HOUSTON (18-Jan) — Ryan Corridor’s USATF half-marathon document of 59:43 was once set right here in 2007 on the Aramco Houston Part-Marathon, and regardless of the advent of “super shoes” in 2016, which use carbon plates to assist propel runners ahead, Corridor’s document has but to be damaged. Corridor, now 42, set that mark as a 24 year-old whilst making his half-marathon debut.
“My plan was to just see how I felt,” Corridor instructed Race Effects Weekly that day. “I was just going with the race pace I could maintain.”
The usa’s easiest street runners of the decade –Dathan Ritzenhein, Galen Rupp, Leonard Korir, and Hillary Bor– were not able to damage the document giving Corridor’s mark a legendary high quality. However a brand new crop of athletes are in a position to check out at the streets of Houston on Sunday, together with Olympians Conner Mantz, Joe Klecker and Morgan Pearson. For them Corridor’s document is unquestionably best of thoughts.
4 of the highest athletes entered within the 2025 Aramco Houston Part-Marathon (left to proper): Conner Mantz, Joe Klecker, Morgan Pearson and Jemal Yimer (photograph by way of Jane Monti for Race Effects Weekly)
“There were a lot of races to pick from, but the most exciting one for me was always Houston,” Klecker mentioned at a press convention the previous day. The 28 year-old, who’s coached by way of 2009 Global Part-Marathon Championships bronze medalist Dathan Ritzenhein, is attempting the space for the primary time and desires to run rapid. “I’ve seen the field and there’s people in this race who have run faster than that record. So, if I go in there and try to win, and if I feel good push for it, it’s possible. From the stuff I’ve done in training I believe it indicates that it’s a doable goal.”
In a tightly contested 10,000m for ladies, Weini Kelati gained, with Parker Valby in 2d and Karissa Schweizer in 3rd, photograph by way of Chuck Aragon for RunBlogRun.
Klecker did his build-up with Pearson, an Olympic silver medalist within the triathlon blended relay, who’s a talented runner. Pearson, 31, ran a 1:01:08 half-marathon in Valencia closing October every week after he wrapped up his triathlon season in Malaga. He was once obviously occupied with the risk to run rapid right here. He referred to as his lead to Valencia an “OK race” and want to pass quicker.
“I was left wanting more,” Pearson mentioned of his run in Valencia. He added: “After Valencia, I hope to improve my time.”
Mantz, 28, the 2024 USA Olympic Trials Marathon champion who gained the 2021 USATF Part-Marathon Championships in a non-public easiest 1:00:55, was once motivated to run right here based totally partly at the power of the sphere. He had an ideal yr in 2024 culminating in an 8th position end on the Paris Olympic Marathon and a 6th position appearing on the TCS New York Town Marathon. His time at New York of two:09:00 was once the quickest ever by way of an American on New York’s difficult path.
“With this elite field there’s a ton that’s possible,” Mantz mentioned. “With a field like this you can definitely get fast times and the American record could go down. Part of the reason I wanted to come here was it’s a fast course, and you have Morgan and Joe and plenty of other elite Americans running here. I want to be in that race whether I’m ready or not.”
Conner Mantz ran 2:08.16 in his debut in Chicago! photograph by way of Financial institution of The usa Chicago Marathon/Kevin Morris
The opposite best American citizens come with Olympians Clayton Younger (1:01:18 PB) and Hillary Bor (1:01:20), Diego Estrada (1:00:49), Frank Lara (1:01:00), and Futsum Zienasellassie (1:01:21). The quickest world athletes are Jemal Yimer of Ethiopia (58:33 PB), Gabriel Geay of Tanzania (59:42), Abe Gashahun of Ethiopia (59:46), and Wesley Kiptoo of Kenya (1:00:43). Yimer has gained the race two times.
To not be lost sight of is the potential of a USA document at the girls’s aspect. Closing yr, Weini Kelati got here to this race and ran a countrywide document 1:06:25 in her debut. She’s again this yr and is able to run rapid.
“It was my first half-marathon last year and I didn’t know how it was going to be,” mentioned Kelati, whose closing race was once a 4:29 street mile in Hawaii in December. She endured: “I’m just really excited, and we’ll see how well I can race because training has been really, really good. And I’m just excited to be here.”
Joe Klecker, Woody Kincaid, USATF Outside Monitor and Box Championships held at Hayward Box, College of Oregon, July 6-10, 2023, photograph by way of Kevin Morris
Amanda Vestri, who ran 1:08:12 in her half-marathon debut in Orlando closing month, could also be operating right here, however doesn’t be expecting to be difficult Kelati, she mentioned. Different best American citizens come with Natosha Rogers (1:09:36 PB), Lindsay Flanagan (1:09:37), Lauren Hagens (1:09:41), and Susanna Sullivan (1:09:42). The quickest world girls are Buze Diriba of Ethiopia (1:06:24) and Jessica Warner-Judd of Nice Britain (1:07:07).
Chilly and windy stipulations are anticipated right here for Sunday, which might sluggish the race down. On the 6:45 a.m. get started, the temperature must be about 35F/2C.
The Aramco Houston Part-Marathon is a Global Athletics Gold Label Street Race. Race winners will obtain $15,000 in prize cash, and breaking the path information (59:22 for males and 1:04:37 for ladies, respectively) is price a $15,000 bonus. American document breakers can earn an advantage of $10,000.
“I really don’t know what’s possible,” mentioned Mantz. “It’s a blast. I love competing.”