Texas Half Marathons - Growth Continues

(Texas):  With no doubt, Texas is a great location for half marathon events with almost 29 million people living throughout the state.  In addition to the high population, Texas is a popular destination to travel to in winter months, drawing many down for a "runcation" to escape the cold, snowy winter weather in the northern and midwestern states.  In the year 2012, Texas had a total of 100 half marathons.  The number of half marathons in Texas in 2017 has now grown to over 155 half marathons, taking place throughout the year.

While Texas has an enormous population and attracts many during the winter months, the state can be a brutal climate for running in the spring, summer, and early fall months.  May through September, Texas only has 3 to 5 half marathons take place each month throughout the entire state, then immediately jumps to approximately 21 half marathons in October, and approximately 23 half marathons in November.  Currently, March has the largest number of half marathons in Texas, with approximately 25 half marathon events across the state.

The Texas Half Marathon Calendar, presented at Half Marathon Calendar USA, presents half marathoners with a (w) symbol, identifying half marathons of which are walker friendly in Texas.  Walker friendly half marathons are events allowing 4 hours or longer to finish, with full support and timing.  Texas has had a gradual increase in walker friendly half marathons, promising for the half marathon walker clientele.

While most half marathon events in Texas are road races, Texas has close to 15 trail half marathons across the state.  Trail half marathons can sometimes help in the hotter months, typically bringing more tree covered shade to the course.  However, the most popular half marathons in Texas seem to be  the events held in the coastal towns, popular for vacation travel, and a few of the big city half marathons, such as in Houston and Dallas, drawing large levels of participants.  For the wine enthusiasts, Texas has a handful of half marathons with a wine and vineyard emphasis.

While some half marathons come and go, Texas has a history of maintaining many half marathons for a very long period of time, hence the growth in number from 100 to over 155 half marathons in the past five years, adding well over 50 new half marathons to the state.  As an example of long standing race presence, the DRC Half in Dallas is coming up on 42 years this November.

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Inaugural Half Marathon added to the Texas Half Marathon in Frisco, TX

Inaugural Texas Bigstar Half Marathon added to the Texas Half Marathon Calendar set to take place in ......


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Texas Half Marathons Feb 21 and Feb 22, 2015

No slow down for half marathons in Texas the rest of this February!  There are FIVE half marathons this weekend in TX Feb 21 and Feb 22, 2015!  Surfside Beach Half Marathon in Surfside Beach, TX;  Cross Timbers Trail Half Marathon in Gordonville, TX;  Stonebridge Ranch Half Marathon in McKinney, TX;      El Paso Half Marathon in El Paso, TX; and the Alamo Run Fest Half Marathon in San Antonio, TX!  For more details visit Texas Half Marathons http://www.halfmarathonsearch.com/#!half-marathons-texas/c1thp

Running February Half Marathons in Texas Overview

For runners looking to run a half marathon in Texas in the month of February, the average weather temperatures for northern Texas typically range from upper 50's to mid 60's for the high, and mid 30's to mid 40's for the lows, making it ideal running weather to many that like to avoid running in heat. In southern Texas, you'll find average temperatures ranging from mid 60's to low 70's on average, with average lows of about 40 to 50 degrees.

Moving on into the rest of February, there are half marathons spread all across the state of Texas, including at least 2 trail half marathons, for those that like to hit the dirt.

Texas Half Marathons 2014 and 2015 - New and Improved Half Marathon Calendar

Texas Half Marathons has now rolled out as a more tablet and mobile friendly view at Halfmarathonsearch.com.  The Half Marathon Calendar has 2014 and 2015 half marathons up to date as the dates are announced by race organizers, and has both search by state and search by month capabilities.

Texas Half Marathons is on Facebook

Texas Half Marathons is on Facebook.  Come on over and "Like" Texas Half Marathons Facebook! Another place to stay up to date on information regarding half marathons in TX, such as inaugural races, discounts, upcoming Texas halfs and sometimes descriptions and highlights of half marathon events in Texas. Plus, interact with other Texas half marathon runners with your posts as well.

