Houston, Jan 12 (IANS): A number of top runners will be among about 30,000 half-marathoners and marathoners at the Houston Marathon Sunday.

The Houston Marathon, in its 41st year, will bring roughly a quarter-million people to the Houston area this year between participants, spectators and volunteers, which makes the weekend race the largest single-day sporting event in Houston, organisers said in a press conference Friday, reports Xinhua.

Among the top runners at this year's event will be Bezunesh Deba, whose personal record is 2:23:19, and Merima Mohammed of Ethiopia, whose personal record is 2:23:04. On the men's side are Bazu Worku, who ran the Berlin Marathon in an astounding 2:05:25, and Debebe Tolassa with a personal record of 2:07:41.

"We have 30,000 runners for the three races this year and great elite field. The majority of those runners will be running for a reason this year for our charitable programmes," said Wade Morehead, executive director of Houston Marathon committee.