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Austin Marathon Cooks Up Partnership with Z’Tejas

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Z’Tejas will cater Hilton VIP Experience at Austin Marathon

High Five Events announces Z’Tejas will cater the Hilton VIP Experience at the 2019 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour®. Z’Tejas will provide Southwestern cuisine and refreshments at the finish line VIP. The Hilton VIP Experience, which includes VIP access at the start and finish lines, can be purchased for the current price of $99. The Austin Marathon will take place on Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019. Z'Tejas will cater the Hilton VIP Experience at the Austin Marathon.

“Z’Tejas is pleased to serve our great southwest cuisine for the Hilton VIP Experience at this year’s Austin Marathon,” said Randy Cohen, owner of Z’Tejas. “We are proud to be a part of and to have supported the Austin community with events like these over the past 30 years.”

Z’Tejas, founded in Austin in 1989, serves Southwestern cuisine with bold, flavorful twists. Their chefs work hard to create authentic, memorable dishes with only the best, fresh ingredients. Mexican classics like Chili Pork Verde, tender Carne Asada, and Grilled Shrimp Tostada Bites can be found on the menu. Customers can also enjoy Asian and Caribbean-fusion dishes like Cast Iron Skillet Dumplings and Jerk Chicken Salad. Freshness, quality and a commitment to hand-crafted cuisine are present in every delicious bite.

Z’Tejas at the Austin Marathon

“We want to give our VIP guests a taste of Austin after they cross the finish line, especially those who come from outside of Texas,” Jack Murray, co-owner of High Five Events. “Z’Tejas and their dishes reflect what Austin’s all about – innovative, vibrant, and welcoming – and we’re glad they’re involved with Austin Marathon.”

The Hilton VIP Experience at the finish line features views of the marathon and half marathon finish lines, Z’Tejas catered lunch, adult beverages, and live music. The pre-race VIP is next to the start line. It offers private restrooms, pre-race breakfast and drinks, and a separate gear bag check. Everyone who purchases the Hilton VIP Experience will also receive 20% off exclusive Austin Marathon gear at the expo.

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.

Austin Marathon Announces Fourth Round of Elite Runners

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Fourth round of elite runners will compete during race weekend for a prize purse that totals $26,000

High Five Events is excited to announce the fourth round of accepted athletes for the 2019 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour®. Returning for its third year in a row, this opportunity 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.

“I’m excited to return to Austin and compete for the win,” said Joey Whelan, whose 2018 Austin Marathon victory launched an extremely successful running year, including qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. “This is the best time of year to train for a marathon in Texas. I’m looking forward to putting in the hard long runs and testing myself against the 2019 elite field.”

The fourth round of 2019 marathoners include:

  • Joey Whelan – male Elite Athlete Program (7th place 2018 Grandma’s Marathon – 2:16:28)
  • Nick Edinger – male Elite Athlete Program (8th place 2018 Pittsburgh Marathon – 2:18:32)
  • Patrick Geoghegan – male Elite Athlete Program (1:06:04 at 2018 Monumental Half Marathon)
  • Blair Teal – male Elite Athlete Program (2018 Outer Banks Marathon champion – 2:22:30)
  • Hyvon Ngetich – female Elite Field (3rd place 2015 Austin Marathon – 3:04:02)

The fourth round of 2019 half marathoners include:

  • Guor Maker – male Elite Athlete Program (2016 Olympics [South Sudan] – 2:22:45)
  • Andrew Leahey – male Elite Field (3rd place 2018 Oklahoma City Half Marathon – 1:13:46)
  • Natasha van der Merwe – female Elite Field (2017 Decker Challenge female champ – 1:26:27)
  • JR Creekmore – male Elite Field (2018 Jonas Cattell Memorial 10 mile champ – 53:42, half marathon debut)
  • Ericka Mason – female Elite Field (3rd place 2018 Cowtown Half Marathon – 1:23:40)
  • Todd Mickey – male Elite Field (2x individual All-Big 12 [indoor mile and 1000m], half marathon debut)
  • Ann Lokiles – female Elite Field (2x Ohio Valley XC Champion (2015 – 2016), half marathon debut)

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.  Read about the first, second, and third round of accepted elite runners. The fifth round of athletes will be announced soon. Applications are still being accepted and elite marathoners 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 2019 Austin Marathon or half marathon, reimbursement eligibility, and standards bonuses.

