ATX Run Tours

ATX Run Tours presents

Run the Live Music Capital

Free guided running tours through Austin’s music history and up to the Capitol, on both festival weekends. We run at a conversational pace, and no one gets dropped.

Pick your date See the routes
A group of runners on an ATX Run Tours pilot run, jogging through the gates of the Texas Capitol grounds with the downtown skyline behind them

October 3, 4, 10 and 11. Back before the festival gates open.

RSVP free

Four mornings, two routes

Saturdays follow Austin’s music. Sundays climb Congress to the Capitol and UT. Every tour meets at Fareground, 111 Congress Ave.

  1. SaturdayOct 3

    The Live Music Route New

    Willie, the Armadillo, Stevie Ray, Antone’s and Red River.

    Meet 7:30 AM, run at 7:45. About 3.7 miles.

    RSVP free

  2. SundayOct 4

    The Capitol Route

    Congress Avenue, the pink granite Capitol and the UT Tower.

    Meet 7:30 AM, run at 7:45. About 3.6 miles.

    RSVP free

  3. SaturdayOct 10

    The Live Music Route New

    Willie, the Armadillo, Stevie Ray, Antone’s and Red River.

    Meet 7:30 AM, run at 7:45. About 3.7 miles.

    RSVP free

  4. SundayOct 11

    The Capitol Route

    Congress Avenue, the pink granite Capitol and the UT Tower.

    Meet 7:30 AM, run at 7:45. About 3.6 miles.

    RSVP free

Each tour is capped at 20 runners so everyone can hear. When a date fills, Luma opens a waitlist.

The routes

Each route is a loop with six stops, about half a mile apart. We run between them and stand together while I tell the story of what’s in front of you. The stories connect, so things you hear at the first stop come back at the end.

The Live Music Route

Saturdays, Oct 3 and Oct 10

About 3.7 miles, flat, with one bridge each way. Back by 9:30 AM.

Schematic map of the Live Music Route: from Fareground west to the Willie Nelson statue, across the First Street bridge to the Armadillo site and Stevie Ray Vaughan statue, along the lake to Congress Avenue, north to Sixth Street, east to Red River, and back to Fareground. Lady Bird Lake 8th6th5th3rd2nd / Willie Nelson BlvdCesar ChavezRiversideBarton Springs LavacaS 1st StCongressBrazosRed River ★ 1 2 3 4 5 6 Start / finishAntone’s today
Schematic, not to scale.
  1. Willie Nelson statueHow a 1974 TV pilot taped at UT got Austin’s music onto PBS stations nationwide.
  2. Armadillo World Headquarters siteThe old National Guard armory where hippies and rednecks shared one dance floor.
  3. Stevie Ray Vaughan MemorialThe statue is standing still. Look at what his shadow is doing.
  4. Vulcan Gas Company, 316 CongressAustin’s first psychedelic club, and the artist living inside it who started drawing armadillos.
  5. The original Antone’s, 6th and BrazosThe home of the blues, and why it has moved five times.
  6. Red River Cultural DistrictThe small clubs where bands play before they make the festival poster.
  7. Finale at FaregroundThe Zilker Park connection, and where to hear live music tonight.

The Capitol Route

Sundays, Oct 4 and Oct 11

About 3.6 miles. Uphill on Congress, downhill all the way home. Back by 9:15 AM.

Schematic map of the Capitol Route: from Fareground north up Congress Avenue to the Capitol, west on 15th, north on Lavaca to UT, through the South Mall to the Tower, south on Speedway to the Bullock Museum, and back down Congress to Fareground. Lady Bird Lake Cesar Chavez11th15thMLK21st / University Ave LavacaCongressSpeedway Capitol 1 2 3 4 5 Start / finish, stop 6UT Tower
Schematic, not to scale.
  1. FaregroundEdwin Waller’s 1839 street grid, and the avenue the whole route follows.
  2. Texas CapitolPink granite, and the land deal that paid for the building.
  3. Littlefield FountainA sculptor who wouldn’t let go. Also our group photo.
  4. UT TowerHow oil money built a university, and a quiet moment of history.
  5. Congress and MLKThe Bullock, the Blanton and a 17th-century shipwreck in a museum.
  6. Back at FaregroundHow the loop ties together, and where to watch the Congress Avenue bats tonight.

How it works

The pace
Conversational, around 11 to 12 minutes per mile. The group runs at the speed of its slowest runner, and walking breaks are fine.
The stops
Six of them, roughly every half mile, about five minutes each. You’ll catch your breath before every story.
The timing
Meet at 7:30 AM, start running at 7:45, and finish by about 9:15 to 9:30. That leaves plenty of time before the festival gates open.
Where to meet
Fareground, 111 Congress Ave, at Congress and Cesar Chavez. Parking and restroom details come in your confirmation.
What to bring
Water, your phone and running shoes. Leave one earbud out, or better, both.
The price
Free. If you enjoyed it, a $15 donation keeps the tours running. How to donate.

From the pilot run

On August 16, a group of Austin runners tested the Capitol Route in the summer heat and told us what to fix.

The pilot group lined up on the south steps of the Texas Capitol
The guide running at the front of the group on a downtown sidewalk
Runners jogging together down a Congress Avenue sidewalk
A runner laughing while seated at the edge of Littlefield Fountain
The guide briefing the group on the plaza before the run
Runners crossing a street near the UT campus
The group gathered in front of the Capitol entrance
A smiling runner during a stop on the UT campus
The guide telling a story under live oak trees
Ayush, founder of ATX Run Tours, talking to the group with a megaphone in hand

Your guide

I was born and raised in Austin. For the last three years I’ve been building a running community here, and somewhere along the way I realized that most of the people I run with have passed the Capitol a hundred times without hearing the story of how it got built.

ATX Run Tours is for them, and for visitors who would rather see a city at running pace than through a bus window. I check every fact before I tell it.

Ayush, founder and guide

Questions

Do I need to be a fast runner?

No. If you can run or run-walk about four miles over 90 minutes, you’ll be fine. The guide stays with the slowest runner, and a second volunteer runs at the back.

Is this part of ACL Fest?

No. ATX Run Tours is independent and isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by the Austin City Limits Music Festival. We scheduled these tours for festival weekends because the city is full of people who love music.

What if it’s hot or storming?

We run in heat and carry extra water. If there’s lightning or severe weather, we’ll shorten or cancel the tour and message everyone through Luma by 6:30 AM.

Can I bring my kids or my dog?

Runners 16 and older are welcome; anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian running along. We love dogs, but please leave them home for these tours since the route is busy.

Will I be photographed?

Probably. A photographer may run with us and photos may appear on our Instagram. If you’d rather not be posted, tell us at check-in and we’ll make sure you’re not.

Is there a waiver?

Yes. You’ll agree to a short liability waiver when you register. It’s a normal part of any organized run.

Are donations tax-deductible?

No. ATX Run Tours is a small local business, not a nonprofit. Donations go toward running the tours: water, insurance, permits and the guide’s time.

Can I book a private tour?

Yes. Bachelor and bachelorette parties, team outings, run clubs and visiting families can book either route on a date that works for them. Email us with your group size and dates.