Sara Hall, 41, put on a remarkable show at the Valencia Marathon in Spain, where she finished 10th with a record of 2:23:45, her fourth marathon of 2024. It was her fastest marathon since 2022, when she finished fifth at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
This incredible accomplishment also broke her own U.S. masters record of 2:26:06, which she had achieved at the Olympic Marathon Trials earlier this year. Hall is a distance runner who continues to redefine excellence with an average of 5:29 per mile, demonstrating her unwavering strength and resolve.
An experienced and regular racer, Hall is renowned for her quick recuperation in between events. She decided to enter Valencia on the spur of the moment, only eight weeks after participating in Chicago. The Valencia race, however, was difficult and different from her typical flawless performance.
Hall stated; “After a long stretch of not feeling like myself since Boston, it felt so good to have my normal fight out there”
She added: “Applied the lessons I learned from Chicago, handled the very similar conditions much better. Chose to believe in myself even when my confidence had been rattled over and over. What a dream to do this four times this year”.
Turning lessons into victories: Four dreams in a year
Hall, who set a personal record of 2:20:32 at the Marathon Project in Chandler, Arizona, a unique competition for top runners during the pandemic, revealed that she used a more cautious pace plan than she usually does, even during her race in Chicago. She also boosted her electrolyte intake, making deliberate modifications to maximize her performance.
With participation in every U.S. Olympic Trial since 2004, Sara Hall’s brilliant career is notable for its longevity. Under the tutelage of her husband and coach, Ryan Hall, who is ranked third among all U.S. men’s marathoners, she continues to show unwavering dedication and exceptional talent in the sport.