Boys U-14 at Rocket City Marathon Half: Jude Salamone Wins in Dominant Fashion

• Jude Salamone, 14, Altoona — won the M0-14 age group in 1:43:15 (7:53/mi avg), finishing 12 minutes clear of the field.
• Chase Larson, 14, Guntersville — took 2nd in 1:55:23 (8:48/mi avg), more than 8 minutes ahead of 3rd.
• Charlie Reynolds, 13, Huntsville — the youngest of the three, rounded out the podium in 2:04:17 (9:29/mi avg).
• Salamone posted the strongest closing split of the group, recording the 32nd-fastest 10K-to-Finish split among the women's field — well ahead of Larson (69th) and Reynolds (108th) on that same stretch.

Three young runners toed the line for the M0-14 age group at the Rocket City Marathon Half, racing through a mild December morning in Huntsville — 59°F, overcast, with a light 9 mph breeze. It was a small but competitive field, and Jude Salamone made his mark early and never let up.

Salamone, 14, from Altoona, was the clear standout. Running a 7:53/mi average, he crossed in 1:43:15 — a commanding margin over his nearest competitor. He also got stronger as the race wore on, posting the 32nd-fastest closing split (10K to Finish) in the women's field, a sign that he was running with real discipline and control rather than burning out.

Chase Larson, also 14, from Guntersville, held 2nd place in 1:55:23. The gap between Salamone and Larson was sizable at 12 minutes and 8 seconds, but Larson secured 2nd comfortably, finishing more than 8 minutes ahead of Reynolds. His closing split ranked 69th in the women's field on that final stretch — respectable, though the gap to Salamone in that segment tells part of the story of how the race separated.

Charlie Reynolds, 13, from Huntsville — the youngest competitor in the group and the home-town runner — finished 3rd in 2:04:17 at a 9:29/mi pace. Racing a full marathon half at 13 is no small thing, and Reynolds completed the course with a finishing split that ranked 108th in the women's field on the closing leg. A solid effort to build on.