Results/Photos

Date: February 8, 2025 Participant: Rafael Salinas #18263 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 Performance with Key Split Gains Rafael Salinas, representing Sole Sports, completed the 2025 Mesa Marathon Half Marathon with an overall time of 2:48:42. Notably, Rafael showed consistency in his splits, as his pace fluctuated from a strong start of 12:26 min/mile and stabilized around the 11:30 range up to the 6-mile mark. His standout split occurred between miles 2 and 3 with a pace of 11:14 min/mile, achieving his fastest mile. At the halfway point (mile 6), Rafael managed a split time of 11:30, suggesting a strategic racing approach. Post mile six, Rafael experienced a gradual slowdown. A critical observation is the deceleration in pace, particularly at mile 11 where the split time peaked at 15:04 min/mile. This pattern suggests potential areas for enhanced endurance training, especially in the latter portions of the race. Despite the challenges in pacing towards the end, Rafael's final placement was 223rd in his division, showcasing strong competitive spirit in a field of 3859 total participants.