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Earn Your Ticket to the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group Championship at the Austin Marathon

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2024 Austin Marathon participants can earn a spot at AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group Championships

Mark your calendars for February 18, 2024, because Austin, Texas, is where the action’s at. The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon is your passport to an adrenaline-fueled adventure as it returns as one of the selected qualifying marathons for the Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Rankings. The AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Rankings comprise over 375 qualifying races in over 90 different countries in which athletes in nine separate age groups can compete in marathons across the world to earn a global ranking. 

Compete against runners from around the world

The spread of the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group Qualifying Events creates a truly global series throughout the year. This gives runners across the world the chance to be part of a new era of age-group marathon running. 

The 2024 season will be the 6th edition of the rankings, with runners competing to earn an invitation to the 2025 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships.

Dawna Stone, Abbott World Marathon Majors CEO said: “The Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Rankings continue to grow and welcome new races into the qualifying process every year. The geographical spread of runners and races shows the appetite for high level competition across all ages and an invite to the World Championships is becoming a much sought-after goal.” 

How it Works

Athletes will be ranked according to their single fastest time in a qualifying event. Any athlete achieving the Automatic Qualifying Time for their age group will receive an immediate invitation for the 2025 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships.

Highly-ranked runners who do not achieve the Automatic Qualifying Time still have the opportunity to receive an invitation to enter the World Championship depending on the full field size and the number of athletes achieving the qualifying time.

In order to receive an invitation, runners must be registered at AbbottWMM.com. The date, location, and field size for the 2025 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships will be announced in due course.

Age Group Qualifying Times 

Times are subject to final confirmation by AbbotWMM at the end of 2023.

 2024 Qualifying times Age Group 

Male 

Female 

40-44 

02:35 

03:05 

45-49 

02:42 

03:11 

50-54 

02:48 

03:21 

55-59 

02:57 

03:30 

60-64 

03:10 

03:48 

65-69 

03:26 

04:06 

70-74 

03:40 

04:35 

75-79 

04:06 

05:05 

80+ 

04:40 

05:25 

Qualifying for the 2025 AbbottWMM Age Group Championship

There are three ways to qualify for the championships.

1. Achieve the Automatic Qualifying Time for your age group

2. Other highly ranked athletes without an Automatic Qualifying Time may also receive an invitation, depending on the full field size and the number of athletes achieving the qualifying time.

3. The bi-annual AbbottWMM Global Marathon, held within the Global Run Club, has 200 places available for the fastest verified finishers. Visit the Global Run Club for full details.

Full details here.

So, as the Austin Marathon countdown begins, imagine the cheers of the crowd, the beat of your heart, and the thrill of knowing that you could earn a spot at the 2025 AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Championships. It’s not just a marathon; it’s a global celebration of running . The path to championship glory is paved with determination and a dash of fun. The Austin Marathon beckons and the world is your playground – get ready to run, laugh, and make memories that will last a lifetime. It’s marathon time, and the adventure begins here!

Best Brunch In Austin

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Don’t let the Austin Marathon festivities leave you hangry. We’ve got your brunch grub needs covered! Whether you’re craving tacos or pancakes, there’s something delicious nearby to fill up and refuel with carbohydrates and protein. So don’t delay – treat yourself to a chill brunch sesh at one of Austin’s fab restaurants today!

Our staff has rounded up some delicious eats for you marathoners that will fill those empty stomachs in no time – so grab yourself a plate (or three) as part of your weekend adventures.

Cafe No Se

1603 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704

The Cowboy Breakfast is a spectacular and hearty spin on a full English breakfast (the cilantro butter, YUM). For a sweeter tooth, you can’t go wrong with their gluten-free pancakes, either. 

 

 

Comedor

Comedor | Austin, TX

501 Colorado
Austin, TX 78701

The sleek downtown restaurant lead by chef and runner Philip Speer and rolls out its brunch menu Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. You might even see Philip on course with @comedorrunclub.

The menu includes a Masa Madre Waffle with fig jam, brown butter, and fresh figs; a huitlacoche omelet; carnitas tacos; carne asada and eggs, and more.

