SHIPROCK– The 44th annual Shiprock Marathon returns Saturday, bringing a weekend of high-desert racing to the Navajo Nation.
As a Boston Marathon qualifier and part of the Abbott Marathon Majors Masters World Championships, the event remains the premier distance race in the region.
The event offers more than just the signature 26.2-mile trek past the 1,800-foot volcanic pinnacle:
The main events of the weekend include the full marathon which kicks off Saturday at 7 a.m., followed by the half-marathon at 7:30 a.m. Both courses feature aid stations at every mile and live music from local bands.
On Friday, a five-kilometer trail race at Blueberry Hill begins at 5 p.m., preceded by the Health and Wellness Expo and the “Elder Run” for participants ages 50 and older.
The Shiprock Kids Marathon concludes this weekend, celebrating more than 500 local students who have completed their own “marathon” mileage throughout the spring.
Among those likely to participate in the Shiprock Marathon this weekend is Kashon Harrison, a 25-year-old Fruitland resident and former Kirtland Central High School standout.
Harrison set a blistering pace in 2025 on his way to winning the event just days he was convinced to register just 72 hours before the race. Harrison won the marathon in a time of 2 hours, 31 minutes and 40 seconds, shattering the course record which had stood for more than a decade.
Harrison finished more than 30 minutes ahead of his nearest competitor, signaling a new era for the historic race.
More than 500 participants are scheduled to participate in this year’s events, which has grown in popularity since its inception and even more so in recent years following the pandemic.
“I think it really taught us a lot about the way we do things,” said Shiprock Marathon director Tom Riggenbagh said. “The positives that came about as a result of the off years have seen our numbers of participation increase in all the events.”
The Shiprock Marathon, recognized as one of the top 10 races of its kind in America according to USA Today, is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon, held each spring for more than 125 years.
The Abbott World Marathon Majors comprise over 375 qualifying races in which athletes in nine separate age groups can compete in marathons across the world to earn a global ranking. Participation in the Shiprock Marathon earns runners points towards qualifying for the 2027 Age Group World Championships, which will be hosted within the Tokyo Marathon on March 7.
The 2024 men’s marathon was won by another local, Fruitland resident Timberlin Henderson, who crossed the wire ahead of his rivals to win with a time of 2:44:22.
“So many marathons around the country, you’re surrounded by buildings and out here, you’re running over a lot of open land,” Henderson said. “You have aid stations every mile and they take care of their runners which makes it very special.”
The weather is expected to be favorable for runners on Saturday, with sunny skies in the forecast and early morning temperatures in the mid 40’s.