Do Not Race List

28th Corpus Christi Half Marathon powered by American Bank, Corpus Christi, TX

The Corpus Christi Road Runners made a Cyber Monday offer on the event's Facebook page.  After carefully investigating that there was no race day registration or packet pickup, I made the following comment on the post (which the administrator of the page liked):  "Great offer. Have run it before. Would think about coming down from far north Houston, but without race day registration or packet pickup (would have to leave by at least noon on Friday to make it for 4 p.m. end of PPU) ... I'll pass."

Just checked today, December 27, as one of their posts was in my news feed, and they are now offering race day packet pickup.

If you've been putting on a race for 27 years, you can figure out - a month out - if you can offer race day packet pickup or not and stick to it.

Minden Run For St. Jude Half Marathon, 10K and 5K, Minden, LA

I ran this half marathon in 2015 and the timer recommended me to announce it earlier this year (2016).  When I agreed to do it, I offered that I would charge them my 10K rate as opposed to my regular half marathon rate.  When I was done and getting ready to leave for the day, I spoke with the race director and told her that I would submit my invoice that evening.  She said, "That's great as I want to be able to get our check out to St. Jude Medical Center right away."  I did and I was never paid for my services.

Texas Half Marathon - 5-Plus Year Veterans (2009-2016)

8 years
Lillie Fontenot
Omer Womack
Paul Cain

7 years
Derek Nolen
Faye Caldwell
Linda Law
Mark Coleman
Paula Parshall
Sara Pressel

6 years
Ben Knippel
Bonnie Beirne
Brianna Nolen
Eunice Mahoney
Gary Pressel
Katheryn Nolen
Kevin Rarey
Monica Montoya
Peter Raybourn
Rose Linseisen
Ruth Johnston
Walt Yarrow

5 years
Addie Kephart
Carolyn Wyborney
Dwain Rollerson
Jessica Baxter
Karen Stanford
Katherine Droll
Keith Cotropia
Lisa Earehart
Lisa Yarrow
Mark Mann
Randall Smith
Steve Potlock
Terrell Smith
Trent Nolen
Varun Gupta

Texas Marathon - 5-Plus Year Veterans (2000-2016)

17 years
Steve Boone

16 years
Gerry Simpson
Jacqueline O'Brien-Nolen

14 years
Rene Villalobos

13 years
Mike Huff (plus two half marathons)
Richard Jares
Robert Lott, Jr.

12 years
Fred Ward

11 years
Bill Moeller
Chuck Struckness
German Collazos
Karen Berglund
Ron Berglund
Terry Sawma

10 years
Angela Tortorice
Christal Albrecht
Jim Reeve
Suresh Shah
Thomas Moberly
Yen Nguyen
Yong Collins

9 years
Bridget Moeller (plus one half marathon)
Carlos Reyes
Danielle Skelton
John Hyak
Peter Bennett
Ray Boytim (plus two half marathons)
Suzy Seeley (plus three half marathons)

8 years
Chris Duggan
Edward Campos
Harris Argo
Paula Sokolich
Susie Eisenberg
Vincent Kowalski

7 years
Aiko Hanyu
Brian Jenison
Claude Hicks, Jr.
Donald Hickombottom (plus one half marathon)
Grant Hodges
Guy Rozas
Joseph Wasicka
Ken Johnson (plus two half marathons)
Ken Merenda (plus one half marathon)
Laurence Macon
Margot Campos
Robert Hill
Victor Bhatt

6 years
Charles Taylor
Clyde Shank
Don Womble (plus one half marathon)
Evan Groutage
Frances Wasicka
Hudon White
Joe Barry
Michael Digennaro
Morgan Lusby
Robert Furman
Sergio Leonardi
Tina King
Wayne King
Willem Maas

5 years
Carol Earles
Christopher Culpepper
Clark Courtright
Donna Crocker
Donna Palmer
Gary Van Kuiken
Henry Bittle
Ila Owers
Jacob Gautreaux
James Baudhuin
Jay Teinert
Jim Simpson
Jones Ramsey
Karen Castro
Kathy Hodges
Kelly Shank
Kimberlie Budzik
Maggie Mount
Mark Crichton
Mark Thurber (plus two half marathons)
Miroslaw Malinowski
Nhithi Nguyen
Patrick Foley
Penny Derkowski
Rahul Reddy
Richard Carroll
Stefanie Bernosky (plus one half marathon)
Stephen Jones
Steve Lind
Tom Detore

Eight Greater Houston Half Marathons Increase Prices By January 9

Between now and Monday, January 8, 2017, eight (8) greater Houston area half marathon races - that will be held between January 29 and April 23 - will have some form of price increase or registration-related deadline come to pass.

