Ascension Seton Austin Marathon
Austin, United States · February · Independent
Why people love it
- Start and finish at the Texas State Capitol, with the skyline ahead on South Congress.
- Live music and strong crowds for most of the course, according to BibRave reviewers.
- Hotels downtown are within walking distance of the start and finish.
- Open entry with a 7 hour limit (16 min/mile, 9:56 min/km). Launch fee $139.
- Cool February starts around 4 to 10 °C (40 to 50 °F) at about 150 m (490 ft) elevation.
Watch out for
- Climbing totals 304 m (998 ft), including a steep 11th Street hill near mile 26 (42 km).
- Long packet-pickup lines and too few toilets reported.
- Crowds thin in West Austin and miles 17 to 20 (27 to 32 km).
- A cold morning can turn humid and warm, reaching 21 to 24 °C (70 to 75 °F).
- Early miles are shared with the half marathon and can be crowded.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Very tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.7
Runners like the skyline, live music and crowds, but call it hillier than expected and mention heat and humidity in some years. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationAdequate3.4
Reviewers report long packet-pickup lines, too few toilets and one-sided early hydration. Growth past 30,000 across events adds strain. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.2
Seven hour cutoff and big crowds help, but 304 m (998 ft) of climbing and possible humid heat make it harder than flat city races. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage2.5
Reviewers repeatedly warn it is hillier than expected, with long climbs on South Congress and Enfield Road. Not a course for chasing a fast time. · Medium confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful4.0
Capitol, South Congress, UT campus and downtown skyline come up repeatedly as the best parts of the route. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.0
The marathon shares the road with the half until about 20 km (12.4 mi), and one review notes early congestion. Few hairpins. · Low confidence
- Road surfaceGood3.5
City streets with some cracked asphalt visible in race photos. Runners do not complain about it either way. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.9
Downtown streets close for the race. No source describes traffic conflicts, but few athletes comment on it. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessRolling3.0
304 m (998 ft) gain and 292 m (958 ft) loss, in the rolling band, with a few short steep climbs. · High confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Loop with gain and loss almost equal: 304 m (998 ft) up, 292 m (958 ft) down. · High confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.3
Corrals start at the Capitol at 07:00. Reviews mention long packet-pickup lines and too few portable toilets. · Low confidence
- Pacers and timingGood3.6
A race of this size has pace groups and chip timing, but runners say little about either. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportStrong4.2
Reviewers describe great crowds for about 90% of the route, with live music. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.8
Water, sports drink and medical help at most miles, gels at miles 9 and 20 (14 and 32 km). · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.5
No source mentions wind as a problem. Open stretches on Congress and in East Austin could be exposed. · Low confidence
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.2
February starts of 4 to 10 °C (40 to 50 °F) are ideal, but some years reach 21 to 24 °C (70 to 75 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.6
February swings from near freezing and foggy to warm and humid depending on the year. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.3
Capitol start and finish, many downtown crossings and live music make it easy to see a runner more than once. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
Roughly 150 m (490 ft) above sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.5
Plenty of downtown hotels, but a weekend with a field of 30,000 across events pushes prices up. · Medium confidence
- Hotel valueNormal2.6
Downtown Austin rates are high on race weekend. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.3
Start and finish are at the Capitol, within walking distance of downtown hotels. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy3.9
Austin-Bergstrom airport is a major hub 13 km (8 mi) from downtown. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.4
Expo and bib pickup produced long lines in reviews. Everything else is close to the Capitol. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.6
Austin is known for live music, barbecue and tacos. Few athletes write about the food around the race. · Medium confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.2
Open registration with rising price tiers. No qualifying time and no lottery. · Medium confidence
- Value for moneyFair2.9
Launch price of $139 rises in later windows, and reviewers called the finish-line swag modest. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Austin, Texas, United States
- Typical month
- February
- Latest or next date
- 14 February 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 30,000 athletes
- First held
- 1992
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- loop
- Climbing
- 304 m (995 ft)
- Descent
- 292 m (960 ft)
- Start time
- 07:00
- Cutoff
- 7 hours
- Boston qualifier
- Yes
- Surface
- Asphalt city streets
- How to get in
- open
- Sells out
- Rarely
- Entry fee
- About $139
- Air temperature
- 4–18 °C (39–64 °F)
- Humidity
- Can be high at the start
- Altitude
- 150 m (490 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Austin-Bergstrom (AUS), 13 km (8 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Downtown, South Congress, Rainey Street
- Booking
- Downtown hotels sit within walking distance of the Capitol start and finish. Book early for February.
What racers and reviewers say
- BibRave Austin Marathon reviews (multiple years)Raced 2022 · aggregator · mixed-positive
Several reviewers across years say hills are no joke, mostly long steady climbs with a few short steep ones near mile 26 (42 km). Crowds are great for about 90% of the course; heat and humidity hit some years; packet pickup lines were long, toilets few, and early hydration was one-sided. Read through a search summary, not page by page.
“you definitely need to train on hills”
- Run Ready course guide 2025Raced 2025 · blog · Positive
Detailed guide: 998 ft (304 m) gain and 958 ft (292 m) loss, start 07:00, aid at most miles, steady climb on South Congress, rolling West Austin and a short steep climb on 11th Street near mile 26 (42 km). Crowds lively downtown, sparse miles 17 to 20 (27 to 32 km), strong at the finish. Highs in the high 50s to mid 70s °F (14 to 24 °C (75 °F)).
- Austin Marathon official course guideRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Organiser guide: South Congress early, UT campus, East Austin, finish near the Capitol, rolling hills around miles 10 to 13 (16 to 21 km). Treat as marketing; used only for route.
- Austin Marathon blog course previewRaced 2025 · blog · Mixed
Two runners previewing the newer second half warn about the Enfield Road climb and the 11th Street hill near the finish, and describe a long straight on Dean Keeton. Organiser-hosted, treat with care.
- Axios AustinRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Preview: more than 30,000 expected in 2026, up about 30% on 2025, uphill on South Congress, Enfield Road hills and a Capitol finish with large crowds. Page was blocked for direct reading, so details come from a search summary.
Show 2 more
- KXAN weather previewRaced 2024 · article · neutral
Preview forecast cold but sunny, near freezing at the start (0 °C (32 °F), 32 °F). A 2008 press release recorded 4 °C (40 °F). Shows how variable February is.
- Wikipedia Austin MarathonRaced 2025 · article · neutral
Founded 1992 by Motorola; 19,490 finishers in 2025; 7 hour marathon limit; records 2:11:14 and 2:30:40; USATF certified.
Raced Ascension Seton Austin Marathon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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