Austin Marathon and Half-Marathon 2012

About 12,500 runners registered for the 21st edition of the Austin Livestrong Marathon and Half Marathon. Sponsored by Lance Armstrong’s fundation, one priority of this year’s event is to raise financial support for cancer research. 

Ricardo Alvarado Gonzalez, a half-marathon participant, runs across North across the 1st Street Bridge. Gonzalez placed sixth overall.

A participant in the Austin Marathon stretches before the race Sunday morning.

Half-marathoner Ricardo Alvarado Gonzalez is trailed by marathon runners Jynocel Basweti and Edward Kiptum. The men received a bike escort to ensure their safety along the roads.

A runner takes her breadth back after finishing her race.

Jynocel Basweti makes his way down South Congress, heading towards a sharp turn West along Ben White Boulevard, Basweti led the marathon for the majority of the race.

At the end of a race dedicated to her father, a marathoner gets back to her family.

Edward Kiptum puts on a fresh pair of shoes in preparation for his 26.2-mile run throughout Austin.

Chris McClung walks through the finish shoot after completing the marathon. McClung finished the race in 2:52:23.

Jynocel Basweti and Edward Kiptum run West along Ceasar Chavez.

Jynocel Basweti and Edward Kiptum make use of one of the many water stations along the course. Before leaving each station, Baseweti would toss a cup of water on himself.

Edward Kiptum of Kenya runs the last meters of the marathon race. He placed himself on the first place and finished in 2:22:50.

Thousands of runners flood into the streets of Austin Sunday morning.

A half marathoner expresses her joy of finishing an intense race Sunday morning.

Shannon Bixler wraps herself in a Texan flag after being the first female runner to finish the full marathon in 3:02:28.

Half-marathoner Chass Armstrong heads towards the point where the race course splits up the half-marathon and the marathon runners. Up until this point the runners have followed the same course.

Volunteers of the Austin Livestrong Marathon prepare to give medals to the finishing runners

12. Winner of the Austin Livestrong Half Marathon, Siyabonga Nkonde from South Africa, finished the race in 1:04:58.

A spectator peers over the partition as participants pour across the finish line.

Edward Kiptum heads towards the medical tent shortly after finishing the race. Kiptum beat his competitor, Jynocel Basweti, in the final four miles of the race.

A marathon runner kisses his wife after finishing an intense race for the Austin Livestrong Marathon and Half Marathon Sunday morning.

Jynocel Basweti runs further into West Austin.

From left to right, Edward Kiptum, Jynocel Basweti and Bartosz Mazerski pose as the first, second and third runners to finish the 2012 Austin Livestrong Marathon, all in less than two hours and 30 minutes.

14. Nursing/Pre-Med senior Allison Mendez, who is also part of the UT Track and Field, celebrates her half marathon win at the finish line of the 21st annual Austin Livestrong Marathon and Half Marathon. Mendez completed the race in 1:18:14, just a little over 13 minutes after the first male finisher.

Sipho Ngxongo runs up South 1st Street. Ngxongo finished the race in 2:31:45, with an approximate pace of 5:48 per mile.

Ricardo Alvarado Gonzalez runs West along Ceasar Chavez. Gonzales finished the half-marathon with a time of 1:09:47.