Four-time St. George Marathon winner and local resident Aaron Metler was just announced as a member of the men’s professional field who will compete at the 130th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America. Metler will be one of only eight international Masters (40+) runners whose times qualified them for entry into the prestigious race, which is both the oldest and one of the most challenging marathons in the world. Held annually on Patriots’ Day, this year’s edition will get underway on April 20, 2026.
“Like every other marathoner, it’s always been my dream to join the elite field at Boston,” Metler said. “The Boston Marathon is the ‘Super Bowl’ of running; it draws the very best athletes from all over the world. To be invited to be part of the men’s professional field is the highest honor I could imagine — and it makes all of those hours out there, training on chilly mornings and scorching afternoons worthwhile.”
Metler is Recreation Manager for Races and Special Events, part of the City of St. George Parks and Community Services Department. He qualified for Boston with his finishing time of 2:19:48 at last year’s St. George Marathon – where he became the Overall Master’s Champion – maintaining a 5:20 per mile pace for the 26.2-mile contest.
As always, the competition in Boston will be intense, with world and Boston champions, Olympic and Paralympic medalists, national stars, and 25 men who have run under 2:07 for the marathon distance in the past at the starting line. Eight of the top 10 men’s finishers from 2025 will be returning as well. Provo resident Michael Ottesen, who placed second overall in the 2025 St. George Marathon, will also be competing in the pro field in Boston.
Metler joined St. George Races as an intern in 2008, making the move from his home in Detroit. Though he never qualified for the varsity running team at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, he did establish a collegiate running club. By the time Metler graduated in 2006, more than fifty schools across the U.S. were emulating the club model. The National Intercollegiate Running Club Association (NIRCA) now boasts hundreds of member colleges and universities and hosts an annual Fall Race Series and the NIRCA Championship Series, drawing thousands of student athletes.
With a training schedule that sees Metler putting in 100 miles on local trails weekly — regardless of pelting rain or searing sunshine — and an all-organic diet omitting sugar and processed foods, Metler is committed to being the best-possible athlete he can be.
“Aaron is a remarkable, hard-working, precision beast of an athlete,” noted his manager, Michelle Graves, Assistant Director, Parks and Community Services for the City of St. George. “His personality is laid back and so much fun, but his dedication to diet, fitness and the sport of running is second to none. His mental strength and consistency are off the charts.”
The complete men’s professional field, which will be continuously updated, can be found here.
