Brogan Houston covers the Utah Mammoth for the Deseret News.
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If you ask Jonathan Kotter what he did on Pioneer Day of a given year, there’s a good chance he can answer precisely. He was most likely at the top of the podium at the Deseret News Marathon.
The last few years have been the exception. He dealt with injuries in several consecutive years, and shortly before that a wrong turn during the race hurt his time.
On Friday, though, the 41-year-old reclaimed his title with a time of 2:39:48 — his first win since 2022.
“Father Time is undefeated, so I feel like I just got a little lucky,” Kotter told the Deseret News after the race. “I did my best not to push too hard in training and came into it just about right, I think.”
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The sun rises on runners during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Denise Landvatter, center, is cheered on by friends on her 100th marathon during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. Her first marathon was the Deseret News marathon. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Runners begin the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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The sun rises on runners during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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McKay Larsen competes during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Runners have fun during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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The sun rises on runners during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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MaKenna Orlandi runs during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Danny Connolly pushes his brother Brian Connolly during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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The sun rises on runners during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Shawnie Dance and Heidi Hansen cheer on a runner during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Lyla and Olivia Houser hand out water during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Deseret News Editor Sarah Weaver, center, and her daughter Kathryn Bertagnini hand out water during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Baylie Clark is cheered on by her mother, Jen Draper, during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Danny Connolly pushes his brother Brian Connolly during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Tanner Webb runs during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Runners wait for the start of the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Runners begin the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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McKay Larsen competes during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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The pace car during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Well wishers cheer during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Abbey Thornton and Natalie Roberts take a photo prior to the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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A runner competes during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Water is filled at a water station during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Avery Bowers runs during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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McKay Larsen competes during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Ethan and Aidan Howell cheer a runner during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Jonah Feigleson and Halie Hull cheer on their friend Claire Hunsaker running during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Jonah Feigleson and Halie Hull cheer runners during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Sahara Garrett runs during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Runners compete during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Patriotic shorts are worn during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Runners compete during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Jeffrey D. Allred for the Deseret News
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Jessica Martinson and her children Theo, 1, and Eden, 3, cheer on runners while waiting for her husband, Marty, during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Pioneer Day, Friday, July 24, 2026. | Spenser Heaps for the Deseret News
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Jonathan Kotter makes his way down Emigration Canyon while competing in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Pioneer Day, Friday, July 24, 2026. | Spenser Heaps for the Deseret Ne
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Jonathan Kotter wins the Deseret News Pioneer Day Marathon on Friday, July 24, 2026, in Salt Lake City. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News
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Hannah Mitchell of Salt Lake City, Ashlyn Smith of Boston, Mass., and Sabrina Smith of Murray compete in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Runners make their way down Emigration Canyon in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Runners make their way down Emigration Canyon in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Runners make their way down Emigration Canyon in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Runners make their way down Emigration Canyon in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Kate Peeples of Layton competes in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Lisa Smith of Riverton competes in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Sheri Dew, executive vice president and chief content officer of Deseret Management Corporation, hands out water to competitors in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Sarah Jane Weaver, editor of the Deseret News, volunteers at a water station in the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Laura Seitz, Deseret News
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Kevin Kirk, the second place runner of the half marathon, boosts his son, Cooper Kirk, into the air during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Two runners embrace during the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Sam Taggart, 36, is assisted for a hamstring stretch after the Deseret News Marathon in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
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Edilia Popoca, strawberry, Elba Catalina Gonzalez, banana, and Melissa Chavez, lemon, pose for a photo after running during the Deseret News 10K in Salt Lake City on Friday, July 24, 2026. | Lukas Katilius, Deseret News
“Not pushing too hard,” by Kotter’s definition, means running about 80 miles a week — a day or two with several short runs, and long runs every Saturday. The “secret sauce,” he says, is running with friends who are faster than him.
There aren’t many who can claim to be faster than an eight-time champion of one of Utah’s most competitive races, but Kotter says most of his running buddies are current Olympians and fellow BYU products (Kotter ran at BYU 2006–10).
“They’re very merciful, usually, to me, so I just run with them,” he said.
Kotter averaged 6:05 per mile Friday, never reaching a checkpoint in any place but first or second. But even after so much success in this marathon and others, the feeling of winning never gets old for Kotter.
“Every time is like the first time,” he said. “It’s a magical, special feeling. Coming down on the parade route, all the great spectators, and it’s always like a blue ribbon crew that’s running all this, so honestly, it’s something you can’t take for granted. It’s awesome every time.”
Friday was Kotter’s biggest race of this summer, though he has plans to run a couple more races in the fall. He also hopes to be able to volunteer at the Deseret News Marathon in the future.
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Rounding out the rest of the podium were 23-year-old McKay Larsen (2:42:43), who finished second, and 27-year-old Tanner Webb in third (2:50:31).
Kotter was the oldest runner in the top 10 on the men’s side of the race. His advice to others who want to achieve elite marathon results?
“Get a lot of good people to support you,” he said, “and never give up.”
