Tag Archive for: running

Austin Marathon Donates to Camp Kesem – UT for Second Year

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The Austin Marathon® is proud to present Camp Kesem – University of Texas with a donation of $3,195. Camp Kesem is receiving this donation because they won the month-long Austin Gives Miles social media contest that determined Ricky Doyle, Spectrum News Austin Sports Director, would run the marathon on behalf of their organization. Austin Gives Miles is the Official Charity Program of the Austin Marathon. The check presentation will take place on Tuesday, March 27th, at 10:30 a.m. in front of the University of Texas Tower near Mile 13 of the new Austin Marathon course.

On February 18th, Doyle was the final marathoner to begin the Austin Marathon and finished in 310th place. Race day weather was ideal and Doyle finished his debut marathon in 3:35:44, earning $1.00 for every marathoner he passed. Doyle was the fourth Charity Chaser and was outstanding in increasing awareness for the Austin Gives Miles program. In addition to earning $3,195 for Camp Kesem, Doyle also raised $3,233 through his personal fundraising page and $256 by asking others to donate one penny to their favorite Austin Gives Miles charity for every marathoner he passed. This brings Doyle’s total 2018 Austin Gives Miles financial contribution to $6,684.

“I’m so thankful High Five Events allowed me to be this year’s Austin Marathon Charity Chaser,” said Doyle. “Once I got to know the Camp Kesem leaders, it was inspiring to see what they do and their dedication and passion for the camp. When the marathon got tough in the final miles, knowing I was running for such a great cause helped me keep pushing.

Camp Kesem at University of Texas at Austin was founded in 2011. They support children affected by a parent’s cancer diagnosis in the Austin community by providing a week-long summer camp experience and year-round peer support. Camp Kesem at University of Texas at Austin is operated by 75 student volunteers and serves 150 campers aged 6-16. They also offer a CIT (Counselor In Training) program in which campers aged 16-17 can apply for and prepare to become a counselor.

“On behalf of all of the charities in the Austin Gives Miles program, we applaud Ricky for his dedication, thank him for his generosity, and congratulate him on his incredible performance at the 2018 Austin Marathon,” said Carly Samuelson, Austin Gives Miles Program Coordinator. “We are honored Ricky ran his debut marathon in conjunction with Austin Gives Miles and worked tirelessly to raise funds and spread awareness.”

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 28th year running in the capital of Texas on February 17, 2019. 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. Participants can register for the marathon, half marathon, or 5K beginning June 1st.

Austin Gives Miles Enjoys Another Successful Fundraising Campaign

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Fundraising and enhanced awareness efforts positively impact 31 Central Texas nonprofits

AUSTIN, Texas, March 21, 2018 — Austin Gives Miles, the Official Charity Program of the Austin Marathon®, raised $670,802. The 31 Central Texas nonprofit organizations accepted into the program worked tirelessly to exceed the program’s fundraising goal while increasing awareness of their organization and recruiting race day volunteers. All Blind Children of Texas, a resource for the optimal physical, mental, emotional, and social development of all blind children of Texas, was the highest fundraiser, raising $33,500.

“When I approached the board of ABCTX last May, I never imagined the impact our participation in Austin Gives Miles would have,” said Cheryl Austin, Residential Teacher at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, ABCTX board member, and 1st place female in the Austin Marathon VI division (class B3). “Our team of 59 runners and walkers raised $33,500 to support educational programs for students with visual impairment statewide.”

Austin Gives Miles

Ghisallo Cycling Initiative group photo at Mile 20. (Image courtesy of Ghisallo Cycling Initiative.)

For the third year in a row, Austin Gives Miles was the beneficiary of a Moody Foundation grant that matched donations for each organization, up to $10,000. The money raised significantly impacts Central Texas and the communities the charities serve. Review the 2018 Austin Gives Miles charities and their fundraising efforts on the Austin Marathon website.

“Donations topped $670,800 in yet another record-breaking year for the Austin Gives Miles program, further exemplifying the generosity and giving spirit of our community,” said Carly Samuelson, Austin Gives Miles Charity Manager. “From everyday runners who gave their miles, to the Moody Foundation and their gracious matching grant, our community continuously comes together to generate a positive, long-lasting impact in Central Texas.”

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 28th year running in the capital of Texas on February 17, 2019. 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. Participants can register for the marathon, half marathon, or 5K starting on June 1st.

2018 Austin Marathon Showcases Revamped Marathon Course to the World

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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.

Allison Macsas, 2018 Austin Marathon female champion (2:43:11)

“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.

2018 Austin Marathon Set to Debut New Marathon Course

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High Five Events is ready to showcase the revamped Austin Marathon® course. The race will begin at 7 a.m., feature a highly-competitive elite field, and be livestreamed by FloSports so spectators and loved ones around the globe can watch. Runners from all 50 states and 34 countries will run the 27th annual Austin Marathon on Sunday, Feb. 18th.

“The new Austin Marathon course will present different challenges and require a different strategy than the old course,” said Allison Macsas, 2017 Austin Marathon female champion. “I’m really looking forward to racing through a new mix of neighborhoods and more of the awesome hometown support that helped get me to the win last year!”

The new Austin Marathon course was designed to provide a better participant and spectator experience and allow enhanced traffic flow along the new marathon course, while still finishing with the picturesque Texas State Capitol as every runner’s backdrop. The first half of the Austin Marathon will remain unchanged. After Mile 12, half marathoners will head south to the finish line while marathoners continue east before turning north and running on Guadalupe St. through the heart of the University of Texas campus. The new marathon course will highlight Austin attractions like the University of Texas Tower and historic Hyde Park neighborhood, while taking marathoners on a tour of East Austin’s restaurants, murals, and landmarks.

new marathon courseFloSports, a sports media based in Austin, Texas, will highlight the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon’s Elite Athlete Program by following the men’s and women’s elite leaders throughout the race. They will also have a camera capturing finishers as they cross the finish line. In addition to being available to watch online for free, the feed will be displayed on the finish line Jumbotrons.

“Excitement has been building around the new Austin Marathon course and we’re ready to host thousands of runners from around the world during race weekend,” said Stacy Keese, co-owner of High Five Events. “With the addition of the Manzano Mile we’ve expanded race weekend to further showcase the city of Austin as a true running destination.”

The following is a sample of the athletes in the Elite Field competing for the $20,000 prize purse: Allison Macsas (2016 Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier), Craig Leon (2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier), David Fuentes (2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier), Becki Spellman (3-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier, 2008, 2012, 2016), Luke Humphrey (3-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier, 2008, 2012, 2016), Patrick Smyth (8th place 2016 Olympic Trials – 2:15:26), Allison Mendez-Cleaver (2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier), Amanda Scott (2-time Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier, 2012, 2016), Hillary Montgomery (2016 Olympic Trials Marathon Qualifier).

The Austin Marathon will celebrate its 27th year running in the capital of Texas on February 18, 2018. Austin’s flagship running event annually attracts runners from all 50 states and 34 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. Participants can register for the marathon, half marathon, or 5K.