OKC Memorial Marathon CEO, Olympic silver medalist Meb Keflezighi discuss 2026 races

Over a month since the end of the 2025 Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, organizers are already hard at work preparing for next year's races.

News 9 spoke with Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum President and CEO Kari Watkins and next year's Marathon Ambassador, retired long-distance runner and Olympic medalist Meb Keflezighi, to learn more about what to expect in 2026.

Q: Kari, next year is going to be here before we know it. What do folks need to know? 

A: We're going to announce today, we're going to roll out registration on Aug. 26. So, trying to play off the number 26, and so we think August will be when people will be ... Looking forward to getting their plans for 2026 rolling. So we're ready to roll that out. Meb was here last year for the 25th [Marathon], and we want to bring him back. We'll have some surprises around the course.

Q: Meb, talk to our viewers a little bit about your journey as a runner. 

A: As a runner, I started running when I was in 7th grade for physical education class to get an A in the class and a shirt. The teacher for the course said if you run hard, you're going to get A, and besides, just run as hard as I could and then that's when I got given talent and discovered I end up running a 5:20 for the mile to get an A. You have to run 6:15, so I did OK. I got an A, but he goes "You're going to go to the Olympics," and I had no idea what the word Olympic meant. He said, "You're going to do great," and then the rest is history because I started running high school, cross country meets, track meets, and then ended up going on a full scholarship to UCLA. I was so studious, and my parents wanted me to get that diploma first. After that, I became a citizen in 1998 and wanted to represent red, white and blue and went to Sydney, Australia, 25 years ago for the United States. I was so delighted to be an Olympian.

Q: You won the Boston Marathon at one point, correct?

A: I did, the most important day, the year after the bombing, I was [there] in 2013 when the bombing happened. I missed the bombing by about 5 minutes. I was in the grandstand watching, just like the rest of the other people who were there, but I made a commitment to myself after the event happened. I hoped to be healthy enough to win for the people. On April 21, 2014, my dream came true. To be able to win not only for myself but for the community, for the sport of running, and also internationally, so it was an epic moment. Once in a lifetime experience and a magical moment.

Related: How did the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon start? The run that started it all

Q: What is it that makes Oklahoma City special? You've run so many places. What makes this marathon different? 

A: I've been fortunate enough to be in the Olympics four times and win the New York City Marathon ... To be in the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon last year, it was amazing. Just the people, the crowd, the hospitality, it was incredible. So my job as an ambassador is to let people know fitness and health are good for you, and Run to Remember here in Oklahoma. I wasn't gonna run. I was injured coming into the race, and then I felt so touched. I ran the 5K, but it was amazing to be able to just to see the moment for 168 seconds of silence. The cause and the purpose are just incredible. I want people to know not only in Oklahoma, but nationally and internationally, that this is one of the races that you should do on your list. 

Related: 'More than a race:' Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon unites community in purpose and motion