Samantha Calderon will compete against a stacked Austin Half Marathon field
Samantha Calderon has been accepted to the Austin Half Marathon’s Elite Athlete Program. She will compete against other top runners for a prize purse that totals $26,000 on Feb. 17, 2019. Earlier this year, Calderon qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. She currently trains in Colorado and has a bright future ahead of her! Run with her on race day, cheer her on, or watch the FloTrack live stream on race day from anywhere in the world.
About Samantha Calderon
Marathon PR (2:44:44).My name is Samantha Calderon. I am from Minnesota, where I ran track and cross country at St. Cloud State. I now live in Boulder, Colorado, with my husband Julian, and my dog Chardonnay. I run for Run Boulder AC with Coach Kathy Butler. In January of 2018, I qualified for my first Olympic Trials! I’m excited to keep grinding and see where this sport takes me! I was 3x NCAA All-American. I love cooking, baking, reading, and of course running! Qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials at the 2018 Houston Marathon (2:44:44)
Training tip: Do the work. Sometimes training gets hard and you don’t want to do it. Show up every day and get through the workout, whether it’s great or not. You’ll add money to the training bank and it will show dividends.
Race day tip: Don’t do anything different. Eat the same thing that worked in training. Wear the same outfit you wore in your toughest workouts. Most importantly: smile and remember why you love to run!
Will Christian will race the Austin Marathon during his first trip to Texas
Will Christian has been accepted to the Austin Marathon’s Elite Athlete Program. He will compete against other top runners for a prize purse that totals $26,000 on Feb. 17, 2019. Christian is looking forward to his first trip to Texas, running the streets of Austin, and a post-race celebration that includes Texas BBQ. Run with him on race day, cheer him on, or watch the FloTrack live stream on race day from anywhere in the world.
Will Christian has been accepted to the Elite Athlete Program and will run the Austin Marathon.
About Will Christian
Marathon PR (2:19:13)
My name is Will Christian and I was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. I grew up in several different places due to my father being in the United States Navy. I graduated from the University of Virginia in 2006 and served six years active duty in the U.S. Navy. I’m currently serving in the U.S. Navy Reserves. I’m employed as an engineer for the City of Virginia Beach. My wife and I have a two-year-old son and we are expecting our second child in May of 2019! I love traveling, seeing new places, and meeting new people. Additionally, I enjoy daring activities, like skydiving, scuba diving, and zip lining. I have a goal to visit all 50 states before I’m 50 years old.
Champion and course record holder for 2018 Newport News One City Marathon (2:22:05)
Training tip: Don’t neglect speed training when training for a marathon and allow time for your body to rest.
Race day tip: Don’t try anything new (i.e. don’t wear brand new gear you haven’t worn before or eat something new the day of/day before a race.). Bonus tip: Don’t give up on yourself during the hard parts of the race!
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Rachel Baptista has overcome injuries and is ready to race the Austin Half Marathon
Rachel Baptista has been accepted to the Austin Half Marathon’s Elite Athlete Program. She will compete against other top runners for a prize purse that totals $26,000 on Feb. 17, 2019. Baptista gives some insight as to who she is below. Run with her on race day, cheer her on, or watch the FloTrack live stream on race day from anywhere in the world.
About Rachel Baptista
Rachel Baptista, Austinite and 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier.
Half marathon PR (1:12:39)
Born and raised in Austin, so I guess that makes me a unicorn in modern Austin terms! I ran for Austin High School, Go Maroons! After high school, I attended and ran for The University of Colorado and The University of Tulsa. I endured quite a few injuries in college. I’m healthy again and have figured out the right mix of high-level, healthy training. When I’m not running I work at Rogue Running. I enjoy the finer things in life like chips and queso, playing with my bulldog Chunky, hanging out with my homies, and listening to Justin Bieber.
