Alexander Burks

Date of Birth

09/03/96

Age on Race Day

Current Residence

Thornton, CO

Hometown

Mamaroneck, NY

High School

Mamaroneck High School

Current Affiliation

Hands on a Clock Track Club / SAYSKY

Profession

High School Science Teacher - Riverdale Ridge High School

Marathon PB

2:16:51

Social Media

First Trials qualification

Yes

Number of attempts to qualify

Too many

College(s)

SUNY Geneseo

Career Highlights

Broke my high school's mile record that had stood for 31 years, only to have my record get broken less than 4 years later; scoring member of the 2016 D III Cross Country championships runner-up team, the same year as completing the run "lions above sheep;" had the fastest marathon performance in the U.S.for a month or so in 2021.

Family

Happily married to Leah Grace Burks and father to the best rabbit in the world, Cleopatra (Cleo). Newly minted uncle. Younger brothers William and Ian Burks were D1-frisbee players. My dad, Auxford Burks ran the New York City Marathon with pneumonia, sometime in the '90s I think. My mom, Tami Burks, is pretty good at lawn games.

Greatest Accomplishment

The idea that maybe, possibly, as a teacher or athlete, I inspired someone, somewhere to chase their dream.

Interesting Story

I ran a huge 7-minute PR of 2:16:51 for the marathon back in 2021, which was before the qualifying window opened. I then failed to repeat that level of performance every marathon I ran for the next 2.5 years. The day before my last attempt I woke up with a violent fever, and considered DNS-ing and finding a different one to run. My coach convinced me to give it a good effort anyway and, despite still not feeling great the morning of the race, that was the time I hit my qualifying mark of 2:17:13. Go figure.

Favorite Book

Calvin and Hobbes

Favorite Movie

The Room

Favorite TV Show/Series

Mob Psycho 100

Favorite Song

Rapp Snitch Knishes (feat. Mr. Fantastik) - MF DOOM

Favorite Post-race Indulgence

Straight jacket barelywine poured over a Wendy's vanilla frosty

Favorite Breakfast

Cracklin' Oat Bran and a nice cup of green tea

Favorite Motivational Quote

"People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day" - Winnie the Pooh.

Favorite Running Memory

Legend has it that a creature not of this world prowls the backcountry passages of Geneseo, a witch that in the Navajo language goes by the name of "yee naaldlooshii." Colloquially we in English refer to this beast from beyond as "the skinwalker." Many a voyage has been made out to the realm of the skinwalker - most commonly seen on Mill Gully road - in an attempt to glimpse its visage. I treasure every opportunity that I had to sherpa the fine athletes of SUNY G out to this utopic, yet anathematized throughfare, especially those where the mystical and paranormal seemed to meet reality.

Athlete Bios