Tag Archive for: Austin Massage Company

Austin Marathon Provides Lasting Memories for Thousands

Thousands celebrate their Austin Marathon accomplishments at massive finish line festival

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon was the epicenter of the running world on Sunday, February 17th, showcasing one of the world’s top marathons. More than 16,000 participants registered for the Austin Marathon, Austin Half Marathon, and 5K. They traveled to Austin from all 50 states and 38 countries. Tens of thousands of spectators lined the Austin streets cheering on runners, waving hilarious signs, and providing endless energy. Joey Whelan (2:17:03) successfully defended his title as Austin Marathon champion. Austin Marathon female champion Heather Lieberg, who has already qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials, ran a B standard qualifying 2:42:27.

“I’m grateful I was able to run the Austin Marathon and earn my second victory in as many years,” said Whelan, who bested his 2018 Austin Marathon winning time by four minutes and 34 seconds. “I appreciate the people of Austin for remembering me from last year and cheering for me and the other thousands of runners.”

FloTrack’s live coverage followed the champions and the men’s and women’s elite fields for the marathon and half marathon. Jameson Mora (2:20:21) and Will Christian (2:22:59) rounded out the men’s marathon field. The male half marathoners finishing in the top three consisted of James Ngandu (1:04:32), Gonzalo Parra Perez (1:05:36), and Austinite Mike Lowe (1:06:36).

“The Austin Marathon was all I thought it was going to be and more,” said Lieberg. “Such a friendly and supportive atmosphere, and despite a few personal hurdles, I was able to pull off a win;  thank you Austin!”

Anita Perez of San Antonio (2:47:56) and Khrystyna Bohomiahkova of Ukraine (2:49:05) finished the marathon second and third respectively. The top three female half marathon finishers were Caroline Rotich (1:13:24), Nicole Roberts (1:16:16), and Sarah Pease (1:16:24).

Aid stations hydrated runners with nuun performance, Gatorade handed out gels and chews at two fuel zones, and runners celebrated with friends and family at the three-block-long finish line festival. When runners crossed the finish line, they were treated to a huge party that consisted of the Under Armour recovery zone, Oskar Blues Austin beer garden featuring Tito’s Handmade Vodka, food trucks, Jumbotron displaying FloTrack live coverage, and hours of live music.

Sunday was a picturesque day in Austin, helping thousands of runners achieve their goals and earn PRs. Participants consisted of first-timers and veterans pushing towards their respective finish lines.

“Crossing that finish line came with a whirlwind of emotions, ranging from excitement, pride, relief, and exhaustion as I was laughing and crying all at the same time,” said Carly Bormann, who finished in 4:18:02, earning an 80 minute and 49 second PR. “It was a moment that I was just grateful to share with so many amazing people who helped get me to that point.”

Lance Armstrong, Austin Gives Miles Charity Chaser, was the final participant to cross the Austin Marathon start line. He earned money for 28 Central Texas nonprofits for every marathoner he passed. Armstrong began 22 minutes after the ringing of the start gong. He finished in 3:02:13 and passed all but 59 marathoners. Armstrong’s efforts have pushed Austin Gives Miles past their $1 million fundraising goal. Contributions can be made through the end of February.

Participants can see their results on the Austin Marathon website and continue to share their memorable experiences on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Runners can expect their FinisherPix race day photos to be ready in 24-48 hours after the race.

The Austin Marathon would like to thank the volunteers, spectators, and participants who made the race so special. They would also like to thank title sponsor Ascension Seton, Under Armour, Camp Gladiator, Hilton of Austin, nuun hydration, Fleet Feet Austin, Oskar Blues Brewery, KXAN, woom bikes USA, SPIbelt, Dole, Z’Tejas, H-E-B, Gatorade, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Carvana, Life by Spot, Goodwill Central Texas, Alvies Boots, FloTrack, FinisherPix, Austin Massage Company, Boy Scout Troop 49, the City of Austin, Austin Police Department, Department of Public Safety, CapMetro, and Travis County EMS.

Don’t Forget These Austin Marathon Race-Week Reminders

Don’t sleep on these Austin Marathon race-week reminders

It has finally arrived! Race week for the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour’s is here! We know you’re just as excited as we are for our 28th anniversary. With all the excitement it’s easy to forget the simple things you need to do race week. We’re here to help with these race-week reminders.

Under Armour HOVR Shakeout Run

  • This is one Shakeout Run you don’t want to miss! Kick off Austin Marathon weekend on Friday morning (Feb. 15th) with hundreds of your running friends, UA HOVR shoe demos, a jog around Town Lake, tacos, and coffee. All distances and paces are welcome.

Invite your friends

  • Fact – running is best enjoyed with friends! They can run with you, cheer for you at various points along the course, or celebrate with you at the finish line festival. If your friends have been on the registration fence, now is the time. Tell them about the upcoming price increase on Thursday, Feb. 14th, or gift them a registration yourself!
  • If you have friends and family who cannot watch you run the streets of Austin on Feb. 17th, have them tune in to the FREE FloTrack livestream! FloTrack will cover all the action between the elite males and females racing the half marathon and marathon. Once elites cross the finish, FloTrack will capture every finisher as they cross their finish line! KXAN will provide FloTrack’s coverage to the local Austin market.

Hydration/nutrition

  • Begin hydrating during race week. It’ll help ensure your body has the fluids needed to secure that next PR! Make sure you’re getting a nice balance of electrolytes and fluids during the week. You’ve put in the training miles, now make sure all systems are ready for race day! BONUS – hydrate with the Mango Orange nuun performance, it’s what’ll be on course at all 22 aid stations.
  • There will be 2 Gatorade Endurance Fuel Zones at Miles 9.5 and 20. providing runners with Endurance Gels and Chews.

