“When looking down from the platform at the race’s start I can get choked up. I get real quiet when I’m nervous or it’s a big moment, so I can take it all in,” shares Gilbert Tuhabonye, award-winning runner, coach, genocide survivor, and Gazelle Foundation co-founder.
“What we do is critical,” he says.
He knows firsthand the transformational effect of bringing clean water systems to rural Burundi. “Water is something people worry about every day,” he says. “When they receive clean water, they are so happy.”
Now in its 19th year, the aptly named Run For The Water will again bring Central Texans of all ages and abilities together November 9th in Downtown Austin to send a love letter to Burundi by funding more sustainable clean water systems.
Gazelle Foundation Co-Founder Peter Rauch says most people don’t know “how close they are to helping another person in Burundi.” Every race registration and donation has a “remarkably short path to building projects in Burundi.”
When he gazes down from the platform at the thousands of runners at the starting line as he stands beside Gilbert year after year, he can visualize all the people who will be helped by the Foundation’s work.
To date, the Gazelle Foundation has built 73 water systems serving 138,360 individuals in rural Burundi. These water systems serve 65 schools, medical clinics, and churches so far. Spring-fed water systems the Foundation builds reduce the average walk to water from 4 miles to 400 meters.
The Foundation commissions the water system construction directly, using the same reliable contractor for years. “Money we raise goes straight to help needy people, not officials in Burundi. We don’t work in the city, but in the villages,” Gilbert explains. “If you run the race, families receive clean water for life.”
Run For The Water is the Foundation’s most well-known fundraiser. It was born from a vibrant run community and serial entrepreneur Paul Carrozza, who helped spin off numerous races and charitable efforts from his shoe store RunTex, including Marathon Kids, the Austin Marathon, Run For The Water, and many more.
“We were spinning off moons and creating impact,” Paul Carrozza explains. “What we’ve done is build the event or system and give it to a nonprofit to carry on. RunTex was a launch pad.” While RunTex closed in 2013, the impact of charitable efforts continue even decades later. He still keeps track of all them in a notebook.
Paul and Gilbert were first introduced by Paul’s college roommate Michael Weingarden who was a professor at Abilene Christian University, Paul’s former track and cross-country teammate, and Gilbert’s mentor. “At the time we were working on Marathon Kids and having to go to all these school assemblies,” remembers Paul. “When I met Gilbert, I thought ‘do I have a job for you.’” He offered Gilbert a job, which brought him and his wife Triphine to Austin in 2000.
From the time he first met him, Paul knew Gilbert was special. “He was a high caliber runner. Running saved his life. He was grateful and forgave those who hurt him,” says Paul Carrozza. “He was charismatic and a magnet with a positive attitude.”
When working for Paul, “he wanted me to share my story and to do everything I could to inspire others,” says Gilbert. “Through various programs, including Marathon Kids, he got me out into the community, in front of schools and church groups to tell my story and to actively encourage others to enjoy the fellowship of running.”
In 2006, Gilbert and Peter sat down with Paul Carozza who had 10-mile race in need of a new owner. As they were sharing with him how the Gazelle Foundation was growing, he offered to provide the proceeds from the event in year one, if the Foundation provided the volunteer team to produce the race with the help from his event director. “After that, the race would be ours to produce on our own,” says Co-Founder Peter Rauch. “It was tremendously generous of Paul who saw it as a win-win for our new charity.”
“It was because of his contribution that led to the lift and launch of the Gazelle Foundation,” shares Gilbert. Paul Carrozza even named the race. Paul quipped, “It wasn’t hard to see that Run For The Water fit the race! Gilbert was the heir apparent to the race the whole time.”
The Gazelle Foundation was born earlier the same year. You could say it was meant to be. Gilbert had recently started his coaching business Gilbert’s Gazelles in 2002 and was working on his memoir, This Voice in My Heart: A Runner’s Memoir of Genocide, Faith, and Forgiveness. This work was an emotional period for Gilbert, and every time he shared his story, people would come up wanting to help.
One weekend in 2006 Gilbert Tuhabonye and his fast-running friends were on a 23-mile long run when the idea came up: What if we started a nonprofit, so that the entire community could get involved? “Paul Pugh was on the long run with Gilbert and I, and I blame him for much of this,” laughs Co-Founder and President Peter Rauch.
Retired technology executive Peter Rauch remembers not being able to be in a room without a business plan or a PowerPoint presentation. “I wrote the business plan showing how this charity could be set up to make it all happen and all the financials,” he says. “When I showed it to Gilbert, he told me, ‘You gotta be the president.’ I said I’ll do it for a year to get started. Famous last words.” Peter has served as the Foundation’s president since the beginning.
The first board members were Gilbert, Peter, and DK Reynolds, a humanitarian, philanthropist, and fellow runner. “DK walked in with a folder with bylaws and helped us document meetings,” remembers Gilbert. “She is a pillar. She was hugely helpful when we applied for 501c3 status.”
With a solid foundation set and a plan, DK Reynolds and Peter Rauch provided the initial funding allowing the Foundation to incorporate and file for 501(c)3 status to become a living, breathing entity. The 501c3 status became official right before the first Run For The Water.
