The ninth annual running of the Texas Round-Up is set for Saturday morning at 8 a.m. when the 5-K gets underway near the corner of 18th Street and north Congress Avenue, right in front of the Bob Bullock Museum. This is the third year in a row in which the Round-Up has used this course (more on that in a moment.)
The Round-Up was born in 2004 as part of a collaboration between Paul Carrozza of RunTex and Governor Rick Perry (a fixture on the Austin racing scene) as a way to stimulate physical fitness across the state. Other Texas cities now have fitness programs modeled after the Round-Up.
Over the years, the Texas Round-Up has evolved from a highly competitive 10-K, to more of a family friendly walk and mile (starting at 9:30) as well as the timed 5-K run.
Like the Capitol 10,000, the course for the Round-Up is not an easy one. The race will start and finish at 18th and Congress. After a short run south on Congress, the 5-K course has plenty of ups and downs with the final mile being especially difficult.
Parking for the Round-Up is available in the State parking lots off Trinity and the Capitol Complex Visitor lot between 11th and 17th streets. There’s also parking along the west side of San Jacinto, but you’ll be blocked until at least 10:30 if you park there.
One important change is the packet pick up and registration. Unlike prior years where there were multiple locations, this year there will be just one. On Friday from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., there will be packet pick up and registration at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum (1800 North Congress). On Saturday morning, late registration and packet pick up begins at 6 a.m. at Bob Bullock.
Beneficiary for the Round-Up are public elementary schools in Texas. Funds are used to promote sports and fitness in the schools.
