Olympic XC Skiers Duel At Mount Marathon Race

Both runners put forth top-12 all-time performances.

Kikkan Randall and Holly Brooks, both Olympic cross-country teammates, dueled in one of Alaska’s toughest foot races on Monday. The 84th edition of the Mount Marathon Run pitted the two friends as rivals. In the end, it was Randall who prevailed, edging out Brooks with just a few hundred yards to go.

The race entails ascending and then descending the 3,022-foot Mount Marathon in Anchorage: a total of 7 miles roundtrip.

Both Randall and Brooks were so close to each other during the race that Brooks admitted afterwards they could have stepped on each other’s toes.

With the final two blocks to go, Randall made her move, gapping Brooks. Referring to Brooks’ pink headband that she wore in the race, Randall had this to say about the finish: “Just before the fire station, I decided, ‘OK, let’s make this exciting for the fans,’ and I put on a surge,” Randall said. “I kept waiting to see a pink headband next to me.”

Randall’s finishing time was 52:03, while Brooks clocked 52:22. Both athletes’ performances are in the top 12 all-time women’s times for the race.

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