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Mao Asada, Nick Symmonds finish Honolulu Marathon

By Nick ZaccardiDec 11, 2017, 8:53 AM EST
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Olympic figure skating silver medalist Mao Asada ran the Honolulu Marathon in 4 hours, 34 minutes, 13 seconds, on Sunday.

Nick Symmonds, a two-time U.S. Olympic 800m runner, ran 3:00:35.

Asada, a three-time world champion from Japan who retired in April, just missed her reported goal of breaking 4:30 but beat another reported goal.

She easily went faster than older sister Mai’s reported time from the Nagoya Marathon in 2013, about five hours.

The Honolulu Marathon was sponsored by Japan Airlines, which has put Asada’s image on the side of a plane.

Symmonds wanted to break three hours but said he was done in by a hill at mile 24, where he split more than 8 minutes.

“I want to break three so I never have to run another one,” Symmonds said, adding that he averaged 25 miles a week in training (that’s on the low side for suggested marathon training). “I’ve run almost every day of my life for 20 years, so that helps. … It was really fun for 20 miles, and then I tried to stay mentally tough for six. … I’m going to set a goal to run a spring marathon, find a nice, flat course and really get after it.”

Symmonds, the 2013 World 800m silver medalist who retired earlier this year, has said he wants to climb the tallest mountain on every continent.

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Nick Symmonds to retire this year

Nick Symmonds
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By Nick ZaccardiJan 3, 2017, 3:40 PM EST
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Outspoken Olympic 800m runner Nick Symmonds said he will retire after the 2017 season.

“2017 will be my last year as a professional track & field athlete,” Symmonds posted on a blog.

The news comes two months after Symmonds said he would try to compete one last season in 2017.

“I really want to make one more worlds team,” Symmonds said in October. “I’ve just got to make sure my ankle holds up.”

Symmonds, who turned 33 last Friday, last raced May 18 and missed the Olympic Trials due to a left ankle injury.

On June 30, Symmonds said after withdrawing before the Olympic Trials that he “could possibly” compete one more year, but the decision would come down to whether Brooks wanted to extend his contract beyond 2016.

“I seriously contemplated retirement,” Symmonds said on his blog published Tuesday. “I advised my coach to drop me from the team, I encouraged him to go find a few younger half-milers to put his energy into. My spirit was broken and I decided to get on with my life.”

The 2013 World Championships silver medalist said he had accomplished all of his running goals except for winning an Olympic medal (he was fifth in 2012) and completing a marathon.

In 2015, Symmonds won his sixth U.S. 800m title but missed the world championships due to a contract dispute with USA Track and Field.

Once he retires, Symmonds has said he wants to climb the tallest mountain on every continent.

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Nick Symmonds hopes to compete 1 more year

Nick Symmonds
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By Nick ZaccardiOct 20, 2016, 5:19 PM EDT
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Nick Symmonds, the outspoken two-time U.S. Olympic 800m runner, said he thinks he’s going to try and compete one more season.

“I really want to make one more worlds team,” Symmonds said in a Facebook video Thursday. “I’ve just got to make sure my ankle holds up.”

Symmonds, 32, last raced May 18 and missed the Olympic Trials due to a left ankle injury. He said Thursday that he’s 100 percent healthy and running 40 miles per week.

On June 30, Symmonds said after withdrawing before the Olympic Trials that he “could possibly” compete one more year, but the decision would come down to whether his apparel sponsor, Brooks, wanted to extend his contract beyond 2016.

The 2013 World Championships silver medalist said he had accomplished all of his running goals except for winning an Olympic medal (he was fifth in 2012) and completing a marathon.

In 2015, Symmonds won his sixth U.S. 800m title but missed the world championships due to a contract dispute with USA Track and Field.

Once he retires, Symmonds has said he wants to climb the tallest mountain on every continent.

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