 

 

Perlas

Find Parking Near Perla's in Austin, TX

Perla’s 1400 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704

The menu is a little fancy with dishes like barbecue shrimp with grits and poached eggs, French toast, and a lobster omelet. The restaurant is open for indoor and outdoor dine-in services. Brunch hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

 

 

 

Tamale House East

1707 E 6th St

Austin, TX 78702

Simple yet delicious, this old Austin staple brings the heavy hitting for brunch. Pick from your favorite breakfast taco or from plates like chilaquiles.

 

 

 

 

 

Cisco’s

1511 E 6th St.
Austin, TX 78702

The migas plate at Cisco’s is a fantastic go-to. No frills, quick, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious. Cisco’s has been a staple of East Austin for over 6 decades. In fact, it has been said that many of the deals made in Texas government occurred in the back room of Cisco’s over coffee, biscuits, migas, and huevos rancheros.

 

 

True Food

222 West Ave
Suite HR100
Austin, TX 78701

Delicious, fresh, clean food that will make you feel as good as it tastes! The gluten-free banana pancakes are pretty mind-blowing. True Food aims to deliver healthy, clean, locally sourced food, and honestly, they deliver!

 

 

Phoebe’s Diner

533 W Oltorf St. Austin, TX 78704
408 W 11th St. Austin, TX 78701

The fluffy buttermilk biscuits in Phoebe’s Benedict will draw you in but it’s the killer hashbrown casserole that will keep you coming back to Phoebe’s. Also recommended: their cornbread muffins. Delish!

 

 

 

Manana

1603 S Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78704

Located at the gorgeous South Congress Hotel, Mañana has incredible coffee drinks to give you that extra pep you’re looking for. The Chocolate Fronks Milk Latte or the Nitro Cold Brew is the way to go. Why not also treat yourself to a vegan banana snickerdoodle while you’re at it. 

 

 

 

Snooze 

1700 South LamarAustin, TX 78704
1109 East 5th StAustin, TX 78702
3800 North LamarAustin, TX 78756

Treat yourself to their signature pancake flight: Pineapple Upside Down, Blueberry Danish & Sweet Potato pancakes. Better yet, choose your own flavors! You can’t go wrong with pancakes at Snooze. 

 

 

More Honorable Mentions

Taco Deli

Suerte

Vera Cruz Tacos

Matties

Bird Bird Biscuit

Juan in a Million

Peached Tortilla

 

 

 

How to Build Mental Toughness for Running

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You can become a better runner when you build mental toughness

It’s easy to get caught up in the latest gear and gadgets during training. Runners can get caught up in the newest shoes, the latest GPS watch, or the latest update to your training app. But are these gadgets the answer to potential struggles? Maybe not. Most agree that a big part of success in any sport is due to mental factors. Building mental toughness is about setting up strategies for when we encounter an obstacle or feel uncomfortable. Don’t ignore the need to build mental toughness during your training.

Assume that thoughts, feelings, and performance are intertwined. With that, runners can begin the process of overcoming their runs rather than the feeling overcome by their runs. Mental training is an important part of an athlete’s overall development. Many runners do not identify this part of training and often find themselves struggling during their training or a race. One of the basic principles of success is to simplify the process of thinking. Pro tip: adjust your expectations according to the weather when you learn how temperature affects performance.

As many runners will confirm, you run as well as you think. With so many thoughts running through the brain, it can be difficult to reduce distractions and negatives. One of the reasons why runners ignore the mental aspect of running is that they are not familiar with the basics of sports psychology and mental training. In keeping with the “less is better” philosophy, mental training is better understood using the construction of the following three words: Think –> Feel–> Perform

Think

Before your next run, take a moment to identify your thoughts. Are you optimistic about your planned distance? Are you thinking about how good you will feel during and after the race? Maintaining positive thoughts before and during the run is the first step to controlling your performance. Uncomfortable and negative thoughts might start to creep in. Bring yourself back to your “why” and tell yourself positive “I am” statements. The statements below and these 11 other tips can help make running easier.

  • I am strong.
  • I am willing to push through and complete my goal.
  • I can do this effort longer.
  • I am doing this to better myself.  

Feel

Determine your emotional state as you warm up with these 4 stretches. Identify your thoughts. Are you excited about the run? Do you feel a personal challenge with the distance? Do you feel confident in your abilities? Are you anxious, nervous, or stressed about the mileage? Maintaining positive emotions before and during the run is the second step in gaining control over your performance.

