How Sara Hall Competed at 8 Olympic Trials IN A ROW, Rebuilt Her Body From Injury, and Ran Her Best Marathons After 40 — On Faith, Ego, and the Love of the Grind

In the last 14 months, Sara Hall has shattered the American  marathon masters record, finished runner-up at back-to-back marathons, and proved (once again) that elite performance doesn’t have an expiration date.  

Sara most recently finished second at the 2026 Houston Marathon with a time of 2:26:26. At 42 years of age, she is still setting Masters records, including her 2:23:45 showing at the 2024 Valencia Marathon. Even with a 5th place finish at the 2024 Marathon Olympic Trials, she steadfastly remains an elite runner on the world stage.  

Sara’s personal best in the marathon is an impressive 2:20:32, set at The Marathon Project in 2020. She holds the U.S. masters marathon record for the 40+ age group with her 2:23:45 time from Valencia. Even more impressively, she has competed in eight consecutive U.S. Olympic Trials since 2004, spanning distances from the 1500m to the marathon.

Sara is coached by her husband, Ryan Hall, who held the American record for the half marathon for many years before a new crop of men bested his time in 2025 and 2026. 

Sara Hall’s career doesn’t fit neatly into eras. It stretches across them. From Olympic Trials as a teenager to podium finishes in her 40s, Sara has quietly built one of the most resilient résumés in American distance running history.

Tap into the Sara Hall Special. 

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider following us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and giving us a five-star review! I would also appreciate it if you share it with your friend who you think will benefit from it. 

Comment the word “PODCAST” below and I’ll DM you a link to listen. 

If this episode blesses you, please share it with a friend!

S H O W  N O T E S

-The Run Down By The Running Effect (our new newsletter!): https://tinyurl.com/mr36s9rs-Our Website:

https://therunningeffect.run 

-THE PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClLcLIDAqmJBTHeyWJx_wFQ

-My Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/therunningeffect/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-Take our podcast survey: https://tinyurl.com/3ua62ffz