Tag Archive for: Austin

High Five Events Lands on Annual Inc. 5000 List

in

High Five Events’ placement is in the top 50 percent of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies

Inc. magazine today revealed that High Five Events is No. 2163 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.

“We’ve made significant strides since producing our first triathlon in 2003 and are proud to be on the 2019 Inc. 5000,” said Stacy Keese, co-owner of High Five Events. “We’re excited about what the future holds for High Five Events and are constantly focused on bettering our events, like the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour.”

Annual Inc. 5000 list

Not only have the companies on the 2019 Inc. 5000 been very competitive within their markets, but the list shows staggering growth compared with prior lists. The 2019 Inc. 5000 achieved an astounding three-year average growth of 454 percent, and a median rate of 157 percent. The Inc. 5000’s aggregate revenue was $237.7 billion in 2018, accounting for 1,216,308 jobs over the past three years. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000.

“The companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have followed so many different paths to success,” says Inc. editor in chief James Ledbetter. “There’s no single course you can follow or investment you can take that will guarantee this kind of spectacular growth. But what they have in common is persistence and seizing opportunities.”

Jack Murray and Dan Carroll are also co-owners of High Five Events. Beginning with the launch of a single triathlon in 2003, the company has grown to become one of the largest privately owned event production companies in the United States. In addition to the events it owns and produces, the Austin, Texas-based company offers consulting and event production services for large-scale, athletic events that feature 10,000+ participants. They are a community-centric and has more than 100 years’ combined experience organizing large events across different venue types in a variety of locations.

7 Tips to Help You Run Your Best

in

These 7 tips will help you run your best and get the most out of training

Run your best when you follow these 7 tips! There are some things that are out of our control, like the weather. But when you execute the things you can control, you truly run your best. These tips are as easy as relaxing while you run and as technical as checking your cadence. Keep these tips in mind when you’re training for the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon.

Runner runs relaxed during the Austin Half Marathon, one of our tips to run your best!

Stay relaxed and keep your body loose during your run.

Relax

Sounds simple, but we can unknowingly put a strain on our body in an effort to produce mileage or a certain pace. Really focus on relaxing your body. Unclench your fists and loosen your shoulders and jaw. You can even begin your run or workout at a slightly slower than normal pace to really dial in your breathing. Slowly increasing your heart rate at the beginning will help with relaxation.

Take time off

Listen to your body, whether you suspect an injury or just don’t feel good. The last thing you want is to have something minor become a major issue. If you have to take more than a day or two off, visit a specialist and get checked out. Ascension Seton’s Dr. Martha Pyron specializes in sports performance. If there’s something wrong she’ll diagnose it and help you build a plan to get back to running. 

Get more sleep

Feeling a little sluggish since you’ve increased your mileage? Add one extra minute of sleep per night for every mile you run that week. If you run 30 miles per week, add 30 minutes of sleep. Your body repairs itself when you sleep. Make sure you give your body enough time to do what it needs when you begin asking more of it.

Runners hydrate with nuun at the Austin Marathon expo. Proper hydration is one of our tips to run your best.

People try different nuun hydration flavors at the 2019 Austin Marathon expo.

Hydrate

This might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s extremely vital. At a minimum, you should drink 30-50 ounces every day. The more active the are, the more you should increase that amount. Make sure you have a good balance of water and an electrolyte-infused fluid, like nuun hydration.

Lift weights

Don’t run every day, mix it up. Cross-training is important to prevent overuse injuries. You work your muscles differently and build strength when you lift weights. When lifting weights, focus on a lighter weight with more reps. If you can’t make it to the gym, build your own workout that includes push ups, sit ups, squats, and lunges. Not a fan of lifting weights? Cross-train with these five non-running activities.

Check your cadence

The average runner’s cadence should be 150 steps per minute. You don’t have to count this in your head! Every runner is different, especially if you’re just starting out of have been running all your life. Under Armour makes knowing your cadence seamless. Their bluetooth connected shoes, like the UA HOVR Velociti 2, sends the information from your run directly to their MapMyFitness app. The app even provides personalized coaching tips! Tracking your cadence, mileage, pace, and other running-related data will help you see improvement.

Focus on your stride

This coincides with the first tip to relax. Your stride improves when you relax. Don’t overstride or run on your tippy toes. You want your stride to be smooth and comfortable. This better optimizes the energy your body uses and helps avoid injury.

You will ask more of your body as you increase your mileage. It’s important that you take care of your body. Incorporate these tips so that you can run your best. Do you have a tip that helps you run your best? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

9 Beginner Running Tips to Get You Started

in

Get on the right track with these beginner running tips 

Every runner begins at square one. Whether you’re just starting out or returning from a long break from running, these nine beginner runner tips will get you started. Some might not need all nine, but everyone will use at least one to get them going. Remember to have fun, running should be enjoyable!

Don’t track distance

Run on the Boardwalk to track your time, a helpful beginner running tip!

Austin has a massive amount of places to implement these beginner running tips!

