Entry fee:
$40.00 thru 7/31/08  $45.00 8/1/08-10/2/08   $50.00 10/3/08-11/27/08  $55.00 11/28/08- 12/31/08        $60.00 race day

Course description:
Four loops on greenbelts in Kingwood, starting at the Greentree Pool, proceeding to Lake Houston and returning to the Greentree Pool. The course is run entirely on concrete greenbelt trails which are open to the public. Please use caution when crossing streets and be courteous to the residents of the neighborhood. Click here for MAPS          Course Map & Elevation Profile

Aid Stations:
There will be water and sports drink available every 1.5 miles at each of the aid stations. There are snacks available at the start/stop aid station (every 6.5 miles).   Portable toilets are located at the start and at each aid station.

Weather:
Temperatures may vary from 32 to 60 degrees. Typically you can expect 40 degree weather.

Packet pickup and race day registration:
Starting at 6:30 AM on New Year's Day at the park.

Air Travel:
The closest airport is IAH- George Bush Intercontinental Airport-Houston, TX (less than 10 miles).  The next closest airport is HOU-William P. Hobby Airport-Houston, TX (31 miles).  Car rental is necessary because the hotels do not have shuttle service to the race site.  Most major airlines have service to Houston, TX. 

Lodging:
Fairfield Inn, 20525 Highway 59, Humble, TX (281) 540-3311 $79.99 for 2 queen beds, late check out, continental breakfast. Call them direct and mention the Texas Marathon rate.   We will also working with some additional hotels in the Kingwood/Humble area.

Certification:
The course is USATF certified and is a Boston qualifier.                        Course number TX02112ETM.

T-shirts, medals, and stuff: Each participant and volunteer will receive a shirt. Each marathon finisher will receive a custom finisher medal and a stuffed bat with the finishing position hanging around its neck.  The only time limit is that participants must finish before dark (5:30pm).  An early start is unnecessary and is not allowed because of the park curfew.

Post race: A pizza picnic lunch is provided after the race with fresh pizza being delivered every hour starting at 11:00 AM.  Also, snacks, fruit, cookies, chips, and soft drinks are available while you cheer on the other runners as they finish.

Awards:  We have designated this year as the "year of the bat".  Each finisher will receive a very colorful bat with the official finishing position hanging around its neck.  Don't blame us if you have a very slow bat.  Last year was the "year of the monkey" and the prior year was the "year of the bear", and previously we've had "year of the cow". 

Volunteers:
If you know of an adult who wants to volunteer, please include their name and shirt size with your application.

Directions:
From 59, exit Kingwood Drive, continue East on Kingwood Drive for approx. 4.5 miles. Take a left on Lake Houston Parkway (8th traffic light). Turn right on Brook Shadow Drive (approx. ¾ mile North on Lake Houston Parkway. The second stop sign on Brook Shadow Dr is Greentree Park (corner of Falling Brook and Brook Shadows).

Click here for MAPS        Course Map & Elevation Profile

Results:
Finishing results will be available on the website and at www.marathonguide.com .

Register online:
To register online:   (CLICK HERE)

Race limit:
The race will be limited to 300 runners.

The Charity:
The net proceeds of this race will be donated to the Marathon Challenge running program. 

Marathon Challenge Program:
The program promotes fitness for elementary school students by providing t-shirts to approximately 5,700 elementary school students annually who complete 26.2 miles of running and/or walking during the school year.  The program has provided t-shirts to children for over 15 years.  The leftover shirts this past year were sent to an after school program for children in Ecuador.
photo a    photo b      photo c

To date, the race and your generous donations have raised funds for the Rick Worley Scholarship Fund for Boy's Ranch and the Marathon Challenge Program in the amounts of:
2008-$4,500.00  2007-$3,000.00  2006-$1,906.73  2005-$1,302.16  2004-$2,450.00   2003-$1,250.00

Race Photography:
Karen Thibodeaux Photography    http://www.karenthibodeaux.com/home.asp

Course Records:

Does your company have free samples they would like to provide to 300 (very appreciative) runners??   If so, we would be very happy to include your items in our race packets.   Runners really love freebies!   Just drop us a line and we’ll do the rest.     steveboone@aol.com

                                                                            ---Texas Marathon Triple---
Announcing:  Texas Marathon Triple.  Complete the Texas Marathon on 1/1/08, Surfside Beach Marathon on 2/9/08, and Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon on 3/16/08 and Puma will award you a windbreaker type jacket and a 50/50 t-shirt to commemorate your accomplishment of completing all 3 marathons. 
http://texasmarathontriple.org/ 

Surfside Beach Marathon www.surfsidemarathon.com    Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon www.seabrookmarathon.org