Women’s marathon record broken during 2019 Run the Rock

Kavitha George October 14, 2019 Community, News, Newsflash

A Juneau-based Coast Guard servicemember broke the women’s marathon record for KMXT’s annual Run the Rock race this weekend. Bethany Gollin finished the 26.2 mile race in three hours, 33 minutes and 50 seconds. She beat the previous record by more than 20 minutes.

Bethany Gollin breaks the women’s marathon record for the annual Run the Rock race. (Photo by Kavitha George/KMXT)

Gollin and her friends were in Kodiak for work, but had no plans to participate in Run the Rock until the day before.

“It’s really hard course. It’s really hilly,” Gollin said after crossing the finish line, adding that the Near Island to Anton Larsen Bay course was beautiful.

“We came for work, and we were supposed to leave yesterday,” fellow runner Yvonne Yang said after Gollin finished. “And all our flights got canceled because of the wind. We’re leaving tonight, so we decided to do a running race. Beth is crazy and signed up for a marathon.”

Gollin said her record breaking time was not even a personal best. “I wasn’t planning on doing it. I run all the time so I’m always training, but not for this [race].”

Left to right, Bethany Gollin, Taylor Peace and Yvonne Yang pose after Gollin’s record breaking marathon finish. (Photo by Kavitha George/KMXT)

Nearly 200 people showed up in the crisp fall air to run in the 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon races on Saturday. All of the courses followed Anton Larsen Bay Road, ending at the Bear Valley Golf Course.