HOUSTON – Mary Davies is a mom of two kids under 5 years old. She says she started running years ago as an average athlete and one day felt like amping up the competition.
This weekend, she plans to finish the Houston marathon in less than two-and-a-half hours.
"It's a juggle, but it's my passion so I make time for it," Davies said. Her training consists of running 100 miles a week and sometimes doing more than one workout in a day.
On Sunday, there will be a hundred other elite athletes like her and thousands more just trying to run for personal accomplishments.
Dr. Richard Harris, with Kelsey-Seybold, says that if you're one of them, there's one critical thing you should be doing.
"About three days beforehand, you should definitely increase your carbohydrate intake, because that's what you're going to be running on during the marathon," Harris said, adding that healthy carbs include quinoa, barley and oats.
If you're motivated to do any marathons in 2017, he says it's important to get good shoes and start stepping.
"Make sure you select the right training program for you, for your level of fitness and make sure you start with adequate time," Harris said.
Marathon executive director Wade Morehead said now is the time to celebrate Houston.
"All the different projects downtown, it was actually more difficult in the years leading up to the Super Bowl. Now, we get to go down and celebrate the amazing footprint that they created in preparation for the big weekend in three weeks, and we're just happy that we get to kick off the celebration for the city," Morehead said.
The Houston Marathon is the largest sporting event in the city.
Morehead invites everyone to be a part of race day. You don't have to be a runner, but who knows, almost everyone racing toward the finish line began the journey as a spectator.
"It's amazing how many people you see that you recognize, and they're always saying go, good job, and it's a great place to run," Davies said.
If you’re running in the Chevron Houston Marathon, or are just wondering how to get around it this Sunday, here’s what you need to know.
Marathon and Half Marathon Course:
The race start for both the full and half marathon is on Congress at San Jacinto Street. The finish line is on Lamar at Crawford Street.
Road closures:
The following streets will be closed on Sunday, January 15, 2017, starting at 6:00 a.m. All lanes will be closed unless otherwise noted. For a complete listing of all streets, go to this page.
For a map of the closures, go to this PDF file here.
Marathon Course Closures
- Congress from Crawford to Smith
- Smith from Congress to Franklin
- Franklin from Smith to Washington (all lanes except one westbound curb lane)
- Washington from Congress to Waugh (all lanes except one westbound curb lane from Franklin to Houston, and one eastbound curb lane from Studemont to Sawyer)
- Heights/Waugh (southbound) from Washington to West Gray
- West Gray/Inwood from Waugh to Kirby
- Kirby (northbound) from Inwood to San Felipe
- Kirby (southbound) from San Felipe to Bissonnet
- Bissonnet from Kirby to Montrose
- Mandell (southbound) from Bissonnet to Sunset
- Sunset from Mandell to Rice Blvd.
- Rice Blvd from Sunset to Greenbriar
- Greenbriar from Rice Blvd. to University Blvd.
- University Blvd. from Greenbriar to Weslayan
- Weslayan
(from University to Bissonnet - Weslayan (northbound) from Bissonnet to Westpark
- Westpark from Weslayan to S. Rice Blvd. (all lanes closed except one westbound lane from Newcastle to 610/59 northbound feeder road
- Loop 610 feeder (southbound) from Richmond to Westpark
- Post Oak Blvd. (northbound) from Richmond to San Felipe
- San Felipe (westbound) from Post Oak Blvd. to Tanglewood Rd.
- Tanglewood Rd. (northbound) from San Felipe to Chimney Rock Rd.
- Chimney Rock Rd. (northbound) from Tanglewood to Woodway Dr.
- Chimney Rock Rd. (southbound) from Woodway Dr. to Memorial Dr.
- Memorial Dr. (westbound) from Chimney Rock Rd. to Loop 610
- Memorial Dr. (eastbound) from Loop 610 to Shepherd
- Shepherd (all lanes under overpass) from Memorial Dr. to Allen Parkway
- Allen Parkway from Shepherd to Bagby
- Dallas from Allen Parkway to Bagby
- Bagby from Dallas to Lamar
- Lamar from Bagby to Avenida de las Americas
- Avenida de las Americas from Polk to Rusk
Additional Half Marathon Course Closures
- Montrose from Bissonnet to Main/Mecom Fountain
- Main (southbound) from Mecom Fountain to Bissonnet
- Bissonnet (eastbound) from Main to Montrose
- Montrose (southbound) from Bissonnet to Dallas
- Montrose (northbound) from Dallas to Allen Parkway
Freeway Exit Ramp Closures
- 610 West Loop, southbound, exiting to Hidalgo/Richmond