Results/Photos

Date: Feb. 14, 2026 Participant: Salvador Saenz #20457 Race: 2026 Mesa Half Marathon Distance: 13.1 miles

Steady Pacing with a Slight Drop-off Salvador Saenz skillfully maintained a consistent pace in the 2026 Mesa Marathon half marathon, showing impressive control throughout the first several miles. His splits exhibit a gradual improvement up to mile 5, starting with a 10:13 min/mile pace and sharpening to 9:55 min/mile by mile 5. His overall elapsed time was 2:19:24 for the 13.1-mile distance, which equates to an average pace of 10:38 min/mile. Notably, Salvador's placement metrics show consistency, with division placements fluctuating between 146th and 184th throughout the race. However, Salvador's pace peaked at mile 4, and a slight deceleration is observed after mile 5, culminating in a 12:57 min/mile in the final mile. Focusing on sustaining the pace from his initial miles during the latter part of the course could yield smoother finishes and reduced overall time. Salvador finished 2459th overall out of 4125 participants, and he represented his team, Las Tortuguitas, with dedication.