Perhaps the best and most unheralded deal in all of greater Houston is the two-person marathon relay that is part of the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon on Saturday, March 4, 2017.

I was so surprised that I actually confirmed this on the telephone with race director Willie Fowlkes on Friday, December 23.

So if you're not hung up on seeing your own name in the individual results of a half marathon, but want to race the distance at the cheapest price in town, this is your deal!

Each runner of the two-person relay pays just $55 through Sunday evening, December 31 and $60 per person once the ball drops in Times Square to bring in 2017.

A complete listing by date of the registration-related deadlines is listed below:

January 1
USA Fit Marathon and Half Marathon finishers will receive their choice of a "Finishers" sweatshirt, 1/4 zip pull-over shirt or backpack, if registered by January 1.  After January 1, only backpacks are guaranteed.  The official link is here.

The Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon increases the price on all of its races but the Family 2K run by $5 on January 1.  Therefore, the marathon goes from $110 to $115, the half marathon from $90 to $95 and the 5K from $35.  The four-person marathon relay goes from $180 to $200 - or from $45 per runner to $50.  Exchange Points will be at the 6.5, 13.1 and 19.75 marks for the 4-person relay teams.  The official link is here.

Texas Country Music Half Marathon, less than two weeks after it was announced, will see a price increase on January 1.  The half marathon fee increases to $80, the half marathon relay team jumps to $110 (from $90) and the 10K goes from $40 to $50.  The official link is here.

The Cross Creek Ranch Dusk To Dawn Half Marathon, 5K and 1K, to be held on Saturday, March 25, 2017, will see its prices go up on January 1.  Prospective half marathoners will pay $84 instead of $75, 5K runners will pay $35 instead of $30 and 1K'ers will increase $2 to $20 even.  The official link is here.

January 3
Surfside Beach Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K future participants will experience a price on January 3.  Price for the Surfin' Surfside 5K will go from $40 to $50 and Offseason pricing for the marathon and half marathon will increase from $75 to $85.  The race's Facebook page posted on December 22 reminding runners to "register the family by January 4th to claim your shirt sizes!"  The official link is here.

January 4
Katy Half Marathoners may defer their entry up to a year, but are charged $30 to do so.  The deadline to defer or change distance must be submitted before January 4, 2017.  The official link is here.

January 7The Messina Hof Wine & Roses Half in Bryan will have its registration fees increase from $90 to $110 for the half marathon and from $45 to $50 for the 5K on January 7, 2017.  The race is on Sunday, April 23, 2017.  The official link is here.

January 9
Rhythm and Blues Half Marathon prices increase on January 9, 2017.  The half marathon goes from $85 to $95, the quarter marathon goes from $60 to 70 and the 5K goes from $45 to $55.  The official link is here.

(Disclaimer:  While the writer does provide various communications-related services to many races in the greater Houston area, he no longer serves the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon as its media relations director.)

Run The Woodlands 5K Race Report

Back in 2003, when I first started to run, there was this twice-a-month $1 race series, Run The Woodlands 5K.

It was - and still is - held at Barbara Bush Elementary in The Woodlands.

The race was basically a time trial course in that it never changed.  Therefore, you could always go out and benchmark yourself - in race conditions - where you were in your fitness.

And if you didn't need a t-shirt and a bunch of post-race food, you could do so for a $1.

Many times I would wake up at 7:15 a.m. and realize that I could make it there before the 8 a.m. start time.

Go up to the table, sign the waiver, put a $1 in the box and get ready to run.

Today's race completed the 17th year of the series that either spawned or was a great influence to two others -- Vern's No Frills 5K in Georgetown (produced by former and frequent RTW participant Bill Schroeder) and the current Run For Wellness 5K Series in Houston.

