In Flight Running
Houston's Run Coaching, Marathon
& Half Marathon Training Program
2008-09 Recommended "Race of the Month"
Series
Houston Marathon & Half Marathon Training Races
Registrations
Accepted Through July 31st Or Until Our 250 Cap
Is Reached - Click Here To Register
Instead of using HARRA's (Houston Area Road Runners)
Houston Marathon warm up series of races to help
prepare for the marathon, In Flight Running hand
picks our own recommended list of warm up races
or creates our own long distance training runs for
our group. Not that we have anything personal against
any of the Houston warm up races but honestly we
have lost way to many runners to injury on some
of the longer distance races like the 25K and 30K.
Many are run on very harsh concrete surfaces which
seem to wreck havoc on the bodies of many runners.
Seasoned veteran runners may be able to tolerate
these races without injury problems but first-time
marathoners and half marathoners should be aware
of the risk involved. Better to be safe than throw
weeks of your training away on a warm up race that
may thwart your chances of getting to the start
line of your goal race.
Below is a list of In Flight Running's recommended
Houston area warm up races for marathoners and half
marathoners. We recommend these races to our members
and any other Greater Houston area runners who are
training for the Houston Marathon or Half Marathon.
We have picked what we feel are the best run races
and those that fit great with the Houston Marathon
or Half Marathon training schedules. Many are great
holiday races that do not conflict with the all
important Saturday or Sunday long run. These races,
dates and times may change as we get updates from
race directors so bookmark this page and check back
often for a great series of races that will get
you to the finish line of your big race goal.
Run
Wild 5K
Houston Uptown Park Plaza
Friday July 4, 2008 - 7:30 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
What better way to celebrate our
country's independence than to put on a pair of
running shorts and run wild through Houston's Uptown
Park. One of the steamiest races of the year and
another well organized race from Run Wild Chip Timing.
This race is a great chance for Houston Marathoners
and Half Marathoners in training to get one of their
first gut checks early in the Houston Marathon training
season and the race date does not conflict with
the standard Saturday long run.
Lazy
Crazy Days of Summer 5K
Houston Downtown Aquarium
Saturday August 9, 2008 - 7:15 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
An out and back course ran from
the Downtown Aquarium on Memorial Drive. This is
always a hot race run during the dog days of summer
but a great first test of our runners 5K race times.
We use this race as our first official time trial
for our Fall Marathon training group.
Fired
Up 5K
Sugarland, Texas (Southwest Houston)
Labor Day - Monday September 1, 2008 - 7:00 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
This Labor day race is a bonus workout
for our runners as it does not conflict with the usual
Saturday long run or mid week hill workout. Another
opportunity to get a solid race time to help our runners
guage proper pacing speed as total weekly mileage and
long run distances increase.
Watermill
Express 5K
Run For A Reason Kickoff Party
Sam Houston Park - Downtown Houston
Thursday Night September 18, 2008 - 7:30 PM
Race
Website & Sign Up
In our opinion this is one of the
most innovative things the Houston Marathon has
done to meld the sport of running with community
and charity. The Run for a Reason Kickoff Party
will be held on Thursday night, September 18, 2008
and starts the countdown to Houston Marathon/Half
Marathon/5K race day on January 18, 2009. The party
will feature live music, refreshments and charity,
running club and vendor booths. The
party will be held alongside the Watermill Express
5K, which features a downtown route that starts
and finishes at Sam Houston Park. The race starts
at 7:30 p.m. and is a unique opportunity to run
a twilight race in Downtown Houston. Provided that
the Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Half Marathon
or EP 5K have not yet reached their caps for 2009
events, attendees will be able to register for any
of those races at the Kickoff Party. Their will
be 2,000 cotton "In Training" t-shirts
to be given to the first 2,000 attendees to present
their registration confirmation for one of our 2009
events at the "January Event Registration"
booth.
The
"Run For A Reason" is the Chevron Houston
Marathon, Aramco Half Marathon & the EP 5K's
official charity funding raising program. Each runner
who signs up for any of the Marathon Day races can
"Run For A Reason" and pick an official
charity to raise money for and in honor of. Each
runner gets their own fund raising website where
they can easily solicit donations from friends,
family and business associates. Last year "Run
For A Reason" runners raised over 1.25 million
dollars for charity. This year In Flight Running
and one of our lead sponsors, KSBJ 89.3 FM Christian
Radio will be activitely involved in helping the
Houston Marathon reach the 2 million plateau in
fund raising. We are challenging all Houston runners
and running clubs to get involved and take your
running to the next level by helping others.
R.O.C.
