Closures, courses, and where to watch 2026 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- With all races, including charity entries, officially sold out, the Chevron Houston Marathon is set to make yet another major mark in our city.

Watch ABC13's Chevron Houston Marathon coverage on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026 live at 6:30 a.m. on TV and anywhere you stream. Just search "ABC13 Houston" in your app store.

In 2026, race weekend is Jan. 9-11, with the schedule of events below. Runners can begin to pick up their packets on Friday. The packet pick-up schedule is here.

Several departments, including the Houston Fire Department, the Houston Police Department, and the Office of Emergency Management, along with the Chevron Houston Marathon organizers, appeared at a press conference on Friday to give a safety briefing.

Ahead of the multi-race event, officials urged all participants in the running events and spectators to hydrate and take care of themselves. The weather is expected to be appropriate for the race day, barring any leftover rain on Friday.

HPD Chief of Police Noe Diaz urged the public to be patient as the multi-race event unfolds throughout the day and to notify law enforcement if there is an emergency. Diaz said several resources, including uniformed and non-uniformed personnel and drones, would be along the race path.

HFD Fire Chief Thomas Munoz confirmed there will be a large number of medical personnel, including four doctors, plus 22 transport units and a dispatch system along the 26-mile path.

Friday, Jan. 9

Houston Marathon Health and Fitness Expo presented by Houston Methodist
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
George R. Brown Convention Center

Shake Out Run with Brooks Running
4 p.m.
Brooks Newsstand, Jones Lawn, Discovery Green

Saturday, Jan. 10

We Are Houston 5K presented by Aramco and Chevron
6:30 a.m. 5K Race Day Packet Pick-Up Opens
7:50 a.m. Wheelchair and Handcycle Start
8 a.m. start
McKinney and Crawford

View the We Are Houston 5K Map.

RunFest
7 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Discovery Green, Jones Lawn

Houston Marathon Health and Fitness Expo presented by Houston Methodist
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
George R. Brown Convention Center

Sunday, Jan. 11

Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon

6:35 a.m. Marathon & Half Marathon Wheelchair & Handcycle Division
6:45 a.m. Aramco Houston Half Marathon Elite Field
6:55 a.m. Chevron Houston Marathon Elite Field
6:55 a.m. Marathon & Half Marathon Open Field

Start at Congress and Fannin

RunFest
6 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Discovery Green, Jones Lawn

Click here to view the George R. Brown map, schedule, and athlete services

Marathon & Half Marathon Course Information

Click here to view just the 2026 Start Line Map.

Both the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon share a single start line. For the 2026 race, it will feature six corrals with the first starting at 6:55 a.m.

Corrals C, D, E, and F will follow A and B Corral using a pulsed start method - with time intervals separating each corral - to reduce course congestion.

Corral assignments are determined by the predicted finish time of each runner indicated during registration.

The finish is at Lamar and Crawford, one block up from the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Click here to view the 2026 Finish Line Map.

Course Time Limit

Aramco Houston Half Marathon: Four hours
Chevron Houston Marathon: Six hours

Need help getting around on race day? Here are the Chevron Houston Marathon street closures to know.

Runners should plan to arrive to the George R. Brown Convention Center before 5:30 a.m. on race day.

The center will open at 5 a.m., and the Houston Police Department is expected to start to shut down streets in and around downtown at 5:30 a.m.

Keep in mind there will likely be heavy traffic, and you may have to park a few blocks away from the convention center.

View the race day and parking street closures map.

The course goes through portions of several Houston-area neighborhoods, including the Washington Corridor, Upper Kirby, Rice and West University, the Galleria, Tanglewood and Memorial, and Memorial Park. Find detailed information on specific closures and access routes for these neighborhoods.

Total Highway Closure

A previously announced closure of I-69 has been rescheduled, and the freeway will be open for race weekend. However, you should still plan ahead for significant road construction in many parts of the city, including downtown.

Find links to maps to help you navigate suggested parking structures and service lots.

The following streets will be closed on race day starting at 6 a.m. All lanes will be closed unless otherwise noted.

Marathon Course Closures
Congress from Crawford to Smith
Smith from Congress to Franklin
Franklin from Smith to Washington (all lanes except one westbound curb lane)
Washington from Congress to Waugh (all lanes except one westbound curb lane from Franklin to Houston, and one eastbound curb lane from Studemont to Sawyer)
Heights/Waugh (southbound) from Washington to West Gray
West Gray/Inwood from Waugh to Kirby
Kirby (northbound) from Inwood to San Felipe
Kirby (southbound) from San Felipe to Bissonnet
Bissonnet from Kirby to Montrose
Mandell (southbound) from Bissonnet to Sunset
Sunset from Mandell to Main St.
Main St. to University Blvd.
University Blvd. from Greenbriar to Weslayan
Weslayan (from University to Bissonnet)
Weslayan (northbound) from Bissonnet to Westpark
Westpark from Weslayan to 610 Service Rd. (all lanes closed except one westbound lane from Newcastle to 610/59 northbound feeder road)
Newcastle from Westpark to I-69 Service Rd. (all lanes except one southbound lane of Newcastle)
Post Oak Blvd. (northbound) from Richmond to San Felipe
San Felipe (westbound) from Post Oak Blvd. to Tanglewood Rd.
Tanglewood Rd. (northbound) from San Felipe to Chimney Rock Rd.
Chimney Rock Rd. (northbound) from Tanglewood to Woodway Dr.
Chimney Rock Rd. (southbound) from Woodway Dr. to Memorial Dr.
Memorial Dr. (westbound) from Chimney Rock Rd. to Loop 610
Memorial Dr. (eastbound) from Loop 610 to Shepherd
Shepherd (all lanes under overpass) from Memorial Dr. to Allen Parkway
Allen Parkway from Shepherd to Bagby
Dallas from Allen Parkway to Bagby
Bagby from Dallas to Lamar
Lamar from Bagby to Avenida de las Americas
Avenida de las Americas from Polk to Rusk

Additional Half Marathon Course Closures
Montrose from Bissonnet to Main/Mecom Fountain
Main (southbound) from Mecom Fountain to Bissonnet
Bissonnet (eastbound) from Main to Montrose
Montrose (southbound) from Bissonnet to Dallas
Montrose (northbound) from Dallas to Allen Parkway

Freeway Exit Ramp Closures
610 West Loop, southbound, exiting to Hidalgo/Richmond
I-69 southbound exit to Newcastle

Where to watch in person

There are plenty of Houston Marathon hot spots where you can cheer on the runners. Visit this page to see the full list and check out the map below.

How to track your favorite runner on race day

You can track your favorite runner live inside the marathon's mobile app or search for them through this tool on your browser.

Fast Facts: Chevron Houston Marathon

• Founded in 1972, the Houston Marathon Committee plans the multi-race running event.

• The course surface is a 50/50 mix of concrete and asphalt/blacktop.

• Runners can use their Chevron Houston Marathon Time to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Check out these Chevron Houston Marathon stories!

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