Texas runs its marathons in winter. Between the first weekend of December and the last weekend of February, the state's five biggest marathon weekends come one after another: San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Austin and the Cowtown in Fort Worth.
This guide ranks them by size, using the most recent published figures, and gives you what you need to pick one: dates, distances, courses, prices and whether you can still get in. Registration details are as of October 8, 2026. Prices and availability change quickly in the final months, so check each race page before you commit.
The five at a glance
| # | Race | City | Race day | Distances | Size | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston Marathon | Houston | Jan 17, 2027 | Marathon, half, 5K | About 40,000 expected for 2027 | Marathon and half sold out; 5K open |
| 2 | Austin Marathon | Austin | Feb 14, 2027 | Marathon, half, 5K | 30,000+ registered in 2026 | Open |
| 3 | The Cowtown | Fort Worth | Feb 28, 2027 | 50K, marathon, half, 10K, 5K | 29,000+ registered in 2026 | Open |
| 4 | Dallas Marathon | Dallas | Dec 13, 2026 | 50K, marathon, half, relay, 10K, 5K, mile | 19,000+ runners and 6,000+ kids in 2025 | Sunday races sold out; 10K, 5K and mile open |
| 5 | San Antonio Marathon | San Antonio | Dec 6, 2026 | Marathon, half, 5K | 18,000+ registered in 2025 | Open |
In race-day order the season runs San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Austin, then the Cowtown.
1. Houston Marathon and Half Marathon (January 17, 2027)
Houston is the biggest of the five. Organizers expect about 40,000 participants across the 2027 weekend, according to ABC13.
The marathon and half marathon start together at 6:55 AM on Sunday at Congress and Fannin downtown, run the same route until mile 7.6, then split. Both finish at the George R. Brown Convention Center, which also handles gear check. Both courses are USATF-certified, with water and Gatorade every 1.5 miles from mile 2. The marathon has a six-hour limit, a 13:45-per-mile pace, and the half marathon four hours. On Saturday, the We Are Houston 5K goes off in waves from 8:00 AM.
Can you still get in? The marathon and half marathon are sold out for 2027, charity entries included. The 5K is open at $60. Marathon finishers get a glass beer stein along with the medal and finisher shirt.
See the Houston Marathon race page
2. Austin Marathon (February 14, 2027)
Austin had more than 30,000 registrations in 2026, according to the organizer, and the 2027 race falls on Valentine's Day.
The marathon and half marathon start together at 7:00 AM at 2nd Street and Congress Avenue and finish at 9th and Congress, below the Texas State Capitol. The courses split after mile 12: the marathon heads north, the half turns south toward the finish. The organizer says the route takes in South Congress, Zilker Park and Hyde Park. The marathon has 22 aid stations, with gels at miles 9.5 and 19.5, and a seven-hour limit; the half has four hours. The 5K starts at 8:40 AM.
Can you still get in? Yes. Entry is currently $199 for the marathon, $179 for the half and $74 for the 5K, and the organizer says prices rise closer to race day. Eligible active-duty and retired military members get 50% off. Every distance gets a belt-buckle finisher medal.
See the Austin Marathon race page
3. The Cowtown (February 27-28, 2027)
The Cowtown set a record in 2026 with more than 29,000 registrations, according to the organizer. It is a two-day weekend: a 10K and 5Ks on Saturday, then the half marathon, marathon and a 50K ultra on Sunday.
Every race starts and finishes at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth's Cultural District. The organizer's course description heads north to the Stockyards, back down Main Street into downtown, through the Near Southside and past TCU, Bluebonnet Circle and Colonial Country Club, then along the Trinity River to the finish. The marathon and ultra have a 7.5-hour limit, the most generous of the five, and the half has 4.5 hours. The organizer promises entertainment every 1 to 1.5 miles on the longer courses.
Can you still get in? Yes. Through December 3, 2026, entry including fees is $56.39 for the 5K, $67.13 for the 10K, $153.10 for the half, $169.21 for the marathon and $174.57 for the ultra, and prices rise in each later tier.
