McKinney Historic Half

The inaugural half marathon for one of America's fastest-growing cities — brought to McKinney by the Dallas White Rock Marathon organization.

McKinney, Texas is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. On March 28, 2026, it got its first marathon weekend. The McKinney Historic Half is produced by the Dallas White Rock Marathon — the same nonprofit behind the BMW Dallas Marathon — and benefits Scottish Rite for Children, the pediatric orthopedic hospital in Frisco. The 2026 event's Jr. Race Director was Zion, a 16-year-old Scottish Rite patient from Frisco who recovered from two kneecap dislocations and returned to competitive running. He stood at the start line of a race that exists, in part, because of kids like him. ESW handled full event operations for the launch — building the production from the ground up for a city that had never hosted a race like this before.

The McKinney Historic Half is produced by the Dallas White Rock Marathon organization — a nonprofit with a long track record in Dallas-area running events — and represents its expansion into McKinney, TX. The inaugural edition launched March 28, 2026, offering a half marathon (13.1 miles), 5K, and Kid's 100-Meter Dash. The course starts at McKinney City Hall and runs through the city's historic downtown, scenic neighborhoods, and park system. TUPPS Brewery served as the host venue. The event is presented by BMW and benefits Scottish Rite for Children — the pediatric orthopedic hospital serving North Texas families. ESW managed full event operations, building the production infrastructure from scratch for a city running its first major road race.

The Dallas White Rock Marathon organization has produced the BMW Dallas Marathon and related race events in the Dallas metro for decades. The McKinney Historic Half represents the organization's first move outside of Dallas proper — a recognition that McKinney's growth and demographics made it a strong market for a community road race. McKinney is consistently ranked among the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., with a residential base that has expanded significantly over the past decade. The city's historic downtown, walkable neighborhoods, and active parks system provide a natural setting for a road race course. The 2026 inaugural event drew media coverage from CBS News Texas, Local Profile, Endurance Sportswire, and North Texas e-News. The event's Jr. Race Director — a 16-year-old Scottish Rite patient who recovered from two kneecap dislocations to become a competitive track runner — anchored the human story of a race connected directly to its beneficiary.

Full operations for the inaugural running of McKinney's first major road race.

Launching a race in a city that has never hosted one means building without a reference point — no established course infrastructure, no local vendor relationships from prior years, no participant flow patterns to draw from. ESW managed full event operations for the McKinney Historic Half's inaugural edition: course build, start and finish lines at McKinney City Hall, participant management across three race distances, vendor coordination, and the Kid's 100-Meter Dash. Post-race coverage from Endurance Sportswire and local outlets reflected a strong debut.