Plan your race day

  • There aren’t many runners who don’t already do this, but nevertheless, it’s a great reminder. Layout everything you’ll need the night before and double-check it. This increases the likelihood that you forget nothing race morning. You should even plan what you’ll eat the morning of and the night before. Stick with what works!
  • Driving to the expo on Friday or Saturday? Parking downtown race morning? Check out all the parking options or reserve your parking spot with Spot Hero!

If you didn’t train with it…

  • Don’t do it on race day! As simple as it seems. If you didn’t run with it, eat it, or drink it during training, don’t do it on race day!

Celebrate at the finish line festival

  • Last but definitely not least, recoverate (recover + celebrate)! Once you cross the finish line, snag your commemorative belt buckle finisher medal and head to the finish line festival. Grab your snack bag and some hydration. Then check out the food trucks, music, and the Oskar Blues Austin beer garden! Tito’s Handmade Vodka will serve delicious mixed drinks in the beer garden as well. BONUS – family or friends who cheered or tracked you via the app can meet you and help celebrate.
  • Did you pre-purchase your post-race massage with Austin Massage Company? Good call! If you didn’t, there’s still time to purchase a quick massage before continuing your celebration.
  • If you didn’t get enough live music on course, you can rock out with Austin’s own Delivery Service at the finish line festival. After their two sets, Fusion will keep the party going when they cover all the hits!

Austin Marathon Tips for a Smooth Week

Implement these Austin Marathon tips for a smooth race week

The 28th annual Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour is less than two weeks away. Can you feel the excitement? There’s no better time like the present to take a look at some race week tips. These Austin Marathon tips range from week-of tips to what we strongly encourage you do once you cross the finish line. Whether this is your first Austin Marathon or half marathon or your 10th, these tips will set you up for success! 

Attend the Under Armour HOVR Shakeout Run

  • This is one Shakeout Run you don’t want to miss! Kick off Austin Marathon weekend with hundreds of your running friends, UA HOVR shoe demos, a jog around Town Lake, tacos, and coffee. All distances and paces are welcome.

The expo’s first hour is always the busiest

  • It’s no secret, the first hour of expos is always the busiest. There’s an energy because of race weekend, the opening of the expo, and the industry’s top vendors gathered all in one place. Add the buzz from amped participants wanting their Under Armour shirt and you have a recipe for a busy first hour! 
  • Participants must pick up their own packet at the expo. Don’t forget your photo ID and confirmation number!

Stay near the start line

  • Get a good night’s sleep before race day and wake up feeling refreshed! Book your Hilton hotel today and take advantage of their great rates and hospitality. Pro tip: stay downtown and you’ll be within walking distance of the start (2nd St. and Congress Ave.) and finish lines (9th St. and Congress Ave.)! Just think, you won’t have to worry about parking race morning!
  • Want something specific when you finish your race? Don’t forget to drop off your gear bag. It’ll be waiting for you when you’re done, for FREE!

Run with the pacers

  • The excitement at the start of the Austin Marathon is undeniable. Don’t get caught up and go out too fast! Running with the Austin Marathon pacers is an excellent way to reign in your desire to lay down the hammer.

Celebrate with friends and family

  • When you’re done and you’ve crossed your finish line it’s time to celebrate! Show off your race bling, talk about your PR, let others know your goals and how you crushed them. Make sure you visit the Under Armour recovery zone to work out any kinks. If you pre-purchased a massage from Austin Massage Company (you should do this!), don’t forget to check in with them. And last but not least, don’t skip the Oskar Blues beer garden! There will also be live music and food trucks to keep the party going. Remember, this is your time to celebrate!

Customize race day

  • Let the professionals from FinisherPix capture your race day memories. Take advantage of the pre-race prices and order your photos today. Once the race begins prices go up!
  • Show off your accomplishments! Customize your commemorative 28th annual belt buckle finisher medal. Purchase your personalized nameplate by logging in and selecting ‘Shop’ next to your registration.
  • Wear your accomplishment! That’s right, purchase a limited-edition Austin Marathon belt to pair with your belt buckle. Only 200 are being made!

What the What is it with Massage?

The experts explain 3 different types of massage

This post was written by the experts at Austin Massage Company. They’re the official massage company of the 2019 Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour.

So, you’re a runner, but do you know the best type of massage you should be getting? Some of our clients initially think the biggest difference in types of massage is how hard you’re mashed into the table or whether or not cucumbers are placed on your eyes. And before you ask, no these aren’t the types of massage you’ll find on sites like. you’ll have to look elsewhere for those.

The varying types you can receive truly impact your road to recovery. We’re here to let you in on a little knowledge about three main types that we suggest for athletes like yourselves:

Active Release Technique

Active Release Technique, commonly known as A.R.T., is a massage technique that combines specific movement with deep pressure to help relieve muscle adhesions and reduce scar tissue buildup. During an A.R.T session, the therapist uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness, and mobility of the client’s soft tissue. This technique aims to break up these adhesions, as well as work on the movement of the muscle.

Trigger Point

Trigger Point therapy is a massage modality that targets muscle knots and areas of referred pain in the muscle tissue. Therapists search for and target knots in the muscles or areas of referred pain. Deep pressure is used to help loosen the adhesions. Like A.R.T., Trigger Point therapy is best used to treat injuries. Specifically, Trigger Point therapy is effective in the treatment of IT band tightness, calf strains, and hamstring injuries. All of which are commonly found in athletes.

Deep Tissue

And finally, deep tissue. Most runners are familiar with deep tissue. It is often confused with deep pressure (e.g., when you tell the therapist to “go harder”). Deep tissue massage targets both the superficial and deep layers of muscles and fascia. They’re often quite intense as a result of the deliberate, focused work.

Tell them you’re training for the Austin Marathon or Austin Half Marathon!