CARLSBAD – More than 7,100 people participated in the 35th annual Carlsbad Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K last month, surpassing last year’s numbers by more than one thousand runners.
The annual event offers multiple distances, including a marathon, which is 26.2 miles, a half marathon, which is 13.1 miles, and 5K, which is 3.1 miles.
Participants could also join the Double Down Challenge, which consists of running the 5K and half marathon on race day, completing 16.2 miles. Over 150 runners took the challenge and were awarded three medals, one for each race distance and a third “Double Down” medal.
All race distances started at The Shoppes at Carlsbad. The marathon distance featured an 18-mile stretch along the Pacific Ocean, meanwhile the half marathon ran along the beachfront for 8 miles and the 5K took runners on an out-and-back route passing Buena Vista Lagoon.
Last year, approximately 6,000 runners participated in the event, a number eclipsed by this year’s more than 7,100 participants.
Nicholas Spector, the men’s marathon champion and overall first-place finisher, completed the 26.2 miles in 2 hours, 33 minutes and 33 seconds. Encinitas resident Blake Dunkleberger and Tesfaye Wosene took second and third place, respectively.
Jenna Gasparrini led the women’s marathon course, finishing at 2:58:10. The second and third-place finishers for the women’s marathon were Shannon Clancy and Sarah Myers.
Kritin Karkare claimed first in the marathon non-binary division after finishing in 3:30:43. Other notable finishes in the non-binary fields included half marathon first and second-place finishers Bander Mefreh and Nick Schneider.
Dylan Marx led the men’s half marathon, finishing with a time of 1:07:06, while Carlsbad resident Phoebe Massey led the women’s division with a time of 1:20:54.
First-place finishers of the men’s and women’s 5K were Eddie Ramos (15:49) and Stefanie Cullingford (17:55), respectively.
The Carlsbad Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K is part of In Motion Events’ San Diego Foundation SoCal Triple Crown race series, which also includes the GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K, and the America’s Finest City Half Marathon & 5K.
According to the company, the trio of races offers a variety of courses and scenery throughout San Diego. Athletes who participate in each race in the same calendar year, no matter the distance they participate in, will be awarded a San Diego Foundation SoCal Triple Crown medal.
The next race in the series will be the GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K on March 24, and registration is now open.
The weekend of events also featured the Kids Marathon Mile at Legoland California Resort, which brought in over 3,000 people on event day. The Kids Marathon Mile took place before the Park opened to guests. A portion of each registration for the Kids Marathon Mile was donated directly to Merlin’s Magic Wand, the official charity partner of the event.
Merlin’s Magic Wand Foundation is a non-profit organization that works globally across all Merlin attractions to create magical experiences for children who need them most through three magical programs.
