Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 27, 2026 Participant: Francisco Valenzuela #22337 Race: 2026 Boulderthon Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles

Strong Back-Half Surge Powers Steady Half Marathon Finish Francisco Valenzuela ran the 2026 Boulderthon Half Marathon in 1:38:10, an average pace of 7:29 per mile. After settling in around 8:00 pace through the first three miles, he built momentum steadily, dropping into the 7:20s-7:30s for the middle stretch of the race. The final three miles were his fastest of the day, with splits of 7:21, 6:45 and 6:43 a sequence that reflects strong closing strength and smart pacing across the second half of the course. Running through downtown Boulder, which sits above 5,000 feet of elevation, Valenzuela tackled a half marathon course redesigned this year to trim net elevation gain to 203 feet. His quickest mile came just past the lululemon Power-Up Zone near mile 9.5, where he clocked 6:54 a clear signal of well-managed energy heading into the closing miles. Maintaining or slightly extending that late-race pace could be a useful target for future half marathons.