Biography

Personal Bests:

5,000m – 14:00.01 (2011)
10,000m – 28:43.3 (2011)
12k – 34:49 (2013)
15k – 43:40 (2014)*
10 Miles – 46:50 (2014)*
20k – 58:33 (2014)*
Half Marathon – 1:01:47 (2014)
Marathon – 2:12:28 (2015)

Matt’s Story: Matt has built a huge fan base in the U.S. and beyond since he came out as the distance running world’s first openly gay professional runner. That announcement, in December of 2013, combined with his breakout 1:01 half marathon a month later, thrust him into the national spotlight. His story was featured on ESPN Endurance and he’s become a role model for athletes of all ages and abilities.

Pro Stats: After a year of injuries and setbacks, Matt flourished in the fall of 2013 with top ten finishes at the U.S. 20k Championships and the .US National Road Racing Championships. Then, in January of 2014 he ran 1:01:47 at the USA Half Marathon Championships in Houston (a top 20 U.S. time ever) and followed it up with a 1:02:24 at the World Half Marathon Championships in March. In his debut marathon at Chicago he ran 5:00 pace for 20 miles before struggling home in 2:17. So far in 2015 he once again finished 5th at the USATF Half Marathon Championships and then finished a strong 2nd at the USATF Marathon Championships in 2:16:13. He capped off the year with a huge PR of 2:12:28 at the BMW Berlin Marathon in September. To kick off 2016, Matt finished 6th at the US Olympic Marathon Trials, narrowly missing the opportunity to represent the US at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio.

NCAA Stats: At the University of Richmond Matt was an All American in cross country, leading the Spiders to the NCAA Championships as a team in 2010 where they finished 24th. On the track he ran 14:00 for 5,000 meters and 28:43 for 10,000 meters.

Matt’s parents, Bob and Sue, are his biggest supporters, along with his three siblings: Christine, Lee Ann, and Robert.  Matt graduated in May 2011 with a B.S. in Psychology, B.A. in Latin American & Iberian Studies, and B.A. in Theatre.

*These times were run en route during the 2014 Houston Half Marathon

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