As the Austin marathon approaches, racers make their preparations. On Rainey Street, however, a different kind of marathon — one that does not require sweat or endurance — takes place. On Feb. 7, at 3 p.m., Rainey Street hosted a 0.1-mile marathon intended to bring together the street’s growing residential community and show off what they have to offer. Despite the short distance, participants were encouraged to tackle the race at their own pace and refuel along the way.
Albert Gonzalez serves as director of operations at Banger’s Sausage House & Beer Garden, an outdoor restaurant that has been a staple of Rainey Street since opening in 2012. Along with the Rainey Street Business coalition, Banger’s said they wanted to do a parody of the Austin Marathon since the race takes place around this time of year.
“Not everybody’s into running 26.2 miles, so how do we do a marathon that makes sense for our vibe?” Gonzalez said.
Starting from bib pickup, runners eased into the evening, wandering around Rainey Street and trying restaurants offering special menu items for the race, including a Caesar Salad Pizza from Side Piece Pies and the Marathon Dog at Banger’s, a 19-inch long sausage made from Wagyu beef and topped with onions and house-made mustard.
“(We thought), how can we bring the whole neighborhood together and bring everybody out of their houses, put a silly bib on and run down the street?,” Banger’s Marketing Director Jed Taylor said.
Participants began at the south end of Rainey Street, making their way up to Victory Lap where they could choose from an array of flash tattoos. However, unlike a traditional marathon, there were no first place finishers.
“It’s about having a good time,” Gonzalez said. “It’s about how do you show up, how do you have a lot of fun with something that’s really simple.”
The race’s lighthearted approach reflects Rainey Street’s recent transformation. For the past few years, the community has undergone significant construction. Several major high-rises appeared over the past few years.
“Rainey Street used to be a p.m. place,” Gonzalez said. “We were one of the very few places that was open during the day.”
Now, residents of Rainey Street frequently walk their dogs, go for a morning jog or take a stroll with their kids.
“It’s the first time in 10 years that Rainey’s been a neighborhood again,” Gonzalez said.
Taylor and Gonzalez said the visible change in demographic shifted Rainey’s identity from simply a bar crawl area to one that offers something for everyone, which has allowed for more diverse businesses and events like the 0.1 Mile Marathon.
“This is a place that has families that live right across the street and upstairs, and the shocking amount of people out with kids and liveliness in the p.m. hours is so great to see, because they actually have a place to go,” Taylor said.
The casual, community atmosphere of the event attracted many participants. Attendees Julia Kubiak and Abby Moss said they came for the novelty and company.
“We have these fun little bibs, and we get to just kind of hang out with our friends and run around,” Kubiak said. “Good vibes, with great friends.”
