Buzz
At the recent Boston Marathon event on 13/10, many were surprised to see only one runner in a blue shirt leading the pack for 33km, deviating from the usual black athletes.
The individual in question is CJ Albertson, an up-and-coming runner and coach currently ranked 272nd in the men's Marathon standings. His participation in the 2021 Boston Marathon marked his debut in a global-scale race. He set a PR of 2:11:18 in December last year at the Marathon Project in Chandler, Arizona. On 19/06, he finished second at the Grandma’s Marathon with a time of 2:14:29.
Returning to the Boston Marathon 2021 event, right from the start, he swiftly surged ahead, leaving other athletes trailing behind for 33km, prompting everyone watching the event live to exclaim, “Who is he?”.
CJ Albertson completed the first 5K in 14:29 (pace 2.54) and the 10K in 29:32. By the 21km mark, he had extended his lead over the trailing pack to 2:13 minutes, leaving spectators only witnessing him running on the road.
However, at the 33km mark, the African athletes caught up with CJ Albertson, and subsequently, men's champion Benson Kipruto (Kenya) and his group surpassed Albertson.
Despite his efforts in the final kilometers, Albertson finished in 10th place with a time of 2:11:26.
CJ Albertson's Running Tracklog
On the course of the Boston Marathon 2021, there is a famous downhill section known as Heartbreak Hill, which has tripped up many runners before reaching the finish line. Perhaps leveraging this terrain, CJ Albertson decided to accelerate to gain an advantage leading down this stretch.
“In the first 33km, it felt like a personal training run for me. I was running all alone, with everyone cheering me on. It was truly the most exhilarating race I've ever been in. While I didn't expect to lead for so long, when other athletes caught up, I thought it was time to start racing. With just a few kilometers left, I used everything I had to finish strong,” he shared.
Additional Insights about CJ Albertson
CJ Albertson Holds the World Record for 50K
On November 8, 2020, he completed 125 laps around a track in 2:42:30 to break the 50K world record. Maintaining a pace of 78 seconds per lap, he surpassed the previous record by over a minute. The record has since been reduced to 23 seconds.
He Also Previously Held the Indoor Marathon World Record
Albertson ran a marathon indoors in 2:17:59 at the Indoor Marathon World Record Challenge. He set the world record on a 200m track at The Armory in New York City, earning a prize of $7,000.
Secured 57 Leading Positions in Peloton
He owns a Peloton treadmill and set a goal to lead as many classes as possible. Leveraging his Peloton membership, he clinched 57 leading positions on the leaderboard.
And Another Thing, He Also Forgot to Cancel His Trial Subscription at the End of the Month Like Many Others
Works as a Teacher and Track Coach at Clovis Community School in Fresno, California
2018 marked his debut year as a coach, leading both the men's and women's teams of the school to state championships. In 2019, his women's team secured 3rd place in the Northern Regional Championships.
His wife is expecting a baby
With just a few weeks left until her due date, she opted not to accompany him.
It's also his birthday
He turned 28 on October 11, 2021.
“My wife loves birthdays, but because she's about to give birth, she had to stay home, so she's very happy about this as it's like my birthday gift,” he shared.
Posted by: Tran Ngoc Hai Trieu
Keywords: Unknown runner astonishes Boston Marathon athletes by leading continuously for 33km
