Combined fields for Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon increased to 22,000 - HOUSTON, TX (Jul. 13, 2009) - Online registration for the 2010 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon begins at 12:01 a.m. (CDT), Friday, July 17, with both races expected to sell out in record time.

"Interest in the Chevron Houston Marathon race weekend is at an all-time high," said Race Director Brant Kotch. "Our decision to raise the size of the field by 4,000 to a total of 22,000 for the marathon and half marathon is a direct result of the increased demand from the running community. Our events are the hottest ticket in Texas road racing. Even with the increase, we expect to hit our field limit in less than six weeks."

The 2010 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, January 17.

Fields for the 2009 races reached capacity in just 12 weeks, marking the sixth consecutive year both sold out. Entries for the 2010 marathon and half marathon are split equally, with caps of 11,000 for each. Registration will be available online only at www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com

Including runners in the accompanying EP5K and Texas Children's Hospital Kids' Fun Run, total 2010 Chevron Houston Marathon weekend participation is anticipated to exceed 30,000 runners for the first time in the events 38-year history.

Thousands of race participants will arrive on the starting lines to help others through the Run for a Reason charity program. Over the past 15 years, runners have raised more than $8.5 million through donations for dozens of charities. In 2009, Run for a Reason participants generated $1.1 million for 45 nonprofit organizations.

New to Run for a Reason 2010 is the Heroes Charity initiative. A limited number of marathon and half marathon registrations have been designated as "Hero Entries." Each entry is a minimum of $350, a direct donation to a Run for a Reason charity of the runner's choice, plus the cost of race registration. In addition, each Hero runner receives a custom back bib, an invitation to the event's exclusive post-race charity party, cap and recognition on the marathon web site.

"Our new Hero Entry is a unique way to recognize the efforts of individuals whose contributions to the race extend far beyond the finish line," said Kotch.

In addition to runners from all 50 states and close to 30 foreign countries who will race in Houston, several of America's best distance runners will return to compete in the men's and women's 2010 USA Half Marathon Championships. The Aramco Houston Half Marathon will host the men's national title race for the sixth straight year, while U.S. women will compete for the national
half marathon championship in Houston for the fourth consecutive time. The dual championship races will have more than $62,500 in prize money at stake.

The 2010 event also will feature the second annual ABB Team Challenge, which is open to runners in all three races. Four team competition categories will be offered, including all marathon runners, all half marathon participants or all 5K racers. The fourth category is a mixed team, with at least one runner in all three events. Teams must have a minimum of three members and a maximum of six, with points awarded to runners based on their age-group finishes. More than 100 teams are expected for the challenge.

Chevron Houston Marathon race weekend 2010 will begin with the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute EXPO on January 15. The annual two-day health, wellness and athletics event draws more than 65,000 fitness enthusiasts to the George R. Brown Convention Center for packet pickup and the latest products and solutions in the wellness industry.
The Chevron Houston Marathon, a Running USA founding member, is the nation's premier winter marathon, annually attracting participants from all 50 U.S. states and more than 20 foreign countries. In 2009, more than 26,000 runners participated in four marathon weekend events (marathon, half marathon, 5K run and children's run). The Houston Marathon has been ranked among the top five marathons in the nation by Ultimate Guide to Marathons for fastest course, organization and crowd support. More than 5,000 volunteers organize the race, which is Houston's largest single-day sporting event.