Knoxville Marathon Sees Record Finishes Amid Rainy Conditions

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The 2025 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon witnessed remarkable performances as thousands of runners participated in various events over the weekend, despite rain-soaked conditions.

Gina Rouse, 45, from Knoxville, secured her fifth women’s title with a time of 2 hours, 54 minutes, and 34 seconds. Rouse’s latest victory adds to her legacy of dominance in the event, having previously won the women’s race four consecutive years. “Knoxville’s community came out today,” Rouse told WATE. “I felt all of the love on the streets. Just tried to do my best to bring it home.”

In second place for the women’s marathon was Abby Carter, 23, from Westfield, Indiana, finishing in 3:10:39. Rouse described the race’s second half as particularly challenging: “I will say I forgot how hard it feels. The pain just comes on, and your muscles cramp up. It’s a bit warm.”

The men’s marathon saw newcomer Alec Sandusky, 27, of Cincinnati, claim victory in his first attempt, finishing with a time of 2:21:31. Nick Regas, 25, from Nashville, followed in second at 2:26:17. “I felt good,” Sandusky said post-race. “It was fun. I can’t say anything else. Nice hilly course, but we’ll take it.”

The marathon, now in its 21st year, began Saturday morning with a series of children’s runs, relay races, and the 5K event. Organizers reported that over 6,500 runners participated during the marathon weekend, which showcased an array of races including a half marathon and team relays.

On the men’s half marathon side, Chase Bulten, 27, from Campbellsville, Kentucky, finished first in 1:12:02. Following closely behind was Alan Carreno, 34, from Las Vegas, finishing at 1:12:48. Amanda Martin, 28, from Knoxville, secured the top spot in the women’s half marathon with a time of 1:18:56, while Brooke Dixon, 21, from Brownsburg, Indiana, came in second at 1:20:29.

The event took place with temperatures hovering in the low 60s, and runners navigated through rain and puddles en route to the finish line at World’s Fair Park. As part of their participation, half marathon finishers received commemorative jackets and qualified for the 2025 Boston Marathon.

Further highlighting the competitive landscape, Alan Horton, 44, and Kathy Wolski, 59, both from Knoxville, captured the men’s and women’s 5K titles respectively, clocking in at 17:34 and 20:06. The weekend also involved road closures to facilitate events, with police assisting to ensure safety for all participants.

Phil Kaplan, sports director for the South Region of the USA TODAY Network, remarked on the event’s organization and the vibrant community atmosphere present throughout the weekend.