Date: Oct. 5, 2025 Participant: Blake Blackburn #10244 Race: 2025 Portland Marathon Distance: 26.2 miles

Strong Mid-Race Momentum with Late-Stage Fatigue Blake Blackburn showcased a strong performance at the 2025 Portland Marathon, displaying a prominent mid-race push. Starting with an 8:14 min/mile pace for the first mile, Blake gained momentum and significantly improved his pace to 7:33 min/mile by miles four and five. This impressive acceleration elevated his standing particularly with his division, M40-44, where he momentarily moved up to 13th place. However, the later stages of the race revealed areas to strengthen. After a series of steady mile splits around 7:50 min/mile until mile ten, a noticeable decline occurred from mile 17 onwards, culminating in a 10:11 min/mile by the final mile. This resulted in Blake finishing with an average pace of 8:53 min/mile for the marathon distance. Continuing to maintain energy levels as the race progresses could help. Despite this, Blake finished strong as part of the Portland Frontrunners team, representing Atlanta, Georgia.