Shamrock Marathon W20-24: Blue Savedge Goes the Distance

• Solo finisher: Blue Savedge was the only woman to finish in the W20-24 age group, claiming 1st by default — but her 5:22:13 was earned in genuine racing conditions.
• Tough day out: 71°F, 73% humidity, and a 17 mph wind made Virginia Beach a demanding environment for a marathon.
• Best moment: Savedge posted the 2nd-fastest split among all women on the 30K–35K segment — a standout stretch in an otherwise grinding day.
• Consistent presence: She held 3rd among women throughout every checkpoint tracked, never slipping, never surging past — steady as the wind was relentless.

Blue Savedge owned the W20-24 age group from gun to tape, the sole finisher in her group at the 2025 Shamrock Marathon. At 22, she crossed in 5:22:13 — a 12:17-per-mile average — on a day that tested everyone on the Virginia Beach course. The heat, thick humidity, and persistent 17 mph wind were not background noise; they were a factor in every mile.

What makes Savedge's race worth noting isn't just the finish — it's what happened between 30K and 35K. In that segment, she ran the 2nd-fastest split of any woman in the field, a burst of relative speed that stood out against the conditions and the competition. It's the kind of move that suggests she had more in the tank than the final time might imply.

She ran the entire race sitting 3rd among women at every checkpoint on record — a position she neither lost nor improved upon, but held with consistency through a day that chewed up plenty of runners. For a 22-year-old finishing a marathon in real heat and wind, that steadiness is its own story.