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Clayton Young Plans to Race Chicago with Torn Hamstring, Chasing American Record
Despite an MRI revealing a 12-centimeter longitudinal hamstring tear, Olympian Clayton Young intends to run the Chicago Marathon and target Conner Mantz's 2:04:43 U.S. record.
American marathoner and 2024 Olympian Clayton Young has sustained a 12-centimeter longitudinal hamstring tear, but intends to start the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, October 11, with the goal of breaking Conner Mantz’s 2:04:43 American marathon record.
The injury details were first reported by Outside Run on September 30 and subsequently expanded by Marathon Handbook. A high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan confirmed the tear along the upper portion of his hamstring tendon near its attachment to the pelvis. Physicians initially recommended withdrawing from the competition to allow the tendon to heal, but Young has elected to race.
Anatomy of the injury and the physician’s caution
The hamstring muscle group originates at the ischial tuberosity of the pelvis, transmitting substantial eccentric force during the terminal swing phase and ground contact of distance running. In marathon racing at elite paces—averaging approximately 4:45 per mile for a 2:04:43 clocking—the proximal tendon withstands continuous repetitive loading over 42.195 kilometers.
A longitudinal tear follows the orientation of the muscle and tendon fibers rather than severing them crosswise, preserving partial tensile integrity. However, medical professionals cautioned that racing 26.2 miles under maximum effort risks expanding the tear into an avulsion fracture or complete rupture. Young and his medical support staff plan to monitor symptoms closely leading up to race morning in Grant Park.
The pursuit of the 2:04:43 American standard
Young owns a personal best of 2:05:41, positioning him within 58 seconds of the national mark. The American record stands at 2:04:43, established by Young’s longtime training partner and Brigham Young University alumnus Conner Mantz at the 2025 Chicago Marathon. Mantz’s run eclipsed Khalid Khannouchi’s prior standard of 2:05:38, which had stood since 2002.
Both athletes train together in Utah under coach Ed Eyestone and placed inside the top ten at the 2024 Paris Olympic Marathon, where Mantz finished eighth in 2:08:12 and Young ninth in 2:08:44. Young had targeted the fast, flat Chicago layout as his primary window for a record attempt in 2026 before the hamstring complication emerged.
Chicago remains the fastest certified marathon course on American soil, offering ideal mid-autumn racing temperatures and structured pacer packs. Whether Young can sustain sub-4:46 pace for 26.2 miles while managing tendon inflammation will be among the focal storylines when the elite men depart Columbus Drive.
Sources
- Outside Run, September 30, 2026: initial report confirming Young’s 12-centimeter longitudinal hamstring tear via MRI, 2:05:41 personal best, and intention to contest the Chicago Marathon for the American record.
- Marathon Handbook, September 30, 2026: confirmation of proximal pelvic tendon location, physician’s initial recommendation to withdraw, and target time of 2:04:43.