Former Jayhawk Paige Higgins Excels at Boston Marathon

April 19, 2010

BOSTON, Mass. –

In what is arguably the most prestigious road racing event in the world, former Jayhawk Paige Higgins celebrated a remarkable performance as the top American female in the 2010 Boston Marathon. The race, held Monday, April 19, had 9,721 total female competitors from 79 different countries. Higgins was the first U.S. runner to cross the finish line, with her time of 2:36.00. She finished 13th overall in the world’s oldest annual marathon event.

“Paige has always been an incredibly hard worker, with a huge passion for distance running,” said KU head coach Stanley Redwine. “I am so proud of her accomplishments today in Boston and in the many other races she has done. She is truly a great person and I continue wish her the best of luck with her career.”

Higgins was a member of Team U.S.A. at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, Germany, where Redwine was an assistant coach for the U.S. distance squads. There, Higgins ran a 2:37.11 to finish 30th overall.

Higgins competed for the Jayhawk Track & Field team from 2001-2004, where she was three-time All-Big 12 performer in the 10,000 meters. In 2005, Higgins posted a 10K time of 34:37.83, which is still the third-fastest time recorded in school history, and the fastest in the last three decades. While at KU, Higgins also won the 10K trophy at the highly esteemed Drake Relays.

In between college and her professional career, Higgins competed in a number of major U.S. races. Most notably, she was the USATF 25K champion in 2008. She also garnered wins at the 2006 Walt Disney World Marathon, the 2007 Bolder Boulder and the 2007 Gary Bjorklund Half Marathon.

Now, as a professional athlete, Higgins is based in Flagstaff, Ariz., where she competes for McMillan Elite, under Coach Greg McMillan. Earlier in the 2010 season, Higgins ran the 26.2 miles at the Chevron Houston Marathon, where she was again the top American female. Her time of 2:33.22 was only 16 seconds off her personal record and was good for a fourth-place overall finish in the women’s division.

Higgins has her sights set on the 2012 Olympic Games in London, but for now, she can bask in her accomplishments at this year’s reputable Boston Marathon.