  Geir Kvernmo (NOR) 2:11:44  Linda Zeman (USA) 2:34:52
15th January 18, 1987  Derrick May (RSA) 2:11:51  Bente Moe (NOR) 2:32:37
14th January 19, 1986  Paul Cummings (USA) 2:11:31  Véronique Marot (ENG) 2:31:33
13th January 6, 1985  Marty Froelick (USA) 2:11:14  Silvia Ruegger (CAN) 2:28:36
12th January 15, 1984  Charlie Spedding (ENG) 2:11:54  Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) 2:27:51
11th January 16, 1983  Hailu Ebba (ETH) 2:12:17  Ingrid Kristiansen (NOR) 2:33:27
10th January 24, 1982  Benji Durden (USA) 2:11:12  Laurie Binder (USA) 2:40:56
9th January 10, 1981  Bill Rodgers (USA) 2:12:20  Patti Catalano (USA) 2:35:28
8th January 19, 1980  Ron Tabb (USA) 2:13:35  Vanessa Vajdos (USA) 2:44:45
7th January 20, 1979  Tom Antczak (USA) 2:15:28  Sue Petersen (USA) 2:46:17
6th January 21, 1978  Ron Tabb (USA) 2:17:11  Peggy Kokernot (USA) 3:01:54
5th January 22, 1977  Clent Mericle (USA) 2:27:46  Dorothy Doolittle (USA) 3:00:34
4th January 17, 1976  Jeff Wells (USA) 2:17:46  Marsha Johnson (USA) 3:37:04
3rd January 18, 1975  Clent Mericle (USA) 2:35:00  Dorothy Doolittle (USA) 3:31:24
2nd December 29, 1973  Juan Garza (USA) 2:37:47  Nancy Laird (USA) 4:29:07
1st December 30, 1972  Danny Green (USA) 2:32:33  Tanya Trantham (USA) 5:11:55

Half marathon

Key:   Course record

Year Men's winner Time (h:m:s) Women's winner Time (h:m:s)
2020  Jemal Yimer (ETH) 59:25  Hitomi Niiya (JPN) 1:06:38
2019  Shura Kitata (ETH) 1:00:11  Brigid Kosgei (KEN) 1:05:50
2018  Jake Robertson (NZL) 1:00:01  Ruti Aga (ETH) 1:06:39
2017  Leonard Korir (USA) 1:01:14  Veronica Nyaruai (KEN) 1:07:58
2016  Lelisa Desisa (ETH) 1:00:37  Mary Wacera (KEN) 1:06:29
2015  Diego Estrada (USA) 1:00:51  Kim Conley (USA) 1:09:44
2014  Meb Keflezighi (USA) 1:01:23  Serena Burla (USA) 1:10:48
2013  Feyisa Lilesa (ETH) 1:01:54  Mamitu Daska (ETH) 1:09:53
2012  Feyisa Lilesa (ETH) 59:22  Belaynesh Oljira (ETH) 1:08:26
2011  Jeffrey Eggleston (USA) 1:08:26  Colleen De Reuck (USA) 1:16:19
2010  Antonio Vega (USA) 1:01:54  Shalane Flanagan (USA) 1:09:41
2009  Meb Keflezighi (USA) 1:01:25  Magdalena Lewy-Boulet (USA) 1:11:47
2008  James Carney (USA) 1:02:21  Kate O'Neill (USA) 1:11:57
2007  Ryan Hall (USA) 059:43  Elva Dryer (USA) 1:11:42
2006  Nicodemus Malakwen (KEN) 1:02:07  Asmae Leghzaoui (MAR) 1:11:53
2005  Julius Koskei (KEN) 1:03:17  Olga Romanova (RUS) 1:12:36
2004  Gilbert Koech (KEN) 1:03:08  Colleen De Reuck (USA) 1:10:55
2003  Scott Strand (USA) 1:05:13  Beth Old (USA) 1:17:03
2002  Justin Chaston (USA) 1:08:42  Christy Nielsen-Crotta (USA) 1:21:37
gollark: Also, what's to stop me from gambling that something which will probably always go up will go up?
gollark: Um.
gollark: Sure!
gollark: Just have them?
gollark: You've invented prediction markets.

See also

References
  1. "Houston Marathon detours to Fallujah". Houston Chronicle. January 15, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-28.
  2. "Our History". Houston Marathon. Archived from the original on 2007-02-09. Retrieved 2007-02-28.
  3. "Stars Who've Run Marathons". That's fit. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
  4. "Chevron #HouMarathon Registration Info". Chevron Houston Marathon. Retrieved 2019-01-20.
  5. http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Houston-Marathon-changes-course-for-2014-4593852.php
  6. Birhanu Gedefa Declared 2016 Men’s Marathon Winner. Houston Marathon. Retrieved on 2017-05-25.
Lists of winners
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