4. Dallas Marathon (December 11-13, 2026)
By the organizer's count, Dallas is the longest-running marathon in Texas. Its 2025 weekend drew more than 19,000 runners and 6,000 kids, according to the organizer, and it has the widest menu of the five: a Friday-night mile, a Saturday 10K and 5K, and a Sunday marathon, half marathon, 50K and five-person relay.
Every race starts and finishes at Dallas City Hall Plaza. On Sunday the long races leave in corral waves from 8:00 AM and split at mile 7.8; the 50K takes in the White Rock Lake Trail. The marathon course is USATF-certified and a Boston qualifier, with 17 aid stations and pace groups from 3:15 to 5:15 run by the Dallas Running Club. The marathon and 50K have 6.5 hours, the half four. Saturday's 10K and 5K run through downtown and Deep Ellum, and the Friday Night Lights Mile is two laps of City Hall Plaza.
Can you still get in? The marathon, half marathon, 50K and relay are sold out. The 10K ($69), 5K ($59) and Friday mile ($29) are open. Packets are handed out only at the expo, with no race-morning pickup. Each entry includes a donation to Scottish Rite for Children, the race's beneficiary.
See the Dallas Marathon race page
5. San Antonio Marathon (December 4-6, 2026)
San Antonio is the newcomer. Its first edition in 2025 sold out with more than 18,000 registrations, according to Texas Public Radio and CBS Austin, and 2026 is its second year.
The SATX 5K runs at 8:00 PM on Friday, and the marathon and half marathon start at 7:15 AM on Sunday. All three finish at the Finish Line Fiesta in Hemisfair downtown. Both long courses are USATF-certified and the marathon is a Boston qualifier. The marathon has 18 water stations and a seven-hour limit; the half has four hours. Finish the Friday 5K and either Sunday race and you get an extra SATX Two-Step medal.
Can you still get in? Yes: $199 for the marathon, $169 for the half and $69 for the 5K, before the registration platform's processing fee. The organizer says prices may increase at any time, and every registration is final, with no refunds, transfers or deferrals.
See the San Antonio Marathon race page
How to choose between them
If you have not registered yet, your realistic options are Austin, the Cowtown and San Antonio, which still have every distance open. In Houston and Dallas you can still run the shorter Saturday and Friday races.
If you want time on the course, the Cowtown gives marathoners 7.5 hours, Austin and San Antonio seven, Dallas 6.5 and Houston six.
If you are chasing a Boston qualifier, Dallas and San Antonio both describe their marathon courses as qualifiers. For the others, check the race's own website before you build a season around it.
If you want two in one season, the calendar helps. San Antonio and Dallas are a week apart in December, and Austin and the Cowtown are two weeks apart in February, so a December half and a February marathon fit comfortably into one winter. And if you want a little more speed in the legs before race day, strides are the cheapest way to get it.
Run it for something
Every one of these races asks four months of your life, and the training costs the same whether or not anything rides on it. If you are going to line up in Houston or Fort Worth anyway, it is worth reading why running for a cause costs almost nothing extra, and how local businesses can back the spots on your race gear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the biggest marathon in Texas?
The Houston Marathon and Half Marathon is the biggest race weekend in Texas, with about 40,000 participants expected in 2027. Austin and the Cowtown are next, each with roughly 30,000 registrations in 2026.
When is marathon season in Texas?
The five biggest Texas marathons all fall between early December and late February: San Antonio on December 6, Dallas on December 13, Houston on January 17, Austin on February 14 and the Cowtown on February 28.
Which Texas marathons are still open for 2026-27?
As of October 8, 2026, Austin, the Cowtown and San Antonio are open at every distance. Houston's marathon and half and Dallas's Sunday races are sold out, though both still have shorter races open.
Where can I find more races in Texas?
We list every Texas race we have verified, with dates, distances and registration status, on our Texas races page.
Anyone can go the distance. Stride into a reason.