Courtesy: event press release

The fastest men and women running the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon on January 13, 2008, could take home more than $170,000 in prize money for crossing the finish line ahead of the pack.

The man and woman to break the tape in the marathon will pocket $25,000 each, and they can add another $10,000 to that by setting a course record. For men, that means a sub-2:10:04, the record set by Richard Kaitany in 1989; women must come in under 2:26:52, the record set by Dire Tune in 2007.

Winners in the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, again host of the USA Half Marathon Championships, will take home $12,000 each for leading the 13.1-mile event. Men can earn an extra $4,000 by breaking the course (and American) record of 59:43 set by Ryan Hall in 2007. Women must run under 1:10:55, the record set by Colleen De Reuck in 2004, to earn the bonus. An American record (59:43 for men, 1:07:34 for women) nets each another $5,000.

"If you're fast and looking to make your mark, Houston is the place to be," says Race Director Brant Kotch. "We have just what a runner needs to set a record. Ryan Hall and Dire Tune proved that in January. Our course is almost pancake flat and the weather is usually ideal for racing. A generous prize purse and bonus money make the Houston marathon and half marathon a runner's dream."

The $170,000 prize and bonus purse pays out more than $100,000 to top runners in the marathon and over $60,000 to the fastest half marathoners.

In the marathon, prize money will be awarded to the top five finishers:

1st place $25,000
2nd place $12,000
3rd place $7,000
4th place $4,000
5th place $2,000

The bonus for runners coming in under the time standards are:

Men's Time Bonuses
Sub 2:13 $2,000
Sub 2:12 $3,000
Sub 2:11 $5,000
Race Record $10,000

Women's Time Bonuses
Sub 2:30 $2,000
Sub 2:29 $3,000
Sub 2:28 $5,000
Race Record $10,000

Women must run 1:00 faster than in 2007 to earn the bonus. In addition to the $10,000 offered to the first runner to beat the course record, the next two runners under the course record each earn a $3,000 bonus.

The top three male and female Masters winners in the marathon pick up $1,500, $1,000 and $500, and the male and female wheelchair winners take home $500 each.

In the half marathon, the top 10 men and women take home prize money:

1st place $12,000
2nd place $6,500
3rd place $4,000
4th place $2,000
5th place $1,500
6th place $1,250
7th place $1,000
8th place $750
9th place $500
10th place $250

The top three Masters men and women in the half marathon will pocket $750, $500 and $250, and the top wheelers in the half earn $300.

Prize money also is paid to the top three local men and women and top local male and female Masters runners in both races.

Participation in the elite division of the 2008 Chevron Houston Marathon is by invitation only.

More information is available online at www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com or (713) 957- 3453.