Texas Half Marathon Growth, Walker Friendly Half Marathons and Trail Half Marathons

The most up to date, complete and accurate listing of Texas half marathons on the web is the Halfmarathonsearch.com half marathon calendar, featuring search by state and search by month capabilities. The calendar of Texas half marathons also features a symbol for trail running half marathon events, and has been working on implementing walker friendly symbols throughout the calendar, which will continue to roll out through 2014. The walker friendly races adhere to the new standard in the half marathon industry, supporting a 4 hour / 18:32 minute mile minimum to be officially considered walker friendly.  The races must be fully supported the full minimum of 4 hours, including the same road support and aid station support that the fast runners receive, to be “official walker friendly”. Texas half marathons have grown to a total of 120 half marathons as of January 2014, an increase of over 20 half marathons in Texas since the beginning of 2012.  It is no surprise, being such a large state and all, Texas remains in the top 5 for most half marathons in the United States.

Thus far, some of the most widely known larger races that support a minimum of 4 hours to be considered walker friendly in Texas and across the nation, are the Rock’n’Roll half marathons, and The Biggest Loser Run / Walk half marathons.  As far as the smaller to mid size races, there is still a large quantity of 1/2 marathon events out there that are not supportive of the walking community at all.  There is a very large percent of races that that have a  maximum time limit of 3 hours and 15 minutes, or 3 hours and 30 minutes, which truly isn’t really a walker friendly standard, and certainly shouldn’t be promoted as walker friendly on any event website.  However there are some extremely supportive small to mid size events out there to be found!  Surfside Half Marathon allows up to 5 and a half hours for halfmarathoners.  The 3M Half marathon allows 5 hours for the half marathon.  The half marathon walking community continues to grow, and events looking to gain a larger total participation should definitely consider a 4 hour or longer fully supported race to draw in this growing market share.

Trail half marathons have also been making headway in Texas and across the United States.  While Texas by no means leads the US in percentage of trail events, the state is home of a full Xterra series, which include multiple half marathons, and at least 12 good Trail 21k half marathons across the state.  As mentioned prior, runners can easily scroll right down the Halfmarathonsearch.com half marathon schedule for Texas and identify which events are trail runs by the (T) symbol along side the date at the Texas half marathon calendar.

Half Marathons Reach a Milestone and Surpass the 2000 total mark in 2012

The year 2012 has been a year of tremendous growth for half marathons and marks a new milestone of surpassing over 2000 half marathons across the United States.  Half Marathons are being formed as fast as we can add them to the online calendar directories.  Halfmarathonsearch.com analyzed, searched, and compared the top half marathon directory listings across the United States and came to a total of 2005 half marathons for all US States totaled, reported on August 26, 2012.  California half marathons lead the way with the top number of half marathons, surpassing the 250 mark this year and new half marathons being added almost weekly, with Florida following as second with a total of 105 half marathons reached in 2012.  Not too far behind Florida follows Utah, Texas, and the state of Washington for most half marathons in the United States.  Both Florida and Texas hit their 100 milestone this year in 2012.

As events grow, the importance for Race Directors and Event Management companies to understand their audience, not only from a race day perspective, but also an online perspective in presenting the event website is critical.  A past article Event Websites in our Changing World of Technology, Social Media, and Accommodating the Traveling Athlete written by Nicole Blomgren, Founder and President of Fifty States HALF Marathon Club and Halfmarathonsearch.com, provides good insight into what events should be cognizant of in presenting their information for runners, to make finding an event so much easier.

The rate of half marathon additions does not seem to be slowing as we approach this last quarter of 2012, predicting half marathon totals to likely grow to between 2300 to 2500 by the end of 2013.  Half Marathon clubs and training organizations have also seen growth in 2012, such as the national running club Fifty States HALF Marathon Club www.halfmarathonclub.com , which has more than doubled over the past year.

Furthermore, the half marathon 13.1 mile distance event is a nice event to travel on the weekends to. Runners can typically experience a quick recovery after finishing a half marathon, one may not encounter when participating in a full marathon, presenting the half marathon experience to be very enjoyable running distance event for runners.

 ~ Copyright 2012 - Nicole Blomgren

Texas Half Marathon Milestone for 2012

The totals are in, and for 2012, Texas now has hit a total of 100 Half Marathons!!!  Halfmarathonsearch.com™searched, analyzed and compared all the top site listings of half marathons, and just came up with the final total.  Halfmarathonsearch.com™ Texas Half Marathons page should now be the most complete listing of all half marathons in Texas in the United States as of August 26, 2012.  You will also now see a small (T) next to events that are Trail Running half marathons, to easily identify trail halfs in the list.  Halfmarathonsearch.com ™ will eventually be doing this for all states.

TEXAS HALF MARATHONS