This was my first ever half marathon, and I have held off reviewing it until I have done another HM so I had something to compare it with. Organization: Amazing. … MORE
This was my first ever half marathon, and I have held off reviewing it until I have done another HM so I had something to compare it with.
Organization: Amazing. Excellent communications in the build up to race week. My only niggle would be the links to the hotels – the site massively overcharged for the tax, so I had to cancel my reservation and book directly. The expo was very well run – quick to pick up the bib and goodies. I am not a big shopper, so the vending side of the expo was not of interest, but I could see there was a lot of variety.
Race Day: Not enough toilets at the start line. Hence very difficult to get into the chute with the pace groups. Pretty close to a crush at the start. There were so many people that it was really hard to get into a rhythm for the first 0.5 miles. The first 3 miles are uphill – but that is known as the website had an excellent video fly over of the course. This helped to thin out the runners. The next 3 miles were downhill, back to the river, which was not too steep. From there the course undulates and winds threw Austin before a “killer” hill at mile 12. In reality it’s not that steep, but came as a shock. The course was well marked, but with the number of people, hard to overtake.
The aid/water stations were very frequent, but hugely messy as cups were dropped all over the road. I carry my own water, so I can’t comment on how well stocked they were, but care was required to avoid tripping over discarded cups or getting caught up in the people sipping.
Lots of crowd support, which was a blessing and a curse as it’s very hard to meet up after the race.
Conclusion: very professionally organized. For me, I would not do it again and instead will go for races with less people (so it’s easier to maintain my own slow pace) or races with a wave start. But that is personal preference!
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Very well organized
This was my first ever half marathon, and I have held off reviewing it until I have done another HM so I had something to compare it with. Organization: Amazing. … MORE
This was my first ever half marathon, and I have held off reviewing it until I have done another HM so I had something to compare it with.
Organization: Amazing. Excellent communications in the build up to race week. My only niggle would be the links to the hotels – the site massively overcharged for the tax, so I had to cancel my reservation and book directly. The expo was very well run – quick to pick up the bib and goodies. I am not a big shopper, so the vending side of the expo was not of interest, but I could see there was a lot of variety.
Race Day: Not enough toilets at the start line. Hence very difficult to get into the chute with the pace groups. Pretty close to a crush at the start. There were so many people that it was really hard to get into a rhythm for the first 0.5 miles. The first 3 miles are uphill – but that is known as the website had an excellent video fly over of the course. This helped to thin out the runners. The next 3 miles were downhill, back to the river, which was not too steep. From there the course undulates and winds threw Austin before a “killer” hill at mile 12. In reality it’s not that steep, but came as a shock. The course was well marked, but with the number of people, hard to overtake.
The aid/water stations were very frequent, but hugely messy as cups were dropped all over the road. I carry my own water, so I can’t comment on how well stocked they were, but care was required to avoid tripping over discarded cups or getting caught up in the people sipping.
Lots of crowd support, which was a blessing and a curse as it’s very hard to meet up after the race.
Conclusion: very professionally organized. For me, I would not do it again and instead will go for races with less people (so it’s easier to maintain my own slow pace) or races with a wave start. But that is personal preference!
Great City, Okay Race
I had heard great things about the Austin Marathon, and while the city is great, the marathon is a little lackluster. The race production and the swag were great, but … MORE
I had heard great things about the Austin Marathon, and while the city is great, the marathon is a little lackluster. The race production and the swag were great, but the course deducts points. i have heard that the course has changed over time, and used to be great, but now it runs a lot of retail streets (and lots of roads with potholes) and just feels pretty generic.
Great race, but def geared for the half
I loved the energy of this race but only for the first half. Once that group splits off, it's silence. There were no bands or entertainment after that point until … MORE
I loved the energy of this race but only for the first half. Once that group splits off, it’s silence. There were no bands or entertainment after that point until the end. The course was nice and it was cool going through the different neighborhoods. I also didn’t love all the car traffic, but I get it.
The volunteers were fabulous and the swag was also cool. I love the socks!! And Under Armour stuff is always welcome!
Lastly, the medal was really cool.
Great first marathon
This race was well-organized. It has a surprising amount of hills, with the hardest being around the 12 mile mark (end of half marathon), around the 18 mile mark (Dean … MORE
This race was well-organized. It has a surprising amount of hills, with the hardest being around the 12 mile mark (end of half marathon), around the 18 mile mark (Dean Keaton), and a soul-crushing one at the very end (right around the 26 mile mark). The music along the course is fun, and the aid stations are well-run. I had a lot of fun running this surrounded by thousands of positive people.
