Congratulations to Billie and Kevin Kirk on Baby Cooper’s arrival! Kevin grew up in Yerington, Nevada, and his parents & sister (Bob, Jerri & Kami Kirk) are still here! Billie & Kevin met, fell in love and married while running on teams in college. Their baby, Cooper, was born on Saturday, July 19th. 5 days later, Coop’s father was running a half-marathon.
“Kevin Kirk…wins Deseret News Half Marathon”
By Amy Donaldson on Thursday, July 24, 2025
Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah
The night before a race, most runners are concerned about carb loading, logistics and getting enough sleep.
But on Wednesday night before he won Thursday’s Deseret News Half Marathon, 25-year-old Kevin Kirk was debating whether he should race at all — or spend the morning in a waiting room at McKay Dee Hospital.
Kirk’s first child was born on Saturday, but little Cooper Kirk was four weeks premature so he spent the first week of his life in the neonatal intensive care unit. His parents didn’t even get to hold him until the day before the Pioneer Day race.
“It was kind of tricky because he has a bunch of stuff on his head for an EKG and stuff,” Kirk said, admitting he probably wouldn’t have raced Thursday if it wasn’t for his wife, Billie Hatch Kirk.
“Last night we were sitting there, and he’s in the NICU right now so there’s not a lot we can do,” Kirk said. “He had an MRI this morning, but my wife said, ‘I think you should go race.’ We made a game time decision.”
Kirk ended up winning the race with a time of 1:02:24, with Jordan Cross, 31, finishing close behind at 1:02:29. In third place was 18-year-old Benjamin Crane, who had a finish time of 1:03:00.
Kirk’s first ‘shout out’ after he finished was his six-day old son.
“Cooper, you’re a tough little guy,” he said. “Shout out to my amazing wife for letting me come and race today.”
He said Cooper’s early entrance into the world made for a “rough start.”
“His heart rate dropped, and he had to be put on a cooling pad,” Kirk said. “And so for me, it was like, if he can fight that way, I can fight through an hour worth of running.”
Kirk enjoyed the race, but he was looking forward to getting a shower and joining his wife at the hospital.
“It’s definitely been a little bit tough,” he said. “It’s been really hard on us just not being able to hold him.”
Kirk won the half marathon last year, and his wife won the women’s race two years ago.
“We can’t see him while he’s in the MRI,” Kirk said of his and his wife’s newborn, “so essentially we can go see him around 10 a.m., and that’s the reason we made the call. She said, ‘We’re either just going to be sleeping, or you can go maybe win some money.’”
As Kirk was heading out the door, his wife gave him a bit more motivation to win.
“She said if I win any money, we’re taking a trip to Target for some shopping,” he said smiling. “So I guess we’ll be going to Target later.”
Kirk had one more shout out, this one to his training group — OT-Quties.
“It’s been amazing to run with those guys,” he said. “There is definitely an individual side to running, but also, it does come down to the people that you surround yourself with.
“Surround yourself with the best people, and you’ll rise to the occasion.”
Kevin Kirk crosses the finish line as he wins the men’s category of the Deseret News Half Marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Thursday, July 24, 2025. | Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News.
Photo shared by Jerri Kirk.
Complete article:
https://www.deseret.com/sports/2025/07/24/deseret-news-half-marathon-results
More Stories
Proprietor of Deeply Rooted Farms Taylor Thomas Recognized by USLGA
The Studio 42 Dance Team, Choreographers/Instructors, Costume Designers – Bring Home the GOLD!
Introducing: The Yerington Main Street Park and Visitors Information Center !