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Six Olympians. Contenders from around the world. They're coming to Jacksonville.
For these runners, the Green Monster is waiting.
Two recent winners are among a field expected to surge well beyond 15,000 when the Gate River Run hits the road across downtown Jacksonville, San Marco and St. Nicholas.
In the field are Rachel Smith, the women's champion in 2024, and Calli Hauger-Thackery, who ran away to the 2025 victory. They're prepared to go head to head in Jacksonville in pursuit of a Gate River Run repeat.
Based on performances over the last few months, elite athlete coordinator Jim Van Cleave said the race records "could be at risk." Hauger-Thackery last year finished only 24 seconds outside Shalane Flanagan's record time from 2014.
For the second consecutive year, the event forms part of the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Circuit, which consists of six races of various distances stretching from New York to Washington and includes elite runners from both inside and outside the United States.
Van Cleave has been hard at work through the winter promoting the event for top athletes, a list this year to include six runners with Olympic experience and challengers from nine countries.
The schedule, though, has complicated the process. On the national distance running calendar, the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships took place March 1 in Atlanta, with the New York City Half Marathon scheduled for March 15. Those two races, along with the Los Angeles Marathon on March 8, have attracted many of the elite competitors who otherwise might have selected Jacksonville.
"We're kind of sandwiched in between, which makes [assembling an elite field] a little more of a challenge," Van Cleave said.
The race also includes several familiar runners with Northeast Florida ties, like former University of North Florida runners Mac Franks, Aidan O'Gorman and Sem Sultanov.
"It looks like a pretty good group," race director Doug Alred said.
Times are on their way down, and prize money is on the way up.
This year, there's $77,000 in guaranteed prize money across various categories, including $10,000 for the first-place man and first-place woman. Remaining in place is the Equalizer Bonus for the first runner overall to cross the finish line, with a five-minute head start for the elite women compared to the elite men.
And if one of those records goes down, there's even more cash at stake. While the $10,000 for a world record appears out of reach, runners can set their sights on $5,000 for an American record and $3,000 for a course record.
Last year's record-breaker Wesley Kiptoo isn't returning to Jacksonville this year to defend his 42:10 time. Just maybe, someone else could snatch that record away.
"There's talent here that can run 42s," Van Cleave said. "It just depends on what the weather's like. Are they going to go out tactically, or are they going to go out hard? You never know what they're going to do."
8 CONTENDERS TO KNOW IN MEN'S RACE
The 33-year-old has a track record of success in Jacksonville, including fourth-place finishes at the Gate River Run in 2020 and 2023 and a 2025 last year against an international field. He also won the Naples Half Marathon in 2025.
From Morocco, the 28-year-old El Youssfi is a proven winner: the 2025 Philadelphia Half Marathon, the Rockin' Rib Run 10K and a pair of National Junior College Athletic Association track titles.
Maybe the strongest of the American men in this race. The 27-year-old won the Marathon Project in December in Arizona and has the speed to go under 43.
A 34-year-old from Ethiopia, he has a sub-43 projection (42:37) over the distance and placed fourth at last year's Rockin' Rib Run 10K.
A 26-year-old from the Isle of Man, between Great Britain and Ireland, he ran in college at Northern Arizona and has twice earned silver medals at the World University Games.
The 20-year-old from Ethiopia has the speed. Going by projected times, he could break 42 minutes. Plus, he already owns a 2026 victory in Florida this year with the team title at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee.
A familiar face at the Gate River Run, where he's typically in the early lead pack. The 37-year-old placed eighth here last year and finished fourth in the national cross country championships.
The New Yorker is a veteran of the running world at 35 and won the Indianapolis Marathon last year. Like Flavin, he is qualified for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials.
8 CONTENDERS TO KNOW IN WOMEN'S RACE
Among several elites with Minnesota ties in the field, she placed ninth at the 2020 Gate River Run in 50:55 and took second in January at the Matanzas 5K.
The 31-year-old from Colorado is always in the mix here, Gate River Run runner-up in 2022 and third place in 2024. She also took second at the Cherry Blossom Ten-Mile Run in 2024.
With two top-five finishes, Hanson is a proven contender against the Green Monster. The 27-year-old was third in Jacksonville in 2023 and fifth in 2025.
The British runner is the reigning champion in Jacksonville, where she ran 47:24. An Olympian, now 33, she also won the Houston Marathon this year in 2:24:17.
A 27-year-old from Belgium, she raced the 2024 Olympic marathon, won the 2025 European championship in the half marathon last April and set a top-five all-time marathon time for European women in December.
From North Carolina, O'Keeffe is 27 years old and brings a big-time resume: She won the Olympic Trials marathon, raced at the Summer Games in Paris and placed fourth at the New York City Marathon.
A 26-year-old racing for Peru, she has top-five finishes in the past year at the Marathon Project and the Indy Half Marathon.
She knows what it takes to win here. Smith crossed the line in 48:26 to win the 2024 Gate River Run. Now 34, she represented the United States in the 5,000 at the Tokyo Olympics.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Gate River Run elite racers may challenge course records
Continue reading...
For these runners, the Green Monster is waiting.
Two recent winners are among a field expected to surge well beyond 15,000 when the Gate River Run hits the road across downtown Jacksonville, San Marco and St. Nicholas.
