# Kellyn Taylor

Kellyn Taylor (née Johnson; born July 22, 1986) is an American long distance runner.

## High school

Kellyn graduated from Sussex Hamilton High School in Wisconsin where she was a state 1600 meter champion as a senior. Kellyn earned District Runner of the Year honors and was a four-year Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association state qualifier in both cross country and track. Kellyn lettered in cross country, basketball, and track.

## NCAA

In 2009, she finished 3rd at the NCAA indoor championships in the mile for the Wichita State Shockers.
Johnson, a 2006 graduate from Cloud County, is an aspiring Olympian and was a perennial All-American during her college career as a cross country and track athlete in Concordia for the Cloud County Thunderbirds for the Cloud County Community College and at Wichita State University. "She had an outstanding career when she was here. She ran everything from the 4X400 relay clear up the longest distance races like the 5,000-meter," said Cloud County head women's track coach, Ted Schmitz. "She was a driven athlete that hated to lose. She'd do anything to win a race. I hope our kids take away that hard work gets you places. Sometimes you might have to face adversity, but if you have a goal you need to stay with it and pursue your dream." Taylor, who met her husband Kyle Taylor while in Concordia, still owns the school records at Cloud County in the indoor distance medley relay (12:38.22), 1,000-meter run (2:57.9), mile run (4:59.5), and outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase (11:25.9).
Her success continued at Wichita State where Taylor finished third at the 2009 indoor NCAA Championships in the mile, and 10th in the 5000-meter outdoor championships.
Representing Wichita State University :
| School Year | Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championship | NCAA Cross Country Championship | Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track Championship | NCAA Indoor Track Championship | Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track Championship | NCAA Outdoor Track Championship |
| 2009 Senior | | | 3000 Meters, 1st, 9:24.33 5000 Meters, 1st, 16:11.77 | Mile, 3rd, 4:34.41 | 1500 Meters, 1st, 4:20.82 5000 Meters, 1st, 16:32.56 | 5000 m, 10th, 16:45.34 |
| 2008 Junior | 1st | | 5000m 1st, 17:06.99 | | | |
| 2008 Junior | 1st | | 3000m 2nd, 9:53.57 | | | |
| 2008 Junior | 1st | | Mile, 3rd, 4:55.42 | | | |
| 2007 Sophomore | | | | | 5000m 1st, 16:51.32 | 5000m 26th, 16:45.82 |
| 2007 Sophomore | | | | | 1500m 1st, 4:30.00 | |
| Representing Cloud County Community College |||||||
| School Year | Cross Country Championship | NJCAA Cross Country Championship | Indoor Track Championship | NJCAA Indoor Track Championship | Outdoor Track Championship | NJCAA Outdoor Track Championship |
| 2006 Freshman | | | | | | 3000 M steeplechase 2nd, 11:26.55 |
| 2005 Freshman | | | | Mile 2nd, 5:07.23 | | |

