Why Your Nonprofit Should Join Austin Gives Miles

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Join Austin Gives Miles to further your nonprofit’s mission

Raising funds for your charity’s mission in partnership with an endurance race is a popular way to generate revenue for your organization. The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour is proud of our charity program, Austin Gives Miles. For the 2019 event, 36 charities raised more than $1.1 million for their causes. We love Austin Gives Miles and are always looking for new charities to join our growing program.  Join Austin Gives Miles in 2020 and further your mission!

Austin Gives Miles

Austin Gives Miles has two ways to get involved, as an Official Charity Partner or as a Charity Team. We’re proud to offer the option of how you want to participate in Austin Gives Miles. Our goal is to be as inclusive to every type of charity that has a desire to participate. Whether you are an Official Charity Partner or a Charity Team, here are the benefits all charities receive from Austin Gives Miles:

  • Free participation in the Austin Gives Miles Program
  • Access to charity pricing on race bibs with group billing options
  • Online fundraising website powered by GoFundMe by Crowdrise
  • Listing as an Austin Gives Miles Charity on the Austin Marathon website
  • Marketing materials and guidance from the Austin Gives Miles Charity Manager

Official Charity Partners

The Official Charity Partner program gives Central Texas charities the opportunity to combine efforts with the Austin Gives Miles program on a more committed level.  The Official Charity Partners commit to having at least 35 runners on their team and raise at least $15,000 for their mission. Official Charity Partners take an active role in volunteer recruitment. They’re assigned an aid station on race day or a shift that must be filled with 50-100 dedicated volunteers.  

Additional perks include listing in the registration path with the opportunity to have a fundraising page created at checkout, opportunity to take part in the Charity Chaser promotion, and eligibility for any matching gift funds received for the program.  

Charity Teams

We think Charity Teams are a great way to try out endurance fundraising without any risk. We welcome teams of all sizes to Austin. Charity Teams can participate without any goals. They’ll have access to the amazing benefits of the program without any of the requirements. Austin Gives Miles doesn’t charge a participation fee and you only pay for race bibs used by your Team. We welcome programs of all sizes, from large, national programs to small, local charities looking for a way to be active in the community.

Are you a charity interested in taking part in the 2020 Austin Gives Miles Program? If so, we ask that you fill out the charity application or contact Carly Samuelson, Austin Gives Miles Charity Manager at [email protected] or 301-602-2604. The application process opens on June 1st.

5 Summertime Running Tips to Beat the Heat

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Stay in shape and beat the heat with these summertime running tips

They say Austin is the opposite of Winterfell… summer is coming. Some days it might feel like it’s already here! Make sure you take advantage of the few cool days and mornings that we have left. When summer finally arrives you’ll know it by the humidity in the mornings and the soaring heat in the afternoons. But that doesn’t mean you have to completely stop running. Implement our 5 summertime running tips to beat the heat. You’ll be that much more prepared for Ascension Seton Austin Marathon training when fall rolls around!

Hydrate

Oftentimes the most overlooked tip. Not because people don’t hydrate, but because people underhydrate. 30-50 fluid ounces is recommended daily. If you’re more active you’ll need to increase the amount. Make sure to incorporate a nice balance of water and a liquid with electrolytes. This 3M Half Marathon blog post will teach you more about the reasoning for proper hydration.

Protect yourself

If you run when the sun is out, protect yourself from its rays.

  • apply sweat-proof sunscreen before your run or workout
  • put on a hat or visor to protect your face
  • wear lighter colored clothes (dark colors absorb more heat) and sweat-wicking material
  • rock the shades (protect your eyes from the sun’s rays and glares from other objects)

Adjust schedule

It’s no secret that the mornings and evenings are cooler than the afternoon. Running/working out when it’s 15-20 degrees cooler can make all the difference. The last thing you want to do is overheat your body.

Pro tip: start your morning run from Barton Springs Pool and jump in after. Entrance is free before 8:00 a.m. This is a great way to cool your body down and relax your muscles.

