David Too turned into the 47th Rocket City Marathon finish line chute calm and relaxed, saluting the crowd at the Von Braun Center South Hall as he snapped the ribbon.
Too’s first win in the storied event came on a chilly, sunny morning that gave runners a boost. Initial weather forecasts had called for heavy rain overnight into the morning, and wind to 30-40 mph. Neither happened, as a deadly cold front slid across the Southeast on Saturday afternoon. RCM runners merely had some chills and occasional wind to deal with along the route.
Too won the race in 2:27:40.
Too is a graduate student at Florida State University in Tallahassee. He competed collegiately at Florida A&M and Iowa State University. He earned multiple MEAC, Big 12 and All-America awards at both universities. In 2019-20, Too helped Iowa State to fourth place at the NCAA Championship, its best finish in 25 years.
This was Too’s first Rocket City Marathon, but he’s no stranger to Huntsville’s streets. He finished sixth in the 2023 Cotton Row Run, and won the Boston or Bust marathon in September.
“I really enjoy running here because it’s such a great environment where people are supporting you, cheering you along,” Too told TVO. “You really feel that energy all the way. I feel that every time I come up here. It’s exciting to run here, and it’s not far from Florida so I can drive up and back. It’s just very nice here and fun to run here.”
Competitive Racing
The top five men’s finishers were about nine minutes apart and the top 10 about 12 minutes apart. The marathon field started at the VBC and wound through Huntsville, hitting its peak at about mile 14.5. From there, it’s pretty much downhill to the finish, routing through the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville Botanical Garden and back to the VBC through Big Spring Park.
“There was no rain but it was chilly and windy,” Too said. “Sometimes it was a lot of wind, but it was OK. Challenging, but it was challenging for everyone. We all were out there and so I can’t complain. Everyone had the same conditions. I’m just glad it wasn’t raining.”
Too held off 2022 champ Josh Whitehead of Madison, who made a surge at the end to finish second. Whitehead finished in 2:32:18. David Lemon of Dayton, Ohio, was third in 2:34:15. Lemon was runner-up last year to Whitehead.
“I had a game plan and executed the plan very well,” Too said. “At a couple of points I was getting dropped (back), but I stayed composed. I had a plan and knew what I wanted to do, and was able to do it. I wanted to stay close and tough all the way, and it worked out well.”
The RCM is put on by the Huntsville Track Club and presented by the Huntsville Sports Commission.
See all of the 48th Rocket City Marathon results here, and all age group results here.
