Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 27, 2026 Participant: Shota Sprunger #10019 Race: 2026 Boulderthon Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Steady Through Halfway, Grinding Home Strong in the Second Half's Middle Stretch Shota Sprunger completed the Boulderthon Marathon in 4:07:51, holding between 9:00 and 9:10 per mile pace through the first 20 miles. His strongest stretch came from miles 11 through 13, where he clicked off 8:14, 8:50, and 8:16 splits, pulling his cumulative pace down to 8:54 per mile by the halfway point. The final six miles brought a gradual fade, with mile splits climbing into the 10:00-11:36 range as fatigue set in, closing out the marathon at a 9:27 per mile overall pace. Running a marathon at Boulder's altitude, over 5,000 feet, adds a layer of difficulty to any pacing strategy, and Sprunger's disciplined first-half execution reflects strong course management before the closing miles took their toll. Finishing on the historic Pearl Street Mall capped the effort in downtown Boulder.