Nelson, Kipchumba set to run at second NAIA Marathon Classic

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Just two weeks after the conclusion of their cross country seasons, Madison Nelson and Griffin Kipchumba will line up for the second annual NAIA Marathon Classic on Dec. 8. The event will be held in conjunction with the California International Marathon in Sacramento and serves as the NAIA's unofficial marathon championship. The marathon is currently classified as an emerging sport by the NAIA.

Nelson is fresh from her third All-American performance at the NAIA Cross Country Championship held in Columbia, Mo., on Nov. 22. She placed 30th this year after finishes of 27th and 31st in the two previous championships. She is also a three-time NSAA cross country champion. In the 2023 edition of the Marathon Classic, Nelson placed third among NAIA athletes as she ran 3:00:15 for the full 26.2 miles.

Kipchumba was a member of this fall's first-ever NSAA men's cross country championship team for the Bruins and competed at the NAIA championships in Columbia, too. This will be Kipchumba's first attempt at the marathon distance.

The Marathon Classic is being held as a stand-alone event for the second time this year. A group of NAIA coaches spearheaded the effort to keep the marathon alive as an opportunity for NAIA student-athletes and found a partner in the California International Marathon (CIM). The CIM offered one hundred starting spots in their established race, which will take place on December 8 in Sacramento. The race saw over 9,000 finishers in 2023.

Qualifications for the Classic took place from August 9-Nov 5 (12 weeks). Student-athletes who wanted to be considered for entry had to run an average of 40 miles per week during that 12-week training period. Secondly, during those 12 weeks of training, the student-athlete had to complete a minimum of two 2-hour runs to ensure that they were able to complete the 26.2-mile race. A total of 100 spots this year were allotted to the NAIA by the CIM, and they will be filled by 52 men and 48 women.

Coach Craig Christians shared his thoughts heading into the Classic: "Madison has some marathon experience now after running last year's event and has had an incredible training year. I know she's very excited about giving it another shot and I know that she's capable of running faster this year. Griffin will be making his marathon debut and he has trained well. I think he can have a successful debut. I really want them to have a positive experience. This is something they can do for the rest of their lives, and I think it's great that the NAIA provides this opportunity."