The Ascension Seton Austin Marathon Is Sunday. Here’s What To Know And Where You Can Watch.

AUSTIN – Since 1992, the Austin Marathon has been gracing our city streets for 26.2 miles, culminating with one final stroll down Congress Avenue.

The annual race, now in its 31st year and title-sponsored by Ascension Seton, will take place on February 16 and is expected to host just over 23,000 runners and 2,400 volunteers across the marathon, half marathon and 5K event series with a predicted economic impact of $62 million for the city. Total registration is 30-percent larger than the 2024 race alone, according to organizer High Five Events.

Runners will descend on the state’s Capitol from all 50 states and over 50 countries, making the Austin Marathon one of the premier event destinations in the country.

For elite marathoners, up to $20,000 will be handed out to top finishers, including $4,000 for both the men’s and women’s winners. Money will be awarded through fifth-place in both marathon divisions.

It’s also hard to argue with a spring marathon in Austin–the race comes at a time when the city’s winter weather is holding on for dear life. The race has also become a place for quirky stories and Guinness Book World Record attempts.

The 2025 edition is no different.

Check out need-to-know information and top storylines below:

How To Watch The 2025 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon

The Austin Marathon begins at 7:00 a.m. CST on Feb. 16 and will have special guests on-hand.

Gina Chavez, a Latin grammy nominee, will sing the national album while 2024 Olympic track and field gold medalist Gabby Thomas – an Austin resident who won golds in the 200 meters, 4×100 and 4×400 meters in Paris – will be the official starter.

If you’re not intending to see the race live and are interested instead in catching the elite race on your television screen or phone, there is a digital option available. Local sports media company FloSports will stream the event via its track and field site, FloTrack, beginning at 6:40 a.m. CST. A monthly plan is $29.99. There is no single-event watch option.

Where Should I Watch The Austin Marathon On Race Day?

The Austin Marathon isn’t without its fair share of music – perhaps a must for any major event taking place in the Live Music Capital of the World.

A total of 22 bands will be spread across the course over 26.2 miles, including Ruthie Craft & the Conundrums at the 1.8-mile marker, the University Baptist Church Choir at 12.8 and DJ Jah Karma at 20.4.

Cheering stations will also be available at Congress and Oltorf, mile seven with Lululemon, at Lake Austin Boulevard and Deep Eddy Avenue, Central Machine Works, and over the final mile, which makes its way down Congress Avenue.

Who Are The Top Runners To Watch Out For At The 2025 Austin Marathon?

East African runners have claimed the last two marathon wins across both divisions, while it has been five years and four races since our last American champ on the men’s side.

Sammy Rotich broke the course record on the men’s side in 2022, clocking a time of 2:14:23, while Kesley Bruce set a historic pace for the women that same year, closing for a time of 2:35:16.

Things are certainly set to change in 2025, with a talented crop of racers expected to compete for victory after the last two installments were taken by Kenyan George Onyancha.

Onyancha is not back for a third straight year, but former Austin winner Joey Whelan is. The 2018 and 2019 winner is among the most familiar with the hilly course. Austin resident Michael Morris, fresh off a marathon PR of 2:17 just a few months ago in Indianapolis, should be in the mix here. A host of Kenyans and American runners – the men’s elite field includes 24 runners – will also be among those in contention to win.

On the women’s side, a smaller elite field of 11 will make the race more spread out. Kenyan Florence Jemeli Cheruiyot and Americans Alison Wells and Christine Ramsey-Hardy are expected to compete for top honors.

What Events Should I Take Part Of During Marathon Week?

High Five Events is partnering with a host of corporate brands and local retailers over the course of marathon week.

On Tuesday morning at 6:00 a.m., the Morning Jo’s, a weekly run group based out of Jo’s Coffee on Congress Avenue, will conduct their weekly run in coordination with HOKA.

On Wednesday, the East Side Beer Runners will pair with Mizuno over their weekly jaunt, which meets at Central Machine Works before heading off for a few miles. Meanwhile, Fleet Feet Gateway will welcome Adidas and Hyper Wellness at 6:30 p.m.

On Friday, the Austin Marathon’s official shake-out run will take place at the Palmer Event Center starting at 6:40 a.m.

And how about after the marathon? Runners are always looking for that post-race beer, so look no further than Mayfair, where local club RAW Running will host a post-event party. The evening cap will include free drink tickets, a DJ and more music than you can handle.

A Record Dribbler

Who would have thought dribbling a basketball could be this fun – or insane.

Ben Duong, a local Austin resident, will look to break the Guinness Book of World Records for the fastest time dribbling a basketball over the marathon distance. He will need to run faster than 2:50:33 to set the mark, which was last achieved in 2021 by Steffan Reimer in Manitoba, Canada. Duong set the world mark at the half marathon distance at last year’s race in 1:21:38.

Crawling To The Finish

Summer Willis, an endurance athlete from Beaumont, Texas, and the founder and director of Strength Through Strides, intends to crawl from start-to-finish to raise money for survivors of sexual assault and advocate for change in the Capitol.

Blue Jeans Man

Is it comfortable running a marathon in blue jeans? Maybe we should ask Louis Grace, who is elevating his ambitions after completing the Austin International Half Marathon in January in 1:29:08. On Sunday, he’ll run the Austin Marathon in, you guessed it, blue jeans.

Running For A Cause

The Austin Marathon will mark the 20th straight race for Tim Revell, who has spent his life trying to raise money for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a condition both his sons, Timothy and Andrew, were born with. DMD is a genetic disorder which is often fatal. Over the last 19 years, Tim has raised over $400,000 for Cure Duchenne. Revell has raised $5,175 so far.