Three Weeks Before Trials, Galen Rupp Wins Mesa Half In 61:19
Three Weeks Before Trials, Galen Rupp Wins Mesa Half In 61:19
Galen Rupp ran his first race on Saturday since his DNF at the 2019 Chicago Marathon.
With just three weeks to go until the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in Atlanta, defending champion Galen Rupp has once again established himself as the man to beat after running 61:19 on Saturday to win the 2020 Sprouts Mesa Half Marathon in Mesa, Arizona.
Galen Rupp makes a successful return with a 61:19 half marathon win today in Mesa, AZ. The 33-year-old's first race since DNF in Chicago last October pic.twitter.com/BMuoMJ1O2R
— FloTrack (@FloTrack) February 8, 2020
Rupp, 33, ran his first race since dropping out of the 2019 Chicago Marathon last October. A calf strain forced him to cut that race short at 23 miles, and considering that that race marked his return from a year-long injury absence, Rupp’s health has been a question mark over the last few months.
But today’s run is a strong sign that the 2:06 marathoner is trending in the right direction heading into Atlanta. Saturday was also Rupp's first race under the tutelage of new coach Mike Smith.