Kevin Kirk: Boston Marathon 2025 in His Own Words

A Mesmerizing Recap of 26 Miles from Marathoner Kevin Kirk

Everyone says you learn something new every marathon and in the three that I have done this holds true. I learned two main things: the energy of Boston is unlike anything I’ve ever felt while running and sometimes you swing for the fences and you end up with a base hit (big baseball guy now, went to Fenway once).

RACE MORNING: Woke up feeling really good, but not my normal nerves before the race a different kind of anxious energy, more excited than anything. Billie and I rode the orange line into the hotel where I would eventually get on the bus. We went into this room and then got walked out through all the volunteers and that’s when I first realized the energy of Marathon Monday was gonna be different than I had experienced. Most of the Utah squad was on my bus so that helped take some of the nerves away. We got to Hopkinton and sat in the pro tent for what felt like an eternity until we went and warmed up. Again I got to warm up with familiar faces keeping my nerves at bay.

RACE: Going in I knew this course could be tough just because of the amount of downhill, especially the first couple miles. I told Jake Heslington I’m not going out faster than 5:06 for the first couple miles. We then got to the start line (again electric) and saw how steep it was and I knew that probably wasn’t going to be the case. We start and instantly I’m in the back and I checked the watch I was going like 4:48 pace which I knew was too quick.

I started trying to find a group I could work with and it kind of put me in no man’s land. I worked my way into a group of 4 by the first mile. We were still rolling just under 5:00 which was still faster than I had wanted to go, but I’d rather have a group than not.

Around 5 miles I was alone besides the hundreds of thousands of fans lining the streets. I just kept in consistent through the next 8 miles. I felt so relaxed and was feeding off the energy. I was hyping up the crowds, high-fiving everyone, and giving thumbs up when they’d yell Kirk!

Mile 16 is when it started getting tough, as to be expected since that’s the start of the hills. We drove the course and I knew that most of them had really good downhills after the uphill, but I kind of just fell asleep during those and stayed running the same pace trying to recover.

At the base of heartbreak hill my government teacher from high school and her family were standing with a sign with my name on it! Super cool to see that, but I still wasn’t feeling the best. I knew coming off of heartbreak it was a lot of downhill so I was hoping I could the legs rolling again. I definitely could not. I got passed with 2 miles to go and tried to get a tow by him and have him pull me along for the last couple miles, that lasted for like 8 steps, haha.

I was doing math and now it was all about a pr. About a half mile to go the course drops under an over pass and you have to climb just a little out to turn right and then left on Boylston street. It is the only place on the entire course where it is quiet. I slowly climbed that little hill and as I came into sight it erupted. It was SO LOUD. I turned on Boylston street and I have never heard anything like that.

I still was in the pain cave so I didn’t take it in as much as I should have. I finished in 2:17:02 which is 29 secs off my pr, but honestly I was more grateful than anything.

As I started walking back to the hotel Clayton Young came over and we chatted for a minute gave him a hug told him how stoked I am for him and his hard work. Found Billie and chatted with her told her it was hard, and that I loved her.

I made it back to the hotel and I chugged a coke while getting a massage. Overall a great experience, I didn’t miss a bottle (also never practiced) I took more carbs than I ever have because of it. The bottle at 25k they had them reversed so instead of spot two I was spot 5, but I could see how the paper they gave us would be confusing, still snagged it and on we went.

Long story short felt amazing through 19 and then it got really tough. I wanted to run a big pr I know it’s in the cards, just caught up to me the last couple miles. The support from every one has been insane! From everyone back in Utah to everyone back in Nevada thank you for tuning in and for all the support!

“The @bostonmarathon was electric and unlike anything I’ve ever experienced while running. 2:17:02 for 33rd overall and 19th American.”