After 15 highly successful years the Austin Marathon will complete its spin-off from Freescale Semiconductor, ending the company's title sponsorship relationship with the race.

"It's rare for a corporation to create a community event, let alone one that grows to the stature and magnitude of the Austin Marathon", said John Conley, Executive Director of the Austin Marathon Foundation. "Thanks to a decade and a half of leadership and solid support by Freescale and its employees, as well as other community sponsors and partners, we are well positioned to take the event to a new level."

"When we helped create the Austin Marathon Foundation last summer, our intent was to create a platform for continued growth and innovation," said Tim Doke, Vice President of Corporate Communication for Freescale. "The results of this year's race showed that the event is ready to live on its own and take its place as an important part of what makes Austin special."

The 2005 Austin Marathon was the 16th largest marathon in the United States and in 2006 saw its participation grow 10% over the previous year's registration. In addition, its Olympic Development Program assisted 25 US athletes to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Trials, more than any other event since the 2004 Chicago and New York City Marathons.

Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector, now Freescale Semiconductor, founded the Austin Marathon in 1992. Since then, the race has generated over $50 million for the local Austin economy and has helped raise over $2 million for charitable purposes.