Press Releases
December 1, 2025
 
CHANDLER, Ariz., December 1, 2025 – The Marathon Project returns after a five-year hiatus with a men's field that includes two-time Olympic Medalist Paul Chelimo (USA), 2:09 performer Brian Shrader (USA), 2023 Canadian national champion Thomas Broatch, and rising German star Johannes Motschmann.

Other contenders for the win include debutants Nadeel Wildschutt (RSA) and Thomas Fafard (CAN), Ireland's Barry Keane, Canadian Tristan Woodfine, and Americans Dillon Maggard, Ben Rosa, and Nick Hauger.

The Marathon Project 2020 saw seven American men run under the 2:10 barrier--the first and still only time that has been accomplished in one race. This year's event features a total prize purse of $40,000 with $10,000 to the winner. Fans can watch LIVE on Flotrack on Sunday, December 21 beginning at 9am ET. 

The women's top seeds will be announced on December 2.

About The Marathon Project
The Marathon Project aims to create a premier race weekend experience for professionals and amateurs alike, providing each participant the opportunity to run as fast as possible. For more information, please visit www.themarathonproject.com.

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ATHLETE BIOS

Paul Chelimo (USA) - One of the top U.S. distance runners of the last decade, Chelimo is a two-time Olympic medalist at the 5,000 meter distance—silver in 2016 and bronze in 2020. His accolades also include personal bests of 7:31.57 for 3,000 meters, 12:57.55 for 5,000 meters, and 27:12.73 for 10,000 meters. Chelimo made his marathon debut at the 2024 Olympic Trials but was forced to withdraw shortly after 12k. He did finish 10th in 2:18:08 at the Generali Maratón de Málaga in Spain in December of 2024. TMP will be an opportunity for the decorated Olympian to prove that he has finally figured out the distance.

Brian Shrader (USA - 2:09:46) - The consistent Shrader has been a fixture on the U.S. distance running circuit since the fall of 2014 when he burst onto the scene with his runaway victory at the USATF 12k road championships. He made his marathon debut in 2019 at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon in 2:13:27. More recently he ran 2:09:46 at Chicago in 2023, 2:10:25 in 2024, and 2:10:29 this past August in Sydney. Shrader also serves as an assistant cross country and track coach at Harvard University.

Thomas Broatch (CAN - 2:10:35) - Broatch has excelled on flat, fast courses—winning the 2023 Canadian Championships at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon before producing back-to-back top-10 finishes at the Chevron Houston Marathon in 2024 and 2025. At 26 years old, he is one of the best up-and-coming Canadian marathoners and a serious candidate to make his nation’s 2028 Olympic team.

Johannes Motschmann (GER - 2:10:39) - Motschmann made his marathon debut in 2020, running 2:14:38 in Vienna, Austria. Since that time he’s continued to improve, running 2:11:30 at the 2023 Tokyo Marathon, 2:10:39 at the TCS London Marathon in 2024, and 2:10:40 en route to an 11th-place finish at the 2025 BMW Berlin Marathon. He’s also raced in the United States a number of times including at the 2025 Aramco Houston Half Marathon where he ran a personal best of 1:01:03. Listen to Johannes on Episode 11 of the Inside the Marathon Project Podcast HERE.

Tristan Woodfine (CAN - 2:10:39) - One of three Canadians in our pre-race top 10, Woodfine is a two-time 2:10 performer—including a 2:10:39 at the Chevron Houston Marathon in 2024. In May of this year, he was seventh at the Tartan Ottawa International Marathon and most recently was tenth at the BAA Boston Half Marathon. Woodfine has represented Canada at the World University Cross Country Championships and at the World Junior Championships in the Triathlon.

JP Flavin (USA - 2:10:50) - Flavin has asserted himself as yet another in a long line of great Hansons Brooks marathoners. A top-50 performer at the NCAA Cross Country Championships for NC State, he joined the Hansons after graduating and has steadily improved across all distances. The marathon seems to be Flavin’s sweet spot though—having run 2:12:34 at the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and posting back-to-back top-20 finishes at the Boston Marathon. Listen to JP on episode four of the Inside the Marathon Project podcast HERE.

Thomas Fafard (CAN - DEBUT) - Tops on our pre-race list of debutants, Fafard has a versatile set of personal bests including a 3:58.10 in the mile, 7:38.07 for 3,000 meters, and 13:05.07 over 5,000 meters. He’s also run 1:02:17 for the half marathon suggesting his move to the marathon could be a successful one.

Dillon Maggard (USA) - Maggard has been a solid performer across the board with personal bests of 3:55.51 in the mile, 13:13.62 for 5,000 meters, and 27:37.26 at 10,000 meters. His move to the marathon is a much anticipated one, having been an outstanding performer in cross country during his collegiate career at Utah State University.

Barry Keane (IRL) - An NCAA All American in cross country and track at Butler University, Keane now runs for the B.A.A. High Performance Team where he has produced a number of good performances on the road including a 1:01:22 at the Aramco Houston Half Marathon in January. In the lead-up to TMP Keane has shown good form, posting top-10 finishes at the B.A.A. Boston Half Marathon and the Manchester Road Race.

Ben Rosa (USA - DEBUT) - A dark horse for this year’s race, Rosa has been putting in 130-mile weeks under the guidance of his college coach, Alex Gibby. Rosa was a solid performer during his collegiate career at Harvard University but enjoyed a breakout season in the spring of 2025—winning Ivy League titles at 5,000 and 10,000 meters before finishing 10th at the NCAA Championships over the latter distance.

Nadeel Wildschutt (RSA - DEBUT) - After an outstanding career at Coastal Carolina University where he was a Sun Belt Conference Champion and an NCAA All American, Wildschutt took some time away from high level running before returning in 2024. Over the past two years he’s set personal bests at 3,000 meters on the track and 10,000 meters on the road as he prepares for his debut marathon. In the build-up to TMP he’s been living and training in Flagstaff, Arizona where his brother—South African Olympian and national record holder Adrian Wildschutt—is a member of the HOKA NAZ Elite group.

Nick Hauger (USA - 2:11:48) - After a standout career at the University of Portland, Hauger began running professionally in 2019. His career has included representing the U.S. at the 2020 Pan American Cross Country Championships, two third-place finishes at the California International Marathon, a top-25 finish at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon, and most recently—a 15th-place finish at the 2025 Berlin Marathon in a personal best of 2:11:48.

Kevin Salvano (USA - 2:11:26) - An All-ACC performer while at Notre Dame University, Salvano showed he was more suited for the marathon than the track when he ran 2:11:26 at the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Living, training, and working a full-time job in Chicago, Salvano will be one of many athletes looking to break the 2:10 barrier for the first time at TMP.

Turner Wiley (USA - 2:11:55) - Wiley, a graduate of Seattle Pacific University, has competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2020 and 2024 and will be trying to secure a spot at a third trials at TMP. He has also run under 2:12:00 twice including most recently at the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.