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Austin Marathon Provides Lasting Memories for Thousands

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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.

Ascension Seton Austin Marathon Continues Expansion Beyond Race Day

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Growth continues beyond race day for Austin Marathon

High Five Events continues to grow the footprint of the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour® beyond race day. The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented several screenings of an award-winning documentary, is involved with several Under Armour runs and demos with the community, and added numerous new partnerships, activations, and race-weekend events. Nearly 16,000 runners from all 50 states and 35 countries will run the 28th annual Austin Marathon on Sunday, Feb. 17th.

“Our associates have been energized by this partnership. We have more than 350 Ascension Seton associates running in the various races and 80 medical team members supporting this weekend,” said Adam Bauman, vice president of business development at Ascension Seton. “I am excited how this partnership has woven Ascension Seton into the fabric of the Austin running community.”

Austin Marathon race week actually began on Friday, Feb. 8th, when the Austin Marathon presented several screenings of Skid Row Marathon, an award-winning documentary. There were two Q&As with the producers, Gabi and Mark Hayes, and one of the inspirations of the film, Judge Craig Mitchell. Under Armour will keep the party going during race week, demoing their HOVR shoe line at group runs hosted by various Austin running clubs. Their activations will culminate in the UA HOVR Shakeout Run on Friday, Feb. 15th. There are several official post-race parties where runners can keep the good times rolling after the finish line festival.

The two-day Austin Marathon Health & Fitness Expo (Feb. 15th – 16th) will feature more than 100 vendors, Official Austin Marathon Under Armour gear, and interactive activations. Some of these include: the Austin Marathon’s 1972 Winnebago, Ascension Seton’s sport medicine van, Carvana’s DeLorean, several photo booths, Mr. Peanut and the Planter’s NUTmobile, and various food samplings. Participants can get stretched, a quick massage, or taped for race day at several locations. They can also meet the Austin Marathon pace team and watch the course preview on the Jumbotron.

“The collective buzz during Austin Marathon race week has us excited to support numerous community engagements alongside some of the most influential groups in town,” said Ari Perez, Fleet Feet Austin’s Operating Partner. “The Eastside Beer Runners, RAW Running, and the UA HOVR Shakeout Run will offer runners opportunities to further connect with the community, all culminating in the weekend’s expo, races, and post-race fun.”

Saturday, Feb. 16th, is once again highlighted by the Manzano Mile presented by Dole, named for Leo Manzano, Austin Marathon Ambassador and Olympic silver medalist. Elites will race for a $6,000 prize purse, children will run in the Future Milers of America heat, and families will complete the untimed mile together. Also on Saturday is the newly added Raise Riders Family Bicycle Weekend. The inaugural event is presented by woom bikes USA and Buddy Pegs Media. There are two free children’s bike rides during the Manzano Mile. Families will enjoy family-friendly group rides, woom bike demos, Buddy Pegs Bicycle Playdates (for children 6 and under), author readings, raffles, bicycle scavenger hunts, and more.

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 28th year running in the capital of Texas in 2019. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 30+ countries around the world. Having start and finish locations in the heart of downtown Austin puts participants and spectators near all the action and within walking distance of restaurants, hotels, and shops. Finishing with the picturesque Texas State Capitol as your backdrop is icing on the cake for the perfect running weekend destination. Registration is open for all distances.

Expo Highlights You Don’t Want to Miss!

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Our expo highlights showcase the booths you have to visit

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon Expo & Packet Pick Up is just days away! The expo is a chance for participants to visit our sponsors and partners and check out what they have to offer. The 2019 Marathon Health & Fitness Expo will have more than 100 vendors selling all sorts of runners’ goodies. From on-course hydration to Official Austin Marathon Under Armour gear, below are the expo highlights you can’t miss. There are tons of prizes, giveaways, and discounts too!

The expo is open to the public on Friday, February 15th, from  1:00 p.m – 7:00 p.m and Saturday, February 16th, from 10:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m.

Get in the Groove 2020 Tour 

It is never too early to get excited about running next year! Get in the groove with us as we spread our love of Austin and running during our tour in our 1972 Winnebago, nicknamed Winnie. Come meet Winnie at the 2020 Austin Marathon booth.

Ascension Seton

Ascension Seton is part of the largest nonprofit health system in the U.S. and their doctors and nurses will be on course and at the finish line tent. They will also volunteer throughout the expo and be available on course. Say hi! You can stop by their booth to talk about taking care of your body as your train, get free blood pressure readings, and more.

KXAN

Not only will KXAN be showing the 2019 Austin Marathon live coverage to all locals looking to watch from home, but they will also be at the expo providing healthy living and wellness tips and information from expert medical professionals as part of their Simple Health initiative. You will have the opportunity to learn hands-on CPR training.

2020 Registration Combo Deal

Do you love to RUNAUSTIN?! Save an extra $10 off registration when you add 3M Half Marathon at time of check out. This pricing is the best that will be available for 2020, so take advantage of it. 3M Half Marathon is a stand-alone half marathon on January 19, 2020. It is known for its point-to-point course and swag bag filled with 3M products.

Official Merchandise

Visit our friends at Fleet Feet Austin and snag your Official Austin Marathon Under Armour gear before it’s gone! From shirts and jackets to pint glasses and coffee mugs, this year’s official merch is awesome and will make you smile when you remember running the Austin Marathon or Austin Half Marathon.

Jumbotron & Pacer Booth

Take a seat and watch the big screen as we go over both the marathon and half marathon courses. Have questions or a goal time you are looking to meet? Be sure and stop by the Pacer booth and talk to our amazing pacers. There are 18 different pace groups available. Pace groups run based on marathon finish times and will run the first part of the course with the half marathon.

Smile! Great Photo Opportunities

The Insta opportunities are at an all-time high at this year’s expo. There will be several fun photo opportunities set up throughout the expo including our GIF photo booth, a larger than life-size version of this year’s finisher medal, course maps, and more. Be sure to visit them all, some not to miss include:

  • Austin Marathon & Half Marathon course map
  • Carvana DeLorean
  • Hilton Hotels

Shopping & Giveaways

  • There will be tons of products to sample including Kodiak cakes, Kicking Horse Coffee, Thunderbird Real Food Bars, REBBL, Snap Nutrition, and Honey Badger.
  • SPIbelt will have a spinning wheel out sporadically during the event where people can spin to win! Stop by, say hey, learn about their new products, and spin to see what you could win.
  • nuun hydration will be sampling a ton of their flavors including Orange Mango, which will be at all aid stations on race day.
  • Kerrville Triathlon – from awesome trucker hats to free shirts, The Most Scenic Triathlon in Texas will have a prize wheel full of great giveaways.
  • fitppl – while reducing plastic and cleaning the world, these superfoods combine plant-based protein, spirulina, alkalizing grasses, and phytonutrient-packed fruits creating a wholesome, all-in-one, nutrient-dense shake.
  • Hilton will have a photo booth set up, plus opportunities to win awesome prizes including a grand prize which includes free hotel stays.

The Nutmobile

It’s ok to get a little nutty sometimes, especially when you encounter the Planter’s NUTmobile. Come talk to the Peanutters and get a sample of delicious Planter’s products.