In the field are Rachel Smith, the women's champion in 2024, and Calli Hauger-Thackery, who ran away to the 2025 victory. They're prepared to go head to head in Jacksonville in pursuit of a Gate River Run repeat.
Based on performances over the last few months, elite athlete coordinator Jim Van Cleave said the race records "could be at risk." Hauger-Thackery last year finished only 24 seconds outside Shalane Flanagan's record time from 2014.
For the second consecutive year, the event forms part of the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) Circuit, which consists of six races of various distances stretching from New York to Washington and includes elite runners from both inside and outside the United States.
Van Cleave has been hard at work through the winter promoting the event for top athletes, a list this year to include six runners with Olympic experience and challengers from nine countries.
The schedule, though, has complicated the process. On the national distance running calendar, the USA Track & Field Half Marathon Championships took place March 1 in Atlanta, with the New York City Half Marathon scheduled for March 15. Those two races, along with the Los Angeles Marathon on March 8, have attracted many of the elite competitors who otherwise might have selected Jacksonville.
"We're kind of sandwiched in between, which makes [assembling an elite field] a little more of a challenge," Van Cleave said.
The race also includes several familiar runners with Northeast Florida ties, like former University of North Florida runners Mac Franks, Aidan O'Gorman and Sem Sultanov.
"It looks like a pretty good group," race director Doug Alred said.
PRIZE MONEY ON RISE
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Times are on their way down, and prize money is on the way up.
This year, there's $77,000 in guaranteed prize money across various categories, including $10,000 for the first-place man and first-place woman. Remaining in place is the Equalizer Bonus for the first runner overall to cross the finish line, with a five-minute head start for the elite women compared to the elite men.
And if one of those records goes down, there's even more cash at stake. While the $10,000 for a world record appears out of reach, runners can set their sights on $5,000 for an American record and $3,000 for a course record.
Last year's record-breaker Wesley Kiptoo isn't returning to Jacksonville this year to defend his 42:10 time. Just maybe, someone else could snatch that record away.
"There's talent here that can run 42s," Van Cleave said. "It just depends on what the weather's like. Are they going to go out tactically, or are they going to go out hard? You never know what they're going to do."
8 CONTENDERS TO KNOW IN MEN'S RACE
Reid Buchanan
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The 33-year-old has a track record of success in Jacksonville, including fourth-place finishes at the Gate River Run in 2020 and 2023 and a 2025 last year against an international field. He also won the Naples Half Marathon in 2025.
Mohammed El Youssfi
From Morocco, the 28-year-old El Youssfi is a proven winner: the 2025 Philadelphia Half Marathon, the Rockin' Rib Run 10K and a pair of National Junior College Athletic Association track titles.
JP Flavin
Maybe the strongest of the American men in this race. The 27-year-old won the Marathon Project in December in Arizona and has the speed to go under 43.
Getinet Gedamu
A 34-year-old from Ethiopia, he has a sub-43 projection (42:37) over the distance and placed fourth at last year's Rockin' Rib Run 10K.
David Mullarkey
A 26-year-old from the Isle of Man, between Great Britain and Ireland, he ran in college at Northern Arizona and has twice earned silver medals at the World University Games.
Mezgebu Sime
The 20-year-old from Ethiopia has the speed. Going by projected times, he could break 42 minutes. Plus, he already owns a 2026 victory in Florida this year with the team title at the World Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee.
Andy Wacker
A familiar face at the Gate River Run, where he's typically in the early lead pack. The 37-year-old placed eighth here last year and finished fourth in the national cross country championships.
Joe Whelan
The New Yorker is a veteran of the running world at 35 and won the Indianapolis Marathon last year. Like Flavin, he is qualified for the 2028 U.S. Olympic Trials.
8 CONTENDERS TO KNOW IN WOMEN'S RACE
Anne Marie Blaney
Among several elites with Minnesota ties in the field, she placed ninth at the 2020 Gate River Run in 50:55 and took second in January at the Matanzas 5K.
Emily Durgin
The 31-year-old from Colorado is always in the mix here, Gate River Run runner-up in 2022 and third place in 2024. She also took second at the Cherry Blossom Ten-Mile Run in 2024.
Jessa Hanson
With two top-five finishes, Hanson is a proven contender against the Green Monster. The 27-year-old was third in Jacksonville in 2023 and fifth in 2025.
Calli Hauger-Thackery
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The British runner is the reigning champion in Jacksonville, where she ran 47:24. An Olympian, now 33, she also won the Houston Marathon this year in 2:24:17.
Chloe Herbiet
A 27-year-old from Belgium, she raced the 2024 Olympic marathon, won the 2025 European championship in the half marathon last April and set a top-five all-time marathon time for European women in December.
Fiona O'Keeffe
From North Carolina, O'Keeffe is 27 years old and brings a big-time resume: She won the Olympic Trials marathon, raced at the Summer Games in Paris and placed fourth at the New York City Marathon.
Mica Rivera Wood
A 26-year-old racing for Peru, she has top-five finishes in the past year at the Marathon Project and the Indy Half Marathon.
Rachel Smith
She knows what it takes to win here. Smith crossed the line in 48:26 to win the 2024 Gate River Run. Now 34, she represented the United States in the 5,000 at the Tokyo Olympics.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Gate River Run elite racers may challenge course records
Continue reading...
