Houston Marathon 2011 USA Running Circuit (USARC) race starts Saturday with the Half Marathon Championships in 2011, the United States, presented by Aramco Services Company.

Back in Houston for the first time since his U.S. record run in 2007, Ryan Hall (Big Bear Lake, California), field-effect co-marathoner Magdalena Lewy Boulet Olympics (Oakland, Calif.) and a number of top American athletes compete for prize money totaling $ 59,500.

In addition to the national title, athletes use 2011 as a chance to preview the course that will be used when Houston hosts 2012 U. S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon in January.

Sign Hall reconnaissance in Houston will be Jorge Torres (Boulder, Colo.), an Olympic Games in 2008 to 10,000 meters, Patrick Smyth (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.), 2010 half-marathon runner-up, 2004 Olympic Games Dan Browne (Chula Vista, Calif.), Jason Lehmkuhl (Minneapolis, Minnesota), 2008 Half-Marathon runner-up, and Sergio Reyes (Los Osos, Calif.) 2010 USA Marathon Champion.