Shalane Flanagan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Shalane Flanagan

Flanagan during the 2011 World Championships in Athletics
Personal information
Born	(1981-07-08) July 8, 1981 (age 43) Marblehead, Massachusetts, United States
Height	5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m)
Weight	106 pounds (48 kg)
Sport
Country	United States
College team	North Carolina Tar Heels
Club	Bowerman Track Club
Turned pro	Jun. 2004
Coached by	Jerry Schumacher
Retired	Oct. 2019
Now coaching	Bowerman Track Club
Achievements and titles
World finals	2005 5000 m, 16th (h) 2007 5000 m, 8th 2009 10,000 m, 14th 2011 10,000 m, 7th 2013 10,000 m, 8th 2015 10,000 m, 6th
Olympic finals	2004 5000 m, 22nd (h) 2008 10,000 m, 2 Silver 5000 m, 9th 2012 Marathon, 10th 2016 Marathon, 6th
Personal best(s)	Outdoor 1500 m: 4:05.86 (Eugene 2007) 5000 m: 14:44.80 (Walnut 2007) 10,000 m: 30:22.22 (Beijing 2008) Indoor 3000 m: 8:33.25i (Boston 2007) 5000 m: 14:47.62i (Boston 2009) Road 10 km: 30:52 AR (Boston 2016) 15 km: 47:00 AR (Jacksonville 2014) Half marathon: 67:51 (San Diego 2016) Marathon: 2:21:14 (Berlin 2014)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games Silver 2008 Beijing 10,000 m World Cross Country Championships Bronze 2011 Punta Umbria Individual Bronze 2011 Punta Umbria Team Bronze 2010 Bydgoszcz Team World Marathon Majors Gold 2017 New York Marathon Silver 2010 New York Marathon Bronze 2014 Berlin Marathon Bronze 2018 New York Marathon

Shalane Grace Flanagan (born July 8, 1981) is an American long-distance runner, coach, and Olympic medalist. She is famous for winning the New York City Marathon in 2017. This made her the first American woman to win that race since 1977. She also holds American records for the 10-kilometer (10k) and 15-kilometer (15k) road races.

Shalane won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in the 10,000-meter race. She also earned a bronze medal at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Her victory at the 2017 New York City Marathon was a huge moment for American running.

About Shalane's Life

Growing Up and Family

Shalane Flanagan grew up in Marblehead, Massachusetts. She was a talented athlete at Marblehead High School. She was great at cross country and track, and also played soccer and swam.

Shalane is married to Steven Ashley Edwards. He was also a track and field athlete in college. They are foster parents to two girls, Breauna and Keauna. They welcomed them into their home when the girls needed a foster family during high school. In 2020, Shalane and Steven adopted a baby boy named Jack Dean Edwards. In 2023, they adopted a baby girl named Grace Morgan Edwards.

Shalane's parents were also amazing runners. Her mother, Cheryl Treworgy, once held the world record for the marathon in 1971. Her father, Steve Flanagan, was also a strong marathon runner.

Coaching and Writing Books

In 2009 and 2013, Shalane volunteered as an assistant coach for college cross country teams. She helped runners at the University of North Carolina and Portland State University. In 2019, after she stopped running professionally, she became a head coach for the Bowerman Track Club. In 2022, she was named an assistant long-distance coach at the University of Oregon.

In 2016, Shalane and her college friend, Elyse Kopecky, wrote a cookbook called Run Fast. Eat Slow. They wanted to show that healthy food could be tasty too. The book became a New York Times Best Seller! They later wrote a second cookbook, Run Fast, Cook Fast, Eat Slow, with quicker recipes for busy people.

Shalane's Running Journey

High School and College Success

At Marblehead High School, Shalane was a three-time All-State cross country runner. She set a state record in the two-mile race. She also won the National Scholastic Indoor Championships in the mile.

Shalane went to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She won national cross country titles in 2002 and 2003. She was the first runner from her university to win an individual national cross country championship. She also achieved great times in track races like the 1500m, 3000m, and 5000m.

Becoming a Professional Runner (2004-2007)

Shalane became a professional runner in 2004. She quickly became very successful. By 2007, she set an American record in the 5000-meter race. She also won national championships in the 5000m and 3000m. Shalane has been sponsored by Nike since she graduated from college.

Olympic Medal and Records (2008)

In 2008, Shalane set a new American record in the 10,000-meter race. She ran it in 30:34.49, breaking the old record.

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Shalane won a bronze medal in the 10,000m race. This medal was later upgraded to silver! She also set another American record in that race with a time of 30:22.22. She was only the second American woman to win an Olympic medal in the 10,000m.

Marathon Debut and More Wins (2010-2011)

In 2010, Shalane won her first half marathon race in Houston. She also won the USA Cross Country Championships again. Later that year, she ran her first full marathon at the New York City Marathon. She finished second, which was the best finish for an American woman in 20 years!

In 2011, Shalane earned another bronze medal at the World Cross Country Championships. She was the first non-African-born runner to win a medal in that event since 2004. She also won the 10,000m race at the USA Championships.

Olympic Marathon and More (2012-2013)

In 2012, Shalane won the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston. This meant she would represent the USA at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She finished 10th in the Olympic marathon.

In 2013, she won the 8k national cross country title. She also set a personal best in the half marathon. Shalane won her fourth USA outdoor track title in the 10,000 meters.

Setting More American Records (2014)

In 2014, Shalane set a new American record in the 15-kilometer race. She ran it in 47:00.

She also ran the 2014 Boston Marathon. She finished seventh, but her place was later upgraded to sixth. She set a personal record of 2:22:02, making her one of the fastest American female marathoners ever. Later that year, she placed third in the Berlin Marathon with an even faster time of 2:21:14. This was the second fastest time ever by an American woman at that point.

World Championships and Records (2015-2016)

In 2015, Shalane placed ninth in the Boston Marathon. She also finished sixth in the 10,000 meters at the World Championships in China. She set another American record in the 10-kilometer road race in the Netherlands.

Shalane Flanagan finishing the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon

Shalane Flanagan collapses into Amy Cragg's arms while celebrating after the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon

In 2016, Shalane placed third at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. She then set a new personal record in the half marathon in San Diego. She also set an American record in the Boston Athletic Association 10K road race. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Shalane finished sixth in the marathon.

Winning the New York City Marathon (2017)

In 2017, Shalane had a back injury and had to miss the Boston Marathon. However, her 2008 Olympic bronze medal was officially upgraded to silver that year.

On November 5, 2017, Shalane Flanagan won the Women's New York City Marathon! She finished in 2:26:53. She pulled ahead of the three-time defending champion, Mary Keitany, and won by over a minute. This was Shalane's first win in a major marathon. It was also the first time an American woman won the NYC Marathon in 40 years!

Final Marathons and Retirement (2018-2019)

In 2018, Shalane defended her title at the 2018 New York City Marathon. She finished third.

On October 21, 2019, Shalane Flanagan announced that she was retiring from professional running. She said she would become a head coach for the Bowerman Track Club.

Running All Six World Marathon Majors (2021)

In 2021, Shalane took on an amazing challenge. She decided to run all six of the World Marathon Majors in just six weeks! One of the races, the Tokyo Marathon, was canceled. So, she ran her own marathon in Oregon instead. She successfully completed her goal, finishing all six marathons in under three hours each.

Shalane's Best Running Times

Shalane has set many impressive personal bests in her career:

Images for kids

• 

  Flanagan competing in the 2009 Boston Games

• Lynn Jennings, first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the 10,000 m (1992)