M15-19: Martinez Runs Away With It in Huntsville

• Josh Martinez, 16, won the M15-19 age group in 19:34 — a 6:18/mi average.
• Colton Wernert, 17, finished 2nd in 33:36 — a gap of 14 minutes and 2 seconds separating the pair.
• Just two runners made up the M15-19 field on a warm, windy December morning in Huntsville.

Conditions at the Rocket City Marathon 5K were anything but typical for December — 70°F, 76% humidity, and a 17 mph wind made for a genuinely demanding morning. Into that, Josh Martinez of Knoxville delivered a sharp 19:34, clicking off miles at 6:18 pace to claim the M15-19 title without challenge.

Behind him, Colton Wernert of Spring Hill completed the two-man field in 33:36. The 14-minute gap between them meant this was never a contest at the front, but Wernert pushed through the same muggy air to get his finish across the line. In a small field, every finisher counts, and both teenagers saw it through on a tough weather day.