Austin Marathon

The Austin Marathon is an annual marathon held in Austin, Texas. Freescale Semiconductor, spun off from Motorola's semiconductor products sector in 2006, founded the marathon in 1991 and served as title sponsor for fifteen years. The marathon was sponsored by AT&T in 2007 and 2008, but ran with no title sponsor in 2009.

As with many marathons, a Health and Fitness Expo precedes the event, where runners pick up their race packets. The Expo is held in the Palmer Events Center on the Friday and Saturday before the race, and typically involves over ninety vendors who set up tables and booths, to promote or sell athletic products. Motivational speakers get runners and their families excited about the race.

The 2012 race starts on Congress Avenue, just a few blocks north of the Texas State Capitol, and touches well-known Austin landmarks and areas, such as downtown, the Colorado River, the 78704 zip code, Hyde Park, and the University of Texas at Austin campus, passing by Memorial Stadium. The race ends near where it begins on Congress Avenue.

Befitting the city that prides itself on being "The Music Capital of the World," the Austin marathon includes performances by live bands and even a beer stop in the later stages of the race for marathoners who want to drown their pain or perhaps get a head start on celebrating.

Along with the Dallas White Rock Marathon and the Houston Marathon, the Austin Marathon forms the final leg of the Marathons of Texas, a series of winter marathons held approximately one month apart from each other from December through February in Texas.