RUN AUSTIN The running social event of the year

Start Corrals

  1. We’re always working on ways to make your Austin Marathon experience smoother, safer, and more fun! Start waves are a key improvement that’s levels up the race for everyone, whether you’re running the full marathon, half marathon, or 5K.

    So, what’s a start wave? Think of it as a way to group runners with similar paces at the start, so everyone gets a more organized, efficient, and enjoyable race experience from the moment you cross the starting line to your post-race celebrations.

    Less Congestion on the Course: With corrals, runners are grouped by their race distance, pace, and registration date. This means less crowding right out of the gate and everyone can settle into their groove more easily. This leads to a better experience for everyone—whether you’re aiming for a PR or just enjoying the sights of Austin.

  2. Increased Safety at the Finish Line: Corrals mean fewer bottlenecks as you approach the finish line. A safer, more controlled finish ensures you can celebrate your victory without the chaos. Plus, there’s more room for those all-important finish-line photos!
  3. Easier Meet-Ups with Friends & Family: After crossing the finish line, it’ll be easier to find your crew! Making it simpler to reunite with loved ones and share the joy of completing your race.
Transportation and Parking to the Austin Marathon Start Line

Corral Times & Locations

These times indicate when participants should be in their corrals.

Find essential Austin Marathon course information in this chart, detailing the Marathon corral schedule. Waves ELITE, A-D start at 6:55 AM; waves E-K and 5K have staggered Austin Marathon Start Corralls from 7:09 AM to 8:40 AM. Austin Marathon Half Marathon & 5K
Look Up Your Bib & Corral
Isometric map of a city event showing people, tents, information and medical stations, restrooms, event zones D, L, C, B, and the Austin Marathon Start Corrals at the race’s starting line near Cesar Chavez and Colorado streets. Austin Marathon Half Marathon & 5K
  • Waves A-D will be open for pre-load starting at 6M. Waves E-L will start on a rolling basis. Please be close by and ready to start 5 minutes before the time listed. 
  • All Marathon participants must start in corrals A, B, C, or D, or they will be at risk of missing the 10:35 a.m. cut-off time at Mile 12.3.
  • The Half Marathon start line will officially close at 8:20 a.m.
  • The 5K start line corral will open at 8:30 a.m. at Congress Ave. & 3rd St.  All participants in the 5K will start at 8:40 a.m. 

How Are Corrals Assigned?

We’ll assign each runner to a specific corral using the following criteria:

  1. Race Distance – Marathon or Half Marathon.
  2. Estimated Pace Per Mile – Based on the pace you provided during registration.
  3. Registration Date – We can only account for you if you are registered, late registrations will be placed as closely as we can to their pace groups. 
  4. Space Available per Distance – Space will be allocated for each distance to make sure everyone has a smooth start.

Emails will be sent to participants letting them know their assigned corral closer to the event.

Corral Rules

  • In order to comply with the City of Austin road closure schedule, all Full 26.2 Marathon runners must start in corrals A, B, C, or D to stay on track for the 10:35 a.m. course closure at Mile 12.3.
  • We understand that you may be assigned a different corral than your family or friends, and you are more than welcome to move back in corrals to run together. 
  • You can’t move to an earlier corral (e.g., from C to B), but you’re welcome to start in a later one if you prefer.
  • If you miss your assigned corral start time, no worries! Just head to the next one. The gates will be monitored to ensure an orderly flow of participants.

Will this change course closure times?

While we’ve introduced corrals, there’s no change to the marathon course cut-off times from previous years. In fact, with the corral system, some slower marathon runners may actually cross the start line sooner as the efficiency and less congestion on course will aid them on course. That means more time to soak in all the excitement Austin has to offer.

The course closes on a moving basis as set by the City of Austin. You must stay ahead of these times or move to the sidewalk.

  • The Marathon course closure at the split (Mile 12.3) is 10:35 a.m.
  • The Half Marathon course closure is  based on a 4 hour pace, which finishes at 12:18 p.m.
  • The Marathon course closure is based on a 7 hour pace, which finishes at 2:18 p.m.
  • The 5K course closure is 1 hr after the start, approximately 9:40.