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Austin Marathon Announces Sixth Round of Accepted Elite Runners

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High Five Events introduces the sixth round of accepted athletes for the 2018 Austin Marathon®. Runners who do not qualify for the Elite Athlete Program are still invited to run in the Elite Field. The Elite Athlete Program’s focus is to provide a clean and competitive environment, discover emerging talent, and help the existing talent pool reach Olympic standards. The Program’s Year Two prize purse totals $20,000, with $15,000 for the marathon and $5,000 for the half marathon.

sixth round

Zachary Ornelas at 2017 Boston Marathon (2:24:40).

The sixth round of 2018 marathoners include:

  • Bryan Morseman – Elite Athlete Program (2nd place at 2017 Run for the Red Marathon – 2:22:08)
  • Girma Segni – Elite Athlete Program (ran 2:23:51 at 2017 New York City Marathon)
  • Wendes Gray – Elite Field (ran 1:31:47 at 2016 Holiday Half Marathon)
  • Alex Kramer – Elite Field (ran 1:13:48 at 2017 Cambridge Half Marathon)
  • Mitchell Germann – Elite Field (2nd place at 2017 Decker Challenge – 1:17:10)
  • Zachary Ornelas – Elite Field (ran 2:24:40 at 2017 Boston Marathon)

The sixth round of 2018 half marathoners include:

  • Luke Humphrey – Elite Athlete Program (2008, 2012, 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Sabrina Lopez – Elite Athlete Program (ran 2:41:16 at 2017 California International Marathon)
  • Samantha Roecker – Elite Athlete Program (2nd place female at 2017 Hartford Marathon – 2:38:14)
  • Nicole Aish –  – Elite Field (2nd place at 2017 Virginia Beach Half Marathon – 1:19:46)
  • Crystal Kent – Elite Field (3rd place at 2017 San Antonio Marathon – 3:15:30)
  • Anthony Holshouser – Elite Field (2nd place at 2017 Route 66 Half Marathon – 1:14:11)
  • Kaitlyn Johnson – Elite Field (ran 1:20:10 at 2017 3M Half Marathon)
  • Natasha Van der Merwe – Elite Field (2017 Decker Challenge female Champion – 1:26:27)
  • Brittni Hutton – Elite Field (ran 35:20 at 2017 Portland Track Festival 10K)
  • Hernan Rozemberg – Elite Field (ran 1:16:09 at 2017 3M Half Marathon)
  • Braden Perry – Elite Field (ran collegiately at Weber State University)

“I am excited to return to Austin for the Austin Half Marathon,” said Humphrey, who has been a member of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project since 2004. “I am using the Austin Half Marathon to test my fitness after coming back from a fall marathon. This is the perfect race for me to compete and challenge in the lead group!”

Read about the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rounds of accepted elite runners. Including today, the marathon has accepted a total of 15 runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 23 others have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. The half marathon has accepted 16 runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 25 others have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. Applications are still being accepted and elite runners can apply on the Austin Marathon’s website. Athletes that meet the program’s standards and are accepted will be given one comp entry to the 2018 Austin Marathon or half marathon, reimbursement eligibility, and standards bonuses.

Austin Marathon Announces Fifth Round of Accepted Elite Runners

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High Five Events introduces the fifth round of accepted athletes for the 2018 Austin Marathon®. Runners who do not qualify for the Elite Athlete Program are still invited to run in the Elite Field. The Elite Athlete Program’s focus is to provide a clean and competitive environment, discover emerging talent, and help the existing talent pool reach Olympic standards. The Program’s Year Two prize purse totals $20,000, with $15,000 for the marathon and $5,000 for the half marathon.

The fifth round of 2018 marathoners include:

  • Allison Macsas – Elite Athlete Program (2017 Austin Marathon female champion – 2:48:16)
  • Craig Leon – Elite Athlete Program (7th place at 2017 US Marathon Championships [CIM] – 2:13:41)
  • Arturs Bareikis – Elite Athlete Program (2nd place at 2017 Madison Marathon – 2:23:14)
  • Carter Norbo – Elite Athlete Program (ran 2:48:35 at 2017 Chicago Marathon)
  • D’Ann Arthur – Elite Athlete Program (2nd place at 2016 OC Marathon – 2:46:50)
  • Drew Johnson – Elite Field (ran 1:14:14 at 2017 Garry Bjorkland Half Marathon)
  • Brent Martin – Elite Field (4th place at 2017 Akron Marathon – 2:28:10)

The fifth round of 2018 half marathoners include:

  • Allison Mendez-Cleaver – Elite Athlete Program (2017 Austin Half Marathon female champion – 1:21:42; 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Patrick Smyth – Elite Athlete Program (8th place at 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon – 2:15:26; 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Alfred Kiplagat – Elite Athlete Program (4th place at 2016 Germantown Half Marathon – 1:06:44)
  • Jarrett LeBlanc – Elite Athlete Program (ran 1:04:19 at 2015 US Half Marathon Championships; 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Jason Ayr – Elite Athlete Program (3rd place 2017 Hartford Marathon – 2:20:36)
  • Heather Zytkewicz – Elite Field (8th place at 2017 San Antonio Half Marathon – 1:26:45)
  • Jonathon Lira – Elite Field (ran track and cross country for Texas Tech)

“There is nothing quite like racing on hometown roads full of familiar faces, especially when your hometown race is a top-notch production,” said Macsas, also a 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier. “Austin Marathon weekend always feels like a big party for the local running community and my 2017 win was a major highlight of my year – I couldn’t be more excited for the chance to line up and try to do it again!”

