Date: Oct. 5, 2025 Participant: Xiang Li #11638 Race: 2025 Portland Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Consistent First Half, Slowdown on the Back End Xiang Li completed the 2025 Portland Marathon with an overall time of 4:05:29, averaging a pace of 9:22 per mile. Notably, Xiang maintained a consistent pace of 8:38 min/mile for the first six miles, staying steady in the 791st position in the male category. At mile seven, the pace slowed to 8:51 min/mile but allowed for progress in rankings, moving up to 606th in the male category and 29th in the M50-54 division. This initial strategy served him well, as he climbed positions frequently. From mile 21, Xiang's pace dropped to 11:28 min/mile, culminating in a 13:10 min/mile slowdown by mile 23. Compared to his 2023 performance, where he ran at 9:02 min/mile, this race showed a pattern of slowing in the latter half. As a strategy for future races, focusing on maintaining mid- to late-race pace consistency would be beneficial. Engaging in interval training may help enhance endurance when approaching the final miles.