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2023 OKC Memorial Marathon: Al Maeder wins men's race; Kristi Coleman wins women's race

joe mussatto, oklahoman
·6 min read

Kristi Coleman and Al Maeder may have established a new formula for winning the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.

In 2022, Coleman won the women’s half marathon, and Maeder won the men’s half marathon. And a year later, on a serene Sunday morning, it was Coleman and Maeder finishing first again — this time in the full 26.2-mile marathon.

Maeder, averaging a five-minute and 33-second mile, clocked in at 2:25.14.

Coleman ran a time of 2:51.36 — four minutes ahead of second place and 20 minutes clear of third place.

Maeder and Coleman were among the thousands of participants in the 23rd running of the Memorial Marathon, honoring the lives affected by the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing.

“There are bigger races out there,” Maeder said, “but for me, I don’t think it gets better than Oklahoma City.”

More: They dance and cheer and do so much for Memorial Marathon. Meet the Gorilla Hill Bananas.

Coleman’s change of plans pays off

Coleman, a 37-year-old mom of three boys, registered to run in the half marathon. She was set to defend her title.

But eight days before the race, Coleman changed her mind. She backed out of the half marathon to enter the full marathon.

Turned out to be the right move.

“I didn’t fully collapse,” Coleman said, “so I do take that as a win.”

Coleman had run six full marathons, but she questioned herself after her late half-to-full switch leading up to the Oklahoma City race.

“Do I really want to do this?” she asked herself.

She did, but why?

“I feel like I wanted a challenge,” she said.

Coleman was aided by Jonathan Morris, her training buddy from Red Coyote.

“Super shoutout to him,” Coleman said. “He paced me. I didn’t look at my watch at all. He made sure I was good.”

And Coleman’s husband, Jason, was there with water whenever Coleman needed it.

Coleman, who lives in Yukon, grew up in Flower Mound, Texas. In high school, the 800-meter run was her race.

It makes her laugh, now.

A marathon is roughly 42,195 meters.

“I thought a mile was long,” Coleman said, “and now it’s like a joke. Now I couldn’t see myself running a 5K because that’s too short.”

More: Shoe geeks? Sneakerheads? The shoe culture is alive and well in OKC's running community

Kristi Coleman finishes first with a time of 2:51:36 during the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on Sunday.
Kristi Coleman finishes first with a time of 2:51:36 during the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on Sunday.

‘Big Meet Maeder’ 

That old nickname from his days at Norman High proved true Sunday — not in a track meet, but in a marathon.

For Maeder, his win on Sunday was all about redemption.

Maeder first participated in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in 2018. He had the lead before dropping out late in the race. He didn’t finish and had to be driven off the course.

“It was terrible,” Maeder said. “I was humbled. “I figured I didn’t know how to (run a) marathon.”

Maeder, 28, finished the full marathon in 2021 before winning the half marathon last year.

“I love the half, it’s probably more of my distance, but the marathon is the event,” Maeder said.

And winning it was on his bucket list.

“I had imagined that in my head every run, every day for a long time,” Maeder said.

That imagination is now reality for Maeder, who lives in Oklahoma City and works as a physical therapist in Midwest City.

Maeder didn’t overtake second-place finisher Ben Anderson until after the 20-mile mark.

“Don’t start racing until Mile 20,” Maeder told himself. “I saw them slowly coming back to me. It wasn’t even as much about speeding up as it was about me maintaining and letting them come back.”

It’s a lesson he learned from his disappointing result in 2018.

Maeder started to sniff victory around the 23-or 24-mile mark.

“And then it was just about holding on for dear life,” he said.

Maeder was overcome with a combination of excitement and relief after the race.

“Now I’ve been on both sides,” he said. “In some ways it makes it more rewarding … It makes the journey so, so sweet.”

More: Running is 'stronger than it's ever been' in the OKC metro thanks to OKC Memorial Marathon

Al Maeder wins with a time of 2:25:14 during the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on Sunday.
Al Maeder wins with a time of 2:25:14 during the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on Sunday.

OKC Memorial Marathon notes

● “Fabulous” is how Coleman described the running conditions Sunday. The runners faced a light headwind at the start, but the wind was at their backs in the closing kick down Classen Boulevard. It was 57 degrees and mostly sunny by 9 a.m., when Maeder crossed the finish line.

● Kristen Vaughan won the women’s half marathon with a time of 1:25:19. Ariana Allen and Jenna Woodward finished second and third.

● Andrew Leahey won the men’s half marathon with a time of 1:09:01. Aaron Sherf and Korey Larson finished second and third.

● Savannah Boucher and Ali Andrews finished second and third in the women’s marathon. Ben Anderson and Mark Thompson finished second and third in the men’s marathon.

● Steven Scalzo won the 26.2 mile-wheelchair marathon with a time of 1:32:34.

● Oklahoma Coaches Collective was the top relay team.

More: OKC Memorial Marathon guide: 26 things to know, see and love about race weekend

A runner shows off his medal at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on Sunday.
A runner shows off his medal at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon on Sunday.

OKC Memorial Marathon previous winners

2022

MEN: Bryant Keirns (2:24:52)

WOMEN: McKale Montgomery (2:45:07)

2021

MEN: Jose Pablo Salazar Ezquerra (02:28:56)

WOMEN: Layne Hammer (02:54:38)

2020

Virtual race due to pandemic. No official winners.

2019

MEN: David Rhodes (02:39:06)

WOMEN: Stephanie Andre (02:45:07)

2018

MEN: Nathan Chamer (02:28:56)

WOMEN: Kristen Radcliff (02:54:54)

2017

MEN: Arya Bahreini (02:29:15)

WOMEN: Catherine Lisle (02:56:10)

2016

MEN: Patrick Gomez (02:38:43)

WOMEN: Catherine Lisle

2015

MEN: Scott Downard (02:31:30)

WOMEN: Camille Herron (02:54:55)

2014

MEN: Jason Cook (02:42:29)

WOMEN: Camille Herron (02:51:20)

2013

MEN: Jake Buhler (02:26:13)

WOMEN: McKale Davis (02:53:30)

2012

MEN: Jake Buhler (02:27:30)

WOMEN: Camille Herron (02:45:13)

2011

MEN: Mindcaugas Pukstas (02:31:33)

WOMEN: Alaina Zanin (03:05:19)

2010

MEN: Josh Stewart (02:34:26)

WOMEN: Catherine Lisle (02:54:22)

2009

MEN: Jordan Kinley (02:27:19)

WOMEN: Catherine Odell (03:10:16)

2008

MEN: Nathan Adams (02:36:43)

WOMEN: Jennifer Graef (03:02:32)

2007

MEN: Niklas Kroehn (02:37:38)

WOMEN: Amanda Luksetich (03:13:11)

2006

MEN: Jerry Faulkner (2:36:03)

WOMEN: Sara Pizzochero (03:02:07)

2005

MEN: Matt Aguero (02:31:42)

WOMEN: Sara Pizzochero (03:05:09)

2004

MEN: Conor Holt (02:22:54)

WOMEN: Tracy Evans (03:13:55)

2003

MEN: Conor Holt (02:26:55)

WOMEN: Kristen Jett (03:15:44)

2002

MEN: Jesse Williams (02:39:36)

WOMEN: Shawna Doty-Myers (03:05:37)

2001

MEN: Peter Euler (02:37:12)

WOMEN: Kim Bricker (03:12:31)

More: Shelley Budke lost her husband, then her grandson. She'll run the OKC Memorial Marathon for them.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: 2023 OKC Memorial Marathon: Men's & women's race winners, results