Great Half Tour Of Austin
Well organized expo, although the line to get my packet was a little long. Race started really well, and the post race bar situation was great! MORE
Well organized expo, although the line to get my packet was a little long. Race started really well, and the post race bar situation was great!
Hill but fun course
Packet pickup was conveniently located. Expo was nice and big. Austin is hilly as all heck and coming from Chicago, the hills were a bit of a challenge. The temperature … MORE
Packet pickup was conveniently located. Expo was nice and big. Austin is hilly as all heck and coming from Chicago, the hills were a bit of a challenge. The temperature on the other hand was cool yet not windy so made for a great run. I loved the volunteers, the spectators, the race organizers, and the after party. Due to the chilly temps I didn’t hang around too long, but for the short time I did, it was fun. If I did it again, I would definitely put in more hill training. Nonetheless, it was a wonderful race, a wonderful course, and one I would recommend.
Challenging course, but oh so scenic!
Expo: 5/10 A pretty standard race expo, with some unique vendors I haven’t seen at other expos (Texas Drain giving out free plungers, I’m looking at you lol). The system … MORE
Expo: 5/10
A pretty standard race expo, with some unique vendors I haven’t seen at other expos (Texas Drain giving out free plungers, I’m looking at you lol). The system for picking up packets right when you walk in was probably the worst I’ve seen at a race – it took almost half an hour just to get through the line to pick up my packet. I would’ve liked to see more vendors and possibly a larger event space to alleviate some of the crowding.
Course: 9/10
The course is absolutely fantastic and by far one of my favorites of all the half marathons I’ve done. Even with as challenging as it is with all of the hills, it’s so scenic and takes you through a few very different parts of the city. Crowd support was great throughout 90% of the course. My only complaint is with the aid station drinks – half of the time, I could barely taste the Nuun mixed into the water, meaning there likely wasn’t much for carbs/fuel in it. While the Nuun was a unique touch, perhaps Gatorade would’ve been a more practical choice.
Production/organization of race weekend:6/10
From the expo to the finish line, this was a very well designed and organized race overall. This is one of the first races in years where I haven’t felt gridlocked until like four miles into the race, so whatever they did for start corrals worked wonders. The finisher’s area was nice and large, so there was no extreme crowding while grabbing your post-race goodies and leaving the chute. My one gripe would be with the post-race food – we only received water and then a bag with popcorn, a fruit cup, and one other packaged item. I had heard that in prior years, the spread was a bit more impressive.
Swag and medals: 8/10
The medals were next-level; I LOVE the design and the sparkles! The shirts and all the merch were made by Under Armour, which is a huge plus for me. The designs for all of the merch were a little plain, but I found plenty of things I liked and ultimately bought. By Friday at 4pm when I was at the expo though, most women’s items were sold out in sizes larger than small, and they weren’t restocked after the race when merch was for sale. Honestly, if there was enough merch in all sizes, I probably would’ve given a 10/10 in this category!
Overall: 7/10
No doubt a solid race overall. If you’re looking for a challenging but scenic course through a rather eclectic city, I’d totally check the Austin Marathon out.
Hills, Hills, Hills
The hills in this marathon were extremely difficult for me to overcome. I had never ran on hills prior to this race. The final hill, 0.5 miles from the finish … MORE
The hills in this marathon were extremely difficult for me to overcome. I had never ran on hills prior to this race. The final hill, 0.5 miles from the finish line, was the worst! All that said, I am grateful for the experience. I was truly pushed to the edge of my limits. Now that I know where my limits lie I can go forward to break them!
If you like your half to end in hills...
The elevation profile suggests a pretty balanced course. Despite this, everyone warned me this is a hilly and tough course. I would argue that the first 9-10 miles is more … MORE
The elevation profile suggests a pretty balanced course. Despite this, everyone warned me this is a hilly and tough course. I would argue that the first 9-10 miles is more downhill than up. The ups are gradual but long which doesn’t put me off in the slightest.
But right around mile 9-10 that all changes. First comes a short but incredibly steep hill followed by a step and long killer at mile 11-12. Not fun stuff.
Other things…
The complete lack of corrals is odd. It’s every man for him (her) self at start time.
The expo wasn’t all that great. It’s the second big race I’ve done in recent months (Dallas being the other) that had a crappy expo. Perhaps it’s COVID byproduct?
It’s superficial, but the race shirt is ugly. Somehow I missed getting my finisher’s shirt but, after seeing it, I’m not upset. Under Armor as the gear sponsor is odd simply because Under Armor A) isn’t relevant in running and B) almost isn’t relevant in fitness after bad operations and investments.
