By SDCN Staff
San Diego, CA–The 48th annual America’s Finest City Half Marathon & 5K got underway Sunday morning, drawing more than 4,600 runners from across the country to downtown San Diego.
Steven Martinez, the men’s half-marathon champion and first-place finisher, completed the 13.1 miles in 1:05:00, followed by the men’s half-marathon second-place finisher, Xavier Smith. Zane Chalker took the third-place spot for the men’s half-marathon. The women’s half-marathon course was led by Hannah Chau, who finished with a time of 1:17:26. Second and third-place finishers for the women’s half-marathon were Jori Galles and Tyler Beling. Reese Russel took first place in the non-binary division with a time of 1:50:07 followed by second and third place finishers Cece Collins and James O’mahony.
The men’s 5K division was led by William Boag, who finished with a time of 17:03, followed by second and third-place finishers, Michael Aish and Victor Marquez. Evie Spengler led the women’s division with a time of 20:12. Brandi Crown and Eleanor Su came in shortly after to claim second and third place in the women’s 5K. J Martinez placed first in the non-binary division, finishing the 3.1 miles in 37:14, with Amanda Dohring and Julie Germain claiming second and third place in the non-binary 5K.
“The San Diego running community continues to impress me year after year,” said Christine Adams, CEO of In Motions Events. “From their continued support of our local events to continuously representing our community on the podiums, it truly is something special.”
America’s Finest City Half Marathon, the oldest half-marathon in San Diego, took participants on a stunning tour of San Diego on foot. Those who took on the 13.1-mile course started at Cabrillo National Monument, then followed a scenic route that wound its way to Balboa Park. The 5K course showcased Balboa Park on a flat and fast loop, providing an ideal 3.1-mile route for walkers and runners. With its early start time, race day offers participants a unique opportunity to enjoy the sunrise over San Diego and complete the race during cooler temperatures.
Race weekend also featured the Expo/Packet Pickup event, where thousands of participants picked up their race packets, and friends and family joined to make inspirational race signs, take part in photo ops, and shop exciting runner-focused products and services. Race weekend concludes with the Finish Line Festival in Balboa Park. The festival included a DJ, vendor booths, refreshments, and the Ballast Point beer garden for participants aged 21 and older with proper ID.
America’s Finest City Half Marathon and 5K is a part of In Motion Events’ San Diego Foundation SoCal Triple Crown race series, which also includes the Carlsbad Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K, and the GOVX San Diego Half Marathon and 5K. This trio offers a variety of courses and scenery throughout San Diego, providing athletes with a fun and unique running experience in distinct parts of the city and county. 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 to celebrate their accomplishment of completing the race series. Runners simply register for all three events separately; no additional registration or fee is required to qualify for the San Diego Foundation SoCal Triple Crown finisher award.
For those interested in participating in the 2026 SoCal Triple Crown race series, registration is currently open for the first race of the series on Jan. 18, 2026, the Carlsbad Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K.
