Runners Take on Hills, Heat in Run for the Water 10 Miler
It’s never a good sign for a long-distance race when you have to turn on the AC in your car on the way to the event. But the 75-degree temps at the starting line on Lamar Boulevard in downtown Austin didn’t stop more than 1000 runners from lining up for the very popular Run for the Water 10 Miler on Sunday, November 3.
Michael Horn averaged 5:30 per mile, turning in nearly even splits of 27:34 and 27:21 on the extremely hilly course to take the overall win in the 19th edition of the race. Horn, a 2:30 marathoner, held off none other than Austin’s Allie Kieffer, who came in second overall, claiming the women’s victory.
“It was a very tough day to run fast, but I feel pretty fit right now,” said Kieffer, who holds the course record of 54:56, set in 2021.
“I’ve run this race about three minutes faster, but the conditions were a lot cooler that day.”
Kieffer cruised through the challenging first half at a 5:37 pace, navigating the hills of Pecos Street, hitting the five-mile split in 28:10. She ran the second half in 28:57, including the super-step climb up Scenic Loop. Once she past all the hills, she settled into a steady clip, chasing Bryan Morton, a top Austin runner who’s finished as high as second place in the prestigious 3M Half Marathon.
Kieffer broke the tape in 57:07, ahead of Morton, who claimed the top master’s spot in 57:28. Leslie Swanson was the second overall woman in 1:06:11. Sheri O’Leary was the top female master in 1:13:34.
“I kind of followed Bryan for a while, but he surged every time I caught up to him. So I had someone to run with. Along Lake Austin, I ran with him for a bit, but then passed him.” Kieffer, a 2:28 marathoner, is currently training for the California International Marathon, set for December 8, 2024. She ran 2:33:26 there last year.
“The race was great today,” said Gilbert Tuhabonye, the race’s founder. “It was amazing, and it’s so great to see so many people out here at the race. Especially knowing that the money raised today goes to improve the quality of life for the people of Burundi, Africa by providing access to clean water.”
Upcoming Races: Saturday, November 9 at 7:30 a.m., the New Braunfels Half Marathon, 10K and 5K at the Stars and Stripes Drive-In Theatre in New Braunfels. Saturday, November 16, the Turkey Trails 10K, 5K run 9”00 a.m., Southwestern University in Georgetown.
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