2026 Sun Half Marathon Race Recap - Santa Clara, UT

Sun half marathon start line

Official Time: 2:01:47
Placement: 2nd in the 55-59 age division, 108th out of 216 runners
Results:  Here
Race Website: Here
Weather: Low 40's windy at the start
Garmin Dump: Here
Previous Years: [2025] [2024] [2020]

Mile	Time	Comments
1	9:09	Just getting warmed up.  Right on target though.
2	8:57	Feeling good and settling into a pace
3	8:47	Nice mile.
4	9:00	Crisp breeze at my back. Mostly downhill running.
5	8:57
6	10:08	Long hill here and the wind changed direction so it was no longer at my back
7	8:40	Nice downhill.  Heading back into the inhabited area.
8	9:32	Another hill but settling back into pace
9	9:08	Getting into a groove
10	9:06	Let's close this race out.
11	10:37	Long mile hill here.  It didn't that steep but it was never ending
12	9:21	Running into the outgoing 5K / 10K runners. Got cheers and motivation
13	9:02	This mile felt faster than I ran it. Solid though.
13.12	0:58	Cruise through the finish line.
Total Miles: 13.12 2:01:27

Introduction

I like to kick off the year with the Sun Half Marathon.  It has been in my race schedule in January for a few years now.  

When I lived in Salt Lake, it was a treat to drive to St George (4 hours each way) and run a race in hopefully warmer weather than the northern part of the state.  I'd usually make a weekend of it and go to Mesquite and eat and gamble.

Now that I live in Las Vegas, this race is less exotic.  It is still an overnighter -- having to get your bib on Friday night and not having to drive nearly 2 hours to the race's location on Saturday morning.  Also, with casinos and food choices where I live, there isn't a need to make the most of the weekend in regards to casino activities.

I definitely wanted to run this race though.  I've had solid race performances the last few years and it would be a nice opportunity to see some of my Salt Lake friends who come down to partake in the race.

Looking at where the full marathoners come from

Pre-Race / Goals

So I made the journey from Las Vegas to St George on Friday night - leaving the Las Vegas area around 3 PM.  It was an easy and relaxing drive and I made the journey in under 2 hours.  

Packet pickup was held at St George Running Center.  I think the initial rush of people was over with, having gotten there at 6 PM.  I had my bib, shirt and a few product samples in short order.  I also caught up with race organizer Joe.  I felt really good and my legs weren't sore.  I didn't plan on running and using the Friday as a rest day.

I made my way to the Red Lion and checked in, unpacked and made sure I hadn't forgotten anything.  I was armed with just about every thing I could possibly need for any weather condition that Saturday morning might dish out.

Starving, I walked over to the local Mexican joint and ate there.  I don't like a lot of fiber before a race and stuck to easily digestible things.

I usually have pre-race anxiety so I made sure all my gear was setup and ready to go.  I made the room cool and just worked on relaxing.  I actually slept pretty well (turns out I had had the room I was in before).

My goal for the race was 1:55 to 2:00 hours. Given the nature of the course (a generous, but not all out downhill race) I figured I'd have a decent shot at it, despite being quite a bit slower than previous times.  I had put in a solid training block and some of the paces I was hitting during training indicated I should be able to hit a sub 2 hour half marathon.

Getting ready to run!

The Race

The race's headquarters was at Archie Gubler park.  I got there around 6:30 to be on a bus by 7 AM.  Parking was a little limited there and I am glad I got there when I did. There is plenty of street parking, but in the darkness it is a little hard to tell where it is okay and where it isn't.  

The bus left promptly at 7 AM and made the 13 mile drive to the starting line in short order.  The bus drive was kind enough to let us sit on the bus until 8:15 (8:30 AM start time for the race). It was very breezy at the race start and I saw that the people who did get off the bus were bouncing around and trying to keep warm.

After exiting the bus, I felt that I'd quickly warm-up. I saw a number of the full marathoners running past us not wearing a lot, so I figured I'd be okay.  I wound up dressing in short-shorts, t-shirt, running sleeves, and thin gloves.  After about 3 miles I wound up tossing the sleeves in my pocket. I also had tossed a 30-gallon bag in my back pocket to work as a poncho, in case it wound up raining -- which it was threatening to do.

One of the race's selling point is starting just below Gunlock Reservoir.  The first 5 miles or so is probably the race's best features in that you are running down a canyon road (closed to traffic).  It is mostly a downhill portion of the race, although there are periods of some slight uphills.

With a goal of 2 hours I wound up hanging around with the 2-hour pacer.  For the first 2 miles or so it was largely going to plan. However, I did notice that she was running a little faster, perhaps 8:45's.  I let her go figuring I'd reel her in later in the race.

Typical stretch of mid-miles running

I had spotted another runner who I knew was in my age group and he quickly sped ahead of me.  I knew that this was going to be a battle for at best 2nd place.  Either way, I just wanted to hit my goal time; if I won an age group award, even better.  Throughout the race's progress, I was monitoring anyone who seemed to be in my age group.

The race did have several hundred runners. I never felt blocked in or congested and there was always someone to work off of.  