Today, I repeated that trend from the early years, arriving at the race site at about 7:40 a.m.

I ran with the Seven Hills Running Club's Ken Johnson, as I do many times at the once-a-month Sunday Night 5K produced by The Woodlands Running Club (well, really, Bill Dwyer).

Our time was 36:54, but that's never the important thing.  Running with Ken, it is a chance to converse with one of the few people that is out there and sees more than I do.

Run The Woodlands 5K was race #65 for me this year -- and nine of them were of the Run The Woodlands, Run For Wellness or TWRC Sunday Night 5K varieties.

If all goes well, I'll add one more in Mission, Texas next Saturday morning.  It will be a race in Texas city or town #125 and Texas county #64.

As always, being at a race, regardless if I'm running, working or volunteering, it is about the people that I see and meet.

The Attanuccis were there.  Vincent and son Michael.

They recently completed another BMW Dallas Marathon together earlier in the month.  It was Michael's 16th marathon and Vincent's 46th.

Vincent, a Penn State graduate, has run a mile a day for at least the last ten years.

Congratulations to Michael as he'll be getting married one week from today, December 31, 2016 in Fort Worth.

Dr. John Slate, who lives in The Woodlands and is a member of the Seven Hills Running Club in Huntsville, was out today.

Long-time friend Rick Cook and his son, Cooper, who is in the seventh grade, were racing today.  They live just right around the corner from the school.

Rick, Bill Dwyer and myself along with Andrew Perry started the Montgomery County Triple in 2006 and while working for Luke's Locker, who produces the race now, Rick was the RD of Run The Woodlands 5K for a year or so.

The very first Run The Woodlands 5K I ever attended was the second Saturday of July 2003.  I got lost by making a right-hand turn across Crownridge instead of left to come back to the finish.

That day, a man encouraged me to get rid of the cotton t-shirt and baseball hat.  (Yes, I was a newbie once.)

He ran with this really tall dog, whose name was Khobar.

His name is Tom Pinney and he was there this morning.  It was really good to see and talk with him -- and he was continuing to encourage another generation of runners that were out there.  Something we all need to do every chance we get.

I think the two daughters of fellow Spring High School graduate Kim Driver were there.

And as Ken and I made the turn into the school parking lot, we saw former Houston Strider Joan O'Connor, who has relocated up to The Woodlands upon her work retirement.

After grabbing a quick bite to eat, I went to Hughes Landing where Bill's Volte Endurance Training group was finishing up their long runs in preparation for next month's Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon.

Conversed with many, including Mary Carter, Rich Cooper, Leeanne Rosser, Randy Harris and others, but went there primarily to wish probably my best friend, Bill, a Merry Christmas and to give him a gift.

Although I'll see him later as he'll be at North Park Baptist Church for tonight's Christmas Eve service as his son-in-law Chris is leading worship.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

Dallas Marathon Finisher Numbers

2016
5K - 278 (139 men / 139 women) (41.7% decrease)
Marathon Relay - 621 + 5 = 626 (12% increase)
Half - 6,712 (3,142 men / 3,570 women) (8.5% increase)
Marathon - 2,812 (1,751 men / 1,061 women) (2.4% increase)

2015
5K - 477 (197 men / 280 women)
Marathon Relay - 195 + 215 + 41 + 63 + 6 + 12 + 17 + 5 + 5 = 559
Marathon - 2,746 (1,727 men / 1,019 women)
Half - 6,184 (2,853 men / 3,331 women)

2014
5K - 418 (271 men / 147 women)
Marathon Relay - 218 + 221 + 36 + 73 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 6 + 1 + 1 = 568
Marathon - 3,951 (2,328 men / 1,623 women)
Half - 8,442 (3,652 men / 4,790 women)

2012
5K - 590 (257 men / 333 women)
Marathon Relay - 58 + 128 + 15 + 10 + 273 + 21 + 208 + 117 + 28 + 5 + 5 = 868
Marathon Clydesdale/Athena - 327 (278 men / 49 women)
Marathon - 4,875 (2,970 men / 1,905 women)
Half - 9,879 (4,347 men / 5,532 women)

