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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

HOUSTON, TX - The Harvest Marathon Relay is returning this fall with a Guinness World Record attempt for the fastest marathon relay — Breaking Records : Feeding Houston.  This year’s race will bring together runners, volunteers and sponsors, in a collective push that is as much about the community as it is the record books.

      Title Sponsor, S&P Global Energy, helps bring together runners, volunteers and sponsors, in a collective push that is as much about the community as it is the record books. S&P Global Energy’s title sponsorship supports the mission of the Houston Food Bank to provide Food for Better Lives. 

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The Harvest Marathon Relay is a community relay race built around a simple idea: that collective effort produces something no individual on any team can. 10 runners sharing 26.2 miles with a clear goal.  One finish line with every mile tied to the Houston Food Bank.  

The Harvest Marathon Relay held its first event in 2017.  In 2019, the format changed to have competitive and non-competitive or collaborative teams.  That year, Shell Chemical’s team posted the fastest time at 2 hours 17 minutes, 41 seconds.   Two years later, the team from INEOS completed the race in the exact same record finishing time.  In 2022, the team from Sharpstown High School broke the record, which still stands today, at 2 hours, 14 minutes and 55 seconds. 

The year, the Harvest Marathon Relay celebrates its 10th anniversary.  We are looking to do something special for our athletes, volunteers, community and most importantly, the Houston Food Bank.  Please join us as we are Breaking Records : Feeding Houston, presented by S&P Global Energy, where a team of elite runners from the Harvest Marathon Relay community will attempt to break the Guinness World Record for a marathon relay.

If you think you are fast enough to be on the World Record Attempt Team, send your contact information via the "Contact the Race" button at the bottom of the page, or email HarvestMarathonRelay@yahoo.com.  We will be selecting a team of 10-runners and 5-alternates to attempt to break the world record.

Date: Sunday, November 1, 2026
Start Time: 7:00 AM central standard time / 8:00 AM central standard time for competitive teams (Note: daylight savings time ends at 2 a.m., so you get an extra hour of sleep before the race)
Time Limit: 4 hours / 3 hours for competitive teams
Distance: 26.2 miles
Race Venue: Wendel D. Ley Track at Rice University
Team Options:

• COLLABORATIVE:  These non competitive teams can have to 25 participants who work together to complete the marathon.  Collaborative Teams have the option of sabotaging other Collaborative Teams.
• COMPETITIVE:  Competitive teams of up to 10 participants who will compete for time based awards.
• WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT TEAM:  10 participants and 5 alternates selected through an application and try-out process.

Do not underestimate the importance of strategy!!