Results/Photos

Date: February 8, 2025 Participant: Blake Sacha #18253 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 Effort with Progressive Splits Blake initiated the 2025 Mesa Marathon at a steady pace of 6:46 min/mile for the first mile. Throughout the race, displayed a progression in pace, notably hitting a swift 6:17 min/mile by mile 3. However, as the race evolved, Blake experienced a gradual deceleration, ending with a pace of 7:33 min/mile in the final mile. His overall elapsed time was 1:32:23, giving him an average pace of 7:03 min/mile over the 13.1-mile course. Blake's performance secured him a respectable 8th place in his age division (M55-59) out of all participants. Comparisons with previous Mesa Marathons indicate a slower pace this year, compared to his 6:37 min/mile pace in 2024 and 6:45 min/mile in 2022. Strategically, focusing on maintaining the initial burst observed in the early miles could help in closing the gap to his previous timings. Steadying later pacing might bridge the performances from past races.