Ian Tibbals has spent the past year balancing two demanding challenges: earning a doctorate in organic chemistry at Yale and racing through the world’s most prestigious marathon courses.

The 2019 Rye High School graduate completed the Abbott World Marathon Majors series in April 2026 after finishing the London Marathon, earning the coveted six-star medal awarded to runners who complete races in Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York City, Tokyo, and London.

Tibbals finished all six races in a combined time of 15 hours, 23 minutes, and 19 seconds — an average of about 2 hours, 34 minutes per marathon. According to the Rye Record, he is the second-fastest six-star finisher on record among runners ages 25 and younger and ranks 101st among the more than 27,700 runners worldwide who have earned the distinction.

The achievement is especially notable given that the average six-star finisher is around 50 years old.

“I think from the get-go, I definitely had the goal of doing all six,” Tibbals told the Rye Record. “I maybe just didn’t know how long it would take per se, because some of the races are sort of difficult to get into.”

From the Rye Derby to the world stage

Running was not always Tibbals’ main focus. During his years at Rye High School, he competed casually in local events, including the Rye YMCA’s annual Rye Derby 5K, but did not run his first half marathon until his junior year at the University of Notre Dame in 2022.

His first full marathon came later that year at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon. After a foot injury temporarily sidelined him, Tibbals returned to racing in 2024 and quickly lowered his times, eventually qualifying for the Boston Marathon in 2025.

He has remained connected to Rye’s running community. At the 37th annual Rye Derby in April 2025, Tibbals won the men’s 5K with a time of 16 minutes, 51 seconds.

For the international legs of the Majors series in Berlin, Tokyo, and London, Tibbals traveled with his mother, Elaine, turning each race weekend into both a competition and a family experience.

Still chasing faster times

Completing the six-star series has not slowed Tibbals down. He is scheduled to run the San Francisco Marathon on Sunday, July 27, 2026, and hopes to return to the New York City Marathon in November.

Beyond that, he has his sights set on the possibility of becoming a nine-star finisher. The Abbott World Marathon Majors circuit has expanded to include Sydney and Cape Town, with Shanghai also under consideration as a future addition.

For now, Tibbals continues to split his time between the roads and the lab — representing Rye on the global running stage while working toward his PhD at Yale.