Shelby Houlihan Will Open 2025 Season at Arkansas’ Razorback Invitational on February 1

Houlihan will run the 3000m in her first race back from a four-year doping suspension

LetsRun.com has learned that Shelby Houlihan’s first race back from her four-year doping suspension will take place on February 1 at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. where she will run the 3,000 meters. The American record holder in the 1500 meters, Houlihan, 31, tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in December 2020 and her four-year ban expired on January 14. Houlihan still denies knowingly ingesting the substance.

Houlihan’s final race before her ban came at The Track Meet in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., on December 4, 2020, where she won the 5,000 meters in 15:02.55. Other than an appearance at the Beer Mile World Classic in 2023, she has not raced on the track since her ban came into effect in January 2021.

Houlihan at the 2020 USATF Indoor Championships © 2020 Kevin Morris

Currently, Houlihan has two races on her schedule: the Razorback Invitational, and the mile at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invitational at Boston University on February 8. Notably, that means Houlihan will not be competing at the the two biggest professional meets of the US indoor season, which are scheduled for the same two weekends: the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston (February 2) and the Millrose Games in New York (February 8).

Initially, Houlihan’s agent Paul Doyle told LetsRun.com that the plan was for Houlihan to be “very hush-hush” about her first meet back from suspension. But Houlihan told him this week she is feeling confident, excited to race again and ready to announce her plans.

Doyle said that Houlihan’s main aim this weekend is to just get used to racing again. But he also said she would like to compete at the USATF Indoor Championships (February 22-23 in New York) and make the team for the World Indoor Championships (March 21-23 in Nanjing, China). The qualifying standards for USA Indoors are 4:27.00 in the mile and 8:45.00 in the 3,000 while the World Indoor standards are 4:22.50 and 8:33.00. Houlihan’s personal bests are 4:24.16 and 8:26.66.

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More LRC coverage of Houlihan:

LRC Shelby Houlihan’s Drug Ban Is Over. Now What?

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