Sara Hall (née Bei; born April 15, 1983) is a professional American distance runner. She won the 3000-meter steeplechase at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico representing the United States.[1] Hall's personal best time for the marathon is 2:20:32 set at the Marathon Project in Chandler, Arizona on December 22, 2020, making her the third-fastest American woman in history.[2][3] She is the second-fastest American woman ever to run the half marathon, running 1:07:15 on January 16, 2022–an American record at the time.[4]

Sara Hall
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (1983-04-15) April 15, 1983 (age 41)
Santa Rosa, California
AgentJosh Cox
Height5 ft 4 in (163 cm)
Sport
Country United States
SportWomen's athletics
ClubAsics
Teamformerly Stanford University
Turned pro2005
Coached byRyan Hall
Achievements and titles
Personal bests
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2011 Guadalajara 3000 m s'chase
World Marathon Majors
Silver medal – second place 2020 London Marathon
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Chicago Marathon

Hall has won several notable mile road races including the Drake Relays Grand Blue Mile and the US National Road Mile Championships.[5][6] She also has won prestigious 1500 meter titles including one at the Millrose Games.[7] She is a two time world team member for the United States at the world indoor track and field championships. Her best finish came in 2006 when she finished 12th in the finals of the 3000 meters at the 11th IAAF World Indoor championships. She was also a member of the 2006 and 2015 United States world cross country championship team.

Hall won the 2012 American title at the USA Cross Country Championships, edging Molly Huddle at the line.[8]

Early life and high school edit

Hall was born in Santa Rosa, California and competed for Montgomery High School, and was the first California athlete ever to win four state cross country titles. At the CIF California State Meet, she also earned three state track titles in the 1600 and 3200 meters and won the Footlocker National High School Cross Country Championships in 2000.

College edit

Hall was a three-time NCAA track and field runner-up in the 5000 meters and indoor 3000 meters, and a 7-time All-American, competing for Stanford University. In 2003, she finished 3rd at the NCAA Women's Cross Country Championship, leading Stanford to a team title. As a college athlete, she competed in the finals of the United States Olympic trials in the 5000 meters.

Career edit

2015

On March 15, 2015, Hall made her marathon debut at the Los Angeles Marathon and battled through cramps, finishing 22nd with a time of 2:48:02 (6:25 minutes/mile).[9][10][11][12]

On March 28, 2015, Hall led the USA Team with 20th place 2015 IAAF World Cross Country Championships – Senior women's race after placing 5th at the 2015 USA Cross Country Championships in Boulder.[13]

Hall finished 10th at 2015 Chicago marathon in 2:31:14, running an Olympic Standard time.[14]

2016

Hall improved her marathon best with 2:30:06 on April 24, 2016, finishing 12th at the 2016 London Marathon.[15]

2017

On February 26, 2017, Hall again improved her marathon best with a 2:28:26 sixth-place performance at the 2017 Tokyo Marathon. [16]

On October 1, 2017, Hall won the Women's US 10-mile road championship in the Twin Cities, in 53:43, 2 seconds ahead of Natosha Rogers.[17] She narrowly lost the equalizer competition male winner Shadrack Kipchirchir. Still, later, it was discovered the women were supposed to be given a 6:18 lead while they were given 6:10, so both runners were given the $10,000.[18]

On October 29, 2017, Hall again improved her marathon best with a 2:27:21 fifth-place performance at the 2017 Mainova Frankfurt Marathon.[19]

On December 3, 2017, Hall won the Women's U.S. Marathon in California at 2017 California International Marathon in 2:28:10.[20]

2018

On May 27, Hall was third in the 2018 Ottawa Marathon in 2:26:19.[21]

In July 2018, she placed 3rd at the Women's US 10 km road championship at the Peachtree 10K in 32:41.

On September 3, 2018, she won the Women's US 20 km road championship at Faxon Law New Haven Road Race 20 km in New Haven, Connecticut in 1:09:04.

On October 7, 2018, Hall won the Women's US 10-mile road championship in the Twin Cities in 52:47, repeating her 2017 victory and edging out Molly Huddle by 1 second.[22]

2019

On September 29, 2019, Hall finished fifth in the Berlin Marathon, finishing in a personal best time of 2:22:16.[23]

Just one week later, on October 6, 2019, she won the USATF 10-mile championships for the third time in a row in a time of 53:11.[24]

2020

On October 4, 2020, Hall finished 2nd in 2:22:01 at the 2020 London Marathon behind Brigid Kosgei. [25]

On December 20, 2020, Hall finished first at the Marathon Project in a personal best 2:20:32 in Chandler, Arizona, running with male pacers with the goal of breaking the US record, missing Deena Kastor's 2:19:36 record by just under one minute.[26][27]

2021

On October 10, 2021, Hall finished third at the Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:27:19.[28]

2022

On January 16, 2022, Hall broke the American record in the half marathon at the Houston Half Marathon, finishing in 1:07:15 to lower the previous American record set by Molly Huddle in 2018 by ten seconds.[29] New record was set by Emily Sisson finishing in 1:07:11 on 7 May 2022 on USATF.[30]

