Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 27, 2026 Participant: Ben Sampognaro #10914 Race: 2026 Boulderthon Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Strong Early Pace Gives Way to a Hard-Fought Finish Ben Sampognaro completed the marathon in 4:39:32. He ran the first ten miles in roughly 8:53 per mile, his most efficient stretch of the day, before easing into the mid-teens between miles 11 and 18 at paces in the 9:00s. From mile 19 onward the effort cost him considerably, with per-mile splits climbing into the 11-to-16-minute range as fatigue set in over the closing miles. Boulder's elevation, over 5,000 feet, adds a layer of difficulty to any distance run there, and Sampognaro's steady opening miles showed he handled it well before the course's later stretches wore him down. He would have passed through the lululemon Power-Up Zone near mile 22.5 as his pace was easing, a fitting spot to draw on some support before working through the final miles into the finish on the Pearl Street Mall.