Last weekend Bill participated in the LIVESTRONG Challenge. This event was primarily a bike ride, but also had a 5K run/walk option. Proceeds benefited the LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes of the Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.
Downtown streets were closed on Labor Day morning for the 10th annual TriRock Austin. This triathlon attracted about 1400 competitors, many from Austin and the surrounding communities. The event started at 7 AM, and roads remained closed until around noon.
This year’s Austin Marathon and Half Marathon were held on Valentine’s Day. According to the race announcers, over 10,000 participated in the half and about 5,000 did the full Marathon. In a nod to the holiday, the race bibs were heart-shaped.
The Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving morning tradition for many Austinites, including Bill and me. ThunderCloud Subs began this event 25 years ago and remains the primary sponsor. Over the years, more than $2.5M has been raised to benefit local non-profit Caritas of Austin.
Over 1600 triatheletes competed in Labor Day’s TriRock Austin, centered at the recently-renovated Auditorium Shores. The morning’s weather was sunny, warm, and humid—not the best conditions for a triathlon.
Decent weather on the morning of Memorial Day allowed two legs of the Lifetime Tri CapTex to still be held. Lady Bird Lake was not fit for swimming due to Saturday’s storms, so that portion of this annual triathlon was cancelled. Major downtown streets (Congress, Cesar Chavez, South First, Riverside) were closed again this year for the biking and running parts.
The 2015 Austin Marathon and Half Marathon attracted about 15,000 runners on Sunday morning. Bill and I watched as everyone lined up on Congress Avenue, right in front of the newly-opened JW Marriott hotel.
When you’re running a 5K in a gorilla suit, you do not wish for a warm, sunny day. So this morning’s overcast skies and cool temperatures were just right for the fifth annual Austin Gorilla Run. Previous races were held downtown, but this year the event was moved to the east side Mueller development. Gorilla Runs are also organized in Denver and Cincinnati, all benefiting the Mountain Gorilla Conservation Fund.
Over 21,000 participated in the 24th annual Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. The primary sponsor, ThunderCloud Subs, hoped to raise at least $300,000 to benefit Caritas of Austin. A few full-costumed pilgrims and turkeys were in the crowd, but more-practical hats and headbands abounded. At the 9:30 start time, the weather was sunny, but cool, with temperatures in the upper 40s. Perfect running weather!
About 3,000 athletes competed in the CapTex Triathalon on Memorial Day. This race—renamed the Lifetime Tri CapTex this year—was again centered around Auditorium Shores, closing the First Street and Congress Avenue bridges as well as Cesar Chavez and many downtown streets. The Olympic triathlon distance required a 1.5K swim, 40K bike ride, and 10K run, but there were also shorter Sprint and First Tri distances.