Bib Numbers, Coral Assignments & Packet Pickup Instructions will be emailed out twice, in the days approaching the race.  

Members of the same household with the same last name may pick up for each other.  Please bring the registration confirmations.

If you are picking up for others, ask whoever you are picking up for to print out the confirmation and write “I authorize – name – to pick up my packet for me” and sign and date it.  Bring the signed confirmations to packet pickup.  For family members, this is not needed.

An electronic version of the confirmation is acceptable.  If you have another persons confirmation email, we assume you have it because that person has asked you to pick up their packet.

All registered participants in the Houston Half & 10K can sign up for a tracking app which gives their friends and family the ability to monitor them while they are on the course.  They can also view their results and other runners on the course.

 

A link to the app will be released within a week of the race.

 

Details will be sent to registered participants Tuesday evening, October 24, 2023.

The following pace groups are available for the half marathon:
1:30, 1:35, 1:40, 1:45, 1:50, 1:55, 2:00, 2:10, 2:20, 2:30, 2:40, 2:50, 3:00 & 3:30

Houston has extensive parking in the downtown area.  Sam Houston Park, our home base for the race, is on the western edge of down town.  There are numerous surface parking lots and garages most of which generally charge a fee for parking.  Bring small bills with you if this is your parking choice.  Here is a link to an interactive map of parking facilities:

 

Select Sam Houston Park in the top left corner for the areas closest to the race.

 

On-street, metered parking is available during the day on most downtown streets. Meters are FREE all day Sunday. DO NOT park in valet zones or commercial zones (marked with red meters or red striping on the street). Please always read the signs before you park!

 

Arrive early is always good advice as the parking closest to the race fills up early.  Street closures in preparation for the race may also complicate reaching the downtown area.

BIKE VALET:  Interested in skipping the vehicle traffic, use our free bike valet service.  We offer a Bike Valet service for those who wish to commute on two wheels and will safely store the bicycles of participants, as your bib will be your valet ticket.  It is staffed and secure.

Dates/Times:
Friday, October 27, 2023 (11am – 7pm)
Saturday, October 28, 2023 (9am – 5pm)

Location: https: https://houstonhalf.com/2023-expo-info/

There will be NO packet pick-up on race day.

Participants may have friends or family members pick up a packet for them. Simply forward them a copy of the bib assignment email or registration confirmation email so they can correctly identify the participant name, event, and date of birth on file for look-up purposes.

Participants will receive confirmation via email in advance of the packet pickup dates.  Participants will also be asked to select a time frame for pickup.

Go here for details

No, we are not offering virtual races this year.

The deadline to Transfer passed on October 15 and no further changes are permitted

 

In order to transfer your registration, you must first login to your account.  Click Here

Click on the Transfer button on the left side of the registration page.  It will open up a login dialog.  Enter your email address and password.

When you are logged into your account, you will see Transfer buttons on the left and the right.  Both go to the same place.  Click on one or the other.  When you do, you will see a box to “Transfer your registration” with an option to transfer to a new sub-event or to a new participant.  We have two “sub-events” – the half and the 10K.

1. To transfer to a new sub-event, you will be prompted to select the new sub-event and then to start the transfer. From there you will be asked to fill out the form and proceed with the new registration as normal. The price you paid for the old sub-event will appear as a credit on the registration.
2. To transfer to a new participant, you will be prompted to enter the email of the new participant. Once you initiate this transfer, the new participant will receive an email with a link to complete the transfer.

 

We are a Road Runners Clubs of America (RRCA) with our races and other activities insured by them. To quote from their “Baby Stroller Guidelines for Events”, “The RRCA strongly recommends against the use of baby strollers/joggers by participants in road races” and “The inclusion of strollers in races increases the potential for injury to race participants and children. ”

We recognize that their guidelines leave race directors with some latitude depending on the particular race. For the Houston Half-Marathon and 10K, it would be difficult for strollers to navigate the course, and pre- and post-race areas. These areas are gated and the sidewalks narrow with runners tightly packed together. As organizers of the race, we do not see any configuration that would safely allow strollers to participate in the race.

Find out more here.

