Cap10K Race Ambassador
Austin’s famous Cap10K race is coming back after COVID and bad weather that has postponed the race in previous years. The race will be celebrating its 45th anniversary of bringing together the Austin community by encouraging fitness!
AFM got to talk with race ambassador, running coach and Austinite, Cassandra Medrano, for the upcoming race in 2022 to learn what it means and what it takes to be an ambassador.
AFM: How excited do you feel to be participating in the 45th anniversary of the race?
CM: I’m super excited to be participating in the 45th anniversary of the Cap10K race. I’ve been training to run the race in under one hour. That’s a goal for most runners, but it’s one that I’m determined to do in 2022. I’m thinking about creating an IG account to document my journey – .Cass Cap10k Goals or something like that. I will keep you posted.
AFM: How excited are you to be a race ambassador after the race being canceled in the previous years?
CM: I’m super excited to be involved in the Cap10K race 2022. We’ve all been through so much trauma due to the unfortunate events that led up to the last three years of the race being canceled. I think the Texas way is to heal and keep moving. I absolutely love that the Cap10K organizers have figured out how to make this race even BIGGER and BETTER than ever before. I believe the unfortunate events allowed for organizers to think outside the box and got really creative in allowing more people around the globe to participate in what I think makes Austin great, and that’s Keep Austin Running!
AFM: How long have you been affiliated with the race?
CM: I’ve been thankful enough to have run the Cap10K (every year) for the past 10 years. This is backward, but I started running the Austin Marathon 20 years ago and started longer mileage. Now I’m running 10Ks and loving it.
AFM: How did you become a race ambassador?
CM: I have a bit of a big and loud mouth and love to run. I think the combination made for a perfect candidate to promote the Cap10K and be a race ambassador. It helps being introduced to Jeff and Chris who have kept the spirit of the Cap10K alive. I was approached and asked to be an ambassador. It was and is a great honor to be asked.
AFM: As a race ambassador, you are representing the Cap10K, How does that feel?
CM: I feel included and appreciated to be able to represent Cap10K. Racial disparities are a true issue we face in the U.S., but being a face to a race that I love for so long will hopefully bring awareness to minorities in Austin to feel welcome to participate.
AFM: What does it mean to be an ambassador for the Cap10K?
CM: Being a Cap10K ambassador means so much more than promoting a race. To me, it means promoting a healthy lifestyle, Austin, and being able to accomplish a goal. I’m the mother of two sets of natural-born twin boys, and I want to set an example of staying active and staying involved in your community. I believe volunteering and helping others is rewarding and builds a stronger community for all.
AFM: What does the Cap10K mean to you?
CM: The Cap10K means Austin to me. It’s an Austin tradition that has people from all over coming to try and experience what we already know and love. I was born and raised in Austin, and for as long as I can remember, I would hear about runners and the Cap10K from the news as a kid. I often admired what people did but was never exposed to the thought that I could do the same thing until I was much older. I was a running coach for over 15 years, have been actively involved in the running community and built running relationships because of it. I enjoy running. It is a part of my life, and I will continue to represent the face of someone who can run, participate in races and be healthy.
