New Year's Day Triggers Price Increases in Numerous Texas Marathons

Fifteen (15) Texas marathons remain in the traditional October to April marathon cycle that are not already sold out, and five of them increase their prices with the start of the New Year.

One of those five marathons – the Davy Crockett Bear Chase, which is hosted in high school football-crazy Groveton – is currently the cheapest while another, the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon, will become the most expensive.

The other three which will experience a New Year’s Day price increase include the Galveston Marathon, the Cowtown Marathon and the El Paso Ultra Marathon.  The latter two will both be held on Sunday, February 24, 2013.

Produced by Steve and Paula Boone, creators of the Texas Marathon held each New Year’s Day in Kingwood, the Davy Crockett Bear Chase Marathon increases to $65 from its current $60 price for the entire month of January.

The half marathon, which will also be held on Saturday, April 13, is also the same price as the marathon. Both events will go to $70 in February, $75 thru the day before the race and $80 on race day.

Its companion 5K remains at $25 until February 28, $30 thru April 12 and $35 on race day.

The price shift leaves the Surfside Beach Marathon, held on Saturday, February 23, 2013, as the most inexpensive marathon at $60.  Like the events hosted by the Boones, the half marathon at Surfside is the same price.

It is unknown, however, from the event’s website when and if the prices increase prior to race day.

The Galveston Marathon, in its third year after having been departed for nearly 20 years, will increase to $105 from its current $95 price tag while its half marathon will increase $15 from $75 to $90.

The largest marathon event in the state, as determined by its total number of timed finishers, the Cowtown Marathon will see all of its events increase by five dollars on New Year’s Day.

The marathon is currently $105, the half marathon $85 and the 10K and 5K, both held on Saturday, February 23, are $30 and $25, respectively.

Those prices will hold until the Expo when they become $120 (marathon), $100 (half marathon), $40 (10K – still not bad) and $35 (5K).

The El Paso Ultra Marathon, in its seventh year, has one of the cheapest companion half marathon prices at $55 to go along with its $80 marathon price.

On New Year’s Day, the marathon will move to $90 while the half marathon will only move five dollars to an inexpensive $60.  The 5K goes from $30 to $35.

Final prices at the Expo will be $100, $70 and $40, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Fidelity Investments The Woodlands Marathon will surpass the Livestrong Austin Marathon as the most expensive marathon in Texas – at any point other than the Rock ‘N’ Roll San Antonio Marathon at its Expo at $150 – when its price increases $20 on New Year’s Day to go from its current price of $120 to $140.

The Livestrong Austin Marathon is currently at $135 and has been since November 28, 2012.

The two events will share the most expensive companion half marathon in Texas at $115 on New Year’s Day when the St. Luke’s Hospital The Woodlands Half Marathon also increases $20 from its current $95 price.

The Fleet Feet Sports 5K will go from $35 to $40.

Like the Surfside Beach Marathon, it is unknown if the inaugural Army Marathon, slated for Sunday, April 21, 2013 when it launches from Killeen and its point-to-point finish in Temple, has a price increase from its current $75 price.

The new event will be limited to 2,500 runners and does not have a companion half marathon because of its point-to-point nature.  Additionally, no runner under the age of 18 is allowed to compete.

One other first-year race is the owner of the highest price companion 5K in the state.
Corpus Christi plays host to the inaugural Navy Marathon on Saturday and Sunday, March 23-24, 2013.  Its 5K, which will be held Saturday, March 23, is currently $50 and will go to $55 at the event’s Expo.

The marathon and half marathon are $105 and $95, respectively, and increase $10 each on race weekend.

Doing the race’s challenge, which includes the 5K on Saturday and one of the two events on Sunday actually includes a $5 premium.

But it is the Seabrook Lucky Trail Marathon and Half Marathon which offers a discount for doing both of its events on Saturday and Sunday, March 16-17, 2013.

In its 10^th year, the event features a Saturday half marathon to go along with its Sunday marathon and half marathon.  The Pelican and Trail Challenges pair up running a race each day.

Both the marathon and half marathon, including both days, are $85 individually, moving to that price at the end of Christmas Day.  However, if you sign up for either of the challenges, you receive a $20 break.  So instead of paying the $85 twice, the cost of the challenge is $150 – and you get a third medal to boot.

However, Seabrook’s next price increase comes on January 21 and it is a steep $25 per event.

Mellew Events’ Big D Texas Marathon, starting and finishing in Dallas’ Fair Park on Sunday, April 14, 2013, will see its prices increase on January 13.

The marathon and half marathon are currently priced at $90 and $75, respectively.  Both events will increase $10 until Sunday, April 7 and then move to $120 and $100 during race week.

The 5K will move from $25 to $30 on the January 13 and $35 the week leading up to the 10^th anniversary race.

Waco’s Miracle Match Marathon, which shares a date with the Galveston Marathon on Sunday, January 27, 2013, will see its prices increase by $10 each on the longer distances and $5 on the shorter events one week before the race.

On January 20, the current $90 marathon, $75 half marathon, $30 10K and $25 5K prices will go up heading into the race weekend, where they will be $110, $90, $40 and $30, respectively.

The 5K will be held on Saturday, January 26 and is part of the race’s Challenge of the Phoenix double with the half and the marathon the following day.

The brand-new Irving Las Colinas Marathon, the last of the 2012-2013 Texas marathons to be held on Saturday, April 27, 2013, is currently $80 and $65 for its main event and companion half.

Its next price increase will occur on Sunday, January 27, when the races will become priced at $85 and $70, respectively, through March 27, and then go to $90 and $85 until two days before race day and $100 and $90 on race day.

The 10K and 5K are currently $35 and $30, respectively, and the longer distance goes to $40 on January 27 before both events go to $45 and $35 on March 27.

Runners at both of Las Colinas’ shorter distances can deduct $5 if they do not wish to receive an official time.

At the end of January, the Exygon and Baptist Hospitals Gusher Marathon and its Southeast Texas Medical Associates Half Marathon will see its first and only price increase.

The marathon and half marathon will increase $15 each its respective $80 and $70 prices.  The Kinsel Ford 5K will go from $25 to $35.

The

Love. Run. Marathon., held in Huntsville State Park on Saturday, February 9, 2013, will see its three events’ price increase by $10 each three days before – February 6 – race day.

The marathon, half marathon and 10K are currently $90, $70 and $50, respectively.