The Houston Marathon Committee (HMC) announced on Thursday the elite prize purse for the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon. 

A total of $259,000 in guaranteed prize money will be awarded to the top finishers in the four races on race day, including a $40,000 first place payout for each the men's and women's champions at the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon.  
 
"The Houston Marathon Committee's commitment to professional athletes goes back to at least 1982, right after the IAAF approved the request of The Athletic Congress (now known as USA Track & Field) to allow prize money to go into trust for the benefit of the athletes, thereby securing their requisite amateur status of that era," said Chevron Houston Marathon Race Director Brant Kotch. 

"Forty-plus years later, the Committee is excited to offer this level of support to established, as well as emerging, professionals, and we are particularly thankful to our title sponsors, Chevron and Aramco, for their endorsement of our mission."
 
With the return of the USA Half Marathon Championships to Houston, the Half Marathon prize purse will now pay ten deep, while the Marathon will pay out to the top seven. In addition to the awards based on finish, there are time-based bonuses varying between $1,000 - $10,000 in both races. There's also a course record bonus of $15,000 for the marathon and an American record bonus of $5,000 for the half marathon.
 
Marathon prize money (Equal for men and women)
1 - $40,000
2 - $20,000
3 - $10,000
4 - $6,000
5 - $4,000
6 - $3,000
7 - $2,000
 
Course record bonus - $15,000
 
*Masters (40+)
1 - $1,500
2 - $1,000
3 - $500
 
Time Bonus Incentives
Men Sub 2:10, Women Sub 2:28 - $1,000
Men Sub 2:09, Women Sub 2:27 - $2,500
Men Sub 2:08:30, Women Sub 2:26 - $5,000
Men Sub 2:08, Women Sub 2:25 - $7,000
Men Sub 2:07, Women Sub 2:24 - $10,000
 
Half Marathon prize money (Equal for men and women)
1 - $12,000
2 - $10,000
3 - $7,000
4 - $5,000
5 - $3,000
6 - $2,000
7 - $1,000
8 - $750
9 - $500
10 - $250
 
Time Bonus Incentives
Men Sub 1:06, Women Sub 1:15 - $500
Men Sub 1:05, Women Sub 1:14 - $750
Men Sub 1:04, Women Sub 1:13 - $1,000
Men Sub 1:03, Women Sub 1:12 - $1,250
Men Sub 1:02, Women Sub 1:11 - $1,500
Men Sub 1:01, Women Sub 1:10 - $2,000
 
For complete information on the 2014 Chevron Houston Marathon, Aramco Houston Half Marathon and USA Half Marathon Championships prize purse, please visit
http://www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com/Races/EliteAthletes.cfm