Tag Archive for: Austin Youth River Watch

3M Half Marathon Prepares for Largest Field in Their 25-Year History

3M Half Marathon will celebrate its 25th anniversary on Jan 20th

Jess Harper, 2018 3M Half Marathon female champ. Credit – Ed Sparks

High Five Events is making final preparations for the 25th annual 3M Half Marathon presented by Under Armour on January 20th. With registration numbers nearing 7500 participants, this will be the largest field in the event’s history. The race will begin at 7:30 a.m., feature a competitive elite field, benefit Austin Youth River Watch, and highlight thousands of runners chasing after their half marathon PR.

“I’m excited to return to the 3M Half Marathon and defend my title against the largest field in their history,” said Jess Harper, 2018 3M Half Marathon female champ (1:15:45). “This event has been an Austin staple for 25 years and I’m ready to help them celebrate their anniversary!”

Participants will receive their 25th anniversary Under Armour participant shirt and world-famous swag bag filled with useful 3M products at the Expo & Packet Pick Up. Race day begins near The Domain in north Austin. Thousands will run the predominantly downhill course in search of their PR, cruising through beautiful Shoal Creek Blvd., historic Hyde Park neighborhood, and the world-renowned University of Texas at Austin before finishing near the Texas State Capitol in downtown Austin. The 3M Half Marathon’s finish line festival will celebrate finishers and their efforts. They’ll receive their customizable spinning finisher medal, post-race hydration, and snack bag. Participants 21 years old and older can enjoy Oskar Blues Austin brews and devour delicious food from several food trucks. Sponsors, vendors, and partners will populate the finish line festival, celebrating runners and their achievements.

“The 3M Half Marathon has been a staple running event in Austin for 25 years and we’re proud to feature the largest field in the event’s history,” said Stacy Keese, co-owner of High Five Events. “Working with great sponsors like 3M, Under Armour, nuun hydration, Fleet Feet Austin, and Ascension Seton will ensure our 25th anniversary is a memorable event for participants, spectators, and volunteers alike.”

3M Half Marathon beneficiary

Austin Youth River Watch is the beneficiary of the event. 3Mgives will contribute $60,000 to support Austin Youth River Watch’s educational programs in conjunction with the race. Austin Youth River Watch is a multi-year, after-school and summer program for high school students. They combine 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.

The 3M Half Marathon boasts one of the fastest 13.1-mile courses in the country. Runners 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. Registration is currently open for all options.

4 Tips to Grow Your 3M Half Marathon Team

You’re a Captain, now grow your 3M Half Marathon team

Having a large team running at 3M Half Marathon presented by Under Armour is really fun! But motivating everyone to sign up on time can be challenging. Here are 4 tips to help you grow your 3M Half Marathon team and have everyone registered before the Tuesday, December 18th team deadline. This one’s on the house: remind them it’s our 25th anniversary!

1. Emails

Make matching shirts as a perk to grow your 3M Half Marathon team.The most important part of this is the -s. One email inviting everyone to the team is not enough. You may feel pushy but trust us, you’re not. Reminding people of the deadline and perks is important. We suggest at least 3 emails between now and the team deadline to remind everyone if you want to grow your 3M Half Marathon team.

2. Challenge others

Nothing gets the competitive juices flowing more than an accepted challenge. You can challenge the group to all run PRs or see who can raise the most funds for a nonprofit, like the 2019 3M Half Marathon beneficiary, Austin Youth River Watch. You could even have weekly challenges to keep everyone motivated and following their training plan. The possibilities are endless! If you can think of it, you can make it happen.

3. Add perks

Some need a little something extra. If you are able, you may want to offer something special to everyone who joins the team before a certain date. This can be something like having their name on their shirt, if you are doing a group shirt, or maybe a hat, jacket, or special pin. Make your group members feel important by making the group that much more exclusive! Pro tip: perks can act as recruiting tools that can help you grow your 3M Half Marathon team!

4. Share it on social media

If you are a public team, share it everywhere. 🙂 A great way to do this is a Facebook Event where the event date is the team registration deadline. You can then invite all your friends and then ask them to invite everyone they know who might be interested. In no time you may find yourself with 100s of people who are interested in joining your team. Post in the event or private message these people to make sure they are reminded of the deadline. You can also use this opportunity to stay connected, talk about training, provide updates, and recognize team members with shoutouts. The possibilities are endless!

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.