Results/Photos

Date: February 8, 2025 Participant: Leah Balentine #10358 Race: 2025 Mesa Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles Weather: Perfect running conditions at 63°F, partly cloudy skies, and a slight breeze from the east in Mesa, AZ.

Consistent Pace with Opportunities to Finish Stronger Leah maintained a consistent pace throughout the Mesa Marathon, especially during the first 10 miles, where her pacing ranged from 7:37 to 7:43 minutes per mile. Her pace stayed steady until mile 12, showcasing her strong initial endurance. Notably, she completed mile 9 in 7:29, marking one of her fastest splits in the race. Despite experiencing some slowdown in the final miles, Leah finished the 26.2-mile marathon with an impressive overall pace of 8:07 minutes per mile. While Leah placed 44th in her division out of many competitors, indicating that her performance was impressive and competitive, there remains a bit of room for improvement. The splits in the latter half of the race, especially miles 21 and 22 where the pace exceeded 10:00 and 9:28 minutes per mile respectively, suggest potential work to be done in maintaining pace. Focusing on resilience during the latter part of long races could elevate her finish times. Keep up the dedicated training, Leah!