Kids cheer mom on as she sets an American record

The Houston Marathon and Half-Marathon on Sunday belonged to two 30-something moms, who set American records in the event, writes

Cindy Boren of The Washington Post.

Keira D’Amato shaved 24 seconds from

Deena Kastor’s nearly 16-yearold American record in winning the marathon and Sara Hall shattered Molly Huddle’s 4-year-old American record in finishing second in the half-marathon.

“Part of me just can’t believe this is happening,” D’Amato (pictured) told Houston’s ABC affiliate after hugging her children, Tommy and

Quin. “The other part is, like, ‘This is happening because you worked your tail off, Keira.’ Dreams come true, you know?”

Seven-year-old Tommy had cheered his mom with a sign that read, “Your #1 in my heart,” and told the ABC affiliate, “It’s kind of like mom’s famous and it’s cool to have a famous mother or father.” Quin held a sign that read, “GO MOMMY GO, GO MOMMY GO, GO MOMMY GO.”

D’Amato finished in 2 hours, 19 minutes and 12 seconds, lowering Kastor’s 2:19:36 from her victory in the April 2006 London Marathon. D’Amato returned to elite running in 2019 after taking time for marriage, the arrival of two children and establishing a realty career.

Maggie Montoya, an Olympic hopeful who returned to running after being present during the 2021 Boulder, Colo., shooting, was second in 2:29:08 in her marathon debut. Roberta Groner was third in 2:32:02.

“I keep checking it to make sure that that’s what I ran,” D’Amato said. “I just can’t believe it. I’m really tired but I’m really, really happy … I just feel like dreams come true, you know?”

And in the half-marathon, Hall, 38, ran a 1:07:15, good for second and breaking Huddle’s record on the same Houston course on which her husband, Ryan Hall, set the American men’s half-marathon record 15 years ago. Kenya’s

Victory Chepngeno won in 1:05:03 and South Africa’s Dominique Scott was third in 1:07:32.

For D’Amato, 37, the record came after a disappointing spring in which a flare-up from a chronic hamstring injury that kept her from the U.S. Olympic trials in the marathon and 10,000 meters.

“I had to pull out of the trials when I thought I had a legit shot at making the (Olympic) team. I let myself be sad … I gave myself 72 hours and I was just sad and pissed. I mourned the loss of another goal,” she told Women’s Running in December.