Paul Pugh, who designed the organization’s first logo, joined the board in its early days. He was among the first people to travel to Burundi with Gilbert to scout out where water systems were most needed after the first round of fundraising. Gilbert says, “Paul was known as ‘munzungo,’ a funny word in Kirundi that means he was the first white person to meet my mom.”
Gilbert’s running community embraced his positive attitude making it possible to fulfill his story of forgiveness, hope, and redemption. Run For The Water has helped drive awareness of the water crisis in Burundi and made it easy for Central Texans to get involved.
Run For The Water is one of the few road races in town run by the nonprofit it benefits. It appeals to elite runners, casual road warriors, and absolute beginners alike, offering 5K, 10-miler, and Kids K distances.
Sanders/Wingo, a branding agency, came up with memorable and catchy branding for the race to share its cause-related message in the early days. Race t-shirts, which runners returning year after year proudly wear, sport slogans, such as BuRUNdi, Reason to Run, Finish Thirst, One: One Race Shirt.
“We’re motivated to have our race shirt reflect what’s great about the race,” said Gazelle Foundation Executive Director Courtney Waldren. “We sweat all the details so the mission of the race is front and center. It is a privilege to help others we will likely never meet while running in our home town.”
Because the race was designed by and for runners, the Gazelle Foundation’s team has put their heart and soul into producing an excellent event for competitive and casual runners alike. “A tremendous amount of work goes into this race,” says Peter. “Courtney and team do a spectacular job. I’m amazed each year how awesome it all looks. This race is for everyone.”
Run For The Water was originally part of the Austin Runners Club’s Austin Distance Challenge, a series of races to build confidence in new runners. Because the 10-mile race was part of the challenge, it meant there was a funnel of runners coming to the race. The race was also named the state championship 10-mile race for Road Runners Club of America (RRCA).
Children are invited to be part of the event, and jogging strollers are also welcome. “My favorite part of the entire event is the KidsK, which is controlled chaos,” says Peter. “Having kids race Gilbert down the street is a complete hoot.”
Road races compete with a lot of other fitness activities, but hosting the race in Downtown Austin gives a destination-type experience. “Costs for races used to be lower,” says Paul Carrozza. “Over time, the city’s fees went up.” This is why the race keeps growing and evolving each year.
That first year, the challenge was finding a new sponsor. Keller Williams signed on early in the game and has been a steadfast supporter for years.
This year the race features a Hill Challenge powered by lululemon for those running the 10-mile distance. Several practice runs and a shake-out run to be held the Saturday before the race at Karavel are other more recent features.
The finishline festival caps off the Run For The Water atop First Street Bridge complete with the rhythmic beats of Burundian drummers, food trucks, sponsor tents, winner’s circle, family activities, and more.
“People think you make a lot of money with races, but it’s a lot of work,” says Gilbert. “We use it because it tells more people about our mission.”
He remembers having to go fetch 25L of water before dawn, then running six miles to school each day. Close access to clean water is transformational. “It changes a way of life,” he says.
The race is full of traditions that serve as reminders to runners about the cause their run supports. Burundian drummers joyfully perform with rhythmic beats and athletic moves to encourage runners at the finish line. Drumming traditionally accompanies celebrations in Burundi. The Foundation’s tent at the Finishline Festival shares more mission-related information, including a small-scale model of a typical water system.
In the early days, one of the first things Gilbert and his team had to do was choose a race course. While the starting line has changed over the years, the overall course has remained consistent. The course begins in Downtown Austin alongside Lady Bird Lake on Cesar Chavez and Lake Austin, looping through Tarrytown and the gorgeous overlooks on Scenic Drive on the way back.
“We look at courses as places we want to run but if there wasn’t traffic there…
Who doesn’t want to run Scenic Road, It’s beautiful!” says Paul Carrozza. All the race courses finish on the First Street Bridge.
The race added a virtual component, the Global Run, that was especially popular with large corporations such as National Instruments and Keller Williams which invited employees from all over the world to join. The Global Run makes it possible for people to run the race anywhere in the world. Supporters have logged their runs from as far away as Poland, the UK, and South America.
Run For the Water is “designed to create peace and unity. Water is something that unites us and brings healing to the community,” says Gilbert. The civil war in Burundi was destructive, but now with water, we can share resources.”
The race holds deep meaning and redemption for Gilbert Tuhabonye, whose radical act of forgiveness and charity inspires everyone who meets him. A heart-centered meditation about the reasons we run—for ourselves and for others—is included before the race begins, a tradition he added after experiencing it at a race he ran in Vancouver.
As the sun rises over the First Street Bridge and the morning fog lifts, Downtown Austin is transformed for a few short hours. The air is full of the metered sounds of footsteps as runners make their way through the course. Calls of encouragement from volunteers and family members add to the din. At the finishline a crowd surrounds the Burundian drummers performing their energetic beats and dance moves on the First Street Bridge. As runners of every age move through the finishline festival, they celebrate the day’s accomplishments with selfies, high-fives, and hugs too numerous to count.
“It’s beautiful to see the community come together to help us create change in Burundi,” says Gilbert.
““It’s beautiful to see the community come together to help us create change in Burundi.” ”
Run For The Water is a race that invites everyone to get involved in bringing clean water to Burundi.
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