Results/Photos

Date: Sept. 27, 2026 Participant: Alex Balchik #10176 Race: 2026 Boulderthon Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Steady Pickup Through the Middle Miles Fuels a Top-Tier Finish Alex Balchik finished the 2026 Boulderthon Marathon in 3:54:25, placing 298th overall and 237th among men in a field of 3,305. After opening near 9:15 pace through the first two miles, he settled in and built real momentum through the middle of the race, gradually working his pace down mile by mile. His strongest stretch came from miles 12 through 20, where he held between 8:20 and 8:42 per mile for nine straight miles the fastest sustained running of his day. The closing miles eased back toward 9:30-10:00 pace as the effort caught up with him, but the earlier surge secured his overall time. Racing at over 5,000 feet of altitude in Boulder, Balchik's disciplined middle-race pacing stands out as the defining feature of his performance.