The 42nd annual Chevron Houston Marathon kicked off this morning in far-from-ideal weather, which prompted race organizers to urge runners to slow down. The marathon is one of Houston's most popular events, so we decided it'd be a good idea to recap some of our best marathon stories from recent years.

Fuel Up for the Houston Marathon With the Right Food
If you have been training to run in the Houston Marathon, which takes place this year on Sunday, January 19, you probably know by now that what you put inside your stomach is crucial to how well you'll do in the race. It doesn't matter if you run two miles, 13.1 or 26.2; what you eat could make or break you.
Where to Cheer for the Houston Marathon (And Avoid a Traffic Headache)
Organizers of the 42nd annual Chevron Houston Marathon expect 250,000 fans to line the course this Sunday, but navigating Houston this weekend will be tricky owing to race-related road closures.

Houston Marathon Goes to a Lottery System, and Not Everyone's Happy
The Houston Marathon announced today that it will use a lottery system for next year's race, in an effort to avoid the snafus that have plagued registration in recent years.
Houston Marathon Committee Announces New Courses for 2014 Race
The folks at the Houston Marathon Committee are always looking for ways to improve the annual event, both for the full and the half marathons. One surefire way to do that is to change the course. Frankly, I've never fully comprehended how a person could run that far.

Cyclists May Crash the Chevron Houston Marathon This Weekend
Inspired by the Wolfpack Hustle bike rides in Los Angeles, some Houston cyclists plan to crash this weekend's Chevron Houston Marathon — or at least the streets set aside for the big run.

Five of the Most Disgusting Marathon Pictures Ever
Unfortunately for spectators, sometimes that means having to view some kinda disgusting stuff. Marathoners, apparently, can get in such a zone they ignore all the signals their body is sending them to take a break.