Results/Photos

Date: Feb. 14, 2026 Participant: Michael Cirelli #11249 Race: 2026 Mesa Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Consistent Early Pace with Opportunities for Late Race Gains Michael Cirelli ran the 2026 Mesa Marathon with an overall time of 3:29:55, maintaining a commendable pace of 8:00 min/mile. Starting strong, his first mile split was 7:32 min/mile, marking it as his fastest. Through the first few miles, Michael successfully sustained an average pace close to 7:37 min/mile, showcasing a well-paced opening. His performance through the first half of the marathon saw him hitting the halfway mark at a steady rhythm, maintaining ranks predominantly within the top 700 for each split. However, post the mid-race point, his split pace slightly declined, most notably in miles 19 and 24, where times increased to as much as 8:42 min/mile and 8:44 min/mile, respectively. This suggests a point of fatigue or potential challenge in sustaining pace during later stages. Finishing 741st overall out of 3509, Michael could benefit from strategies targeting endurance for the latter race stages. Training focus could include long-run stamina and pacing techniques to support a kick in the final miles.