On March 6, 2022, Hall finished eighth at the Tokyo Marathon with a time of 2:22:56.[31]

On July 18, 2022, Hall finished fifth at 2022 World Athletics Championships in the marathon with a time of 2:22:10.[32]

2023

On April 17, 2023, Hall finished seventeenth at the 2023 Boston Marathon with a record master's time of 2:25:48 (2 days after her 40th birthday.).[33]

2024

On February 3, 2024, Hall finished fifth at the 2024 United States Olympic trials (marathon) with an American master's record time of 2:26:06.[34]

On April 15, 2024, Hall ran the 2024 Boston Marathon, finishing in 2:27:58 the second American woman finisher, and 15th overall.[35]


Personal life edit

Hall has been married to U.S. Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall since 2005. The two met at Stanford, where they both competed collegiately. In 2009, they formed the Hall Steps Foundation to empower the running community to use the energy and resources that fuel runners' athletic achievements for social justice efforts. Both are committed Christians.[36] The couple adopted four sisters in 2015.[37]

 
Ryan and Sara Hall

References edit

  1. ^ "Athletics Results Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final". Info.guadalajara2011.org.mx. Retrieved 2011-12-22.
  2. ^ "Sara Hall's Race Results". The Marathon Project. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  3. ^ Butler, Sarah Lorge (20 December 2020). "Sara Hall Runs the Second-Fastest Marathon in American History at The Marathon Project". Runner's World. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Sarah Hall Breaks American Record in Half Marathon with 67:15 in Houston". letsrun.com. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Drake Relays: Alan Webb, Sara Hall win Grand Blue Mile". Chris Nickinson. Retrieved 7 Apr 2016.
  6. ^ "USA Track & Field - Torrence makes it three in a row; Hall takes women's title at USA 1 Mile Road Championships". Usatf.org. 2011-12-05. Retrieved 2011-12-22.
  7. ^ "USA Track & Field - New champions crowned at 104th Millrose Games". Usatf.org. 2011-01-28. Retrieved 2011-12-22.
  8. ^ Estes, Jim (2012-02-12). Hall and Mack take USA XC titles. IAAF. Retrieved on 2012-02-12.
  9. ^ Runner's World – March 12, 2015 – Sara Hall Makes Her Marathon Debut Sunday in Los Angeles
  10. ^ 2015 Los Angeles Marathon results
  11. ^ Sara Hall Twitter – March 15, 2015 1:00pm
  12. ^ My Debut Marathon by Sara Hall
  13. ^ http://www.legacy.usatf.org/usatf/files/f9/f993f31b-b8d1-433e-95ec-388afaf1b486.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  14. ^ "Florence Kiplagat Pulls Away Late to Win Chicago Marathon". Runner's World. 11 October 2015. Retrieved 2015-10-11.
  15. ^ 2016 London Marathon Results
  16. ^ 2017 Tokyo Marathon Results
  17. ^ "2017 Medtronic TC 10 Mile - USA Women's Championships Race Results".
  18. ^ "TC 10 Mile women's winner gets added $10,000 - StarTribune.com". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 2018-10-10. Retrieved 2018-10-09.
  19. ^ 2017 Frankfurt Marathon Results
  20. ^ Sara Hall, Tim Ritchie win USATF Marathon Championships at CIM FloTrack. 2017 December.
  21. ^ "Results 2018: Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend". 28 May 2018.
  22. ^ "2018 Medtronic TC 10 Mile - USA Women's Championships Race Results".
  23. ^ "Results: BMW Berlin Marathon 2019 | Watch Athletics".
  24. ^ "USATF 10 Mile Championships presented by Toyota - Official Website - News - 2019 Live Updates / Results - USATF 10 Mile Championships".
  25. ^ "Shura Kitata upsets Eliud Kipchoge to win London Marathon, USA's Sara Hall finishes second in women's race". USA Today.
  26. ^ "Athlinks".
  27. ^ "Sara Hall runs second-fastest marathon ever by American woman". 20 December 2020.
  28. ^ Kuzma, Cindy; Canter, Bette (10 October 2021). "Emma Bates Finishes Second in Chicago for Her First World Major Marathon Podium". Runner's World. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  29. ^ "Keira D'Amato breaks American women's marathon record". OlympicTalk. NBC Sports. 16 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  30. ^ "Sisson Breaks American Record at the USATF Half Marathon Championships". Runnerspace. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  31. ^ "2022 Tokyo Marathon results". Olympic Talk. NBC Sports. 5 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2022.
  32. ^ 2022 World Athletics Championships Women's Marathon Results World Athletics
  33. ^ Americans Led By Emma Bates at the 2023 Boston Marathon
  34. ^ U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Marathon Orlando, FL (USA) World Athletics
  35. ^ [1]
  36. ^ "Sharing the Victory Magazine - vsItemDisplay". Archived from the original on 2011-01-06. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
  37. ^ Ryan and Sara Hall Adopt 4 Ethiopian Sisters Competitor.com

External links edit