Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 27, 2026 Participant: Danika Smidt #11776 Race: 2026 Boulderthon Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Strong Start Gives Way to a Tougher Back Half Danika Smidt finished the marathon in 4:24:21, an average pace of 10:05 per mile. Her race built steadily off a fast start, holding low-to-mid 8:30s through the opening seven miles before easing gradually toward the 9:009:40 range by mile 17. The middle-to-late stretch cost the most ground, with miles 18 through 23 sliding into the 10:2313:22 range, before she settled back down into the 11:4612:26 pace for the final three miles to the Pearl Street Mall finish. Her opening seven miles, covered in roughly 8:41 per mile on average, stand out as the strongest sustained stretch of the day quick and consistent from the very start. That effort came at Boulder's elevation of over 5,000 feet, a demanding backdrop for holding sub-9:00 pace early in a marathon.