From Start Line To Lifeline: Austin Run For The Water 2025

Last Updated On – 30th October, 2025

Austin’s streets will soon be pulsing with energy as runners, joggers, and walkers gather for the Austin Run for the Water 2025. Set against the city’s scenic backdrop, this much-anticipated event unites people of all ages for a race towards a finish line that supports worldwide clean water initiatives.

It’s a chance to turn your miles into meaningful change and be part of an Austin tradition that runs on heart. So, lace up your kicks, get a good stretch, and pound the streets for change.

Check out our guide below to learn what to expect for the Austin Run for the Water 2025 race.

Looking for more fun around the city? Check out our updated guide to the best Things to Do in Austin This Weekend — packed with live music, festivals, food events, and family-friendly fun across town.

Editor’s Note: Our staff works hard to bring you the latest information. However, all information mentioned in this article is subject to change. As always, please confirm before heading out.

Additionally, a few links in this article may help The Austinot earn a small commission if you make a purchase using those links.

Austin Run for the Water 2025: What to Expect

Image credit: Gazelle Foundation

Each November, more than 5,000 runners and walkers take over the streets of downtown Austin for the annual Run for the Water race. The event benefits the Gazelle Foundation, which is dedicated to providing clean water to the people of Burundi.

You can choose between the 5K, 10-Miler, and Kids K courses. Running teams are also welcome and highly encouraged.

Can’t make it to Austin? You can still join the movement through the Global Run, the event’s virtual counterpart that welcomes participants from around the world.

Image credit: Gazelle Foundation

This fall also marks the debut of the Hill Challenge, Powered by Lululemon, where you can compete to be the fastest on a 600-meter segment of the 10-mile course.

Once you finish the race, stand proud and celebrate at the huge post-race festival atop the First Street Bridge with world-famous Burundian drummers at the finish line, kid’s activities, food trucks, and more.

No matter your pace or distance, every stride helps bring clean water to families, schools, and clinics in Burundi, giving the community hope and a helping hand out of poverty.

Plan Your Austin Run for the Water 2025 Race

Image credit: Gazelle Foundation

The Austin Run for the Water 2025 will be on November 9, 2025. Each course will have different starting times and starting points:

5K & 10-miler | 7 am: Your course will start on Cesar Chavez, east of Lamar Blvd and finish on the First Street Bridge.
Kids K | 9:15 am: This course will start at the north end of the First Street Bridge at Cesar Chavez and also finish on the First Street Bridge. Strollers are welcome.
Global Run: If you’re opting for the global run, you can virtually run on the same day as the race or anytime up to a week ahead of the race (November 2-9).

For those running a team, there will be a dedicated Team Zone near the finish line on the First Street Bridge.

Check out the whole Austin Run for the Water 2025 course here.

How Your Participation Impacts Communities Worldwide

Image credit: Gazelle Foundation

Through this event, the Gazelle Foundation raises vital funds to build clean water systems in Burundi, one of the world’s poorest countries. Every registration fee and donation goes directly toward constructing gravity-fed, clean water systems that bring safe, accessible water closer to homes, schools, and clinics.

Access to clean water dramatically reduces waterborne illnesses, which remain a leading cause of death among children. Additionally, with water now just a few hundred meters away instead of miles, children can spend more time in school while women and families gain time for farming, small businesses, and community growth, creating lasting economic change.

About the Gazelle Foundation and Run for the Water

The Run for the Water story begins with Gilbert Tuhabonye, a national champion runner, Olympic torch bearer, author, coach, public speaker, and genocide survivor. His remarkable journey inspired a passionate group of Central Texans to take action. Together, they founded a nonprofit dedicated to bringing peace, hope, and clean water to Burundi, a region long overlooked but rich in resilience.

The Gazelle Foundation was established in 2006 and has since built 74 sustainable water systems across southwestern Burundi, delivering clean water to more than 141,860 people.

The foundation’s work has also created over 5,400 local jobs and provided safe water access to 68 schools, churches, and medical facilities, transforming daily life for countless families.

The Run for the Water 5K, 10-Miler, Kids K, and Global Run stands as the foundation’s signature fundraising event. It is a celebration of community, endurance, and compassion. Each stride taken on this race helps extend the gift of clean water to millions in need, proving that when a city runs together, it can change the world.

After the race, there’s still plenty to do — see what’s happening in our guide to Best Weekend Events in Austin updated weekly with top picks.

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Lacey Morris

Lacey is a freelancer and Austin local who’s always on the hunt for new restaurants to try, fun activities to do, and local events to attend. She loves sharing her discoveries with others through her writing and hopes her work encourages both visitors and locals to be active in the community. When she’s not writing, you can find her exploring one of the city’s many hiking trails with her Blue Heeler, Oreo, getting lost in a good book, or dancing the night away to some house or techno beats at one of her favorite rave spots.