Atmosphere was excellent. Tons of participants and all very positive. It’s fun to be in a city where the run takes over the downtown area. I just wish the hotels/Uber/restaurants didn’t extract a premium from runners.
This was a Doozy
Definitely a hard race. Lots of hills in the first half that make the second half really difficult. Tons of crowd support for the first half but once the half … MORE
Definitely a hard race. Lots of hills in the first half that make the second half really difficult. Tons of crowd support for the first half but once the half marathon splits off it gets pretty quiet.
Pretty hilly course
This was my first marathon. A lot of people told me they opted for the half instead of the full marathon. At the time I didn’t understand why, but second … MORE
This was my first marathon. A lot of people told me they opted for the half instead of the full marathon. At the time I didn’t understand why, but second half is not as scenic going around east austin and has some medium sized hills as well. I think in the future I’ll just do the half.
Nice tour of south/west Austin
This was my first half-marathon. The course has some moderate hills, with an especially difficult long hill towards the end (around mile 12). Production was great for this first post-covid MORE
This was my first half-marathon. The course has some moderate hills, with an especially difficult long hill towards the end (around mile 12). Production was great for this first post-covid race.
Keep Austin Weird
The beginning of the race runs along Congress and 1st street, which have great shops. After we cross the bridge, we are near the Colorado River. We run near lake … MORE
The beginning of the race runs along Congress and 1st street, which have great shops. After we cross the bridge, we are near the Colorado River. We run near lake Austin into residential neighborhoods. We finish at the capital. There are a lot of steep hills. There is so crowd support. Austin is an arty and fun city to explore.
Do it to visit Austin
The race course is hilly and there are stretches of nothing much to look at, but the overall vibe is fun and upbeat. I've run the NYC Marathon, and the … MORE
The race course is hilly and there are stretches of nothing much to look at, but the overall vibe is fun and upbeat. I’ve run the NYC Marathon, and the roadside spectators are comparable and that helps keep you motivated. Swag was pretty bad, awful t-shirt design. BUT the REAL STAR of this race is Austin itself. What a cool, eclectic city! Give yourself a few extra days to be a tourist.
Sucks but fun
This was my first ever half marathon... i'm no runner but wanted to check it off my bucket list. This course really sucked. It was hilly the WHOLE way and … MORE
This was my first ever half marathon… i’m no runner but wanted to check it off my bucket list. This course really sucked. It was hilly the WHOLE way and only got worse at mile 10. The crowds were incredible though and it was an all in all fun experience.
Okay
The course was hilly for me, but I train in Chicago and it is very flat. The race started 40 minutes late so that wasn’t great. The scenery was pretty … MORE
The course was hilly for me, but I train in Chicago and it is very flat. The race started 40 minutes late so that wasn’t great. The scenery was pretty minimal. It checked off Texas for me and the rest of the weekend has been great. The locals are great and super friendly. Great crowd support during the race.
Keep Austin Weird
I didn't love this race, though I really wanted to! It started SO late (we legit stood around at the start line, with no updates or info about what was … MORE
I didn’t love this race, though I really wanted to! It started SO late (we legit stood around at the start line, with no updates or info about what was going on, for quite a long time). The half course is very hilly and I don’t think it really highlighted Austin in any fun way (except for the end – finishing in front of the statehouse is cool). The swag is fine, but nothing to write home about. I’m glad I ran this as my TX half, but I don’t think I’d make it priority again, especially since it was my worst finishing time to date.
Keep Austin Weird
This is a great race to run if visiting Austin. You definitely get to see the town! And there is tons of crowd support. The expo to pick up your … MORE
This is a great race to run if visiting Austin. You definitely get to see the town! And there is tons of crowd support. The expo to pick up your race packet is great with many diverse vendors. The finish line is also a fun place to be. Plenty of race parking on streets.
a lot of hills
Austin has a lot of up and down hills. Not the flat course. Downtown is also not super easy to park. But finish in front of the state capital is … MORE
Austin has a lot of up and down hills. Not the flat course. Downtown is also not super easy to park. But finish in front of the state capital is quite nice.
Cool Vibe
Expo was fun, people were awesome, Austin is a great city to hang out in before and after. Course itself is kind of “meh” but would still recommend because of … MORE
Expo was fun, people were awesome, Austin is a great city to hang out in before and after. Course itself is kind of “meh” but would still recommend because of everything else. Thanks Texas!