Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Chevron Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon

When and how to stream or watch the race, start lists, course info, along with in-depth coverage of key storylines, and our live coverage on race day

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Michael Doyle
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Investigative journalist and editor based in Toronto

Editor-in-Chief
Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Chevron Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon 1

On race morning, you can follow our live updates for the 2024 Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon here.

The 52nd running of the Chevron Houston Marathon kicks off what should be a significant year in the history of distance running. Houston features a very fast and flat course, particularly in the half-marathon. The womenโ€™s American record was set here over the past two editions of the race (Sara Hall in 2022, Emily Sisson in 2023). 

As this is an Olympic year, the Games loom large over Houston. Key American athletes like Galen Rupp and Sara Hall will be using this race to test their fitness going into next monthโ€™s U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials (Feb. 3). 

The headliner this year was supposed to be Canadian Moh Ahmed, who was to make his debut at the distance. Ahmed is a decorated track runner who holds the 5,000m North American record (12:47), and a silver medal from last yearโ€™s World Championships in Budapest. He was thought to be chasing the North American half-marathon record of 59:43. On Friday (Jan. 12), he announced that he had pulled out of the race, citing a hamstring injury that flaired up in training.

The marathon features 19 international athletes attempting to run the Olympic โ€œAโ€ standard before the window closes in the spring.

Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 Chevron Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon

When and How to Watch

Start date: Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024 

Start Times:

6:50 a.m. CT – marathon and half-marathon wheelchair start

7:01 a.m. CT – marathon and half-marathon start

How to live stream the race:

You can live stream the Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon race on ABC13โ€™s website here.

You can also live stream the race at ESPN3.com and on the ESPN app (you must be a monthly subscriber).

You can also check this link for a YouTube live stream.

Read our complete guide to how to live stream:

Is the race being broadcasted on TV?

Yes. Locally, ABC13 will broadcast the race live from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. CT. An edited recap will broadcast later that night at 10:35 p.m CT.


What’s the Weather Looking Like In Houston?

HOUSTON WEATHER

Sunday’s forecast (updated Jan. 12, 4:15 p.m. ET):

  • A high of 55 F (13 C), low of 43 F (6 C)
  • Humidity: 57% wind: 11 mph
  • Chance of precipitation: 0%
  • Cloud cover: 87%
  • Chance of precipitation: 0%

With a starting temperaturing around the low of 43 F, Houston will feature near perfect conditions for distance running, as long as the wind holds off.


Key Storylines – The Half-Marathon

  • Canadian Moh Ahmed is making his debut, and could break the North American record of 59:43 (Update: Ahmed has scratched due to injury)
  • Kenyaโ€™s Hellen Obri is running the half-marathon, and could put down a time faster than anyone on U.S. soil.
  • American Galen Rupp will be looking for a strong performance as he prepares for the U.S. Olympic Trials on Feb. 3 in Orlando. He needs a fast time to factor into team selection.
  • A group of Americans will be using Houston as a fitness test for the Trials, with the stakes not being quite as ratcheted up as they are for Rupp, but a PR would point to a chance at a successful Trials.
  • Sara Hall is one of those U.S. athletes using the half-marathon as a springboard for the Trials. But there might be more at stake for her here. She set the American record in Houston in 2022 (which was lowered last year by Emily Sisson). Is she able to retake the record? She’s also now 40, meaning a masters record could be up for grabs, too.

Key Storylines – The Marathon

  • Several international athletes, including four Canadians, are looking to run the Olympic Standard: 2:26:50 for women, 2:08:10 for men.
  • Keep an eye out for big groups gloamed on to the pacers for those two key times. Staying ahead of or with that group will be the goal of these athletes, if they hope to make the Olympic team for their respective country.
  • Keep an eye out for Japan’s Kenta Uchida, who enters the race with a personal best of 2:08:12. Japan has a deep field of athletes to choose from for the Games, and he may feel pressure to run up at the front with the lead back in order to try to do something special in Houston.
  • Last year’s men’s race came down to a wild sprint finish. On paper, it looks as though the outcome could be similar.
  • Biruktayit Degefa of Ethiopia has won this race three times, and should factor in early as one to watch in the women’s race.
  • Vicoty Chepngeno is making her debut at the distance. She ran the fastest half-marathon ever on American soil last year in Houston, so it’s safe to say she’ll be looking to do something special over 26.2 miles.

How to Track a Runner

See the leaderboard or track an individual runner here.

You can also track a runner with the race app. Download the Houston Marathon App (iOS or Android) here.


The Marathon and Half-Marathon Course Map

2024 Chevron Houston Marathon course map

Start Lists

Marathon Women | Marathon Men

Half-Marathon Women | Half-Marathon Men


Course Records

Menโ€™s marathon: 2:06:51 (Tariku Jafur, Ethiopia, 2012) 

Womenโ€™s marathon: 2:19:12 (Keira Dโ€™Amato, U.S. 2022) 

Menโ€™s half-marathon: 59:22 (Feyisa Lilesa, Ethiopia 2012) 

Womenโ€™s half-marathon: 1:05:03 (Vicoty Chepngeno, Kenya 2022)


Prize Money

Marathon: $30,000 USD; course record bonus: $35,000 USD

Half-Marathon: $12,000 USD; course record bonus $15,000 USD



Important numbers to watch:

59:43 

The North American menโ€™s half-marathon record, set by Ryan Hall, 2007, set in Houston.

60:47

The time Galen Rupp apparently must run in order to gain a world ranking of 64th or better. Based on World Athletics’ Olympic qualifications rubric and the fact that each country can only enter three athletes, this is Rupp’s only clear and obvious path to Paris.

1:05:03

The womenโ€™s half-marathon all-time U.S. soil record, also ran in Houston, this time in 2022 by Vicoty Chepngeno of Kenya.

1:06:36

The womenโ€™s half-marathon American record, set in 2023 by Emily Sisson, also in Houston.

2:08:10

The menโ€™s Olympic โ€œAโ€ marathon standard.

2:26:50

The womenโ€™s Olympic โ€œAโ€ marathon standard.

Follow along as our editors and writers break down all the action at the 52nd running of the Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon.

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Michael Doyle

Editor-in-Chief

Investigative journalist and editor based in Toronto

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