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Austin Marathon Announces Second Round of Accepted Elite Runners

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Second round of elite runners competing for $26,000 prize purse

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour introduces the second round of elite runners for 2020. This program, in its fourth year, creates a competitive field of elite male and female runners while discovering emerging talent, pushing the entire talent pool to reach Olympic standards. FloTrack’s live coverage highlights the competition amongst the elites, following male and female marathoners and half marathoners. Elites are listed below along with their qualifying time. The 29th annual Austin Marathon, owned and produced by High Five Events, will take place on February 16, 2020.

Image of Jessica Allen running in a recent race. She is one of the runners accepted with the second round of elite runners for the 2020 Austin Half Marathon.

Jessica Allen was accepted to the Austin Half Marathon Elite Athlete Program.

“I am so excited to run the streets of Austin as my final tune-up race before the Olympic Trials marathon,” said Jessica Allen, who ran an Olympic Trials qualifying 2:41:34 earlier this year. “I always hope to set a personal record when I toe the line, but more than that I want to get used to the level of pain I will need to be comfortable with to achieve my goals at the Trials.”

The second round of 2020 Austin Marathoners include: 

  • Mark Pinales – male Elite Field (2017 3M Half Marathon champ – 1:06:51)
  • Eliud Mwangi – male Elite Field (2017 Napoli City Half Marathon – 1:01:21)
  • Ryan Normand – male Elite Field (2019 Grandma’s Marathon – 2:29:13)
James Ngandu crosses the 2019 Austin Half Marathon in first place. He is one of the runners accepted with the second round of elite runners for the 2020 Austin Half Marathon.

James Ngandu is seeking his second Austin Half Marathon victory in as many years.

The second round of 2020 Austin Half Marathoners include: 

  • James Ngandu – male Elite Athlete Program (2019 Austin Half Marathon champ – 1:04:32)
  • Gonzalo Parra – male Elite Athlete Program (2nd place, 2019 Austin Half Marathon- 1:05:36)
  • Jessica Allen – female Elite Athlete Program (2019 Grandma’s Marathon – 2:41:34)
  • Anita Perez – female Elite Athlete Program (2018 Grandma’s Marathon – 2:29:39)
  • Taylor Dare – female Elite Athlete Program (2019 Grandma’s Marathon – 2:42:17)
  • Hattie Schunk – female Elite Field (2019 San Antonio Half Marathon – 1:23:56)
  • Sierra Snyder Elcock – female Elite Field (2019 Austin Half Marathon – 1:26:34)
  • Cheryl Serena – female Elite Field (2018 El Paso Half Marathon female champ – 1:27:47)
  • Ben Munguia – male Elite Field (2019 3M Half Marathon – 1:16:39)
  • Melinda DuBose – female Elite Field (2018 Richmond Half Marathon – 1:26:11)

The prize purse breakdown follows: $15,000 for the marathon, $5,000 for the half marathon, and $6,000 for the Manzano Mile presented by Dole. Runners not accepted into the Elite Athlete Program are still invited to run in the Elite Field. Runners that are not accepted to the Elite Athlete Program or the Elite Field are not eligible for prize money. Read about the first round of accepted elite runners.

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 29th year running in the capital of Texas in 2020. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 30+ countries around the world. Having start and finish locations just a few blocks apart, being within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants, and finishing in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol makes the Austin Marathon the perfect running weekend destination. Registration is currently open.

Dedicating His First Marathon Will Push Him to the Finish Line

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This runner is dedicating his first marathon to his biggest supporter

Runners dedicate their training and running to others all the time. Their dedication can show loved ones how much their support means. They can also dedicate their running to supporting a charity of Austin Gives Miles presented by Moody Foundation, the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon’s philanthropic program. Rene Arguello is dedicating his first marathon, the Austin Marathon, to his wife Veronica. She’s his biggest supporter. Read Rene’s edition of My Running Story to see how much he and his wife has been through recently and why he’s dedicating his first marathon to her. Are you dedicating your Austin Marathon to someone specific? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.

Time to sign up for the Austin Marathon

Image of Rene Arguello and Veronica, his wife, next to a Christmas tree. He's dedicating his first marathon to her!

Rene and Veronica.

I started running about 15 years ago when someone told me that I would never finish my first half marathon. Is that reason enough to prove someone wrong? The real reason I run is to be an example to my family. I want to show them that running has great health benefits. Every now and then my wife and daughters will join me on a run. Currently I’m training for my first marathon. I have completed ten half marathons and everyone says it is about time I sign up for a marathon. 

I usually like to dedicate my training and racing to someone. When you dedicate a race to someone it gives you the motivation to finish. I am dedicating my first marathon, the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, to my wife. Veronica  is my biggest supporter. She always waves to me or blows a kiss when I am on a training run. My wife even goes to every running expo with me. She knows exactly where I am on any given racecourse and pops up to say “Hi!” on any given street corner. Veronica knows my running so much that she know what foods I need to eat during training and what gear I should wear based on the weather and the distance. 

My wife has been through a lot recently. Her favorite cousin recently passed away from a drowning accident in Port Aransas. Prior to that, her uncle passed away. My wife helped coordinate her uncle’s funeral and the music, no questions asked. 

Running with a heavy heart

This year I am running with a heavy heart, but still staying positive about my training. I like to keep loved ones on my mind and dedicate miles to them during the race. My overall training has been going well. I am following a racing plan and definitely have been enjoying my long runs. Running is contagious. I have several coworkers that have started running and have already signed up for races. They say that I turned them into runners. Maybe I have turned them into runners because I am always talking about it and I am always happy to answer any running-related questions. 

