It’s that time of year again: on January 19, 2020 the Chevron Houston Marathon will once again take over downtown Houston as runners from around the world try to beat their personal bests or finally finish that big race. The Chevron Houston Marathon isn’t just for the competitors, though. The race is one of the best sporting events for Houstonians to watch either in person or streaming online. If you want to catch the marathon either live from streetside or from the comfort of your own home, here’s everything you need to know to watch the big race.
Best Spots to Watch the Chevron Houston Marathon In Person
Hundreds of thousands of spectators turn out every year to watch the Chevron Houston Marathon, and there are many great locations to watch the marathon live.
- The Starting Line/Finish Line: The race starts near Minute Maid Park and ends near the George R. Brown Convention Center, making this area a great place to catch the action. We Are Houston RunFest will set up on the Jones Lawn at Discovery Green just across the street with a huge Jumbotron from 5:00 am to 2:30 pm on race day. The front runners are expected to finish around 9:05 am with the rest of the pack trickling in from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
- Washington Corridor: The Washington Corridor is an excellent vantage point to see runners when they’re still fresh in the first few miles of the marathon. Catch front runners around 7:05 am and the pack around 7:10 am.
- River Oaks Shopping Center: The River Oaks Shopping Center provides a view of mile 4 alongside coffee shops, restaurants, and shopping. Expect front runners around 7:20 am and the pack around 7:35 am.
- Kirby The Kirby section is when the lead runners start making their presence known around miles 5 and 6. Front runners should come by around 7:25 am and the pack will thunder by around 7:45 am.
- Rice University: Around 7:40 am, the front runners will run by the retail and restaurants surrounding Rice University with the pack trailing around 8:20 am.
- Tanglewood Boulevard: The most picturesque section of the race is along Tanglewood Boulevard where runners are greeted with banners, flags, and thousands of cheering residents. Expect front runners around 8:20 am and the pack around 9:40 am.
- Memorial Park: Memorial Park is home to the infamous “wall,” the 20-mile mark of the marathon where many runners begin to encounter the physical and psychological toll of the grueling 26.2 mile race. Front runners will hit the wall near Memorial Park around 8:40 am with the pack trailing behind around 10:20 am.
How to Stream the Chevron Houston Marathon Online
Houston’s own ABC-13 will feature live coverage of the Chevron Houston Marathon from 7:00 am to 10:00 am, with a 10:35 race day recap special to follow. The ABC-13 website will feature live streams of both the full marathon and the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. You can also watch local ABC 13 with Hulu Live on your TV or device using a free 7-day trial.
The race can also be streamed using the Watch ABC app available for Apple and Android devices, or via the ESPN3 app also on iOS and Android.
Whether you want to catch the race live in person or from your couch, there are plenty of ways to watch. Just note that if you want to watch in person, there will be loads of road closures on the morning of the race. Don’t miss one of Houston’s most popular sporting events!