Read about the first, second, third,and fourth rounds of accepted elite runners. Including today, the marathon has accepted a total of 13 runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 17 others have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. The half marathon has accepted 13 runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 16 others have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. Applications are arriving daily and more than 100 have already been submitted. The sixth round of athletes will be announced next week. Applications are still being accepted and elite runners can apply on the Austin Marathon’s website. Athletes that meet the program’s standards and are accepted will be given one comp entry to the 2018 Austin Marathon or half marathon, reimbursement eligibility, and standards bonuses.

Austin Marathon Announces Fourth Round of Accepted Elite Runners

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High Five Events introduces the fourth round of accepted athletes for the 2018 Austin Marathon®. Runners who do not qualify for the Elite Athlete Program are still invited to run in the Elite Field. The Elite Athlete Program’s focus is to provide a clean and competitive environment, discover emerging talent, and help the existing talent pool reach Olympic standards. The Program’s Year Two prize purse totals $20,000, with $15,000 for the marathon and $5,000 for the half marathon.

The fourth round of 2018 marathoners include:

fourth round

Becki Spellman, 2008, 2012, 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier.

  • Ruairi Moynihan – Elite Field (ran 2:39:38 at 2017 Grandma’s Marathon)
  • Jamie Stroffolino – Elite Field (ran 2:37:38 at 2017 NYC Marathon)
  • Mollie Turner – Elite Field (7th place 2017 Hartford Marathon – 2:53:32)
  • Cecile Daurat-Thompson – Elite Field (ran 2:59:50 at 2016 Philadelphia Marathon)

The fourth round of 2018 half marathoners include:

  • Becki Spellman – Elite Athlete Program (2008, 2012, 2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Ryan Root – Elite Athlete Program (5th place 2017 Indianapolis Marathon – 2:19:51)
  • Jocelyn Todd – Elite Athlete Program (ran 2:48:23 at 2017 Chicago Marathon)
  • Gabe Gonzalez – Elite Athlete Program (6th place at 2016 Big Sur Half Marathon)
  • Fernanda Bau – Elite Field (ran 1:28:25 at 2017 Austin Half Marathon)
  • Karen Bertasso – Elite Field (ran 2:49:08 at 2017 Berlin Marathon)
  • Cole Toepfer – Elite Field (ran 1:11:30 at 2016 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon)
  • Randi Burnett – Elite Field (ran 2:53 at 2017 NYC Marathon)
  • Sarah Lancaster – Elite Field (ran 1:25:32 at 2016 Austin Half Marathon)
  • Nicholas Spector – Elite Field (3rd place at 2017 OC Half Marathon – 1:09:19)

“After running my first marathon in Austin 2008 and qualifying for the Olympic Trials, this race has a special place in my heart,” said Spellman. “I’m very excited to be back in Austin this February; I can’t wait to race!”

Read about the first, second, and third rounds of accepted elite runners. Including today’s announcement, the marathon has accepted a total of eight runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 15 have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. The half marathon has accepted eight runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 14 have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. Applications are arriving daily and more than 100 have already been submitted. The fifth round of athletes will be announced next week. Applications are still being accepted and elite runners can apply on the Austin Marathon’s website. Athletes that meet the program’s standards and are accepted will be given one comp entry to the 2018 Austin Marathon or half marathon, reimbursement eligibility, and standards bonuses.

Austin Marathon Announces Third Round of Accepted Elite Runners

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High Five Events introduces the third round of accepted athletes for the 2018 Austin Marathon®. Runners not accepted into the Elite Athlete Program are still invited to run in the Elite Field. The Elite Athlete Program’s focus is to provide a clean and competitive environment, discover emerging talent, and help the existing talent pool reach Olympic standards. The Program’s Year Two prize purse totals $20K, with $15K for the marathon and $5K for the half marathon.

Image of Anita Perez crossing the Chicago Marathon finish line.

Anita Perez at 2017 Chicago Marathon (2:44:04).

The third round of 2018 marathoners include:

  • Brian Harvey – Elite Athlete Program (2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Whitney Thornburg – Elite Athlete Program (2017 United Airlines NYC Half – 1:16:29)
  • Travis Morrison – Elite Athlete Program (7th place 2017 Pittsburgh Marathon – 2:19:45)
  • Caitlin Batten – Elite Athlete Program (female champion 2015 Kiawah Island Marathon – 2:49:00)
  • James Sjostrom – Elite Field (10th place 2017 Columbus Half Marathon – 1:12:32)
  • Kyle Taylor – Elite Field (2nd place 2016 Best Damn Race Safety Harbor – 1:15:24)
  • Sky Canaves – Elite Field (female champion 2016 Hill Country Halloween Half Marathon – 1:25:21)

The third round of 2018 half marathoners include:

  • Anita Perez – Elite Athlete Program (2016, 2020 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Anthony Solis – Elite Athlete Program (2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Jennifer Angles – Elite Field (half marathon debut; ran XC and track for University of Kansas – ‘17)

“I was accepted into the 2017 Elite Athlete Program and looked forward to running the marathon earlier this year when I had to withdraw at the last minute due to a foot injury,” said Batten, whose marathon PR (2:49:00) was set at the 2015 Kiawah Island Marathon. “I love the city of Austin and am really excited to get another chance to run this year.”

Read about the first and second round of accepted elite runners. Including today, the marathon has accepted a total of eight runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 10 have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. The half marathon has accepted four runners into the Elite Athlete Program and 10 have been invited to participate in the Elite Field. Applications are arriving daily and more than 100 have already been submitted. The fourth round of athletes will be announced next week. Applications are still being accepted and elite runners can apply on the Austin Marathon’s website. Athletes that meet the program’s standards and are accepted will be given one comp entry to the 2018 Austin Marathon or half marathon, reimbursement eligibility, and standards bonuses.