Austin Runner Aims for World Record at Marathon—While Dribbling a Basketball

It's the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon this weekend, and Austin runner Ben Duong is taking his love of basketball and long runs to a new level. Duong made news last year when he ran the fastest half marathon while dribbling a basketball. He did it in 1 hour, 21 minutes, and 39 seconds, which set the Guinness World Record. So now he's set his sights on an even bigger goal: to break another world record by dribbling his way through the 26.2-mile run.

A Canadian runner named Steffan Reimer set the record in 2021. It is now 2 hours, 50 minutes, and 33 seconds. That means Duong will have to keep his basketball under control and keep an average pace of just under 6 minutes and 31 seconds per mile.

Even though it will be hard, Duong is excited about the chance. He said about last year's record-setting half marathon, "It was the best day of my life." Because of what happened, he was motivated to go even further in 2025. He says he's a little nervous before the race, but he's more interested in enjoying the moment with his friends, old teammates, and people who run in Austin.

Duong says that his family, coworkers, and support system, such as neighborhood-run clubs, helped him get ready. Austin's course is known for being very hilly, so he's keeping his eye on "the literal and figurative ball" and wants to make his city happy.

‍