The short version: The 50th annual Statesman Capitol 10,000 is Sunday, April 11, 2027, and registration is already open. The race calls itself Texas' largest 10K. The same weekend, April 8–11, the Road Runners Club of America holds its 69th National Convention at the Hilton Austin, with guaranteed Cap10K entry for everyone who registers.
Fifty years of the Cap10K
The Cap10K is Austin's spring tradition. Runners start on Congress Avenue by the Congress Avenue Bridge, head through downtown past the Paramount Theatre, and climb 15th Street's rolling hills with views of the UT Tower. The course then winds through Clarksville, past the centuries-old Treaty Oak, and Tarrytown, before returning along West Cesar Chavez and Lady Bird Lake. The finish has two finish lines at Vic Mathias Shores on West Riverside Drive. The course is USATF-certified with about 119 feet of elevation gain, and the high point comes just past 4K.
Runners start in paced waves just after sunrise, and the Finish Line Festival has food, live music, a kids' zone and free massages. The race hasn't announced the 2027 start time or full 50th-anniversary plans yet. Check the Cap10K fee schedule before you sign up, because prices typically rise closer to race day.
The RRCA convention comes to Austin
The Road Runners Club of America is the national association of running clubs and road races. Its convention brings together club leaders, race directors, coaches and industry people for education sessions, an expo and group runs. The 2027 convention is the 69th, and it runs April 8–11 at the Hilton Austin (500 East 4th Street), timed around the 50th Cap10K.
| Registration | Price |
|---|---|
| Early bird, before March 31, 2027 | $425 |
| From April 1, 2027 | $450 |
| With a coaching certification course (Level I cohort or Level II in-person session) | $475 |
Per the RRCA, registration includes an opening reception, organized morning runs or yoga on Friday and Saturday, meals on those days, the education program and expo, a goody bag, and guaranteed entry into the 50th Cap10K. The coaching tracks add 16-plus hours of instruction. The RRCA hasn't announced speakers yet. Registration is through RunSignup.
If you run a Texas running club or coach a training group, Austin is an easy trip from Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio.
Training for a spring 10K in Austin
- Use the winter. From January to March, Texas weather is ideal for speed work. Six to eight weeks of one weekly interval session and one tempo run will sharpen a 10K.
- Practice the hills. The 15th Street stretch comes early, around the high point just past 4K. Don't go out too fast on Congress.
- Tune up with a local 10K. The Texas 10K calendar has races almost every weekend, and Austin & Hill Country races are close by.
- Running the Austin Marathon too? It's Feb. 14, 2027, eight weeks before the Cap10K. See where it stands in our Texas marathon registration check.
- New to running? A 10K is a great first goal. The run-walk method gets you there.
