Results/Photos

Date: Feb. 1, 2026 Participant: melissa dayton #22426 Race: 2026 Surf City Marathon Wheelchair Distance: 26.2 miles

Consistent Pace and Strong Finish Lead to Victory Melissa Dayton delivered a remarkable performance at the 2026 Surf City Marathon, achieving a total time of 3:43:29 and averaging an impressive pace of 8:31 min/mile over the 26.2-mile course. She secured first place in her gender and division categories with a consistent pace and strategic approach. Melissa's performance highlights include five sub-8:20 miles and a decisive final mile at 8:03, cementing her lead. The race data reflects consistency, with split times largely remaining in the 8:30-8:50 range. Notably, Melissa improved her position throughout the race, finishing 9th overall out of 2,593 participants. Key moments include her significant advancement in the final stretch where she maintained an 8:32 pace for the last mile. While the result is outstanding, maintaining a slightly faster pace in earlier splits could further reduce overall time. Melissa's ability to accelerate in the latter stages is a valuable assetsomething to continue leveraging in future races.