Today's Price Guide to Houston Area Half Marathons Post-Chevron/Aramco

1/29 - USA Fit Marathon ($95), Half Marathon ($85) and 5K ($35)
2/4 - Katy Half Marathon ($105), Half Marathon Relay ($150 2-person), 5K ($50) and Kids 1K ($30)
2/4 - Surfside Beach Marathon ($75), Half Marathon ($75), 5K ($40) and Kids Race ($15)
2/12 - Galveston Marathon ($105), Half Marathon ($85) and 5K ($30)
2/12 - Rhythm and Blues Half Marathon ($85), Quarter Marathon ($60) and 5K ($40), Houston [No race day PPU]
2/18 - Love. Run. Marathon ($90), Half Marathon ($80) and 10K ($60), Huntsville State Park - Returning from 2015
2/25 - Citizens Medical Center Half Marathon ($70) and 5K ($30), Victoria - First year race
2/25 - Jail Break Run Half Marathon ($85) and 5K ($35), Baytown
2/26 - Texas Country Music Half Marathon ($70), Half Marathon Relay ($90 2-person) and 10K ($40), Houston - First year race
2/26 - Republic of Texas Half Marathon ($85), Quarter Marathon ($50) and 5K ($40), College Station
3/4 - The Woodlands Marathon ($110), Marathon Relay ($110 2-person or $180 4-person), Half Marathon ($90), 5K ($30) and Family 2K ($25) [No race day PPU]
3/4 - The Gusher Marathon ($98), Half Marathon ($88) and 5K ($25), Beaumont
3/17-19 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon ($85), Marathon Relay ($180 4-person), Half Marathon ($85), Half Marathon Relay ($90 2-person), Quarter Marathon ($45) and 5K ($35)
3/19 - St. Paddy's Half Marathon ($75), Race Day PPU ($12 donation to Snowdrop Foundation), Sugar Land
3/25 - San Felipe Shootout Trail Half Marathon ($75), 10K ($55), 5K ($45), San Felipe
3/25 - Cross Creek Ranch Dusk to Dawn Half Marathon ($75), 5K ($30) and 1K ($18), Fulshear - PM race
4/8 - Davy Crockett Bear Chase Marathon ($65), Half Marathon ($65), 5K ($25), 1M ($15), Groveton
4/8 - Texas Wine Series at Whistling Duck Half Marathon ($85), 10K ($70) and 5K ($55), Weimar
4/9 - Vintage Park Half Marathon ($90), Half Marathon Relay ($130 2-person), 5K ($40), 1K ($25), Houston - First year race
4/23 - Divas Half Marathon ($95), 5K ($50), Race Day PPU ($20), Galveston
4/23 - Messina Hof Wine & Roses Half Marathon ($90), 5K ($45), Bryan

Largest Trail Races in Texas by Finisher Miles - 2016

First attempt to establish a metric of some kind - other than simply the total number of finishers - that would determine the largest trail races in Texas.

Again, the idea - just like road races - is that sure you can sign up a million runners, but it all depends on who gets to the finish line.

Therefore, I took the total number of finishers from each race in a given event multiplied by the number of miles at each race's distance to come to a "finishers miles" total.

If I'm missing a trail race that was run in Texas in 2016, please let me know:

26,846.0 - Bandera
24,000.0 - Rocky Raccoon 100, Huntsville
21,346.0 - Brazos Bend 100, Needville
17,987.2 - Ragnar Trail Relay Hill Country, Comfort
16,815.1 - Brazos Bend 50, Needville

16,595.6 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon
13,922.4 - Snowdrop 55 Ultra, Sugar Land
11,775.0 - Rocky Raccoon 50, Huntsville
 8,287.5 - Franklin Mountains Trail Run, El Paso
 8,042.0 - Palo Duro Trail Run, Amarillo

 7,874.2 - Wild Hare, Warda
 7,349.6 - Hells Hills, Smithville
 6,848.1 - Grasslands Trail Run, Decatur
 6,758.0 - Capt'n Karl's Pedernales Falls, Johnson City
 6,262.0 - El Scorcho Diez, Fort Worth

 5,997.3 - Pandora, Burnet
 5,918.1 - Blazing 7's Trail Run, Bellville
 5,900.0 - Cactus Rose, Bandera
 5,640.0 - Habanero Hundred, Bellville
 5,057.4 - Cross Timbers Trail Run

