By the time the sun rises over the track at Olle Middle School on May 23, runners are already settling into a rhythm. Some are chasing marathon distance, others are attempting their first double-digit run, and a few are there to see how long they can keep moving. For six hours at Track 40, hosted by the Houston Colosseum Runners, the goal is not necessarily to finish first, but to discover how far the body and mind are willing to go.
There are no corrals, no finish line and no pressure to hit a certain pace. Participants show up and run as far as they can, or want to, within six hours. Some stop after a few miles. Others push through marathon distance and more. The format sounds simple, even crazy to some, but that simplicity is exactly what has made the event resonate with Houston’s running community.
“Track 40 was actually our very first organized event four years ago, and we consider it our official run club anniversary,” said Christian “CJ” Rodriguez, one of the race coordinators. At the time, Houston Colosseum Runners was still just a small group meeting out of Houston Colosseum Academy, a strength and conditioning and boxing gym on Houston’s southwest side. Rodriguez said the club invited runners from groups like Urban Locos, Timeless, Tornados and Los Caballos to join them, helping lay the foundation for what would eventually become Track 40.
The race began after one of the club’s coaches, Ramon Rosales, challenged JJ Garcia to run 40 miles on the track. What started as a small gathering of roughly 40 to 50 runners evolved into something bigger. Last year, more than 100 people participated, and Rodriguez believes this year’s event could be the biggest yet.
“What’s really special is that people keep coming back,” Rodriguez said. “And when they do, they bring more people with them because of the impact the event has on them.”
Unlike traditional road races where the focus is centered on medals, podiums and finish times, Track 40 is built around personal discovery. Rodriguez says the lack of a formal finish line changes the atmosphere completely.
“The objective is simply to push yourself as far and as hard as you feel capable of that day,” he said. “For some people, that means running their first half marathon. For more experienced ultra runners, it might mean an easy 40-miler. No matter the goal, everybody supports each other and builds each other up.”
That support is what many runners remember most. Track 40 flips the typical ultramarathon experience. Every lap brings runners back into a crowd of encouragement.
“Some people think running that far on a track sounds ridiculous,” Rodriguez said. “But because you’re constantly surrounded by people the entire time, it becomes one of the most supportive ultra experiences you can have.”
Over the years, the event has also developed its own traditions. The race is free, so instead of medals, runners earn engraved dog tags. Black dog tags are awarded to participants completing anywhere from one mile to a marathon, while blue dog tags are reserved for those covering 27 miles or more, symbolizing the club’s mission to inspire new ultra runners.
Now personally engraved with each runner’s name, distance and date, the dog tags have become reminders of what participants accomplished on the track. “We’re in this for the long run,” Rodriguez said. “It’s really special imagining someone looking back at their Track 40 dog tag 10 years from now and seeing how far they’ve come.”
For runners hesitant to take on the challenge, Rodriguez believes Track 40 is the perfect place to test personal limits without the pressure that often comes with ultramarathons. He describes the event as “low stakes,” less about competition and more about seeing what is possible when surrounded by a supportive community. Whether someone runs a handful of laps or spends the full six hours circling the track, Rodriguez hopes participants arrive willing to embrace the experience. “You never really know what you’re capable of until you give yourself the chance to try,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s really just a very long run with a bunch of friends, a ton of energy, and enough time to push yourself beyond what you thought your limits were.”
To follow the results of Track 40 and learn more about HCR, follow the Houston Colosseum Runners Instagram. Good luck to everyone running and volunteering!
