Adam Chase, Peighton Meske claim victories at Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon

It was all about Tennessee at the finish line of the 20th annual Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon. 

Adam Chase, a Kingsport native, was the men's champion, covering the 26.2-mile course in 2 hours, 34 minutes and 37 seconds on Sunday. 

Peighton Meske, a former standout runner at Webb School, won the women’s race in 2:44:40. 

The event, which included a 5K Saturday and a half marathon on Sunday, had 6,183 participants. The race began with temperatures in the mid-30s and were 20 degrees warmer by the time the majority of the runners crossed the finish line at World's Fair Park.

Race director Jason Altman said the “civic pride” was palpable throughout the weekend.

Meske, who ran track and cross country at Tennessee, was thrilled once she crossed the finish line.

“It was an amazing experience, I wanted to win in my hometown,” Meske said. “It’s a dream come true and one of the goals I finally got to achieve.”

Hazel Allen of Auburn, Georgia, was second in the women's race in 2:13:42 and Leslie Mills of Knoxville was third in 3:15:36. 

One of the few who could match Meske’s jubilation was her father David Meske, retired athletic director and football coach at Webb. 

“Really happy to see her excel at something that she loves to do,” Meske said. “She gets up every morning around 3:20, goes to run and then goes to work.” 

Peighton Meske’s dedication to the sport was apparent at Webb where she won three individual state championships in cross country — the most individual titles in the boy and girls program’s history. She now works at Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic.

Before Sunday’s marathon, the last time she ran competitively was at U.S. Olympic team trials in February. Her motivation to run again was straightforward. 

“I wanted to make my hometown proud,” Meske. “Make this community proud that a local won.”

Chase ran cross country at East Tennessee State before attending graduate school at Tennessee. 

Bryan Morseman of Wheeler, New York, finished second in 2:34:37 and third was James Overholser of Williamsburg, Kentucky, in 2:43:17. 

Chase, 30, is a business analyst who now lives in Greeneville, South Carolina. He said “it felt right” to make his marathon debut in Knoxville where some of his family live. 

He competed in half marathons previously and his weekly training goal for about the last month was to run about 70 miles per week. 

2023 MARATHON:Former cross country athlete, registered nurse victors at Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon

Chase’s nervousness went away once the race started. His biggest challenge was the fear of his hamstring giving out. 

“I started feeling it at 18 (mile mark),” Chase said. “I just (started) praying like ‘Lord I hope my hamstring holds out for the last 8.2 miles.' ”

Toyloy Brown III is a Knox News sports reporter. Email toyloy.brown@knoxnews.com. On X, formerly Twitter, @TJ3rd_.