Results/Photos

Date: Feb. 1, 2026 Participant: Joel Whitson #7660 Race: 2026 Surf City Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles

Consistent Speed with Strategic Gains Joel Whitson showcased a solid performance in the 2026 Surf City Half Marathon with a finish time of 1:17:46, maintaining an average pace of 5:56 minutes per mile. Notably, there was a standout moment between miles 4 to 5 where he accelerated, gaining significantly on his competition, moving to 31st overall during that split. His strategic pacing allowed him to complete the race 48th overall and 9th in his division (M20-24) out of over 12,000 participants. A closer look at his splits reveals a start with a fast 5:46 first mile pace, followed by a strategic pace adaptation in subsequent miles. Despite a slight slowdown in mile 11, Joel regained momentum in mile 12 with a 5:52 split pace. For future races, maintaining the gained pace from the successful fifth split could push his performance even further. His impressive early race strategy and mile 5 surge indicate a strong potential for even faster finishes.