2021 Austin Marathon's half marathon, 5K races approved as in-person for April

Austin's running scene will get back on track in late April, with the 2021 editions of the Austin Half Marathon and 5K receiving approval from city officials.

Both events were approved through the City of Austin's new special event permitting process. The events, which were originally scheduled for February 14, will now happen on April 25.

Part of the event plan includes a capacity limit for both events, which organizers say is a 53% reduction from years past. 6,500 participants will be able to take part in the half marathon, while 500 will be able to take part in the 5K.

Austin's running scene will get back on track in late April, with the 2021 editions of the Austin Half Marathon and 5K receiving approval from city officials.

Both events were approved through the City of Austin's new special event permitting process. The events, which were originally scheduled for February 14, will now happen on April 25.

"The 2021 Austin Half Marathon, an event that represents Austin’s commitment to health, has also shown a commitment to COVID-19 safety," said Don Hastings, Austin Public Health Assistant Director for Environmental Services. "The Austin Marathon team has worked creatively over several months to re-invent this signature event in a way that emphasizes the health and safety of its participants and our community."

In addition to the capacity limitations, the event plan calls for a number of other COVID-19 mitigation practices, including reducing the density of runners at the starting line and along the course, enhanced sanitation protocols, an elimination of mass gathering activities, and discouraging spectators from attending.

More details on the 2021 events are available online.

posted Monday March 22nd
by Kasey Johns