Organizers cite safety concerns, primarily for medical staff being able to correctly identify participants in need of treatment, and fairness in the finishers' awards among their reasons for not allowing participants to buy bibs from others.
Steven Karpas, Houston Marathon Managing Director, said, "We take illegal entry into our race very seriously. If we do catch the people, and we will, the person that gave up their bib and the person that is running under their bib will be banned for two years. It is not that hard to catch them, and we expect to do so."
The Houston Marathon has become very popular in recent years, and the 2010 event sold out in record time.
