Texas Marathon

Texas Marathon is run in Houston, Texas, on January 1, 2027, with the marathon (26.2 miles) starting at 8:00 a.m. and the half marathon (13.1 miles) at 8:15. The course is flat and certified, which makes it a legitimate target for a Boston qualifier. Aid stations carry water, sports drink and snacks at regular intervals, finishers get custom shirts and medals, and pizza and beer are free afterward. Proceeds go to Coats for Kids, the Global Wheelchair Mission and the Orphanos Foundation.

A flat certified course on January 1 is a specific kind of opportunity: if your fall block went well and you missed a qualifying time by a minute or two, this is a second attempt while the fitness is still there. Run it as a BQ attempt and the pacing plan matters more than the taper. If a spring marathon is the real goal instead, the half at 8:15 gives you 13.1 miles at goal effort without wrecking the block.