Complete fields were announced Thursday for the Marathon Project, an elite marathon in Chandler on Dec. 20 created to fill a competitive void due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Eleven of the top 20 men’s finishers at the U.S. Olympic Trials in late February are entered in a field of 59, which could shrink some due to attrition.  

The women’s field, also at 59 for now, features six top-20 finishers from the trials and Sara Hall of Flagstaff, who ran a personal record 2:21.01 for second place at the London Marathon on Oct. 4. Several other runners who train in Flagstaff will compete.

Hall, who dropped out 22 miles into the Olympic Trials in what she calls the “biggest heartbreak of her career,” is well known for being a frequent racer. So tackling another marathon just 11 weeks after an elite-only race in London isn’t out of character.

“I was really excited to hear about the Marathon Project here in my home state,” she said. “I was fully focused on London, but I knew after we got through that we were already talking about what was next. Obviously as someone that races more than most, it’s been really hard for me (to be off most of the year). I can’t wait to toe the line again. It’s such a gift.”

Automatic entry was available to top-25 finishers at the Olympic Trials in Atlanta, U.S. citizens running under 2:13 (men) and 2:28 (women) since January 2017 and Americans finishing in the top 15 at a World Marathon Major in 2018 or 2019.

Men’s automatic qualifiers include Augustus Maiyo (fifth at the trials), Martin Hehir (sixth), CJ Albertson (seventh), Jonas Hampton (eighth), Colin Bennie (ninth), Matthew McDonald (10th), Scott Fauble (12th), Brendan Gregg (14th), Colin Mickow (15th), Josh Izewski (17th) and Scott Smith (19th). 

Fauble and Smith are from Flagstaff and train with Northern Arizona Elite, among the race organizers. 

The women’s automatic qualifiers include Hall, Stephanie Bruce (sixth at trials), Emma Bates (seventh), Kellyn Taylor (eighth), Julia Kohnen (10th), Keira D’Amato (15th) and Bethany Sachtleben (18th). 

Bruce and Taylor also are from Flagstaff and run for NAZ Elite. 

Organizers have set a goal of Marathon Project winners running sub 2:10 (men) and 2:24 (women). If achieved, those would be state record times. 

Fauble ran 2:09.09 at the 2019 Boston Marathon, good for seventh and the first American, and believes a fast time is possible on a 4.3-mile loop course on the Gila River Reservation near Rawhide Western Town.

“At a race like New York or Boston, everyone’s goal is to compete,” Fauble said. “At a race like Chicago or Berlin or London, the goal is to run fast. This will be more like a Chicago, Berlin, London. We saw it last year at Chicago that if you get a good critical mass of solid guys willing to share the lead, people can run really quick. I think we can get that same energy and can go faster than that. I hope to challenge my PR.”

Spectators will not be allowed due to COVID precautions, but there will be a virtual component to the event with details to be announced. 

More: Flagstaff’s Sara Hall runs PR for second place at London Marathon

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More: Elite marathon coming to Chandler on Dec. 20 to fill gap created by pandemic

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.

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