Matt Rand (born August 4, 1991) is an American distance runner who specializes in the marathon. He competed in track and cross country collegiately for Tufts University, earning NCAA All-American honors, before transitioning to marathoning. Rand competed in the 2020 and 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon.
Early Life.
Rand grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and graduated from Cape Elizabeth High School in 2009. He played baseball and basketball while also running cross country. He attended Tufts University, where he earned NCAA All-American awards in cross country, the 10,000 meters, and the distance medley relay. Rand placed as high as sixth in the Open New England Cross Country Championship. While at Tufts, he was teammates and roommates with ultra-marathoner and mountaineer Tyler C. Andrews.
Career.
In 2017 while residing in Ozone Park, New York and competing for Central Park Track Club, Rand won the Mohawk Hudson River Marathon in Albany, NY.
Rand placed in the top 50 at the Chicago Marathon in 2016 and 2018.
He finished 25th at the 2019 Houston Marathon and 28th at the 2019 USA 20 km Championship in New Haven, CT. Shortly thereafter at the 2019 Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Rand claimed 6th in a time of 2:18:42, which qualified him for the 2020 United States Olympic Trials (marathon).
USATF New York named Rand the 2019 Long Distance Running Athlete of the Year, alongside Roberta Groner.
As of early 2020, he had relocated to Portland, Maine and worked for U.S. News & World Report, while also training for the Olympic Trials. In February 2020, Rand competed in the 2020 Olympic Trials Marathon, placing 108th of 235 men on a hilly course through downtown Atlanta.
In 2023, Rand finished 8th of 25,418 runners in the Brooklyn Half Marathon, one of the largest half marathons in the United States. Over the summer, he won the Maine Men’s division at the Beach to Beacon 10K in his hometown of Cape Elizabeth, ME. 
In October, he ran the 2023 McKirdy Micro Marathon in a time of 2:17:11 to qualify for the 2024 United States Olympic Trials (marathon).
At the 2024 Olympic Trials in Orlando, FL, Rand struggled in hot, sunny conditions. He was the last of 150 men to cross the finish line (50 of the 200 male starters dropped out). His effort was featured in an article written by Dennis Young and published by Defector. Other marathoners from previous Olympic Trials were also cited in the long-form piece, including Dan Browne and Joanna Zeiger.
As of 2025, Rand serves on the Board of Directors for the Beach to Beacon 10K.
Personal.
As of 2024, Rand lives with his wife and son in Portland, Maine and operates a stone business.