The Lady Bird Lake loop is the long-run default. The 10-mile Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail and Boardwalk circles Lady Bird Lake downtown, with crushed granite on parts of it; add a mile or two and it is a half marathon. For dirt, the Barton Creek Greenbelt has more than 12 miles of rough, uneven trail. More places are on our running in Texas guide.
Race season runs October through April. Austin’s big road races cluster from Thanksgiving to the Cap10K in April; the halves on this page follow the same pattern, with a few summer series editions for anyone who wants a hot one.
Austin is not flat. Even the Austin Marathon is a rolling course, so put hills in your long runs before a goal half.
Respect the heat outside winter. From late spring to early fall, run at sunrise, drink before you are thirsty and run by effort rather than pace. Stop and cool down for heavy sweating, weakness or clammy skin; call 911 for confusion or slurred speech. Our zone 2 guide covers training through it.
November 2026 is the busiest month for half marathons around Austin on the current calendar, with 9 races.