Visualize other times in your life or training where you have achieved a goal you set for yourself. Harness this feeling and project it towards your current goal. Check your playlist if you are listening to music. Make sure your running playlist consists of music that’ll pump you up and energize you. If more relaxed music or a podcast helps, listen to that to calm your nerves. 

Perform

Practice daily. This does not mean you have to run every day, but you can put yourself in situations where you have to practice mental toughness. Increase the weights during your workout or add more reps. If you ride your bike, add more miles to your ride. 

Introduce yourself to situations that may happen on race day during your training. Get out of bed and start that workout in the cold weather. Next time it is raining, instead of skipping, go out and run in the rain. These 7 tips will make running in the rain more fun. Didn’t sleep well? Attempt your planned run. You can see how the lack of sleep affects your ability to keep positive thoughts and emotions. Pro tip: get a good night’s sleep and save some money during Austin Marathon weekend when you book these hotels!

Overcome the common struggle

Having positive thoughts and feelings right from the start will give you a chance to succeed. This may not result in PR, but you are in a much better position to have a pleasant experience with the right mindset. Your thoughts can affect your emotions, and your emotions can affect how you perform. Once you get into the race, a strong mile will lead to more positive thoughts, more confident emotions. Conversely, negative thoughts usually lead to negative feelings. 

If you find yourself struggling with a few runs, understand your thought process during the runs. Chances are it’s a negative, self-defeating thought that makes you question your abilities. Turn your thoughts into something positive, optimistic, and confidence-building. When you go out on the streets, it will help you feel good about yourself and crush your runs.

Don’t Make these Foam Rolling Mistakes

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Recover faster when you avoid these foam rolling mistakes

Sore muscles are both an unavoidable evil and a pet peeve of most runners. Muscles break down due to the exertion from a run or workout. They need rest and soothing care to repair themselves. Muscle recovery is essential for any exhaustive exercise. But, it is especially true for cardio-muscular exercises, like running, swimming, and cycling. The older one gets, the more time that it takes for muscles to recover and the amount of care and attention that muscle recovery takes tends to increase. Speed up the recovery process when you avoid the 4 foam rolling mistakes below.

Foam rolling with its simple techniques is one of the most popular and trusted methods of muscle recovery for runners. However, one must be careful to do it right. The techniques of foam rolling if executed wrong can cause irreparable damage instead of boosting run recovery and muscle release. When foam rolling is done correctly, the benefits are enormous. Avoid the 4 foam rolling mistakes below to speed up the recovery process. Pro tip: learn how booty bands can strengthen your muscles and help prevent injury.

Don’t ignore the knots 

Foam rolling won’t be effective if you don’t take care of your knots (muscle adhesions) first. You can use a foam roller to loosen the knots. If they are localized in a small area, use a tennis or massage ball to ease the tension. Exert pressure on the area with your weight until you feel the muscles loosen. Then, lengthen the muscle out with a foam roller for 90 seconds.

Don’t skip the warm-up

Foam rolling is an effective warm-up and you shouldn’t skip it. It is advisable to set aside at least 10 minutes pre-workout or pre-run to foam roll. If your muscles aren’t properly attuned for the exertion, there is a high risk that you will pull on your adhesions which will increase pain and damage. Pro tip: add these 4 stretches to your foam rolling for the ultimate warm-up.

Don’t foam roll forever 

If you need more than 20-25 minutes of foam rolling (pre- and post-workout) it might be due to an underlying condition. You shouldn’t foam roll any muscle group of your body for more than 90 seconds. Excessive foam rolling of an injured muscle might increase pain. As a rule of thumb, it is advisable to underwork your muscle tissues than to overwork it. If you suspect an injury, visit Dr. Allen and the experts at Ascension Seton Sports Performance. They can identify the issue and help you become a better runner.

Don’t start with a textured roller

If you are an occasional runner, above 35 years of age, or new to foam rolling, do not start with a textured or hard roller. It will compress your muscles, make them stiff, cause needless pain. Start with an even and soft roller. Once your muscles become accustomed to the pressure, then incrementally move on to firmer and textured rollers.