Updates to the 2017 Aramco Houston Half Marathon Elite Field 

Today the Houston Marathon Committee announced changes to the elite fields for the 2017 Aramco Houston Marathon on Sunday, January 15th. 

Galen Rupp (USA), the 2016 Olympic marathon bronze medalist, has withdrawn from the men's Aramco Houston Half Marathon due to injury.

"Unfortunately I will be unable to race on Sunday due to plantar fasciitis in my foot," said Rupp. "It is improving, but not enough to run a half marathon on. I hope to get the chance to run the Aramco Houston Half Marathon in the future."

Mare Dibaba (ETH), the 2015 world champion and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist in the women's marathon, has withdrawn from the women's Aramco Houston Half Marathon due to a death in the family.

Tigist Tufa (ETH), the 2015 London Marathon champion and 2016 runner-up, has withdrawn from the women's Aramco Houston Half Marathon due to injury.

Bria Wetsch, a 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon participant, has been added to the women's Aramco Houston Half Marathon field.

For more information on the 2017 Chevron Houston Marathon and Aramco Houston Half Marathon, visit www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com.

About the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc.

Established in 1972, the Houston Marathon Committee, Inc. (HMC) annually organizes the nation's premier winter marathon, half marathon, and 5K. Over 250,000 participants, volunteers and spectators make Chevron Houston Marathon Race Day the largest single-day sporting event in Houston. A founding member of Running USA, the HMC hosts the IAAF bronze labeled Aramco Houston Half Marathon and silver labeled Chevron Houston Marathon. For four consecutive years, the events have garnered Gold Certification from the Council of Responsible Sport and were awarded the 2015 AIMS Green Award for industry-leading sustainability initiatives.Race Weekend generates over $50 million in economic impact for the region annually. In 2016, the Run for a Reason Charity Program raised $2.3 million, while the Houston Marathon Foundation supported youth and community running initiatives. Televised annually by broadcast partner ABC13, 2016 was the first time that the event was syndicated live nationally and internationally on ESPN3 and the Longhorn Network. Host to 16 U.S. Half Marathon Championships since 2005 and the 1992 women's Olympic Trials Marathon, the HMC also conducted the 2012 men's and women's U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.

For more information, visit www.chevronhoustonmarathon.com   or call 713.957.3453.