*Earned “B” standard for 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials at 2018 Silo District Half Marathon (1:12:39)
Training tip: Find awesome peeps to run with that will push you and inspire you to go places you didn’t think you could. One thing that helps me get up at 4:45 in the morning is knowing I’ll get to do one of my favorite things with some of my favorite people. #bettertogether
Race day tip: Keep it simple and don’t over complicate it. That is one of the biggest things I have learned about racing. I used to get so nervous and psych myself out. Now I try to stay as relaxed as possible, almost like I am not even about to run a race. I make sure to have friends and good music around me to try and enjoy the moment. In the end, you are just putting one foot in front of the other, no need to overthink it!
Allison Macsas qualifies for 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials with 2:43:11 on revamped marathon course
The Austin Marathon unveiled the revamped marathon course for marathoners and the entire world on Sunday, February 18th, showcasing the city of Austin throughout the entire FloTrack livestream. More than 15,000 participants registered for the Austin Marathon, half marathon, and 5K, coming to Austin from all 50 states and 35 countries. Tens of thousands of spectators lined the Austin streets cheering on runners, waving hilarious signs, and providing endless energy. The highlight of the day featured Allison Macsas qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials on the revamped marathon course, finishing in 2:43:11, in front of family and friends.
“Winning the Austin Marathon for the second time was even more magical than the first,” said Macsas. “The amount of hometown support coupled with a deeper field and cool weather helped me feel stronger than I had thought possible, and ended with an OTQ which was a huge surprise! The entire event was incredibly well-executed and I can’t think of a more rewarding place to win a marathon than here in Austin.”
FloTrack’s live coverage followed the men’s and women’s elite fields for the marathon and half marathon. The forecasted rain stayed away and start time temperatures hovered in the low 50s. Drizzle was on and off and low-hanging clouds helped keep race temperatures ideal for great times and hundreds of PRs. Aid stations hydrated runners with nuun performance, Clif Bar handed out Clif Shots at two Clif Zones on course, and runners celebrated with friends and family in the Oskar Blues beer garden at the finish line festival.
Syracuse alumnus Joey Whelan (2:21:37) crossed the finish line first, besting 2017 Austin Marathon champion Joe Thorne’s time of 2:32:05. Craig Leon (2:23:24) and Daniel Bishop (2:26:27) rounded out the men’s marathon field, respectively. The male half marathoners finishing in the top three consisted of Patrick Smyth (1:04:16), Ryan Root (1:08:51), Luke Humphrey (1:08:54).
Joey Whelan, 2018 Austin Marathon male champion (2:21:37)
“I kept it simple and tried to keep an even pace while working the hills on the course. I make ranch roads in the Texas Hill Country for a living so I do a lot of hill training,” said Whelan, who also won the 2018 3M Half Marathon (1:09:06). “It was great to have people yelling my name on the course; I love the Austin running community!”
Austinite Allison Macsas (2:43:11) shaved more than five minutes off her 2017 winning time. Ashley Paulson (2:46:11) and D’Ann Arthur (2:49:37) finished second and third respectively. The top three female half marathon finishers were Hillary Montgomery (1:16:15), Allison Mendez-Cleaver (1:16:19), and Jocelyn Todd (1:17:19).
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 the City of Austin, Austin Police Department, Department of Public Safety, CapMetro, Travis County EMS, Under Armour, H-E-B, Under Armour, Clif Bar, nuun, Dole, Medicine in Motion, Oskar Blues Brewery, Ben Phillips – Engel & Völkers Austin, Qualcomm, SPIbelt, ALVIES, FloTrack, Austin Sports Commission, FitRankings, Keep Austin Beautiful, Goodwill Central Texas, and Austin Massage Company.
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My name is Samantha Calderon. I am from Minnesota, where I ran track and cross country at St. Cloud State. I now live in Boulder, Colorado, with my husband Julian, and my dog Chardonnay. I run for Run Boulder AC with Coach Kathy Butler. In January of 2018, I qualified for my first Olympic Trials! I’m excited to keep grinding and see where this sport takes me! I was 3x NCAA All-American. I love cooking, baking, reading, and of course running! Qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials at the 2018 Houston Marathon (2:44:44)