5K/10K
Kemah Boardwalk
Saturday September 27, 2008 - 7:00 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up - Coming Soon
Run a nice scenic loop over the Kemah
bridge and along the bay. Take in a breath of fresh
salt air compared to the usual, boring Downtown Houston
race. After the race hang around for breakfast and shopping
on the Kemah Boarwalk. A great family activity. This
race benefits a great cause with proceeds benefitting
Reaching Overweight Children, Inc.
United
Space Alliance 10 Miler & 2 Person Relay
Clear Lake City - University of Houston Cleare Lake Campus
Sunday October 12, 2008 - 7:00 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
Run around one of Houston's only major
bodies of water in this well run race. One of the
HARRA warm up series races this race allows marathoners
to tackle that first double digit race (10 miles)
while half marathoners can team up and tackle almost
half a marathon (5 miles). Perfect for all runners
and a required training race for our group.
Koala
Wellness Luke's Locker Half Marathon & 2 Person
Relay
Downtown Houston - Sam Houston Park
Sunday October 26, 2008 - 7:00AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
Managed by the Houston Striders running
club this race is the best run local race in Houston
and a staple on the training schedule for anyone training
for the Houston Marathon or Half Marathon. This official
HARRA warm up series race originates from Downtown
Houston like most but portions of it are run on asphalt
which make it a little less harsh than the other HARRA
warm up races. We require our runners to run this
race as it is truly the first official gut check for
anyone who wants to get to the start line of the Houston
Marathon or Half Marathon. This race offers a 2 person
relay so those training for the marathon can run the
full race (13.1 miles) while those training for the
half marathon distance can tackle half of this race
distance (6.55 miles) for a perfect training distance
in race conditions.
Niagara
Falls International Marathon & Half Marathon
Buffalo, New York - Niagara Falls, Canada
In Flight Running - Race
Road Trip!
Sunday October 26, 2008 - 10:00 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
Coach Michael is traveling on a trip down
memory lane this year to his home town of Buffalo New
York and wants to take few runners with him this year.
Imagine tackling one of the natural wonders of the world
on this point to point course from Buffalo, New York to
Niagara Falls, Canada. The only race in the world that
starts in one country and ends in another. The host hotel
is in Niagara Falls, Canada and runners are bussed to
Buffalo and run point-to-point from Buffalo to the finish
line on the Canadian side of the Falls. If thinking about
that doesn't give you a kick in the pants nothing will!
San
Antonio Rock n Roll Half Marathon & Half Marathon
San Antonio, Texas
In Flight Running - Race
Road Trip!
Sunday November 16, 2008 - 7:30 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
Coach Duval takes the show on the
road with another chance for our marathoners to tackle
half the distance in this inaguaral race and the latest
in the family of Rock n Roll theme races by Elite
Racing. It doesn't worry us that this is the first
running of this race. If you have run any of the Rock
n Roll races nation-wide you already know that Elite
racing knows how to run a race. In Flight is organizing
a group to travel with us to this race so we can take
a break from the Allen Parkway trails and have another
chance to see how each runner has progressed with
their training.
TXU
Energy Turkey Trot 5K/10K
Houston, Texas - Uptown Park
Thursday November 27, 2008 - Thanksgiving - 8:00 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
This holiday tradition is a perfect
opportunity for all of our runners to conquer a mid
week training run in race conditions. We have all
runners (marathoners nad half marathoners) run the
10K distance as another tune up for the Houston Marathon
& Half Marathon. This race has become huge and
after working through some growing pains has become
a great holiday race. Get your cardio in early and
avoid that Turkey day guilt. Fair warning on parking
which can be total chaos. Arrive very early to avoid
the mess and the stress.
Dallas
White Rock Half Marathon & 5 Man Marathon Relay
Dallas, Texas
Sunday December 7, 2008 - 9:00 AM Half - 8:00 AM Relay
Race
Website & Sign Up
The last in what we call the Texas
3 Step (Houston Koala Half, San Antonio Rock n Roll
Half Marathon & This Race). In fact most Houston
Marathoners could run all three of these Texas Half
Marathons and be in great shape to run the Chevron
Marathon in January. This is our marathoner's last
chance to see what they are made of before tapering
down mileage for the Houston Marathon about 6 weeks
later. Runners training for the Houston Half Marathon
can race in a 5 man relay of 5.24 miles per leg.
Houston
Downtown YMCA Jingle Bell 5 Miler
Downtown Houston - Allen Parkway
Sunday December 14, 2008 - 2:00 PM
Race
Website & Sign Up
Your last chance to race before the
Houston Marathon & Half Marathon, this race has
regained it's old luster as a holiday family tradition.
In Flight Running sponsors this race and consults
the Downtown YMCA on race management. Please note
the unusual start time, mid afternoon on a Sunday
and plan accordingly. Put your jingle bells on and
run this one hard as it is all down hill from here
to the start line of the Houston Marathon and Half
Marathon about a month later.