Clovis coach CJ Albertson garners national attention, finishes 10th at Boston Marathon

Oct 12, 2021

Clovis Community College head coach CJ Albertson likely won't forget his 28th birthday.

Albertson, who leads the Crush cross country and track programs, gained national attention on Monday morning as he stormed out to a big lead at the 125th annual Boston Marathon.

Albertson got off to a fast start and separated himself from a pack of some of the top marathon runners in the world. He held that lead all by himself for around half of the 26.2-mile race and was finally caught and overtaken at the notorious "Heartbreak Hill" near the 20-mile mark.

He went on to finish in 10th place in the men's professional division race with an official time of 2:11:44. Spectators along the course, social media, as well as the media covering the event were all asking, "who is this guy?" He was interviewed by media outlets after the race and was highlighted in numerous news stories online.

  • What You Need to Know About CJ Albertson, the Early Men’s Leader of the Boston Marathon (Runner's World)
  • Fresno’s CJ Albertson Is Talk of Boston Marathon With Blazing Start (GV Wire)
  • Fresno runner had Boston Marathon watchers asking, ‘Who is this guy?’ (Fresno Bee)
  • ‘I’m the best downhill runner in the world’: CJ Albertson explains his unique Boston Marathon strategy (Boston.com)
  • Road Runner and Ultrarunner CJ Albertson Led the 2021 Boston Marathon for 20 Miles (IRunFar)

The Clovis and Fresno community know him well. Albertson, a native of Fresno and Buchanan High School graduate, launched the Crush men's and women's cross country programs in 2018 and did the same with track and field teams a year later.

On the course, Albertson continues his climb towards being recognized as one of the top competitors in the United States.  In 2020, he placed seventh in the marathon at the US Olympic Trials with a time of 2:11:49, nearly earning a spot on the Olympic team. He currently holds world records in the indoor marathon (2:17:59) and 50K (2:42:30).

Albertson will make his return to the cross country course, this time as head coach for the Clovis cross country teams, on Saturday (Oct. 16) at the Ryan Nunez Bobcat Invitational in Merced.


Other Related News Articles

Boston CBS News: Who Was That Guy Leading The Boston Marathon For So Long? CJ Albertson Makes A Name For Himself

Fresno Bee: Fresno runner had Boston Marathon watchers asking, ‘Who is this guy?’

The Business Journal: Man praises Fresno hometown while shaking things up at Boston marathon

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