Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 27, 2026 Participant: James Thomas #11129 Race: 2026 Boulderthon Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Strong Front Half Fades Late Before a Fast Finish James Thomas completed the marathon in 3:58:47, a steady 9:06/mile average that masks a race run in two distinct halves. Through the first 16 miles he was locked into a tight band between 7:37 and 8:37/mile, holding an 8:01/mile cumulative pace at the midpoint. From mile 17 on, splits stretched out considerably, peaking at 13:04/mile at mile 21, before he rallied over the final two miles, dropping back to 9:36 and 8:40/mile. Miles 9 through 11 stood out as the strongest stretch of the day, clicking off in 7:56, 8:00, and 7:37 his fastest sustained running of the race. That surge came well below Boulder's mile-high elevation challenges most runners feel, making the early pace all the more notable. He crossed the finish on the Pearl Street Mall having covered the back half in a much different rhythm than the first, a pattern worth revisiting in future training blocks focused on even-effort pacing.