 4,791.6 - Whispering Pines, Tyler
 4,550.8 - Capt'n Karl's Reveille, Burnet
 4,462.4 - Big Bend Ultra
 4,444.8 - Isle du Bois, Pilot Point
 4,427.0 - San Felipe Shootout, San Felipe

 4,207.2 - Fossil Valley, Dallas
 3,942.0 - Jackalope Jam, La Marque
 3,859.5 - Horseshoe Trail Run, Hitchcock
 3,760.3 - Possum Kingdom Lake, Graford
 3,732.9 - Austin Rattler Run, Smithville

 3,592.5 - Wildflower Half, Bastrop
 3,570.0 - Prickly Pair Trail Race, San Antonio
 3,521.6 - Capt'n Karl's Colorado Bend
 3,503.0 - Capt'n Karl's Muleshoe Bend, Spicewood
 3,303.9 - J&J Race and Running Reunion, Rocksprings

 3,286.8 - The Circus, Cedar Creek
 3,200.1 - Paleface - May 2016, Spicewood
 3,178.5 - Big Cedar Endurance Run, Glen Rose
 2,996.6 - Texas Switchback, Johnson City
 2,776.2 - Night Moves and Next Generation Trail Races - August, Hitchcock

 2,652.9 - Rough Creek Trail Run, Glen Rose
 2,349.8 - The Ranch, Austin
 2,306.4 - The Maze, Austin
 2,280.5 - Piney Woods Trail Fest, New Caney
 2,144.7 - TXU Energy Crazy Desert Trail Run, San Angelo

 2,120.4 - The Tangle, Austin
 2,002.0 - Lighthouse Hill Ranch, Johnson City
 1,968.9 - Saddle Blazer, Killeen
 1,937.5 - Sky Island, Fort Davis
 1,781.8 - El Chupacabra de San Antonio

 1,710.0 - Texas 2-Way Torture Test, Johnson City
 1,630.7 - XTERRA Magnolia Hill, Navasota
 1,629.2 - XTERRA Cameron Park, Waco
 1,620.0 - Trans-Pecos Ultra, Alpine
 1,552.6 - Rawhide, Comfort

 1,519.3 - Wonderland, Gail
 1,445.0 - Toughest N' Texas, Waco
 1,370.2 - Rugged and Raw, Dallas
 1,330.0 - IAAP Trail Run, San Antonio
 1,314.9 - Friends of Government Canyon Recharge Race, San Antonio

 1,255.5 - El Chupacabra de Houston, New Caney
 1,240.0 - XTERRA Pedernales, Johnson City
 1,162.3 - Night Moves and Next Generation Trail Races - October, Hitchcock
 1,143.4 - Paleface - October 2016, Spicewood
 1,088.1 - The Mammoth at Dinosaur Valley, Glen Rose

 1,072.6 - Shannon Trail Series Race 3, San Angelo
   924.0 - XTERRA Muleshoe, Spicewood
   895.5 - Shannon Trail Series Race 2, San Angelo
   821.5 - XTERRA Gator Bait, Huntsville
   821.5 - Shannon Trail Series Race 1, San Angelo

   756.4 - XTERRA Jurassic, Glen Rose
   688.0 - Cedar Brake, Dallas
   680.3 - XTERRA ATX, Spicewood
   536.3 - XTERRA Dallas, Grapevine
   533.2 - 30K of the Dinosaur Trail Race, San Angelo

   512.9 - XTERRA Bluebonnet, Burnet
   508.4 - Skinnydipper Sun Run 5K, Decatur
   474.3 - Purgatory Trial Run at Spring Lake, San Marcos
   356.2 - Dirt Trails & Pony Trails, Austin
   342.9 - Texas Trail Camp, Rocksprings

   288.1 - Run 4 Bibles Trail Run, Dallas
   226.3 - Pioneer Trail 5K, Austin

Thanks for your interest and support.

