M30-34: Too Takes the Title in Frigid Huntsville

• David Too wins in 2:34:44 (5:54/mi), claiming the M30-34 crown two years after his 2023 Rocket City men's victory in 2:27:40.
• Dalton Linkus runs himself into contention late, posting the 6th-fastest men's split on the 20M–Finish stretch to finish a clear 2nd in 2:37:09 — 2:25 behind Too.
• Andrew O'Neill and Clay Rice finish 3rd and 4th in near-identical times — 2:42:18 and 2:42:20 — with O'Neill edging Rice by just two seconds after both averaged 6:11/mi; Rice actually ran the stronger 20M–Finish split (13th-fastest among men vs. O'Neill's 12th), a near-dead-heat finish that timing finer than the clock decided.
• 29°F and a 16 mph wind greeted 160 M30-34 finishers on race day — conditions that made every sub-2:45 finish a serious statement.

David Too came to Huntsville with history on his side: he won this race outright among men back in 2023 in 2:27:40, and while Sunday's 2:34:44 wasn't that fast, it was more than enough to take the M30-34 title in a field of 160. Too ran near the front of the men's race early — sitting 1st among men through 10K — before settling back to 4th among men by the finish, a sign the overall men's race sorted itself out around him. His 10K-to-half split was the 2nd-fastest among men on that segment, evidence he pushed hard through the middle miles in the cold.

Dalton Linkus was a patient racer. Starting 12th among men, he worked his way steadily forward — 11th at 10K, 9th at the half, and ultimately 7th among men at the finish — closing in 2:37:09 with the 6th-fastest men's split over the final 20M-to-finish stretch. That closing kick was the engine of his M30-34 runner-up result. Michael Volz (5th, 2:43:17) and Carlos Galindo (6th, 2:44:12) rounded out a strong top tier before a meaningful gap opened to Taylor Orner in 7th at 2:49:07.

One subplot worth noting: Joshua Moore (11th, 3:01:15) carries a compelling résumé at Rocket City — he finished 2nd among men here in 2024 in 2:28:37. Sunday's 3:01:15 was a very different day for him, a reminder that marathon racing, especially in 29°F winds, doesn't owe anyone a repeat performance. Andrew Campbell (10th, 3:00:01) just cracked the three-hour mark, and the field stretched all the way through 160 finishers — a deep, committed group that braved a genuinely tough morning in Huntsville.