Anthony Williams, Janel Zick win Deseret News marathon

Ashley Paulson, 42, who won the women’s marathon the past two years, finished second with a time of 2:54:55.

Published: July 24, 2024, 11:02 a.m. MDT

Deseret News Marathon men's winner Anthony Williams crosses the finish line in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Anthony Williams, 28, celebrated his first Pioneer Day holiday with a marathon victory in his new hometown.

“I actually just moved to Salt Lake City,” said Williams, who won the race with a time of 2:24:24. “I’m a pediatric resident at (Primary Children’s Hospital), and I found this race. I have the day off and thought I’d come out and run it.”

Williams, who was a collegiate runner at Notre Dame and is an experienced marathon runner, said he didn’t really know what to expect from the course — or himself.

“I didn’t know much about it,” he said. “It’s a really fun course. I love starting in the mountains and (it was) a really nice view of everything.”

He said he was a little surprised he won and said there were “great guys out there pushing the pace.”

Deseret News 2024 men’s and women’s marathon results

As for the course, that can be tricky because it’s such a fast start down the mountain and then a flat, often hot, finish. But Williams said he enjoyed it as much as he’s enjoying his new hometown.

“I thought it was great,” he said. “It wasn’t something I was necessarily training for. I’m more looking to train for trails and ultra marathons. So I was really excited to come out here and just be able to last through the whole thing.”

Bashash Walio, 31, was second in the men’s marathon with a time of 2:29:37, while Joshua Perkins, 34, was third, crossing the finish line in 2:38:21.

Janel Zick crosses the finish line as she finishes first in the Deseret News Women’s Full Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Anthony Williams crosses the finish line as he finishes first in the Deseret News Men’s Full Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Deseret News Marathon signage at the race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Calvin Whaley crosses the finish line as he finishes the Deseret News Full Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Kim Kapinos crosses the finish line holding an American flag as she finishes the Deseret News Full Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Sponsors signage at the Deseret News Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Ashley Paulson high-fives with the race announcer as she is about to cross the finish line as second in the Deseret News Women’s Full Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Ashley Paulson shares an embrace with her father Brad Jensen after crossing the finish line as second in the Deseret News Women’s Full Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Sixty-nine year old Helene Myers of Columbia, MD., can’t wipe the grin off her face while running in the Deseret News Half Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Taylor Febus of Mamaroneck, NY runs past the University of Utah during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Sophie McCracken of Alpine takes a quick break to stretch at an aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. McCracken finished with a time of 3:38:12. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Lorena Jones and Jazmin Jones of Murray walk with each other during the Deseret News Half Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Fans cheer on the full marathon distance runners at the finish line during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Team RWB runner Mitchell Williams of Riverton carries the American flag while participating in the Deseret News Half Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Runners grab water and Gatorade at the 23 mile aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Ken Tyner of Apex, NC., pours water over his head during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Erin Ding of South Barrington, Illinois, grabs water with a smile while passing an aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Sophie McCracken of Alpine uses water to cool off at an aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

A runner passes the 18 mile marker during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Runners grab most of the Gatorade in their cups as they run past an aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Trace Lund pours water over his head to cool off at while passing an aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Matthew Street of South Jordan runs with the new Utah state flag during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Eighty-five year old Bryant Saville of St. George grabs a quick drink of water while participating in the half marathon during the events of the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. Saville finished with a time of 3:34:01. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Abby Linford of Salt Lake City cruises to a fourth place finish in the women’s race during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Ashley Paulson of St. George cruises to a second place finish in the women’s race during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. Paulson finished with a time of 2:54:55. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Runners grab most of the water in their cups as they run past an aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Janel Zick of West Valley City runs past Little Dell Reservoir en route to a first place finish during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. Zick won the women’s race with a time of 2:52:20 | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Bashash Walio of Gunnison, Co., races past the half marathon runners en route to a second place finish in the men’s marathon during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. Walio finished with a time of 2:29:39. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Anthony Williams of Salt Lake City runs past Little Dell Reservoir en route to a first place finish during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. Williams won the race with a time of 2:24:25. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Danny Connolly pushes Brian Connolly in a wheelchair apparatus into Emigration Canyon during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Members of the Weber State track and field team, Nick Murray, Hailey Low and Evan Harris fill water cups at the first aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Janel Zick of West Valley City races to a first place finish during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. Zick won the women’s race with a time of 2:52:20 | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

From left, Taya Chalk and Shelley Chalk pose for photos in Emigration Canyon while participating in the Deseret News Half Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

A group of runners reach for water on their descent from Big Mountain during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. At left center is Ashley Paulson of St. George, who placed second in the women’s race with a time of 2:54:55. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

From left, Kelton Gagnon offers water cups to Matthias Wilder and Dallin Dyer during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Runners hop off the bus at the starting line to prepare for the race prior to the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

From left, Nicole Bonnell and Shea Richardson each of Alberta, Canada, grab water and Gatorade at an aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Runners gather at the starting line to swap stories and prepare for the race prior to the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Hailey Low of the Weber State track and field team, offers water cups to runners at the first aid station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Runners cross the starting line as they embark on the full marathon distance during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City Wednesday morning, July 24, 2024. At center in white is Anthony Williams from Salt Lake City who won the mens race with a time of 2:24:25. | Brian Nicholson, for the Deseret

Willa Martin, 15, from Madison South Dakota and Cheryl Sorensen cheer a family member on during the Deseret News Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Abigail Cowley, from Texas, holds a sign and cheers her husband on during the Deseret News Marathon race at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Brice Tucker, Deseret News

Deseret News Marathon women's winner Janel Zick crosses the finish line in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Janel Zick, wins the women’s category of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Ryan Osterloh, glides into the finish of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Janel Zick, looks toward the finish line as she wins the women’s category of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Bethany Brown, has a bit of a smile on as she nears the finish of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Anthony Williams, runs the last few yards to win the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Avery Orr, lays on the road after crossing the finish of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Kim Kapinos, carries an American flag into the finish line as she finishes the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Joshua Perkins, begins to celebrate as he finishes the last few yards of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Anthony Williams, wins the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Desiree Barger, celebrates as she finishes the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Jadon Fambro, makes his way toward the finish line of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

TJ Weaver, pushes himself for the last bit of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Taylor Febus, runs the last few yards of the Deseret News marathon at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Janel Zick, 32, was testing her body’s ability to recover when she won the women’s marathon race in 2:52:14, edging out Ashley Paulson, 42, who won the race the past three years.

“I was hoping for 2:45-ish, but I did get pretty hot and slowed down quite a bit at the end,” she said. “I did Speedgoat Saturday, so I wanted to see what I could do after a grueling 50K.”

Speedgoat is an ultramarathon that summits Snowbird, Baldy and Hidden Peak. It’s known as one of the hardest ultra races in the world. It has about 11,000 feet of elevation gain in the race — and it’s probably not what most marathon runners are doing in the week leading up to a race.

“I’m pretty good at recovery,” Zick said with a laugh. “I kind of do a little bit of a game, and I wanted to see what I could pull off.”

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She said that missing her time goal was a bit disappointing, but learning just how mentally tough she is will help her down the road as much as it helped her earn the win Wednesday.

“I wouldn’t say I was fresh,” she said. “It was a good strength training run.”

Zick said that she learned a lot about herself — and her abilities — to put in her “mind bank … so I can pull it out later when I need it.”

Paulson, who is also an accomplished ultra runner, finished in second place with a time of 2:54:55. Jennifer Smith, 46, earned third place with a time of 2:59:48.

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