It’s funny, whenever I tell someone that I am running my first marathon I always get a crazy look. I know I will finish my first marathon. I have no doubt about it, especially since I’m dedicating my first 26.2 miles to my wife.

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. Other My Running Story submissions include Kayleigh Williamson, Kirsten Pasha, Michael Coffey, Samantha Santos, Tom Hamann, Erica Richart, Angela Clark, Rebecca Galvan, Jeremy Tavares, Axel Reissnecker, Blair Nagel, and Brittany Drennan.

Austin Marathon Partners with Hotels for Hope

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Hotels for Hope booking platform will boost contributions to Austin Gives Miles

The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon simplifies event weekend hotel booking with the addition of the Hotels for Hope platform. The user-friendly technology provides exclusive rates for downtown hotels within walking distance of the start and finish lines. Additionally, Hotels for Hope will donate $2 for every actualized room night to the Austin Marathon’s philanthropic program, Austin Gives Miles presented by Moody Foundation. The 29th annual Austin Marathon, owned and produced by High Five Events, will take place on February 16, 2020.

“Hotels for Hope is based in Austin, so it’s great to work with the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon to highlight our technology and drive awareness and support to the Austin Gives Miles program,” said Neil Goldman, founder and CEO of Hotels for Hope.  “We look forward to a long-term relationship with an event in our own backyard, in which hotel guests benefit from this agreement.”

Stay downtown near the Austin Marathon start and finish lines

Hotels for Hope was founded and still remains in Austin, Texas. Their platform will allow participants to easily book their hotel stay and provide exclusive rates for downtown Austin hotels. When staying downtown, participants and their friends and family don’t have to worry about parking or leaving anything at home. They can sleep well knowing they’re near the Austin Marathon start and finish lines. The start line is located at Congress Avenue and 2nd Street. The finish line is located at Congress Avenue and 9th Street. As a company, they will donate $2 for every actualized room night. Funds raised during Austin Marathon weekend will be given to Austin Gives Miles.

“Annually, Austin Marathon participants come from around the world to run Austin’s streets, enjoy our restaurants, and soak up The Live Music Capital of the World,” said Stacy Keese, co-owner of High Five Events. “Hotels for Hope provides participants with exclusive rates and will ensure they stay near our start and finish lines and all the action of downtown Austin.”

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 29th year running in the capital of Texas in 2020. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 30+ countries around the world. Having start and finish locations just a few blocks apart, being within walking distance of many downtown hotels and restaurants, and finishing in front of the picturesque Texas State Capitol makes the Austin Marathon the perfect running weekend destination. Registration is currently open.

Thankful for Being Given the Opportunity to Run Again

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After her injury, Brittany is grateful to have the opportunity to run again

Most of us don’t actually realize how much we love running until it’s gone. Sure we love getting outdoors, making new friends, de-stressing. But imagine for a minute that you can’t run again. Brittany Drennan lived in that world for 18 months. That’s how long her rehab from a terrible hip injury took. Read her edition of My Running Story to understand how grateful she is to have the opportunity to run again and how hard she’s worked to get to the 2020 Austin Half Marathon start line.

Intro to running

Brittany Drennan poses with a half marathon finisher medal. Read her edition of My Running Story to learn how she's been given the opportunity to run again.I have always been an emotional person. It’s just who I am. I cry at sappy movies and symphonies. And I can’t even play an instrument. In 2008, I registered for the Baylor Bearathon (half marathon) and I still don’t know what possessed me to do that. I had never run more than the occasional 5K.

The Bearathon is grueling, with about 5-6 miles of rolling hills. Having only run about 6 miles as my “long run” and never doing hill work, I thought my legs were going to detach from my body after Mile 7. I vividly remember thinking, “Where is the school? Waco is not that big…” But I don’t remember finishing. The next day I cried trying to get out of my bunk bed, my body hurt so badly.

I ran the Bearathon consistently for several years and as I was preparing for the 2015 race, I lunged to catch a patient at work and felt a pop in my left hip. While running the next day, I fell to the ground due to a subluxation of my left hip. As I crawled back to the house, I began to panic, tears streaming down my face. If I can’t walk, how can I run? I forfeited my Bearathon entry that year and was absolutely devastated.

It took about 18 months to rehab my hip. I worked from the ground up; crying tears of frustration when my hip couldn’t even tolerate the recumbent bike. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever endured. Near constant pain with no end in sight. I’d ask myself, “Why am I doing this? What am I trying to prove?”

The opportunity to run again

More than two years later, I lined up for the 2017 Bearathon. I was choking back tears of anxiety and fear. What if my hip goes out? Will everything I’ve done be for not? Two and a half hours later, I crossed the finish line in near hysterics. But finally, FINALLY, my tears were not from pain or frustration or fear. They were tears of joy and gratitude. I had been given the opportunity to run again.

I completed my tenth half this past October. Now when I cross the finish line of every half I weep. I used to be embarrassed. It’s not like I won or anything similar. Now I realize that it’s just my body’s way of saying “thank you.” I can’t wait to cross the Austin Half Marathon finish line!

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. Other My Running Story submissions include Kayleigh Williamson, Kirsten Pasha, Michael Coffey, Samantha Santos, Tom Hamann, Erica Richart, Angela Clark, Rebecca Galvan, Jeremy Tavares, Axel Reissnecker, and Blair Nagel.