Houston Marathon
| Houston Marathon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Date | Second Sunday in January |
| Location | Houston, Texas |
| Event type | Road |
| Distance | Marathon |
| Official site | chevronhoustonmarathon.com |
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]
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 ABB sponsors the concurrent 5K run. The event supports many charities, including CanCare, Texas Children's Hospital, and 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 25,000 entries is enforced, divided evenly between the full and half marathons.
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.[4]
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43rd | January 18, 2015 |  Birhanu Gidefa (ETH) |
2:08:03 | Yebrqual 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 | .svg.png){kind=small} 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 |  Ake 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 | Maria 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 | Sylvia 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 | .svg.png){kind=small} 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Lelisa (ETH) |
1:01:54 | Mamitu Daska (ETH) |
1:09:53 |
| 2012 | Feyisa Lelisa (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 | Mebrahtom 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) |
59:43 | 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 |
See also
References
- ↑ "Houston Marathon detours to Fallujah". Houston Chronicle. January 15, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-28.
- ↑ "Our History". Houston Marathon. Retrieved 2007-02-28.
- ↑ "Stars Who've Run Marathons". That's fit. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
- ↑ http://www.chron.com/sports/article/Houston-Marathon-changes-course-for-2014-4593852.php
- Lists of winners
- Houston Marathon – Open Winners: 1972-2010. Houston Marathon. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- Houston Half Marathon – Race Winners: 2002-2010. Houston Marathon. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.
- Houston Marathon. Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Retrieved on 2012-01-16.