The short version: General registration for the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half (Jan. 17, 2027) sold out in early August. The only way in now is a charity entry. If you'd rather not fundraise, you have options. Trained for 26.2? Galveston (Feb. 21) is the closest marathon, on a flat seawall course. San Antonio, Austin and Cowtown were still open in late September. Dallas has since sold out. Want a January half near Houston? There's one almost every weekend.
Option 1: a charity entry
Houston's Run for a Reason program still had entries after the sell-out. ABC13 reported it requires a $350 donation to one of 68 charities, and some charities had already filled their spots. Check the official registration page for what's left. Our Texas registration check has more on the sell-out.
Option 2: run a different Texas marathon
If you've been training for a January marathon, these keep your build-up close to on schedule:
| Marathon | Date | Weeks from Houston | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio Marathon | Sun., Dec. 6, 2026 | 6 weeks earlier | Cut your plan short and race in early December |
| Irving Frost Marathon | Sat., Dec. 19, 2026 | 4 weeks earlier | Irving; billed as flat and USATF-certified. (The BMW Dallas Marathon sold out; see our Dallas guide.) |
| Austin Marathon | Sun., Feb. 14, 2027 | 4 weeks later | Add a month to your build |
| Galveston Marathon | Sun., Feb. 21, 2027 | 5 weeks later | Closest to Houston; flat course along the seawall |
| Cowtown Marathon | Sun., Feb. 28, 2027 | 6 weeks later | Fort Worth; the race says its full and ultra are Boston qualifiers |
The Galveston Marathon is the easy pick for Houston runners. Its RunSignup listing describes a flat, fast course through Beach Town and East Beach and along the Seawall, and calls it a Boston-qualifying course. There's also a half, a 5K and wheelchair and handcycle divisions. For registration status on the others, see our Texas registration check. For every option, see the Texas marathon calendar.
Option 3: a January half marathon near Houston
If you were registering for the Aramco Half, these Houston-area halves on RunSignup fill the same part of the season. Our Houston half marathon guide has the full list with current fees. To find routes and group runs while you train, see our Run Houston guide.
- Lone Star Stampede, Sugar Land, Sat., Jan. 2. The Texas Exes Houston Chapter's 48th annual race adds its first-ever half marathon this year. Proceeds fund scholarships for Houston-area students going to UT Austin.
- Time Travel Half Marathon, Houston, Sat., Jan. 9.
- Bigfoot Classic Galveston, Sat., Jan. 9.
- MLK Jr. Freedom Run and Sunrise 13.1, Houston, Sat., Jan. 16, the day before Houston.
- Bigfoot Classic Houston, Sugar Land, Sat., Jan. 23.
Up for a road trip? Austin's renamed Spurs Austin International Half runs the same morning as Houston, Jan. 17, on the old 3M Half's net-downhill course. Every other option is on the Texas half marathon calendar and the January race guide.
Option 4: race the Houston series instead
The Run Houston! Race Series and the Houston Marathon Warm-Up Series run through the fall and winter, so there are plenty of tune-up races. Our series page shows the schedule and current fees, and the warm-up series’ Houston 25K is Sunday, Nov. 22 (see our Nov. 21–22 race guide). The Houston & Gulf Coast race calendar has everything else.
Don't miss Houston 2028
Houston sold out faster this year than at any time since the pandemic, ABC13 reported. If you want in for 2028, watch the official site for registration dates, and plan to sign up the day it opens.
