It’s been a long, hot summer and there’s no better way to give it the boot than with the annual meeting of the tribes this Friday night at the Zilker Relays. That’s right, for the 10th year the Zilker Relays will put a cap on the summer with a four-person, 10-mile relay around Zilker Park.
But this relay is as much season-ending party as race. With the fantastic Mexican food buffet from Tacodeli, beer from Hop’s n Grain and live music, the serious partying gets underway just as soon as your relay leg is completed.
The 1379 Kids’ Relay gets the festivities rolling at 6 p.m. along Stratford Road in Zilker Park with the big kids relay starting at 6:30. Each relay team consists of four runners who each complete a 2.48-mile leg around Zilker Park and along Barton Springs Road. The course is mostly flat with just one hill.
Race director Paul Perrone is stressing carpooling for this year’s race. “We’re always trying to think green,” said Perrone of The Genesis Agency. “We would really like it if each team got together and just use one car to get to the race.”
Parking is always limited for the Zilker Relays, but there are two prime spots: At Barton Springs, just south of Barton Springs Road as well as at Austin HS on the north side of Lady Bird Lake.
Packet pick up for the relay will be at CrossFit Central (6205 Burnet) from 11-7 on Thursday. The kids relay packet pick up will be at 1379 (2727 Exposition, #121) from 10-6 on Thursday. There will be packet pick at the race site on Friday, beginning at 4:45 p.m
The field is limited to 250 teams and once the cap is reached, the race will close.
