Former Shocker just became one of the fastest female marathoners in US history

A former Shocker is securing her place as one of the top female marathon runners in U.S. history.

Kellyn (Johnson) Taylor made history Saturday and became the seventh-fastest American woman of all time under all conditions while winning the Grandma's Marathon, a prestigious running event in Duluth, Minn.

Taylor's time of 2 hours, 24 minutes, 28 seconds crushed the event record by more than two minutes and was more than a four-minute improvement of her own personal best.

"It was validating," Taylor told The Eagle. "We work so hard trying to prove ourselves, and it doesn't always work out. So it was just nice to finally prove not only to myself but to others that I could actually contend for a spot on the Olympic team."

After finishing one spot away from the Olympics at the 2016 U.S. trials in the 10,000 meters, Taylor has shifted her focus to qualifying in the marathon for the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Taylor's ascent is even more impressive, considering she was seen as more of a middle distance runner during her time at WSU from 2007-09. She finished third in the NCAA indoor mile in 2009 and still owns school records in the indoor mile and outdoor 800 and 1,500.

"Kellyn's development and her performances as a pro have just been remarkable to me," WSU track and field coach Steve Rainbolt said. "She was such a great runner for us in the mile and the 1,500 and all the way up to the 5,000, but we certainly never thought of her as a future marathoner. She's continued to develop, and I've been so impressed by her professionalism and her tremendous maturity."

Taylor, who lives in Flagstaff, Ariz., and trains with HOKA Northern Arizona Elite, said she suspected a breakthrough performance was coming.

When the conditions were perfect Saturday morning, Taylor knew she needed to capitalize.

"(The PR time) was something that's been brewing for a little while," Taylor said. "The work I had done the last few marathons indicated that I should probably be in the 2:25, 2:26 range, I just hadn't actually done it.

"At about the 23-mile marker, I felt good and I knew I could maintain the pace and bring it home."

Taylor's training will culminate on Feb. 29, 2020, at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Atlanta.

This story was originally published June 18, 2018 at 3:14 PM with the headline "Former Shocker just became one of the fastest female marathoners in US history."