Houston Turkey Dash Half Marathon

Houston Running Co. built this Thanksgiving Day event around the half marathon rather than bolting a long option onto a turkey trot. The half goes off first from Delmar Stadium, then the 10K, 5K, and family runs follow, and proceeds go to the HRC Foundation and its charity partners. The field stays small, usually a few hundred half marathon finishers, so runners get a holiday race without the crowding of a big-city event.

The half marathon runs two loops that start and finish at Delmar Stadium on the northwest side of the city. The route is RRCA certified and stays on flat Houston streets, so the second loop is a clean read on whether the opening pace was honest. Hydration stations come about every 1.5 miles with restrooms just past them, and the course limit is 4 hours.

Late November race mornings in Houston usually start in the low 50s with humidity close to 90 percent, then warm into the 60s by mid morning. A cold front can drop that well below normal and add wind, so it is worth checking the forecast late and planning for damp air more than for cold.