Largest Trail Races in Texas by Distance - 2016

100M - 240, Rocky Raccoon 100, Huntsville
100K - 231, Bandera, Bandera
50M - 158, Rocky Raccoon 50, Huntsville
60K - 80, Capt'n Karl's Pedernales Falls, Johnson City

50K - 267, Bandera, Bandera
30K - 157, Capt'n Karl's Pedernales Falls, Johnson City
26.2M - 220, Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon, Seabrook
20M - 79, Texas 2-Way Tortute Test, Johnson city

25K - 274, Bandera, Bandera
13.1M - 470, Seabrook Lucky Trail Half Marathon (Saturday), Seabrook
20K - 265, Palo Duro Trail Run, Palo Duro Canyon
10M - 121, Whispering Pines, Tyler

15K - 93, Friends of Government Canyon, San Antonio
10K - 232, San Felipe Shootout, San Felipe
5M - 95, Cross Timbers Trail Run, Lake Texoma
5K - 331, Texas Flower Country Women's, Fredericksburg

Houston's 12K of Christmas Finisher Numbers

12K

2013 - 702 (466 women / 236 men)

2014 - 551 (351 women / 202 men)

2015 - 576 (366 women / 201 men)

2016 - 532 (325 women / 207 men)

Male - Overall

2013 - 38:28.7, Jared Carson, 27, Austin

2014 - 39:34.7, Travis Barczak, 24

2015 - 36:54, Austin Roth, 25

2016 - 41:06, Zach Morgan, 26

Female - Overall

2013 - 48:47.1, Kylee Short, 33, Houston

2014 - 49:15.5, Sydney Davis, 16

2015 - 47:56, Kathryn Brake, 26

2016 - 49:24, Amanda Cruise, 33

Male - Masters

2013 - 43:32.2, Rudy Rocha, 44, Baytown*

2014 - 46:53.0, Miguel Pena, 41

2015 - 48:16, Mark Daiber, 53

2016 - 50:25, Rogelio Corona, 46

Female - Masters

2013 - 51:21.8, Martha Long, 45, Houston*

2014 - 50:59.8, Lilia Vazquez, 51

2015 - 55:49, Charlotte Harris, 44

2016 - 1:03:33, Margaret Brenner, 60

6K

2013 - 116 (78 women / 38 men)

2014 - 132 (81 women / 51 men)

2015 - 260 (179 women / 81 men)

2016 - 484 (316 women / 168 men)

Male - Overall

2013 - 27:19.2, Trevion Jones, 24, Houston

2014 - 22:24.4, Jaylen Mouton, 14

2015 - 21:08, Rodrigo Silva, 19

2016 - 23:11, Thomas Holland, 24

Female - Overall

2013 - 23:18.2, Megan Betts, 26, Austin

2014 - 27:26.8, Monja Jovic, 29, Houston

2015 - 24:50, Kristin Kabay, 34

2016 - 25:28, Kristin Kabay, 35

Male - Masters

2013 - 29:34.4, Frank Tsuru, 53, Houston*

2014 - 30:51.1, Bryan Greer, 43*

2015 - 22:42, Peter Mullin, 65, Houston** (28:43, Peter Tellegen, 59)

2016 - 26:07, Bartendex Oropeza, 41** (27:50, Albert Watkins, 49)

Female - Masters

2013 - 34:49.8, Jana Blackburn, 43, Houston*

2014 - 30:43.3, Jill Martin, 48*

2015 - 29:17, Rachel Clary, 53** (30:33, Cheryl Hope, 46)

2016 - 31:18, Lillian Evans, 42

* Event didn't officially recognize
** Finished second or third overall, which bumped slower runner into official Masters winner.

Top Medals of 2016 From Races I Ran!

Medals from road or trail races are supposed to be fun.

Besides, at the end of the year, the ribbon gets wrapped around the medal and then they go in a box!

Honorable Mention

Mansfield Run with Heart Half and Sylvan Beach Triathlon and Duathlon
(Two races that I announced this year!)

#10 - Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon 5Ks (Friday Trail/Saturday Road)
(I ran these!)

#9 - Foot Levelers Blue Ridge Half Marathon
(Roanoke, Virginia - Toughest Road Half Marathon in the USA)

#8 - Pocatello Half Marathon
(Idaho - State #45 for Half Marathons)

#7 - Air Capital Half Marathon
(Wichita, Kansas - Threw this one in an open weekend in October)

#6 - Genworth Virginia 10 Miler
(Lynchburg, Virginia - Different conceptual design than the two years before)

#5 - Run to Remember 10K
(Los Angeles, California - Medal looks like a police badge.  Pretty cool!)

