KELLYN TAYLOR WINS GRANDMA’S MARATHON WITH COURSE RECORD PERFORMANCE

DULUTH, (MN), June 16, 2018 – Saturday morning proved to be just the redemption run HOKA ONE ONE Northern Arizona Elite athlete Kellyn Taylor knew she was capable of. In cool and overcast conditions, Taylor stormed to a victory, course record and personal best of 2:24:28 over the Grandma’s Marathon course. Her previous personal best was 2:28:40. The previous Grandma’s event record was 2:26:31.

Entering the weekend, Taylor made it clear that she was hoping for a victory and a course record after a disappointing Boston Marathon where she was forced to drop out at halfway due to historically tough conditions. As today’s race unfolded a pack of four including Taylor broke away from the field and by half way, it was down to three women. The 16-mile marker proved to be the turning point as Taylor opened up a one minute lead and showed no signs of weakness.

At the finish, Taylor was victorious, cementing herself as the seventh fastest American woman of all-time. Taylor sits in elite company with the likes of Shalane Flanagan, Joan Benoit-Samuelson, and 2018 Boston Marathon Champion, Des Linden.

Her performance was not a surprise as Coach Ben Rosario stated in pre-race coverage that Taylor was coming off one of her best blocks of training to date and in the last three weeks had arguably looked better than she did before the Boston Marathon.

“This year has seen one of my lowest lows and now one of my highest highs. Being a runner you are what you physically run. While I’ve felt like a 2:25 or 2:26 marathoner I wasn’t actually one because I’d never produced such a time. What a feeling to finally be a 2:24 marathoner. To be able to show everyone that HOKA ONE ONE NAZ Elite is for real… because my teammates are just as good if not better. So thankful for the opportunity from Grandma’s and for the support of my team, coach, agent, family and HOKA ONE ONE.”

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ABOUT HOKA NAZ ELITE
HOKA Northern Arizona Elite is a professional sports organization whose mission is to recruit, develop and produce distance runners to compete at the very highest level of international athletics and operate as a successful business by building a global fan base for the team and its athletes through comprehensive and ongoing marketing efforts on a local, national and international level.

Kyle Levermore
Brand Management, HOKA NAZ Elite
[email protected]