PLEASE NOTE
The information on this page pertains to last year's event. For current information, please visit the Houston Inline Marathon website.
RACE START LOCATION
Click here to see a photomap pinpointing the exact location of the start/finish line. It's located on the westbound side of Allen Parkway, along the south edge of Sam Houston Park, about 150 meters west of the intersection of Bagby St and Lamar St.
RACE-DAY PARKING
Metered curbside parking (free on Sundays) is available near Sam Houston Park on the portions of Lamar St, McKinney St, Walker St, and Rusk St that lie to the east of Bagby St. Secure parking is also available for $6 in the underground Theater District Parking complex, for which the most convenient access points are on Walker at Bagby and on Rusk at Bagby (see map).
APPROACHING THE RACE SITE
Those driving to the staging area in Sam Houston Park on the local freeways should follow directions to I-45 toward Downtown. Those heading southbound on I-45 should take the exit to McKinney St, which runs along the back (north) side of Sam Houston Park. Those heading northbound on I-45 should exit to Houston St, bear right to the exit for Memorial Drive, and turn right onto W Capitol St, which becomes Rusk St just before reaching Bagby.
MARATHON AND HALF-MARATHON COURSE MAP
Click here to see a map of the Marathon and Half-Marathon course. One lap is 4.3 miles around. The Marathon consists of 6 laps, for a total disance of 25.8 miles; the Half Marathon consists of 3 laps, for a total distance of 12.9 miles.
“EASY STREET” FUN SKATE COURSE MAP
Click here to see a map of the “Easy Street” Fun Skate course. One lap is 2.8 miles around. Fun Skaters may skate as many laps of this course as they wish, provided that they remain in the rightmost lane at all times, and are finished and off the course by 8:45am.
Pro Marathon Race
The Pro Marathon race will be divided into Elite (any age) and Masters (age 35+) divisions. Pro Women and Pro Men will start and race separately, and cross-drafting between genders will not be allowed. Within each gender, the Elite and Masters racers will start and race together.
Open (non-Pro) Marathon and Half-Marathon
The Open Marathon and Half-Marathon events will be divided into age groups for the purpose of awards. Age groups will be: Under 20, 20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, and 70+. In the Open divisions, all skaters will start together, and may skate and draft together regardless of age or gender.
“Easy Street” Fun Skate
The non-competitive “Easy Street” Fun Skate is for individuals and families who are new to skating, or simply interested in a more casual skating experience. The Fun Skate will take place on the eastern half of the Marathon course, where the roadway is wider and more level, and will turn around on a separate U-turn overlooking the first underpass, so as to avoid crossing paths with the racers. Fun Skaters may choose to skate 1, 2, or 3 laps, for a distance of about 3, 6, or 9 miles.
Race Timing
All participants in the Marathon and Half Marathon will be electronically timed using the AMB-IT matless timing system.
Race Awards
Awards will be given to the top 5 finishers of each gender in the Pro Elite and Pro Masters divisions, and to the top 3 finishers of each gender in each age group in the Open divisions.
Door Prizes
After the races, many valuable “door prizes” will be awarded by random drawing, for which all participants (including Fun Skaters) will be eligible!
*** HOTELS UPDATE ***
We've packed out the DoubleTree! And the Best Western's HouIM discount has expired.
Our next hotel suggestion is the La Quinta Inn & Suites, located in the “upscale” Galleria area, about 5 miles west of Downtown. With the USA Roller Sports discount (rate code “USAROL”), you can get a very nice room for $87 plus tax. Their phone number is 713-355-3440, and more info is available at their website.
Official Host Hotel
Our official host hotel is the DoubleTree Houston Downtown, a first-class hotel located right on the racecourse and just a stone's throw from the start/finish line. Skaters are eligible for a very special room rate of just $109 — half the usual price! The DoubleTree provides free shuttle service throughout the downtown area for its guests. For more info, or to book a room, please visit the hotel's website, or call them at 713-759-0202.
Alternative Hotel
A nearby alternative hotel, located a half-mile west of the DoubleTree, is the Best Western Downtown Inn & Suites, which is offering skaters a special rate of $99/night (discounted from $169). More infomation about the hotel is available at their website. To book a room at the Best Western, call them at 713-571-7733 and ask for the Houston Inline Marathon discount.
