Austin Marathon: Makuvire Wins a Tactical Race, Rono solos to Victory

Bradley Makuvire and Janet Rono notched victories at the 2025 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon

Ascension Seton Austin Marathon 2025 Race Coverage

Brough to you by Brom Hoban

Kenyan George Onyancha was back aiming for a three-peat at the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon Sunday morning, but Tulane track and cross-country star Bradley Makuvire had other ideas.

Clear skies and temps in the low 40s made for just about perfect running weather (except for the wind) at the starting line just north of the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge.

A pack of five, including Makuvire, Onyancha, Austin’s Michael Morris, Brigham Young standout Connor Weaver and Kenyan Abraham Kipkemei Talam broke away from a field of some 7,500 runners heading up the long climb on South Congress Avenue. The pack remained intact through the 5K mark in 16 minutes and 27 seconds before turning west on Ben White Boulevard.

Morris moved to the front, a position he would maintain for much of the race, despite using extra energy to fight the wind. “When I race, I don’t like to let somebody else lead the way for me,” Morris explained. “It’s something I’ve always done, going way back to high school. I push it as far and as long as I can.”

At the half-way point (1:09:21) climbing the long hill up Guadalupe Street, Morris still led the way. There was plenty of wind around the course and Makuvire, wisely tucked into, the rear of the pack, where he could draft the others.

But Makuvire and Onyancha broke away at 18 miles, with Morris and Weaver chasing behind.

The pair ran stride-for-stride along the final miles of the course on Cesar Chavez east of I-35. Makuvire, who took second in the Life Time Miami Marathon just two weeks ago, made his move with about a mile to go, and went on to break the tape on South Congress in 2:18:56.

“When George and I broke away, I told myself if I want to win this, I have to push right now, so I just decided to go,” said Makuvire, originally from Zimbabwe and currently living in El Paso.

Weaver was able to pass Onyancha for second, 2:19:03 to 2:19:47. Morris clocked 2:20:36 for fourth, while Kipkemei Talam took fifth in 2:21:46.

In the women’s race, no one could keep up with Kenyan Janet Rono, an international marathoner who’s gone 2:26:03 for the distance. She averaged just over six minutes a mile along the hilly course as she ran from start to finish unchallenged.

Alison Wells, who ran for the University of Alabama, was nearly a minute behind at the 5K mark and by the half-way point, passed in 1:19:51, it was clear that Rono was running a solo effort. She went on to break the tape in 2:41:04, ahead of Wells’ 2:44:20. Connor Dargan, a London-based marathoner took third in 2:53:37, while Austin’s Leslie Swanson clocked 2:54:37 for fourth place.

Both Makuvire and Rono took home $4,000 for their victories.

Upcoming Races: Saturday, February 22 at 9:00 a.m., the Couple Shuffle 2 mile, 5K and 10K at Lake Pflugerville Park in Pflugerville. Saturday, March 1 at 9:00 a.m., Get Your Rear in Gear 5K at Camp Mabry, Austin. . Saturday, March 1 at 8:00 a.m., the Negley 5K at Negley Elementary in Kyle.