## Professional

In 2012, Kellyn finished 10th at 10,000 meters and 14th at 5,000 meters at the US Olympic Trials (track and field).
In 2014, Taylor won a national title at the 25 km distance.
At the 2015 Pan American Games she finished 3rd in the 5000 meters.
Also in 2015, she took second at the 2015 Pan American Cross Country Cup and first at the 2015 NACAC Championships in Athletics in the 5000 meters. Kellyn placed 3rd in 2015 Toronto Pan Am Track and Field Championships in 5000 meters in 15:52.78.
Kellyn placed 6th in Los Angeles at She competed at the 2016 US Olympic Marathon Trials. 2016 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships placing 25th in 1:12:42.
Kellyn Taylor placed fourth in 10,000 m behind Molly Huddle, Emily Infeld, and Marielle Hall at 2016 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) and was an alternate to represent United States at Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
In late 2016, Taylor trained and passed Firefighter Level I and II courses to qualify to Firefighting in the United States instead of racing a Fall marathon.
Kellyn Taylor placed thirteenth in 2017 London Marathon in 2:28:51.
She won the 2018 Grandma's Marathon in 2:24:28, setting a course record in the process. Kellyn Taylor's time made her the 7th fastest marathoner in US women’s history.
Taylor ran in the 2020 U.S. Woman's Olympic Trials Marathon February 29 in Atlanta, Georgia. She stayed in a lead pack for more than half the race, but Aliphine Tuliamuk and Molly Seidel pulled away and went first and second, respectively. Sally Kipyego was the third to make the team. Taylor finished 8th at 2:29:55.
After the COVID-19 pandemic put a year hold on the U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field, Taylor was able to enter the 10,000 meter at the field in Eugene, Oregon in June. The summer was one of the hottest ever experienced on the West Coast, and on a hot track, Taylor held pace with the leaders, but couldn't stay up front as Emily Sisson stretched out the pack. Taylor finished 12th of 44 runners in 32:42.
As of 2025, Taylor will no longer be part of Northern Arizona Elite or be sponsored by Hoka One One.
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| 2009 | USA Outdoor Track Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 13th | 1500 metres | 4:16.71 |
| 2011 | USA Outdoor Track Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 14th | 5000 metres | 16:07.18 |
| 2012 | 2012 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) | Eugene, Oregon | 14th | 5000 metres | 15:39.60 |
| 2013 | Lilac Bloomsday Run Bloomsday 12 km | Spokane, Washington | 5th | 12 km | 40:42 |
| 2013 | Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run | Washington, D.C. | 3rd | Ten Mile Road Race | 54:19 |
| 2013 | USA Outdoor Track Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 10th | 5000 metres | 16:05.48 |
| 2014 | USA Cross Country Championships | Indianapolis, Indiana | 4th | 8000 meters | 28:13 |
| 2014 | 2014 NACAC Cross Country Championships | Mount Irvine Bay Golf Club Trinidad and Tobago | 1st | 6 km | 20:09 |
| 2014 | USA 25 km Championships | Grand Rapids, Michigan | 1st | 25 km | 1:25:26 |
| 2014 | USA Outdoor Track Championships | Sacramento State University | 5th | 5000 metres | 15:25.63 |
| 2015 | Houston Marathon | Houston texas | 6th | Marathon | 2:28:40 |
| 2015 | USATF 15 km championship Gate River Run | Jacksonville, Florida | 10th | 15 km | 52:20 |
| 2015 | USA Outdoor Track Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 7th | 5000 metres | 15:32.04 |
| 2015 | Pan American Games | Toronto | 3rd | 5000 metres | 15:52.78 |
| 2015 | NACAC Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 1st | 5000 metres | 16:24.86 |
| 2015 | USATF 10 mile championship | St. Paul, Minn. | 7th | 10 miles | 54:37 |
| 2016 | US Marathon Olympic Trials | Los Angeles | 6th | Marathon | 2:32:56 |
| 2016 | World Half Marathon Championships | Cardiff | 25th | Half marathon | 1:12:42 |
| 2016 | US Track Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 12th | 5000 metres | 15:43.35 |
| 2016 | US Track Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 4th | 10,000 metres | 32:11.29 |
| 2017 | Houston Half Marathon | Houston texas | 12th | Half marathon | 1:13:13 |
| 2017 | London Marathon | London UK | 13th | Marathon | 2:28:51 |
| 2017 | New York Marathon | New York, New York | 8th | Marathon | 2:29:56 |
| 2018 | Boston Marathon | Boston, Massachusetts | DNF | Marathon |
| 2018 | Grandma's Marathon | Duluth, Minnesota | 1st | Marathon | 2:24:29 (PB) |
| 2018 | Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas Marathon | Las Vegas, Nevada | 1st | Half Marathon | 1:10:16 |
| 2019 | NYC Half Marathon | New York, New York | 8th | Half Marathon | 1:12:43 |
| 2019 | Prague Marathon | Prague, Czech Republic | 4th | Marathon | 2:26:27 |
| 2019 | USA Outdoor Track Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 10th | 5000 metres | 15:32.19 |
| 2019 | USA Outdoor Track Championships | Des Moines, Iowa | 3rd | 10,000 metres | 32:02.74 |
| 2020 | US Marathon Olympic Trials | Atlanta, Georgia | 8th | Marathon | 2:29:55 |
| 2021 | New York Marathon | New York, New York | 6th | Marathon | 2:26:10 |