This is the article from ESPN.com (how many people are YOU related to that have been interviewed and on ESPN??) And if you are wondering, he is my cousin, his mom is my Daddy’s sister. This is not a cousin 4 times removed.
PHOENIX -- Josh Cox won the Arizona Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on Sunday, then kept on going to smash his American record for 50 kilometers by 3½ minutes, missing the world mark by just 7 seconds.
Cox completed the 31.2 miles in 2 hours, 43 minutes, 45 seconds after finishing the marathon in 2:17:32 to beat Solomon Kandie of Kenya by 1:08.
"Seven seconds is hard to swallow," Cox said. "But I'm happy. The American record is nothing to hang your head about."
Thompson Magwana of South Africa set the world record in 1988.
Cox, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., set the American record of 2:47:17 in 2009 at this same venue -- running the marathon through the streets of Scottsdale, Tempe and Mesa, before completing the final five miles on the Arizona State University track.
"I did everything I could to click off those final miles," he said. "We put so much into this ... months and months [of training]. I thought I'd be able to rally on the track. But my legs were tired. They start barking at you.
"Still, it was a great day. I felt good out there. You have to be happy with a [personal record]."
Cox had envisioned finishing the marathon in 2:17 or less and couldn't quite make up the deficit, even though he reeled off a 71-second final lap after running the other laps at approximately 80 seconds apiece.
"I was hurting, I was in a lot of pain," he said. "You just have to fight and fight and fight. The record is something you shoot for. ...
"I'll be back. I would like to run the world record here in two years. I'd like to give it another shot ... that ever-elusive world record."
Next year, Cox will be occupied with competing in the U.S. Olympic trials for the marathon in Houston, which will be run about the same time as the Arizona race.
Now, if you really want to see GRACE, CLASS, STYLE and a guy who is so filled with the LORD and the gift the LORD has given him, watch his after the race video interview. (the the link doesn’t work, here is the web address http://bcove.me/1yax6ggq )
I watched it 3 times last night, balled my eyes out. It was awesome. I could see my aunt (his mom) cheering him on the last bit – made me sob. I saw his wife, who is prego with their first baby, at the finish line. I was just a balling freak. I’m so proud of him. I’m amazed by his ability to RUN distances I don’t drive in a weeks time!
GO JOSH!!!! Don’t forget, next year’s goal is “OLPYMIC BOUND”!
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