Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 27, 2026 Participant: John Russell #23582 Race: 2026 Boulderthon Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles

Big Half-Marathon Breakthrough Fuels Top-Tier Finish John Russell crossed in 1:39:57, placing 355th overall and 286th among men in a field of 7,223. That's a sharp improvement over his 2025 Boulderthon half, where he finished in 2:01:27 a gap of more than 21 minutes this time around. His pacing stayed remarkably even through the first nine miles, holding between 7:21 and 7:41 per mile, with miles 5 and 6 standing out as his fastest of the day at 7:22 and 7:21. A dip to 7:58 and 8:01 through miles 10 and 11 slowed his rhythm briefly before he closed strong, dropping back to 7:397:41 pace over the final two miles. This year's course also carried nearly 50% less elevation gain than before, a shift that lines up well with the pace he sustained at altitude in Boulder.