Results/Photos

Date: February 8, 2025 Participant: Craig Loveland #17304 Race: 2025 Mesa Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles Weather: Perfect running conditions at 63°F, partly cloudy skies, and a slight breeze from the east in Mesa, AZ.

Consistent Start, Variable Splits in Race Performance Craig's performance in the 2025 Mesa Marathon showcased his consistent early splits, with the first mile clocking in at 10:44, setting a steady pace. The 5-mile split demonstrates slightly quicker timing at 10:00. Of special note is the 31:54 finishing of mile three, speeding up to a 9:12 pace, which was his fastest mile. Despite this, the latter miles indicated a deceleration, with the pace moving to over 12 minutes per mile in the final mile. Craig achieved an overall time of 2:24:44 with an average pace of 11:02, placing 105th in his division M50-54. This shows a variance from previous personal records in the past Mesa Marathon events, where consistency was closer to a 9:30 pace. Exploring interval training could help address the variations in split times, offering a path to return to past pace successes. Keep working on maintaining early-race efficiency through to later miles.