Click here to go straight to the “Confirm Registration” page.

 

• All wheelers must wear a hard shelled helmet at all times while on the race course.
• No drafting, tailgating, or otherwise unsportsmanlike behavior will be allowed
• Please always be cognizant of foot runners around you. Maintain control of your chair, especially when going downhill and especially in crowds. Reckless behavior can get you and others hurt.

Age limits are based on parental discretion, meaning both the minor(s) in question have chosen to complete the activity and the parent or guardian supervises the child the entire time while on the course. We have therefore set age limits on the registration site to ensure parental consent is provided before entering minors into either event. If you experience any difficulty with registering a minor for the course, please reach out to the Houston Half & 10K Help Desk at info@houstonhalf.com.

Yes, both the Houston Half and the Houston 10K are USATF Certified Courses and were most recently measured in August 2023.

Houston 10K: USATF Certified Course TX19014JH
Houston Half Marathon: USATF Certified Course TX19012JH

 

The Houston Half Marathon & 10K  is a “rain or shine” event.

However, if weather conditions threaten the safety of participants, the race would be cancelled without refund as a portion of all proceeds benefit Memorial Park Conservancy and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department as well as numerous other area nonprofits.

Yes! RunFAR Event Timing will have cameras recording the finish line area. Your personal finish line video will be viewable through a link on your race results page the week following the race.

Race photos will be captured by Capstone Photography with FREE photo downloads for all participants.

If you would like to obtain your free race photos after the event, please make sure you wear your bib on the front of your body so the photographer can easily identify you in the gallery.

No dogs, strollers (of any kind), skates, skateboards, or bicycles* are allowed on the course.
*Race officials and medical staff may use bicycles to monitor the course.

The Houston Half Marathon & 10K course closes at 11 am. Roads will be reopened to traffic in a staged manner after race start based on a 4 hour finish timeline.

Participants will be assigned to corrals to help with race flow at the start of the event.  Later corrals will cross the starting some period of time after the official event start, which can impact how much time those individuals have to finish.

Runners/walkers still on the course when roads are about to reopen will be either be picked up and transported to the finish line or offered the opportunity to finish using pedestrian sidewalks along the course rather than the roadways.  Please note: this could apply to half marathoners with a pace of over 17 mins/mile or 10k participants with a pace of over 30 mins/mile depending on when they cross the starting line.

You can send yourself a copy of your registration receipt using the Race Roster functionality after logging into your account.

Simply follow the instructions provided here.

 

Upgrade from 10k to half marathon distance
Please click here. Click the Transfer link on the top left (desktop display) or from the drop-down menu on top of the page (mobile display). Choose Transfer to a new sub-event, and follow the instructions to switch your event. The upgrade comes with a $15 fee + difference in event cost. The deadline for upgrades is October 15, 2023.

The 10K is now sold out and no further transfers will be permitted.   You can still change your distance to the 10K at the timing desk at Packet Pickup but your bib and your medal will both be for the half marathon

Transfer registration to another person
Please click here. Click the Transfer link on the top left (desktop display) or from the drop-down menu on top of the page (mobile display). Choose Transfer to a new participant, and follow the instructions to initiate the transfer. The transfer comes with a $15 fee. The deadline for upgrades is October 15, 2023.

No refunds will be issued
This is a rain or shine event and a portion of all proceeds benefit Memorial Park Conservancy and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department as well as numerous other area non-profits.

No refunds will be issued

This is a rain or shine event and a portion of all proceeds benefit Memorial Park Conservancy and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department as well as numerous other area nonprofits.

Options available to those who cannot participate:

1. Transfer your bib to someone else (see relevant FAQ item) by October 15, 2023

2. Convert registration fee as a tax deductible charitable donation to Houston Striders, the organizing 501(c)(3). Contact info@houstonhalf.com for more information on this choice.

Please note: all donors must be removed from the participant list and must not claim a bib, shirt, or medal to meet the requirements of a charitable donation. If a donation is requested after packet pick-up begins, the assigned bib must be collected by race registration coordinator before the donation will be accepted. Requests for charitable donations will not be accepted on or after race day.