Ladies Shatter Huntsville Marathon Course Records

Cool temps and clear skies led to perfect conditions for record setting times at the 8th annual Huntsville Marathon, which was held on September 21, 2019

Grayson Murphy

Ashley Paulson

In the Half Marathon, former University of Utah standout, Grayson Murphy, aka Racin’ Grayson, shattered Sylvia Bedford’s 2017 record of 1:17:17 by five minutes with an incredible time of 1:12:23, Murphy’s personal record.

Incidentally, 2017 Half Marathon winner Bedford won the 2019 St. George Full Marathon two weeks later.

In the Full Marathon, aka The Full Monte, Ashley Paulson, of St. George, crossed the finish line at 2:37:31, winning the marathon while breaking the course record of 2:44:27 previously set in 2017 by Sara Sellers.

Sellers, a former Weber State University Runner and Ogden native, made national news in 2018 when she placed second in the iconic Boston Marathon as an unknown runner who had only ran in one other marathon, The Huntsville Marathon, a few months earlier.

On the men’s side, Ben VanBeekum became the first back to back winner of the full marathon with a time of 2:25:23.  Ben has close ties to Huntsville, as his father, Ron VanBeekum, is a Huntsville native, whose childhood home is just two blocks from the finish line.

Another local Huntsville boy, Mitchell Child, who now resides in Shelley, Idaho, finished second with an impressive time of 2:45:34.

Riley Cook, of Ogden, was the back to back winner of the Half Marathon with a time of 1:08:15, improving upon his 2018 winning time of 1:10:33.

The 9th annual Huntsville Marathon will be held September 19, 2020.

Earlier this year, Runners World magazine ranked The Huntsville Marathon in the top ten (No. 6) of the best marathons nationwide to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

The Huntsville Marathon is a local non profit that has given more than $500,000 to local schools, communities and charities, thanks to more than 400 volunteers.

2019 Huntsville Marathon Results:

Full Marathon