Windy, rainy forecast looms over Houston Marathon

Director: Cancellation is not a possibility

HOSUTON – As runners make last-minute preparations for the Chevron Houston Marathon, a gloomy forecast is predicted for race day.

Overnight, the Houston area is expecting a cold front and more rain which could bring some extra challenges for runners.

The full marathon and half marathon is scheduled for Sunday. The full marathon race will start at Minute Maid Park in downtown Houston, runs through Rice and West University and then passes along the Galleria, Tanglewood and Memorial Park and finishes up back in downtown in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Kevin Vidrine's said this will be his first marathon. He said the mileage has been on his mind a lot, but the pending bad weather may make things worse.

"The wind will make it a lot tougher," said Vidrine. "The rain I'm a little unsure of. Probably pretty cold and miserable being that it will be wet."

More than 25,000 runners signed up to run the Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon. The Houston Marathon committee's executive director, Wade Morehead, said safety is their number one priority. He said they'll be monitoring the weather throughout the night before.

"If there were a situation where there were lightning strikes in the area, we would communicate with the necessary agencies and delay the start," said Morehead. "Cancellation is not a possibility in our minds right now based on the weather forecast we're showing."

Fore Vidrine, he said he'll be here rain or shine unless told otherwise.

Ever since the race started in 1972, officials said not once has it been postponed or canceled.