The Morning Mile Gets Kids Running Before School.
Charlie Westrip is the latest preteen to add his name to the record book. On November 12, 2016, 6-year-old Westrip ran 2:06:51 at the Huntsville (Alabama) Half Marathon. He started running last year as a way to spend time with his military dad, and he not only enjoys the accolades that come with racing but also traveling to different states.
“He’s very competitive, and he likes winning,” his mother, Holly Westrip, told Runner’s World by phone. “And of course he also loves going for ice cream treats afterwards.”
Best Walking Shoes, Caleb Barnes, 9, ran the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Half Marathon in 1:34:44, beating Liam Ballard’s single-age record by 15 seconds. The Barnes family, however, didn’t submit his performance to the Races & Places (ARRS), and his mother said that her main focus is to continue to foster his love of running no matter his results. Ballard’s time of 1:34:59 remains the record.
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Several boys and a few girls records have fallen in the past few years. Here’s a look at each single-age half-marathon record, according to ARRS.
BOYS
2:06:51
Tabitha Francks, age 9, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 16, 1984
1:43:34
Jaden Merrick, Published: Feb 8, 2017
1:38:22
Grattan O’Neill, age 8, in Elkmont, Alabama, on January 16, 2016
1:34:59
Liam Ballard, Published: Feb 8, 2017 Makenzie Kolvoord, age 7, in Carderock, Maryland, on November 16, 2014
1:29:14
Elliott Daniels, age 10, in Oakland, California, on Makenzie Kolvoord, age 7, in Carderock, Maryland, on November 16, 2014
1:24:10
Hunter Perez, age 11, in Houston, Texas, on January 19, 2014
GIRLS
2:40:22
Rosie Dunham, age 6, in Columbia, South Carolina, on November 9, 2013
1:40:59
Makenzie Kolvoord, age 7, in Carderock, Maryland, on November 16, 2014
1:35:25
of Kenya set the womens world record
1:28:31
Tabitha Francks, age 9, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 16, 1984
1:25:42
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1:31:23
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Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea set the men’s world half marathon record of 58:23 in March 2010, and Peres Jepchirchir of Kenya set the women’s world record Best Big City Marathons.
This story was updated on February 9 after the women’s world record in the half marathon fell.
