Austin man could score his 2nd world record at this weekend's marathon

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One Austinite could have a slam dunk race at the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon this weekend — and possibly break a world record in the process.

It wouldn't be the first alley-oop for runner Ben Duong, who set the Guinness World Record at last year's race for the fastest half marathon completed while dribbling a basketball. He crossed the finish line in one hour, 21 minutes and 39 seconds, flying in with an average six minutes and 14-second mile pace.

This year, he'll go for gold in the full marathon, chasing the existing record set in 2021 by Canadian runner Steffan Reimer, who completed the feat in two hours, 50 minutes and 33 seconds.

For perspective: That averages out to just under six minutes and 31 seconds per mile for all 26.2 miles.

"He was definitely moving," Duong told KXAN. "Very respectable, set a very high standard to chase after."

Duong reflected on his success setting the world record in the half marathon last year, dubbing it "the best day" of his life. A few months post-race, he said he got the itch to try and find a way to top that experience in 2025 and landed on the full marathon.

A competitive racer in Austin who previously ran cross country at Dallas Baptist University, Duong said he already runs year-round and is often prepped for training. The real challenge, he stressed, was prepping for Austin's notoriously hilly race courses and handling the ball the entire time.

"The biggest things for me in terms of training, especially because it's for the Austin Marathon and specifically the Austin Marathon course, are finding hills to dribble up and down — just because there are a lot of hills in the Austin Marathon — and two, knowing that I can handle running that fast while dribbling the basketball at the pace that needs to be run," he said. "That way, I can understand, get into the rhythm, understand what it's going to be like for my body, for hand-eye coordination, for looking up ahead up the road to see other runners, see maybe potholes on the ground."

While running can be a solitary sport, Duong said he's found community and support in his friends and family, several Austin running clubs as well as the Spurs. Spurs Sports & Entertainment is sponsoring him in his world record attempt — a full circle moment, he said, for the team that raised him.

"Growing up in Austin for so much of my life, we didn't have professional sports. San Antonio is the closest city to us, so I felt like I kind of latched onto them and to the Spurs. So I do feel like they were very integral to my childhood growing up," he said. "To be older now as an adult, to know that they have my back...it really does mean the world to me. It also adds a little bit of extra motivation for me in this challenge and everything."

Shout out to all the runners here in Austin. Hearing your stories, getting to know y'all. Y'all keep me going.

Ben Duong, Austinite attempting to earn second Guinness World Record

While Duong said there are some nerves in the mix, he added he's mainly excited to savor the moment and be with his friends on race day while feeling the Spurs and community rally behind him. It takes a village to tackle such a momentous feat; for him, his village includes former teammates, the Raw, Purple Dragon and Fleet Feet run clubs in Austin, his coworkers at Charles Schwab, his family and his friends.

"It's so cool to see everyone from so many stages of my life come together and be like, 'okay Ben, we see what you're doing. We support you, we love you, we know you can do it,'" he said. "It really means the world to me."

As for now, he said he's keeping his eye on the "literal and the figurative ball" charging into Sunday — and sending a huge thank you to every single runner (all 23,000 of them) joining him on race day.

"Shout out to all the runners here in Austin," Duong said. "Hearing your stories, getting to know y'all. Y'all keep me going. Y'all are part of why I'm doing this, and I hope y'all know that this is just as much as y'all's deal as it is mine. I hope y'all enjoy watching and I hope I make y'all proud."