Men's Race: Zander-Velloso Seizes Rocket City in 2:28:25

• Winner: Vladimir Zander-Velloso, 25, Newnan, GA — 2:28:25 (5:40/mi), the fastest men's split from 10K to the half
• Defending champion returns: Andrew Taylor ran 2:29:33 to finish 2nd — one year after winning here in 2:28:10, he came within 1:08 of a repeat
• Biggest mover: Erick Kigen started 8th among men and climbed steadily to 3rd by the finish — 2:33:36 at 5:52/mi
• Closest battle: Dalton Linkus (7th, 2:37:09) and Jhason Smith (8th, 2:37:10) — one second apart across 26.2 miles in 29°F wind

In a sharp, cold morning in Huntsville — 29°F, winds at 16 mph — Vladimir Zander-Velloso ran the men's race with control and conviction. He entered the top three early, moved to the front by the half, and never relinquished it, averaging 5:40 per mile on his way to a 2:28:25 finish. His strongest statement came between 10K and the half, where he posted the fastest split of any man in the field during that stretch.

Andrew Taylor knew this course well. The 25-year-old from Lafayette, Indiana, had won here in 2024 in 2:28:10 and came back with legitimate title ambitions. He was 2nd through 10K, slipped to 3rd by mid-race, and rallied to finish 2nd in 2:29:33 — posting the 3rd-fastest 10K-to-half split among the men. He ran the second half faster than most, but Zander-Velloso had already built what proved to be an insurmountable cushion. Taylor also has history on the other end of the spectrum here: a 7th-place, 2:38:51 in 2023 makes this back-to-back podiums a genuine arc worth watching.

David Too, the 2023 champion in 2:27:40, led through 10K and held 2nd at the half — but faded to 4th by the finish in 2:34:44. He ran the 2nd-fastest 10K-to-half split in the men's field, so the pace was there early; it was the back half where Kigen's relentless climb (8th to 4th to 3rd) told the real story. Erick Kigen, 37, from Huntsville itself, closed in 2:33:36 to earn the local podium spot.

Further back, Tate Bowland (6th, 2:35:34) at just 20 years old was one of the youngest men near the front, while Josh Whitehead, 47, clocked 2:42:38 for 15th — a notable step back from his 2023 runner-up finish in 2:32:18, but a reminder of his consistent presence at this race. In a men's field of 915, the depth was real from top to bottom.