#4 - Memorial Hermann Ten For Texas
(First time to run it since the first year it returned.  Sleek, classic design)

#3 - Brazos Bend Marathon
(Needville, Texas - Longest distance of the year; close third to #1 and #2.)

#2 - Harlingen Half Marathon
(One of the three biggest medals of the year; heavy and simple patriotic design)

#1 - Revel Mt. Charleston Half Marathon
(Las Vegas, Nevada - Great race; first 8 miles downhill.  Can hurt somebody with this medal!)

Complete 10-Mile Race History

1:35:27 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/10/10
1:41:42 - Jingle Jog, Pearland, 12/3/05
1:43:06 - Ten For Texas, The Woodlands, 10/14/06
1:43:14 - Jim Wells County - VFW Post 8621 10-Miler, San Diego to Alice, 11/12/16
1:43:20 - Ten For Texas, The Woodlands, 10/8/16
1:45:09 - Run For The Water 10-Miler, Austin, 11/6/16
1:46:50 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/14/12
1:49:31 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/3/04 (Half marathon the day before)
1:50:03 - Virginia 10-Miler, Lynchburg, VA, 9/24/16
1:50:59 - Virginia 10-Miler, Lynchburg, VA, 9/26/15
1:51:33 - Virginia 10-Miler, Lynchburg, VA, 9/27/14
1:54:19 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/15/06
2:04:56 - Space City 10-Miler, Clear Lake, 10/2/05 (Half marathon the day before)

Texas' Top 10 Marathons of 2016

For those that think that Beach to Bay shouldn't be in this list, I added a 10th marathon where the marathon relay isn't the focus of the race.

7,827 - Chevron Houston Marathon, January 17 (4,796 men and 3,031 women)
3,413 - BMW Dallas Marathon, December 11 (1,750 men, 1,060 women and 603 relays)
3,225 - Austin Marathon, February 14 (1,945 men and 1,280 women)
2,593 - Humana Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio Marathon, December 4 (1,427 men and 1,166 women)
1,926 - Beach to Bay Marathon Relay, Corpus Christi, May 21 (1,843 relay, 46 men and 37 women)
1,263 - Cowtown Marathon, Fort Worth, February 28 (778 men and 485 women)
1,020 - Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon, March 5 (546 men, 334 women and 140 relay)
  659 - Baylor Scott & White BCS Marathon, College Station, December 11 (332 men, 294 women and 33 relay)
  491 - Big D Texas Marathon, Dallas, April 10 (280 men, 204 women and 7 no gender)
  325 - Texas Marathon, Kingwood, January 1 (170 men and 155 women)
  314 - El Paso Marathon, February 21 (217 men and 97 women)

Relay teams in all races count as one finisher.

Texas 10K's with 1,000-Plus Finishers - 2016

16,581 - Austin American Statesman Cap10K, Austin, (7,394 men and 9,187 women)
  4,045 - ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run 10K, Houston, February 27 (2,071 men and 1,974 women)
  3,110 - The Cowtown 10K, Fort Worth, February 27 (1,272 men and 1,838 women)
  2,288 - 34th annual All-America City 10K, Edinburg, February 6 (1,038 men and 1,250 women)
  2,014 - Humana Rock 'N' Roll San Antonio 10K, San Antonio, December 3 (760 men and 1,254 women)
  1,962 - 9th annual Toughest 10K Kemah, Kemah, September 18 (746 men and 1,216 women)
  1,899 - Tour Des Fleurs 10K, Dallas, September 17 (617 men and 1,282 women)
  1,826 - 6th annual Toughest 10K Galveston, Galveston, October 15 (695 men and 1,131 women)

  1,493 - 32nd annual Longest Causeway Run 10K, Port Isabel, January 9 (665 men and 828 women)

  1,174 - Houston Half and 10K, Houston, October 30 (420 men and 754 women)

  1,141 - 12th annual Trinity River Levee Run 10K, Dallas, March 5 (579 men and 562 women)

  1,115 - Green 6.2, Houston, March 26 (429 men and 686 women)
  1,048 - Katy YMCA Turkey Dash 10K, Katy, November 24 (491 men and 557 women)