Arroyo Grande’s Jordan Hasay begins Boston Marathon prep with half in Houston

Arroyo Grande native Jordan Hasay finished eighth Sunday in the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, her first race of the year.

American Molly Huddle set an American record in the race with a seventh-place finish and a time of 1:07:25, beating out Hasay’s 1:08:38. The race was won by Ethiopia’s Ruti Aga.

But Hasay, who is preparing for her second Boston Marathon in the spring, wasn’t disappointed by her effort as she begins her second full year as a road racer following a track career that didn’t meet her high expectations.

“Thankful to @chevronhoustonmarathon for a solid half marathon race today,” Hasay wrote on Instagram. “I ran 68:38. Faster than last year and feeling on track towards @bostonmarathon in April!”

The former Mission Prep and University of Oregon star, now a member of Nike’s Oregon Project in Portland, beat her time from last year by two seconds, when she finished in fourth place.

Hasay finished third in her first Boston Marathon last year and set a record for the fastest debut ever by an American woman. She also placed third in the Chicago Marathon in October, setting a course record for an American woman in that race. This year’s Boston Marathon is set for April 16; Huddle is also expected to compete in that race.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 5:33 PM with the headline "Arroyo Grande’s Jordan Hasay begins Boston Marathon prep with half in Houston."