Cross-train

You don’t have to stop running, but your mileage will decrease when you implement cross-training. This can be as simple as riding your bike on these shaded trails or swimming laps in one of Austin’s amazing pools. You could try goat yoga, Camp Gladiator workouts, or rock climbing. Remember to apply sunscreen if you’re outdoors. Feel like you’ve run out of things to do in Austin? These 5 non-running activities will get you going again!

Hit the trails

Get off the roads and hit the trails! Austin is crawling with amazing trails that you can run on. Running with nature gets you away from the asphalt (absorbs heat), away from cars and their exhaust, and closer to the trees (that provide shade) and creeks (where you can cool off if needed).

Pro tip: if you run with your dog on the trails, obey all city ordinances and make sure you pack water and a bowl (or that the creeks have running water).

Recommendations from Twitter

We asked Twitter “what’s one thing you always do/have/eat/drink before, during, or after your summer runs?” and received some great responses. We listed a few of them below!

@TheBeerRunner – Beer

@fashionablemile – Drink: nuun – Do: change shoes/socks mid run + jump in pool post run

@Msnazzy – black coffee before, water during, and beer after

As you can see, there are many ways to beat the summer heat and stay in shape. Feel like you’ve run out of things to do in Austin? These 5 non-running activities will get you going again! You can apply all of these summertime running tips if you live outside of Austin.

 

Favorite Murals on the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon Course

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Murals along the Austin Marathon course you have to see

Austin is well-known for many things: live music, tacos, bats, and running just to name a few. But you might not be aware of the amazing murals all over Austin.

The slideshow below features some of our favorite paintings throughout the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon course. If you missed the individual images on our Instagram, go back and check them out!

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Live in Austin or planning to visit again? Use this helpful map to locate your favorites. Get ready for some selfies!

Scout Troops 49 and 490 Play Integral Race-Day Role

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Scout Troops support Austin Marathon from start to finish

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour brought nearly 16,000 runners from all 50 states and 35 countries, tens of thousands of spectators, and a lot of trash. High Five Events, owners of the Austin Marathon, work with local organizations to clean up the trash left on the course by runners and spectators. This year, Scout Troops 49 and 490 volunteered to sweep the course in exchange for a donation. Working in teams, the scouts walked the course and picked up discarded items.

Scout Troops 49 and 490 present the colors prior to the start of the 2019 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon.

Scout Troops 49 and 490 present the colors prior to the start of the 2019 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon.

“We enjoyed partnering with Troops 49 and 490,” said Dan Carroll, co-owner of High Five Events. “They understand what we’re doing and have a commitment to the community to make sure we leave the course clean.”

Beyond the usual wrappers and cups along the course, the scouts found a lot of interesting things including Yeti cups, discarded hydration belts, and layers that were shed as the day warmed up. Clothing found along the course was laundered and donated to local charities.

“This isn’t much different from a backpacking trip,” said Jonah Rehder of Troop 49. “When we camp, we follow ‘Leave No Trace’ guidelines, so we’re used to packing out all our trash.”

Some in the troop have a message for runners: “Runners should be more aware of the microtrash they create when they open up those gel packets,” said Troop 49 co-Scoutmaster Karl Loftis. “Those little tabs are hard to see and pick up which means some of them end up washing down the drain and into the lake.”

Presenting the colors

In addition to sweeping the course, Troops 49 and 490 presented the colors during the national anthem before the race. The five-scout flag crew included Eagle Scouts Marshall Haynes and Jordan Trimyer. Scouts Lindy Green, Jonah Rehder, and Ben Nebeibergall rounded out the team. As a second-year Scout, Nebeibergall admitted to some butterflies before the event. He said afterward he was elated at being part of the experience.

“I was really nervous standing in front of 16,000 people, but it was really fun once we started,” said Nebeibergall.

About Troop 49 and 490: Troop 490 is girls troop linked with Troop 49. Scouting USA started allowing all girl troops to form in January 2019. Both troops are sponsored by Faith Lutheran Church in the Crestview neighborhood. Both troops meet at Faith Lutheran Church on Tuesday nights, starting at 7:00. More information about Troop 49 and 490 can be found our their Facebook page and website.