Track time instead. Focus on time on your feet when you begin. Start off with a time that’s comfortable for you and increase that amount over time. For your first time out, try running/walking for 15 minutes and see how that feels. If you feel fine, increase it by 3-5 minutes next time! After a few weeks when you get more comfortable being on your feet you can begin tracking mileage.

Take walk breaks

When starting out, your heart rate will increase quickly. You’re asking a lot of your body when you first begin running. Your body will adjust accordingly. Taking walk breaks will allow your heart rate to come back down and catch your breath. When you’re on your first 15-minute run, alternate running and walking every 60 seconds. The next time you’re out, run for 90 seconds and walk for 60. Eventually you’ll eliminate walking altogether!

Run in a location you’ll love

Austin runners can run on the Greenbelt, trail running is a helpful beginner running tip.

If you love nature, try running/walking on the trail when you first start out.

Love nature? Go to the trails. Like a certain coffee shop? Run near the shop and reward yourself. Enjoy being near water? Check out the Boardwalk. Running at a location you love helps you have a better experience when you first start out.

Get fit for running shoes

You’re running, get running shoes! Fit matters. You want shoes that fit your feet, provide comfort, and look good. Visit our friends at Fleet Feet Austin. They’re the Official Running Store of the Austin Marathon. You can use their state-of-the-art foot scanning machine to get fitted with the shoes that’s best for you.

Start slow

Don’t start like you’ve been shot out of a cannon. Begin at an easy, comfortable pace. You don’t want to wear yourself out or elevate your heart rate too soon. Your effort shouldn’t be stressful. Starting slow allows your body to warm up and helps prevent injury.

Track your progress

Group photo of friends before running the 2019 Austin Half Marathon. Running with friends is a great beginning running tip.

Run with friends and track your progress all the way to the finish line.

As mentioned above, don’t track distance, track time. Keep a log of the amount of time you spent on your feet. Track the amount of jogging and walking and how many times you alternate. This will inform you what your next workout should be, how much you run/walk, and how much time you spend on your feet. 

Lower your expectations

If you’re just starting out, you won’t run a 5K right off the bat. Every runner, from elites to beginners, starts at square one. Make sure your expectations and goals are attainable. If you set lofty goals and don’t achieve them you can get burned out and lose interest. Start off small and work your way up!

Listen to music you love

Make a running playlist that you’ll love! Don’t have the time? Check out our #WeLiketheSoundofThat playlist on Spotify! Listening to music you love will help pass the time, act as a timer for your workout, and help distract from the task at hand. Feel free to sing out loud if needed! If using headphones, make sure the volume is low enough to hear your surroundings.

Run with a friend who is at your level

This tip is beneficial for two reasons: accountability and camaraderie. You’ll hold each other accountable, meaning you’re less likely to hit snooze for that early morning run if you know your friend is waiting for you. Additionally, you can push one another when needed, compare training progress, and congratulate one another when you do something great!

Beginning to run can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t break it down. The benefits of running are endless and these beginning runner tips will get you on the right track. Did you use a specific beginner running tip when you first started running? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

Valentine’s Day Running Love Story

in

How two runners fell in love on Valentine’s Day

Kirsten met the love of her life on Valentine's Day at the Austin Half Marathon.

Kirsten met the love of her life on Valentine’s Day at the 2014 Austin Half Marathon.

People expect many outcomes from running. They want to get healthier. Fit into an old pair of jeans. Make new friends. But seldom do two people fall in love because of running. Well, that’s exactly what happened on Valentine’s Day before the 2014 Austin Half Marathon! Read how Kirsten met the love of her life before running 13.1 miles in the next installment of My Running Story.

Running gave them more than they ever imagined

In 2014, I ran the Austin Half Marathon for the first time. That year it took place on Valentine’s Day. While stretching on the side of the road, I noticed a very cute, sleepy guy snoozing on the sidewalk next to me. I laughed and asked him if he was ready to run 13.1 miles. He looked up at me with big, sleepy eyes and smiled. My heart skipped a beat. 

He quickly woke up and we had a lovely chat. Before I knew it the race had started and he disappeared into the crowds. The entire race I hoped I’d run into him again at the post-race celebrations. When I crossed the finish line I took out my phone to find my friend. I had a friend request from the sleepy guy! He memorized my bib number, looked up my full name at the race time station, and found me on Facebook. I asked him out and we’ve been together ever since.

We are now married and just welcomed a daughter into our family. We’d love to run the Austin Half Marathon together again in 2020. We would commemorate that Valentine’s Day morning six years ago when we met and fell in love. The Austin Marathon helped me find everything I hold most dear in life. This is my love story.

My Running Story is a series of blog submissions from runners just like yourself. They submitted their inspirational running stories as part of a contest to win an entry of their choice to the 2020 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon. Their stories range from crossing their first finish line to drastic lifestyle change due to running. Everyone’s story is different and unique, impacting them in a specific way. While each story is specific to the author, everyone can resonate in some form or fashion because of the power of running. Submissions will be accepted through August 16, 2020. Other My Running Story submissions include Kayleigh Williamson.