Half Marathon NB20-29: Del Real Owns the Field

• Sole finisher and winner: Aidan Del Real, 2:24:10 at 10:60/mi avg
• Mid-race surge: Climbed from 9th to 5th among women between miles 6.62 and 10.65 — and posted the 3rd-fastest women's split on that stretch
• Held the line: Maintained 5th among women through the finish

In a field of one, Aidan Del Real of Berkeley had no rivals in the NB20-29 race — but the 20-year-old still had a race to run, and she ran it with purpose. Crossing in 2:24:10, she claimed the only spot on the NB20-29 podium and backed it up with one of the more compelling mid-race moves in the women's field.

The real story unfolded between miles 6.62 and 10.65, where Del Real posted the 3rd-fastest women's split on that segment across the entire women's field. She used it to climb from 9th to 5th among women — a surge that cut through the pack on what is typically one of the more demanding stretches of the San Francisco Half. She settled at 6th briefly before reasserting 5th, where she held firm all the way to the tape.

San Francisco's signature cool and overcast conditions — 60°F with 87% humidity and a light 6 mph breeze — kept the air heavy but the temperature manageable, and Del Real clearly found her rhythm in the back half of the course. Her 2:24:10 stands as the definitive NB20-29 mark for this edition, unchallenged and well-earned.