Results/Photos

Date: Feb. 14, 2026 Participant: Viet Cao #11143 Race: 2026 Mesa Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Steady Start with Potential for a Strong Finish Viet Cao completed the 2026 Mesa Marathon with a total elapsed time of 4:21:58, averaging a pace of 9:59 min/mile over the 26.2-mile course. Notably, his performance varied throughout the race, starting with a faster initial mile at a pace of 9:02 min/mile, which gradually slowed as the race progressed. A strong mid-race was evident around mile 7, with an 8:51 min/mile split, providing a foundation for targeted improvement. Throughout the marathon, there were several instances where consistency was key. Between miles 1 and 4, Viet managed to maintain sub-9:00 min/mile splits, before experiencing pace fluctuations notably in the later miles where splits exceeded 10:00 min/mile. Viet's overall placement was 1809 out of 3509 participants, with 1125th in male gender and 164th in his division (M35-39). With targeted training focused on maintaining speed in the latter stages, his race completion could see marked improvement in future events. Keep pushing forward!