Sitka runner cracks top 100 at Boston Marathon

Christopher Brenk, who won the Mayor’s Marathon in Anchorage last summer, cracked the top 100 at the Boston Marathon on Monday.

Brenk, 26, finished the race in 2 hours, 28 minutes, 53 seconds, to place 100th overall and 83rd among men.

The Sitka runner is originally from Clarendon Hills, Illinois, and attended and ran competitively for St. Olaf College in Minnesota. He came to Alaska in 2021.

[Friends and former college teammates win half and full marathons at Anchorage Mayor’s Marathon]

Brenk was one of two dozen Alaskans to complete the race.

Anchorage’s Chris Osiensky was the second-fastest Alaskan overall with a time of 2:39:27, followed by Anchorage’s Wesley McQuillin (2:47:38). Palmer’s Lilian Whittington-Evans was the fastest Alaska woman in the race. The 19-year-old was 467th in the women’s division and finished in 3:08:49. Soldotna’s Melanie Griffiths was just behind in a time of 3:19:09.

Anchorage’s Todd Jackson, 47, also an accomplished triathlete, placed 57th in his age division. Amy Reed, the third-fastest Alaska woman in the race, finished 104th in her age division. Reed, who is from Anchorage, is 45.

Former UAA runner and double amputee Marko Cheseto finished in 2:46:45 to win the para T62/T64/T42/T44 division for runners with lower limb impairment.

[Ethiopia’s Sisay Lemma wins 2024 Boston Marathon in runaway; Kenya’s Hellen Obiri repeats in women’s race.]

Alaskans at the Boston Marathon

(Place, name, age, city, time)

100. Christopher Brenk, 26, Sitka, 2:28:53; 417. Chris Osiensky, 29, Anchorage, 2:39:27; 1010. Wesley McQuillin, 42, Anchorage, 2:47:38; 1186. Todd Jackson, 47, Anchorage, 2:49:14; 1625. James Miller, 43, Anchorage, 2:53:11; 4404. Lilian Whittington-Evans, 19, Palmer, 3:08:49; 6688. Melanie Griffiths, 29, Soldotna, 3:19:09; 7592. Amy Reed, 45, Anchorage, 3:22:48; 8148. Joanna Hinderberger, 33, Juneau, 3:24:53; 8600. Hannah McKinney, 31, Anchorage, 3:26:39; 11070. Megan Murphy, 34, Anchorage, 3:36:22; 13164. Aaron Morrison, 48, Juneau, 3:45:05; 14402. Lindy Henrick, 37, Anchorage, 3:50:44; 15619. Tracy Morrison, 47, Juneau, 3:56:46; 15987. Amanda Day, 45, Eagle River, 3:58:44; 16792. Gregory Finstad, 69, Fairbanks, 4:03:41; 16879. Keith Levy, 67, Juneau, 4:04:15; 17132. Mark Barbee, 25, Ninilchik, 4:06:01; 17646. Chip Lende, 67, Haines, 4:09:38; 19787. Samantha Simpson, 38, Anchorage, 4:27:15; 20262. Daniel Serventi, 28, Soldotna, 4:31:45; 21162. John McCall, 60, Chugiak, 4:41:26; 21352. Karen Hawkins, 61, Anchorage, 4:43:36; 23375. Amanda Miotke, 44, Homer, 5:10:48.