Race Austin: Holiday Victory Lap - Marathon & Half, 10K, 5K

🏃‍♂️ HOLIDAY VICTORY LAP

🏅 BOSTON QUALIFYING MARATHON, HALF, 10K & 5K

December 14th at 9:00 AM | Pace Bend Park

A winter running celebration with stunning lake views and Boston Marathon qualification potential!

🏞️ COURSE HIGHLIGHTS

• Strategic Loop Design: 1.6 miles per loop (16 loops for full marathon, 8 for half)
• 100% Paved Surface: Smooth, consistent running conditions for optimal performance
• Minimal Elevation: About 33 ft of gain per loop
• Perfect Pacing Opportunity: Learn the course quickly and optimize your speed on every section
• Personal Aid Station: Set up your nutrition exactly how you want it and access it every 1.55 miles

📋 COURSE DETAILS

The paved course features a gentle descent in the first mile and climb in the remaining 0.55 miles. This balanced profile prevents the quad fatigue of excessive downhill courses while providing enough variety to engage different muscle groups.

• Star of Texas Marathon: 16 loops (26.2 miles)
• Holiday Victory Half Marathon: 8 loops (13.1 miles)
• Holiday Victory 10K: 4 loops (6.2 miles)
• Holiday Victory 5K: 2 loops (3.1 miles)

🏆 BOSTON QUALIFICATION ADVANTAGE

Our unique loop course format offers strategic benefits for Boston hopefuls! The marathon course is USATF-certified (certification code: TX25015LAB) and a Boston Marathon qualifier — carefully designed to help runners achieve qualifying times. The loop format lets you become intimately familiar with every turn and elevation change.

By your third lap, you'll know exactly where to push and where to conserve energy - a strategic advantage for hitting your BQ time! With about 561 ft of total elevation gain, this course creates ideal conditions for your Boston Marathon qualification attempt.

🎊 EVENT FEATURES

• Professional chip timing: Accurate splits and finish times for all participants
• Frequent split times: Track your progress every lap to perfect your pacing
• Spectator-friendly format: Your supporters can cheer you on multiple times without moving
• Finisher recognition: Challenge coin and medal for all finishers
• Part of winter series: Advent Run to New Year Challenge and Winter Marathon Series
• 6-hour time limit: Course closes at 3:00 PM

⏱️ PACE REQUIREMENTS

The Star of Texas Marathon Challenge

• 9:45 AM: Complete at least 3 loops (4.65 miles)
• 10:30 AM: Complete at least 6 loops (9.3 miles)
• 11:15 AM: Complete at least 9 loops (13.95 miles)
• 12:00 PM: Complete at least 12 loops (18.6 miles)
• 12:30 PM: Complete at least 15 loops (23.25 miles)
• 1:00 PM: Complete all loops (26.2 miles)

Personal Pacers Welcome

Personal pacers are welcome at our Star of Texas Marathon event! For a fee of $15, pacers will receive park entry, insurance coverage, and an official PACER bib. Each registered runner may have only one pacer on course at any time, and pacers may join their runner after the first loop.

Our unique loop format creates the perfect environment for pacing support, allowing pacers to join or exit at the start/finish area and access personal aid stations alongside their runner. Pacers must register in advance, sign the event waiver, and follow all race rules including wearing their designated bib at all times. For Boston Qualifier hopefuls, rest assured that our pacer policy complies with BAA requirements. Whether you need support for the full marathon or just those challenging final miles, our pacer-friendly course design offers the ideal setting for achieving your race day goals.

Half Marathon (8 loops)

Maintain 18:13/mile pace or faster (28:15 per loop) to finish before the cutoff

Checkpoint Guidance:

• 10:00 AM: Complete at least 2 loops (3.1 miles)
• 11:00 AM: Complete at least 4 loops (6.2 miles)
• 12:00 PM: Complete at least 6 loops (9.3 miles)
• 1:00 PM: Complete all loops (13.175 miles)

Special Provision: Marathon participants who complete at least 8 loops (half marathon distance) but don't finish the full marathon by the 3:00 PM cutoff will receive official half marathon recognition and their medal.

10K & 5K Distances

10K participants will complete four full loops of our scenic course, while 5K runners will conquer two loops - all finishers earn a commemorative medal.