3Mgives Names Austin Youth River Watch Beneficiary of 2019 3M Half Marathon

Grant for Austin Youth River Watch continues 3Mgives’ support of local organizations focused on STEM

In support of 3M’s global initiative to advance equitable science, technology, engineering, math (STEM), and educational outcomes for students, 3Mgives selects Austin Youth River Watch (AYRW) as the beneficiary of the 2019 3M Half Marathon. The $50,000 grant will allow the Austin-based nonprofit to continue offering a hands-on approach to environmental science, primarily to underserved high school students. 3Mgives continues their support of local organizations that educate youth and prepare them for a possible career in STEM. The 25th annual 3M Half Marathon will take place on Sunday, January 20, 2019, in Austin, Texas.

Austin Youth River Watch students testing water at Barton Creek.

Austin Youth River Watch students testing water at Barton Creek. Credit – Austin Youth River Watch

“Choosing Austin Youth River Watch as the beneficiary of the 3M Half Marathon is the perfect match for how we want to help here in Austin,” said Stacey Claessens, 3Mgives Manager of Austin Community Engagement. “It supports our initiative to increase student interest in STEM while also being a program that fosters a sustainable community.”

Making a difference

Austin Youth River Watch is a multi-year, after-school and summer program for high school students, combining peer mentoring with intensive environmental education. Their students collect, analyze, and publish water-quality data from Austin-area streams and rivers. They then report their data to local and statewide agencies. Students also work with community partners on environmental restoration projects to improve watershed health. This grant will support AYRW’s program in environmental education and youth development and their efforts to bring STEM to life. In addition to the grant, event-related involvement will take place at the expo and on race day.

“More than half of our graduates each year go on to pursue fields in STEM and the environment,” said Melinda Chow, Executive Director of Austin Youth River Watch. “With great community partners like 3M, we are all working together to improve outcomes for youth, diversify the STEM pipeline, and help make our world a better place to live.”

The 3M Half Marathon boasts one of the fastest 13.1-mile courses in the country. It will celebrate its 25th year running in 2019. Runners will enjoy a point-to-point course with mostly downhill running that showcases some of Austin’s finest locations. Starting in north Austin and finishing near the Texas State Capitol, runners will appreciate a 306’ net elevation drop. Participants can register on the website.

Up Your Running Game with Under Armour’s Map My Run

Utilize Map My Run for your 3M Half training

Whether this is your first or tenth half marathon, you’ll need a training plan. Proper preparation is critical to race day success. Map My Run can get you to the finish line. It’s an excellent tool to use during your 3M Half Marathon training.

Use Map My Run during your 2019 3M Half Marathon training.

Use Map My Run during your 2019 3M Half training.

Map My Run is a free app that you can download to your phone. You can upgrade to the MVP subscription to eliminate ads, access personalized training plans, and use live tracking. Either way, you can discover the best running routes within your city, save and share your favorites, and connect with a community of more than 50 million runners. This helpful running app is ranked #21 in the Health & Fitness section of the iTunes App Store and has a rating of 4.8.

Benefits

  • discover running routes around the world while traveling for work or vacation

  • access stats like pace, route, distance, calories, and elevation

  • connect with 400+ devices to import and analyze data in one place

  • track shoe mileage with Gear Tracker

  • UA Record Equipped connected shoes can automatically sync data with app

  • sync data with many popular apps and wearables

  • share workouts on Facebook and Twitter

  • Join Challenges to compete with others, climb the leaderboard, and win prizes

Download the app today and begin analyzing your running data. Connect with your local runner friends and make new friends from around the world. Then execute your training plan! Follow Map My Run on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Do You Know 3M Half Marathon?

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Taste Test with Clif Bar’s Newest Products

Clif Bar shipped their latest products to our office and we put them to the ultimate taste test

We put this Clif Bar box to the ultimate taste test.

Clif Bar packages are like Christmas morning!

A Clif Bar box arrived the other day. They’re the Official Nutrition of the 3M Half Marathon. Good things happen when those boxes are delivered. We opened the contents and quickly discovered an array of their newest products. We knew we had to put them through a taste test. The box was stuffed with Energy Granola, Fruit Smoothie Filled bars, and Sweet & Salty bars. There was also a stainless steel travel jar so you could take granola with your on your next hike. Read our reviews, then head to your nearest store or visit clifbar.com to scoop these up.

Energy Granola

Four different flavors arrived and they all pass the taste test: Cinnamon Almond, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Cocoa Almond, and Blueberry Crisp. All four bags of Energy Granola delivered in the taste department. The clusters were extra crunchy and you only need a handful or two before you’re good to go. These make for the perfect afternoon snack at the office. Depending on your preferred flavor, Energy Granola would come in handy on a long trail hike or a cross-country flight. Pro tip – these make the perfect cereal topper. Sprinkle in a handful to liven up your morning!

Sweet & Salty Bars

Clif Bar sent all three new Sweet & Salty flavors and holy smokes these were insanely amazing. Honestly, we can’t decide which one is our favorite. We loved Caramel Toffee with Sea Salt, Chocolate Chunk with Sea Salt, Peanut Butter & Honey with Sea Salt. As many in the endurance community know, sweet and salty is the magic combination. Clif Bar hit the nail on the head with these three creations. Constructed like the original Clif Bars, these are perfect for a pre-workout meal or post-ride snack on the go. The bars were light, crunchy, tasty, and left you contemplating whether or not you should open another one.

We put the Fruit Smoothie Filled Clif Bars to a taste test.

The Fruit Smoothie Filled Bars hit the spot!

Fruit Smoothie Filled Bars

Introducing the highlight of the box, the CLIF® Fruit Smoothie Filled Energy Bars. Talk about hooked on a filling. All three new flavors (Strawberry Banana, Wild Blueberry Acai, and Tart Cherry Berry) arrived in the box and it was a toss-up to see which one we ate first. All three bars got the job done and left us wanting more. Each bar uses USDA organic and non-GMO ingredients to deliver sustained energy. The filling is made from a blend of cashew butter and the bright flavors of organic fruit.

We apologize at the abrupt end to this blog. We’re headed to the store to get more.

5 non-running ways to get active in Austin

Image result for sup austin town lakeSUP

Duh!  If you haven’t done a session of Stand Up Paddle, what are you waiting for?  Like any kind of workout, you can make it as hard or as easy as you want.  Go for a few miles on a windy day and you’ll get in a tough workout!  But if you’re a beginner, take it easy and go on a calm day instead.  There are several places on Lady Bird Lake where you can rent a SUP board.  So get out there and enjoy the water on a SUP.

Swim at Barton Springs Pool

Dive into the refreshing waters of Barton Springs Pool this summer.  Do a few laps to get a nice workout in on a hot summer day.  Or give aqua jogging a try! Pro Tip: if you go before 8 a.m. it is a lot easier to swim full lengths of the pool. Here are some swim workouts to try out when you go.

Go for a Ride

The possibilities are endless!  From renting a B-Cycle to cruise around town or Lady Bird Lake to mountain biking on the Greenbelt – jump on a bike to mix it up this summer. See two of Austin best bike paths to use this summer.

Related imageRock Climbing

Go vertical! Rock Climbing and Bouldering is a full body and mind workout. There are several places with indoor climbing gyms like CRUX Climbing Gym or  Austin Bouldering Project that can rent you the equipment as well. Once you get the hang of it, there are even spots out on the greenbelt where you can climb outside.

Yoga

From Hot Yoga to Goat Yoga, yeah you read that right, and everything in between, you can find it in Austin! There is even yoga on SUP boards! Check out the different yoga spots in town and find your tribe to get sweaty with.