At The 2026 Austin Marathon, Joey Whelan Breaks Through
Runners took to the streets in Austin on Sunday for the annual event series, which saw roughly 30,000 across the marathon, half marathon and 5K
AUSTIN, Texas–With the half marathon checkpoint looming on Sunday at the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon, Joey Whelan was locked into a tightrope battle with Kenyan Elisha Barno. The pair was moving at an unreal pace–just five minutes and 10 seconds per mile over the first 13.1, which was well below the course record standard.
Making matters more optimal, though, was the fact that Whelan had run the course four times previously, even winning in 2018 and 2019. His strategy was to draft behind Barno until the 30-kilometer mark.
That seemed good enough until the East African made an error.
Whelan’s plan was out in the open. He was forced into a decision.
“That’s why it pays to know the course,” he said. “That’s where experience comes in.”
Whelan dispatched Barno over the second half of the marathon as he hammered the final miles over East Cesar Chavez Street and blew the door off a course record last recorded in 2022, winning the 26.2-mile race in 2 hours, 13 minutes and 18 seconds. His previous best on the course was 2:16:41.
“Yes sir,” he said of the record.
What made the result even better, though, was the fact that Whelan had his worst performance last year, finishing sixth in 2:22. It was a moment that prompted a complete 180 from the New Yorker. In fact, he went on to run a career best of 2:09 in December at the California International Marathon. In 2025, he was among the 30 best marathoners in the U.S.
“Last year, I was really in a rut. I was trying to do everything,” he said. “I was trying to be the best I could be at work, the best I could be at running, the best I could be as a husband. And like, I was bleeding everything out. And then I came back from this race and after doing terrible, I said to myself, ‘I’m sick of being mediocre. I need a change.’ The change was quitting my job. I can make this work. I believe in me. My wife believes in me. Let’s do it.”
Whelan’s heater continued on Sunday, with his fifth sub-2:15 performance since April 2025. And it now begged the question: Was this the result that might finally net Whelan a sponsorship deal (he races in gear provided by Puma, though he is not on contract with the brand)?
“I’m not just sure what I want to do necessarily, but all I have to worry about is running fast,” he said. “I’m one year into this project, and I’m doing it for about two more years. I’ll squeeze everything I got out of myself. I don’t necessarily need money to do that. I’ll make it work.”
Breaking Down The 2026 Austin Marathon
Whelan’s effort highlighted a day that saw thousands flood the street in Austin, making the marathon its biggest in years—reportedly around 30,000 runners spread across the marathon, half marathon and 5K.
Barno nearly snuck under the former course record, too, just missing it by three seconds in 2:14:27.
Benard Rotich was third in 2:23:34, while the first Austinite to cross the marathon finish line was Sean Handel in 2:24:33. Next was Kyle, Texas resident Justin Botello, who was fifth in 2:27:20.
“Austin has such a powerful community around it,” Handel said.
Whelan wasn’t the only record-setter on the day.
“I said to myself, ‘I’m sick of being mediocre. I need a change.’”
Kellyn Taylor, a resident of Flagstaff, Arizona, won the 2026 Austin Marathon. Photo Credit: Cory Mull/Austin Fit Magazine.
A Record-Setting Women’s Race At The 2026 Austin Marathon
In the women’s race, Flagstaff, Arizona resident Kellyn Taylor, an elite marathoner since 2015 with a personal best time of 2:24, glided into the finish line with a new women’s mark in 2:33:29.
What’s crazier is that she wasn’t planning on it.
“It was kind of a weird day,” said Taylor, who is targeting a March marathon in Los Angeles to drive toward another sub-2:30. “I was using this race kind of as a workout. It’s good to be able to come out here, get the effort that I wanted and setting a course record is always a good day.”
Taylor’s steady fitness left behind runner-up Sarah Jackson, who finished second in 2:46:12. The former winner in 2020 last ran the marathon in 2023, but was coming off her most successful season in 2025, clocking a personal best of 2:38 last April.
Sunday wasn’t exactly what she envisioned. She spent large chunks on the course by herself.
But she said she was never going to give up.
“I always love doing this race,” Jackson said. “No matter what the outcome is, I’m really happy with the performance, given the heat, hills and wind.”
Whelan couldn’t agree more.
“Just crossing the line and being able to enjoy it,” he said. “So many times after races, it sucks. You’re down on all fours. There aren’t very many times you can celebrate what you’ve done. I’ve run this course five times now. That hill is the worst it’s ever felt. It’s brutal. But I’m still here.”
Griffin Neal, a recent graduate of the University of Incarnate Word, won the Austin Half Marathon on Sunday in 1:06. Photo Credit: Cory Mull/Austin Fit Magazine
Truett Hanes, a viral social media star who runs marathons in blue jeans, finished 11th in 2:37:05 on Sunday. Photo Credit: Cory Mull/Austin Fit Magazine
Success At The 13.1 Distance
In the half marathon, Griffin Neal, a Wimberley native and recent graduate of the University of Incarnate Word who moved to Austin within the past year, won in 1:06:04.
Next was David Fuentes, a three-time US Olympic Trials marathon qualifier and South Austin resident, in 1:06:59, followed by college student Caleb Hershey, who was third in 1:08:48.
Last year’s men’s winner, Mitch Ammons, was fourth in 1:09:25. “I always make this a part of my year,” he said.
In the women’s half marathon, local Mina Glenesk took the tape in 1:19:50, followed by Utah resident Tatum Smith in 1:21:05 and Colorado resident Katherine Deegan in 1:21:50.
Men’s Marathon Top 10
- Joey Whelan, 2:13:18
- Elisha Barno, 2:14:27
- Benard Rotich, 2:23:34
- Sean Handel, 2:24:33
- Justin Botello, 2:27:20
- Bradley Makuvire, 2:30:29
- Lowell Hensgen, 2:34:10
- Maxwell Jolliffe, 2:34:56
- Zane Musgrave, 2:35:14
- Allen Bishop, 2:35:31
Women’s Marathon Top 10
- Kellyn Taylor, 2:33:29
- Sarah Jackson, 2:46:12
- Joy Jiang, 2:50:23
- Emily Sharp, 2:59:08
- Kate Llorente, 2:54:46
- Emily Sharp, 2:59:08
- Jess Chaffee, 3:03:40
- Tierney Porfirio, 3:05:12
- Samantha Stieve, 3:06:52
- Kelley Moyer, 3:07:15
Men’s Half Marathon Top 10
- Griffin Neal, 1:06:04
- David Fuentes, 1:06:59
- Caleb Hershey, 1:08:48
- Mitch Ammons, 1:09:25
- Oscar Acosta, 1:10:32
- Ryan Wojdyla, 1:11:34
- Shane Kelliher, 1:12:01
- Carlos Zervigon, 1:12:06
- Keegan Calmes, 1:12:29
- Carter Campbell, 1:13:51
Women’s Half Marathon Top 10
- Mina Glenesk, 1:19:50
- Tatum Smith, 1:21:05
- Katherine Deegan, 1:21:50
- Emma Lopez, 1:22:02
- Isabella de Lea Villanueva, 1:22:10
- Christine Ramsey-Hardy, 1:23:32
- Holly Moser, 1:24:19
- Brooke Riedy, 1:25:09
- Michelle Murray, 1:25:36
- Kaitlyn Benton, 1:26:56
Griffin Neal drapes the American flag over his shoulders after winning the Austin Half Marathon. Photo Credit: Cory Mull/Austin Fit Magazine
