In Flight Running
Houston Run Coaching, Road Racing,
Marathon & Half Marathon Training Programs
2010-11 Recommended "Race of the Month"
& "Long Run Road Trip" Series
Houston Marathon & Half Marathon Training Races
& Events
Registration
Now Open For Our 2010-11 Marathon & Half Marathon
Program.
New Members Will Continue To Be Accepted Through
August 31st or Until 350 Cap Is Reached
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 local
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 or San
Antonio Marathon or Half Marathon training schedules.
Many are great holiday races that do not conflict
with the all important Saturday or Sunday group
long run. Race 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 warmed up for your big long
distance race goal.
Heights Run 5K
In Flight Time Trial #1
Houston Heights Blvd
Saturday June 5, 2010 - 7:30 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
Guaranteed to be a steamy race every
year the Houston Heights Run is one of our favorites
and used as our first time trail test of the marathon
training season. Run one week following our first
long run of the season on May 29th we encourage
all of our runners to run this first race of the
season to see where they are with their training
and use this race time to determine pace per mile
speed for the variety of different weekly runs on
their marathon or half marathon training schedule.
Run
Wild 5K
In Flight Time Trial #2
Houston Uptown Park Plaza
Sunday July 4, 2010 - 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.
Houston
Dynamo Go For Goal 5K
In Flight Time Trial #3
Houston Downtown George R Brown Convention Center
Saturday July 24, 2010 - 7:30 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
This inaugural
race looks like a good one even if you are not a
soccer fan. Orange fever has taken over Houston
over the past couple of years so it is great to
see the Houston Dynamos get in on the running scene.
The 5K Run is competitive and chip timed. The fun
run is non-competitive and all kids who participate
in the children's race will receive medals. The
Dynamos anticipate more than 1,000 participants
in the first year of the race. Participants will
receive an official race t-shirt and two tickets
to the Dynamo game versus the New York Red Bulls
on Saturday, July 31.
There will be a post-race festival and awards ceremony
immediately after the race with food, drink, and
live entertainment. Proceeds will go to Dynamo Charities
and its beneficiaries.
Lazy
Crazy Days of Summer 5K
In Flight Time Trial #4
Houston Downtown Aquarium
Saturday August 7, 2010 - 7:15 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
An out and back course ran from
the Houston Downtown Aquarium on Memorial Drive.
This is always a hot race run during the dog days
of summer but another great test for our runner's
to guage their 5K improvement after about 10 weeks
of training. Extra mileage for runners who need
more than 3 or 4 miles on their schedules is offered
afterwards with out and back routes from the race
site on the Buffalo Bayou trails.
Sand Crab Beach 5K/10K
In Flight Time Trial #5
Galveston Texas - Far East Beach
Saturday August 14, 2010 - 9:00 PM
Race
Website & Sign Up
With In Flight's continued partnership
with RunInTexas.com
we are thrilled about this new summer race on Galveston
Island. This is a night time beach run that will
be run on the sand of far east beach. The course
will be lit with tiki torches and offers both beer
and BBQ to runners and guests (non runners pay a
nominal fee for food and drink). This weekend we
will offer our usual long run in Houston in the
morning or offer this night time getaway option
in Galveston. For those that need more than the
10K mileage that this race offers we will polish
off the remaining miles the next Sunday morning
on Galveston's seawall. We encourage all Houston
area runners and In Flight team members to support
this race as a great way to give back to the City
of Galveston who is still struggling from the lingering
affects of Hurrican Ike.
Toughest 10K
In Flight Time Trial #6
Kemah Texas - Boardwalk
Saturday September 18, 2010 - 8:00 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
We love Kemah so much that we run
our annual Kemah Seabrook long run road trip here
every summer and have now added this featured 10K
race that falls perfect on most winter race training
schedules. A great tune up for the Houston Marathon
or Half Marathon or other winter races like Dallas,
New Orleans or Austin. Plenty of parking at the
Kemah boardwalk and plenty of yummy food to endulge
in after the race. A nice challenging race with
an out and back over the Kemah bridge twice. This
race started three years ago to aid Hurricane Ike
victims and lives on by raising money for other
worthy Gulf Coast charities. This year's race benefits
The Bridge Over Troubled Waters charity which offers
support, provides safety and helps prevent domestic
and sexual violence."
Come on out and join us for a trip over the Kemah
bridge.
United
Space Alliance 10 Miler & 2 Person Relay
In Flight Time Trial #7
Clear Lake City - University of Houston Cleare Lake
Campus
Sunday October 10, 2010 - 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
In Flight Time Trial #8
Downtown Houston - Sam Houston Park
Sunday October 24, 2010 - 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.
San
Antonio Rock n Roll Half Marathon & Half Marathon
San Antonio, Texas
Sunday November 14, 2010 - 7:30 AM
Race
Website & Sign Up
This weekend we offer a Houston long
run on Saturday, November 13th or for those who are
running the San Antonio Marathon or half marathon
we head west down I45 for the 3rd annual San Antonio
Rock n Roll Marathon & Half Marathon. This is
our flagship fall race and also a great warm up race
for those training for the Houston Marathon in January
2011. Last year this race was cursed with very hot
temperatures so we are hoping for a much cooler race
in 2010. In it's first year San Antonio Rock n Roll
became the largest Texas road race ever and the biggest
inagural Marathon ever. Managed by Competitor racing
this race like any of the Rock n Roll or Country Music
series are the best run in the country with bands
at every mile marker on the course to keep you rockin
to the finish line.
TXU
Energy Turkey Trot 5K/10K
In Flight Time Trial #9
Houston, Texas - Uptown Park
Thursday November 25, 2010 - 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
Sunday December 5, 2010 - 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
In Flight Time Trial #10
Downtown Houston - Allen Parkway
Sunday December 12, 2010 - 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
with over 3,000 runners and growing each year. 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. Bring the kids as this
race also had one of the best children's races in
the Greater Houston area.