Everything You Need To Know About The Statesman Cap10K

Few citywide 10,000-meter runs are as established or as prominent as the Statesman Cap10K, now in its 49th year. 

On Sunday, April 12, roughly 20,000 runners will flock to the streets in downtown Austin to run 6.2 miles, finishing at Auditorium Shores, where the post-race festivities will begin adjacent to Lady Bird Lake. 

It’s a breezy, if sometimes difficult, run. But the Statesman Cap10K has also become a rite of passage for Central Texas residents. 

In 2025, Runner’s World listed the race as the fourth-most popular 10K in the U.S. based on its 19,320 finishers. 

Check out what you need to know about this year’s race below: 

When Is The Statesman Cap10K Start Time?

The race will set off in wave groups starting on Sunday, April 12. The first wave (professionals) – Corral A start – will begin at 8 a.m. CST before each ensuing wave will continue five minutes later. The last wave to set off will take place at 8:40 a.m. 

Where Does The Statesman Cap10K Start, And Where Does It Take Us? 

The Statesman Cap10K begins on Congress Avenue, makes a turn on 11th, then eventually finds its way to Enfield, where the most difficult portion lies: a series of undulating hills. 

Once you get past Enfield, it’s mostly smooth sailing from there. Once you’re on West Cesar Chavez Street, you’re basically home.

How Many Runners Are Expected To Compete 2026? 

Last year’s Statesman Cap10K had just over 19,000 finishers. This year’s installment is expected to equal that number and potentially crest over 20,000. 

Can I Still Register For The Statesman Cap10K Up Through Race Day? 

As of now, yes. You can register at the Statesman Cap10K site. 

Photo Credit: Cory Mull/Austin Fit Magazine

I Follow Austin’s Top Runners. Who’s Competing? 

Chances are, some really good ones. Bat City Track Club – a semi-professional training group based in Austin – coach Jeff Cunningham was enlisted to sign top runners. 

Among this year’s group of contenders is Kellyn Taylor, a 39-year-old multiple-time U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier who’s training to become a firefighter in Flagstaff, Arizona. This past February, she ran 2 hours and 33 minutes at the Austin Marathon. 

Other female contenders include former winners Allie Kieffer, Rachel Baptista Tunningley and 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier Kate Watson.

Arriving from elsewhere is Allie Ostrander, a nationally-recognized running talent (and running influencer) who is a three-time NCAA champion for Boise State.

On the men’s side, locals such as Mitch Ammons, Will Nation and many more are often on the starting line even if their training schedules don’t line up – some use the race as a workout and simply take in the atmosphere. 

There are also runners like Gerre Boardman, who consider the Statesman Cap10K as an annual tradition. She’s run in all 47 races, according to KVUE. 

When Can I Pick Up My Bib And Race T-Shirt For The Statesman Cap10K? 

Packet pick-up begins at the Palmer Events Center on Friday at 12 p.m. and goes through 7 p.m. You can also stop by the convention center on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Will There Be Live Music On The Course? 

Of course. This is the Live Music Capital of the World, after all.