The Woodlands Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K

Saturday, March 2, 2024 • The Woodlands, TX • Course Map

Some running events, even some races whose history dates back for many years, go out of business or are otherwise unable to be held, sometimes for many years. That’s exactly what happened to The Woodlands Marathon, which hadn’t been held for nearly 20 years until it was brought back to life.

Thankfully, a new race organizer gathered together a new sponsor and organizing team to re-launch the race in March 2012, and added the half marathon for the first time as well.

The half marathon course takes runners through The Woodlands, a planned community that began in the mid-1970s as a suburban bedroom community for nearby Houston, just a short drive from the Texas Gulf coast. Ever since then, its population has doubled every decade, thanks to its rolling hills, plentiful trees and the many companies that have moved into the area and set up corporate campuses.

Runners will start all of the event’s five races along or just off Lake Robbins Drive near The Woodlands Mall, and those running the full marathon, half marathon and marathon relay will follow the same loop course that leads west from the mall — runners in the half marathon will make a single loop around the course, while those running the full marathon and relay will make two loops around the course.

From Lake Robbins Drive, the course heads right onto Grogans Mill Rd for the first mile before a left onto Research Forest Dr which runners will remain on for the next 4 miles. At around the 5.5 mile mark, the course takes a left onto Kuykendahl Rd, taking runners south for the next two miles. Participants make a left onto Lake Woodlands Dr, heading east back towards the finish line, taking them through Shadowbend Park and Meadow Lake Park for the next 4 miles. They’ll head all the way back to the race finish near The Woodlands Mall, where they’ll cross the finish line next to the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion.

Runners as well as wheelchair competitors will be welcome in the half marathon, and both will need to be able to complete the race’s 13.1 miles by 1:30 PM in order to be recorded as an official finisher — which means you’ll need to keep a pace of 14 minutes, 30 seconds per mile or better.

A stretch of the Waterway Walk in The Woodlands, Texas. (Photo by M Glasgow/flickr)

Race Weather & Climate

Located near the Texas Gulf coast, about 30 miles north of Houston and roughly 210 miles southeast of Dallas, The Woodlands typically sees February temperatures between 44°F and 65°F, while rainfall totals average just under 3.6 inches, making it one of the area’s drier months of the year.

On the day of the race (Mar. 2), the average low is 53°F and the average high is 69°F.

Past Results

Course Map

See the race route map for The Woodlands Half Marathon here.

Starting Time

6:45 AM – half marathon, full marathon, relay

Fees

$100 – $140 for the half marathon
$110 – $160 for the full marathon
$50 – $75 for the 10K
$65 and up for the virtual marathon or half marathon

Registration

To reserve your spot in the late winter/early spring 2024 running of the Woodlands Marathon, Half Marathon, or 10K race, register online at RunSignUp.com here.

Official Race Website

www.thewoodlandsmarathon.com

Comments

Ever run in The Woodlands Half Marathon? Share your impressions here, or post your review in the Comments box below.

See more races in: March, Texas

4 comments… add one

Daryl Beatty December 15, 2020, 4:09 pm

Before I register, just one question. What is the refund policy if the race is canceled due to the virus? We’ve all seen too many of these go up to about a month before, then somebody pulls the plug. I have no interest in a so-called “Virtual” race. Again, will it be refunded? Automatically deferred to the next year?

Reply
Jordan Walker February 27, 2020, 7:26 pm

Hi, I tried switching my registration from the full marathon to the half marathon. I don’t think it switched and I was wondering if there’s a way that could be done for me?
Thanks,
Jordan walker

Reply
Parul Chawla December 10, 2019, 10:52 am

If the half marathon starts at 7:00 AM and we need to finish at 1:30 PM to be counted as a finisher that means we have 6 hours + to finish the half marathon then why does it say a speed of “14 minutes, 30 seconds per mile or better.”

Reply
Lorie Durousseau November 5, 2018, 10:45 am

I would like to be apart of this 1/2 marathon.

Reply