Iowa's Kassie Parker Wins Half Marathon as State Runners Dominate

Iowa's distance running tradition flexed its muscle at the 50th Grandma's Marathon weekend in Duluth, Minnesota, with Waverly resident Kassie Parker leading the charge. Parker captured the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon title on Saturday, June 20, knocking six seconds off her personal best with a time of 1:10:16. The 26-year-old Crown Running athlete won by nearly 80 seconds and now owns the ninth-fastest time in the race's history.

How did Kassie Parker continue her dominant 2026 season?

Parker, a seven-time NCAA champion at Loras College and Clayton Ridge prep graduate, has been on a tear this year. Her Duluth victory came just two weeks after she claimed her first USATF 4 Mile title in Peoria, Illinois. Back on May 3, she became the first American woman to win the Lilac Bloomsday Run 12K in Spokane, Washington, since Colleen De Reuck in 2002. Parker currently ranks second in the USATF Running Circuit standings, solidifying her status as one of America's top distance runners.

Which Iowa-connected runners excelled in the Grandma's Marathon?

The featured marathon from Two Harbors to Duluth featured strong performances from athletes with Iowa ties. Sammy Rotich, 39, a past Dam to Dam and IMT Des Moines Marathon winner who previously lived in the Des Moines metro, finished fourth overall in 2:13:04. Former Spirit Lake and Northwestern College star Will Norris, 31, took fifth in 2:13:08. Norris, who won the 2025 Twin Cities Marathon, now lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Sioux City North graduate Merga Gemeda, 26, made a strong marathon debut with a 12th-place finish in 2:15:12. Former Cornell College athlete Aaron Davidson, 26, set a new personal best of 2:16:02 for 17th place. Former Johnston resident Stan Linton, 32, also posted a new best at 2:18:06 for 23rd place.

Former Morningside University All-American Garret Ehlers, 34, of Sioux City finished 46th in 2:24:46. Ehlers serves as an assistant coach with the Mustangs. Former Johnston and Luther College runner Malachi Thompson, 24, debuted at 2:27:04 for 53rd. Runablaze Iowa athlete Max Hand, 24, of West Des Moines finished 55th.

Adam Bohach breaks Iowa masters marathon record again

Runablaze teammate Adam Bohach, 41, trimmed 10 seconds off his own Iowa all-time masters marathon record. The South Winneshiek and Luther College graduate ran 2:28:01 for 59th place, breaking his previous record set at the 2025 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. Bohach resides in rural Cresco.

Other notable Iowa-connected finishers included Running Wild Elite's Cade Baker, 25, of Tiffin with a new best of 2:29:34; Tom Altier, 26, of Minneapolis at 2:30:07; former Simpson College NCAA champion Spencer Moon, 25, of South Central Calhoun at 2:30:32; and former Mount Mercy runner Jacob Blackmon, 28, of Cedar Rapids at 2:38:02.

Who were the top Iowa women in the marathon?

Former Pella High and Central College standout Caroline McMartin, 24, was the top Iowan in the women's field. The Driftless Distance Project runner, now in Iowa City, ran 2:45:08 in her debut marathon. Sami Corman, 25, of Iowa City finished 31st in 2:46:52, and Melanie Hamilt, 31, of Iowa City set a big personal best of 2:47:11 for 33rd.

Former Sioux Center and Dordt University athlete Jen Van Otterloo, 40, set the No. 2 time for Iowa masters women at 2:47:37 for 35th place. Teammate Pasca Cheruiyot, the 2014 Grandma's Marathon winner, finished 42nd in 2:49:58. Crown Running's Casey McDermott, 37, a Newton and Drake University alum, was 44th in 2:50:23. Drake University record holder Emma Huston, 31, finished 67th in 2:56:09. Runblaze's Camryn Pacholski, 26, of Dubuque established a big best of 3:00:34 for 86th.

Mason Tope leads Iowa men in the half marathon

Former Davenport Central and Loras standout Mason Tope, 30, was the top Iowa native in the men's half marathon results. The Flagstaff, Arizona, resident ran 1:05:41 for 12th overall. Former Wartburg College and Liberty High runner Jack Kinzer, 23, of Waverly finished 20th in 1:07:10. Former Wartburg and Cedar Falls High athlete Michael Goodenbour, 23, also of Waverly, took 25th in 1:07:49.

Other Iowa-connected half marathon finishers included former Grand View University standout Trevor Albert, 27, of Marion at 1:08:05; Runablaze's Tyler Lance, 30, of Algona at 1:08:25; Wartburg senior-to-be Caden Kueker at 1:10:25; and Pleasant Valley grad Parker Huhn, 25, at 1:10:29.

On the women's side, ex-Marion and Iowa competitor Madeline Block, 26, finished 17th in 1:19:03. Flannery Cerbin-Bohach, 39, of rural Cresco took 25th in 1:21:25.

Phil Young wins inaugural Night Run Des Moines 10K

The Night Run Des Moines, created by the Riproar group behind Dam to DSM, made its debut on Saturday, June 20. Runablaze athlete Phil Young, 40, who owns the Fleet Feet stores in Des Moines and Davenport, captured the 10K victory in 32:14.06. Zachary Niederklopfer, 22, of Ankeny was runner-up in 34:33.22, and Ray Quiroz, 32, of Des Moines took third in 35:29.70.

In the women's mile, former New London and Wartburg standout Lexi Brown, 23, of Waverly held off former Southeast Warren runner Elise Wieland, 25, of Des Moines by 1.52 seconds. Brown ran 5:24.19 to Wieland's 5:25.73. Former Loras athlete Hannah Weiss, now an assistant coach at Drake, was third in 5:30.31.

Wartburg sophomore-to-be Luke Hagenberg, a Des Moines Christian product, won the men's mile in 4:28.48. Former Iowa Central runner Karim Achengli Benmouais, 33, of Urbandale took second, and teammate Tyson Wieland, 30, of Des Moines finished third in 4:42.23.

Iowa State women make history at NCAA Championships

The Iowa State women recorded their best team finish at any NCAA Championship in program history, taking sixth overall with 30 points. Freshman Mercyline Kirwa led the charge with an upset win in the 10,000 meters in 31:54.88 and a runner-up finish in the 5,000 in a personal best of 15:13.72. Kirwa's 18 points ties for the most individual points by any Cyclone woman at the event.

Fellow freshman Betty Kipkore added fourth-place finishes in both the 10,000 and 5,000 finals. It marked the first time the Iowa State women cracked the top 10 outdoors since 2010. Kirwa was named USTFCCCA Midwest Region Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, and coach Jeremy Sudbury earned Midwest Region Women's Coach of the Year.

Iowa junior Luke Knepp, a Pleasant Valley product, finished 22nd in the semifinal round of the 3,000 steeplechase. Iowa director of track and field Joey Woody praised Knepp's season.