Around mile 5, just before the first really big hill, I opened a vanilla Gu and started to work on it.  It gave me a much needed boost.  I wasn't screaming down the canyon by any means, but I felt like I was running comfortably hard.  Part of me was wondering when I should increase my pace, but I was hoping to start that at about the halfway point.

The hill at mile 6 is definitely the hardest.  The 2-hour pacer was still within my reach and I was doing math to indicate I was still solidly on pace for 2 hours.  But the wind that was gently pushing me along, was now blowing at me.  Could I catch a break?

Fortunately, it was short-lived.  The wind throughout the race would either be coming at my side, or behind me or even at my face.  It kind of depended how the canyon walls moved it.

It was also at this point we were out of the canyon (more or less) and onto the bike trail.  Still, it was scenic with St George's iconic red rock walls in the distance.  The runners had thinned out, but I had plenty of people to pass and be passed by.  I was still holding a solid pace, however, I'd slow down on some of the hills if they were significant enough.  Normally, runners would pass me on the hills, as I dialed it back, only for me to pick it back up on the flatter sections.  I still felt solid, but I wasn't hitting that 10K pace I was hoping to.  But the race was definitely "on".

Around mile 9 I opened another gel. I knew there was a long hill coming up and I wanted a little caffeine boost to help me.  Sadly, I don't use gels that much anymore and I think the one I had brought may have been expired. It felt "chewy".  I ate some of it, but was really worried it was going to throw my digestive system under the bus.

I was still knocking down 2-hour paced miles, but I couldn't find that extra gear to make up some of the time I lost.  I was also banking energy for the 10th to 11th mile, which always ruins my race.

After running several miles on the bike trail, we finally hung a left and I was greeted by the never ending hill.  It isn't terribly steep -- it just seems to never end.  It is over a mile long and at the end of a half marathon, it isn't really what you want.  But you bear down on it, knowing you are in the final miles of getting it done.

Cruising along - mile 7-ish?

Try as I might, I couldn't get anything here.  My pace was agonizingly slow and I was working way too hard to just get that.  I couldn't wait to get to the top.

There were a handful of people cheering us on here (and throughout the race there were some families following their loved ones and cheering people on).  Every little bit helped.

After making it to the top, I was just gassed however.  In the past, I was able to really smash the final 2 miles, but today.  the best I could do was get back onto 2-hour half marathon pace.  It wasn't going to be a enough though unless I banked a miracle final mile.

I did get a lot of benefit getting "hey Eddie's" and nice works from the outgoing 5K and 10K runners.  They were headed in the opposite direction and it only spurred me on.

The final mile is slightly downhill and I was really hoping to crush it.  But once again, my mind was willing but my legs just didn't have the turnover.  I knew if I didn't have an incredible mile that it was game over for my goal.

As I made my way down the subdivision, the park's entrance came into view.  I wasn't going to make it, but it didn't stop me from running as hard as I could. There was no one behind me and no one to catch up to, even though I had been passed by a few runners.  

I crossed under the finish line in 2:01:27 on my watch.  I suspect my official time is my gun time however.

On the podium

Conclusion

When I normally finish a half marathon, I am pretty spent and not feeling great.  I actually felt really good -- I think I could've done another mile or two at the current 2-hour pace.  Despite saying this though, I was definitely tired and glad to be done running.

I sat down for a while and sipped on the Tailwind I had packed in my drop-off bag.  I checked the results and was happy to see I had placed 2nd.  At the time I checked, there were 4 runners in my age group but only 3, I think, actually finished.

Showing off the bling

So 2:01 was close enough to my goals but I didn't really hit my goal.  Still, I felt really good about this one.  I ran what I would describe as a well-paced race.  I slowed down in portions of the race I knew I was going to slow down at, banked the downhills, and pushed the pace on the flats.  I just didn't have enough extra strength, however, to make up for the time I lost on the downhills.  I suspect I may have been too cautious in the early miles.

The finish line weather was perfect.  Just enough sun to feel warm and a nice breeze.  It was also nice to see friends and make some new ones.  There was definitely a good crowd there and everyone seemed to be in a good mood.

Post race refreshments were fairly typical: Ice cream sandwiches, granola bars, fruit, candy and sports drink.  There were aid stations at about every 2 miles.  I only wound up taking water and once Powerade at them.  The Gus kept me properly fueled and I never dipped into dehydration levels thanks to the cooler temperatures.

The medals were definitely cool.  The shirt is simple but again, not a fan of the non 100% polyester ones. Still, it proudly displays that I ran the Sun Marathon.

Shirts + Medals

Again, I am sad I missed my goal time. For the last 2 years, the Sun Half Marathon, has been the most successful race of the year that I've run.  I am hoping that this isn't a year that I am going to struggle in.

On the plus side though. My pacing and endurance were spot on.  I never felt like I was dying in this race and I ran on my own race without getting worked up about being passed or running too slow.  There were moments of the race, particularly after the half way point where I had definitely felt like I was racing, rather than just moving along.

View of the final stretch

I do think this is some to build off of.  I am hoping to do this race again next year.  The course is really beautiful and it is just a nice environment to race hard and fast.

Upcoming Races

02/22: 2026 Las Vegas Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)

03/26: 2026 Mount Charleston Half Marathon - Las Vegas, NV (Confirmed)