Austin Marathon Announces Third Round of Elite Runners

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Third round of elite runners will compete during race weekend for a prize purse that totals $26,000

High Five Events is excited to announce the third round of accepted athletes for the 2019 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour®. Returning for its third year in a row, this opportunity 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.

“I am very honored to have been accepted into the Austin Marathon’s Elite Athlete Program,” said Heather Lieberg, 2016 and 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier. “This will be my first time visiting Texas and I’m training hard to make my race day one to remember. See you soon Austin!”

The third round of 2019 marathoners include:

  • Heather Lieberg – female Elite Athlete Program (2:40:38 at 2017 CIM)
  • Carter Norbo – female Elite Athlete Program (2:48:35 at 2017 Chicago Marathon)
  • Mizael Carrera – male Elite Athlete Program (2:19:29 at 2017 NYC Marathon)
  • Sphamandla Nyembe – male Elite Athlete Program (2017 Woodlands Marathon Champ – 2:21:26)
  • Alexandra Conway – female Elite Field (4th place at 2018 Hartford Marathon – 2:51:39)

The third round of 2019 half marathoners include:

  • Tom Anderson – male Elite Athlete Program (2020 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Ryan Miller – male Elite Athlete Program (2020 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier)
  • Julia Rhie – female Elite Field (2:52:59 at 2018 Chicago Marathon)
  • Chris Cabret – male Elite Field (1:14:23 at 2017 Orlando Half Marathon)
  • Bobby Thompson – male Elite Field (1:12:57 at 2017 Monumental Half Marathon)

The third round of Manzano Mile presented by Dole® participants include:

  • Rebecca Evans – female Elite Field (4:27.00 at 2018 Occidental Invitational)
  • Matthieu Campbell – male Elite Field (2018 Boulder Road Runners Track Meet Champ – 4:25.3)
  • Anna McDonald – female Elite Field (4:47.74 at 2018 Husky Classic)
  • Matthew Winkler – male Elite Field (2018 Gibsons Sea Cavalcade Mile Champ – 4:19.7)
  • Christine Thorn – female Elite Field (4th place at 2018 SDSU Indoor Classic – 5:00.33)

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.  Read about the first and second round of accepted elite runners. The fourth round of athletes will be announced soon. Applications are still being accepted and elite marathoners 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 2019 Austin Marathon or half marathon, reimbursement eligibility, and standards bonuses.

Austin Marathon Honored as a 2018 Champion of Economic Impact

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Champion of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism awarded by Sports Destination Management

The Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour is proud to be named a 2018 Champion of Economic Impact in Sports tourism by Sports Destination Management. The Austin Marathon, produced by High Five Events, one of the largest privately owned event production companies in the United States, injected $37.5 million into the Austin economy during race weekend, a $3.1 million (8 percent) increase from 2017. High Five Events partnered with the expert faculty at St. Edward’s University’s Bill Munday School of Business to calculate the findings.

“The Austin Marathon’s annual multi-million dollar economic impact benefits Austin and stimulates our local economy,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. “We’re proud to host one of the country’s top marathons, one that annually attracts runners from all 50 states and more than 30 countries. More runners are realizing there’s no better city to recover in!”

Other large-market champions include 2018 NCAA Final Four, 2018 NFL Draft, and The Honda Classic. Sports Destination Management is the leading publication with the largest circulation of sports event planners and tournament directors in the sports tourism market. They announced the 2018 Champions of Economic Impact in Sports Tourism in a special feature in their November/December issue. This year’s winners are responsible for contributing more than $700 million to the national economy over the past year.

Austin Marathon contributed $37.5 million to the Austin economy in 2018

“The Austin Marathon is an excellent example of a sports event that showcases the City of Austin and offers multiple options that appeal to everyone, from the veteran endurance runner to the person who is dipping a toe into the waters of racing for the first time,” Mary Helen Sprecher, Managing Editor, Sports Destination Management. “The fact that this event has such a positive economic impact only reinforces the value of these events to the city and to the greater fitness community as a whole.”

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.