The race, in three figures
The race, in words
Branson Merchant finished 887th of 973 men in the Open division at Salt Lake City 2026, in 2:09:33.
A station race more than a running one: 35% of the field beaten on the stations, against 2% on the runs. If there was time left out there, it was on the sled pull, 1:12 behind the median. The race faded late: the second half went 3:02 worse against the middle of the field than the first.
Salt Lake City cost the whole field time: about 2:43 more than the average race this season, going by 406 athletes who raced both.
Eight blocks
Bar = field beaten · tick = median
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Block 01 8:32Running 1 3:17v median +0:06
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Block 02 12:18Running 2 9:28v median +4:07
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Block 03 17:04Running 3 10:51v median +5:02
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Block 04 16:17Running 4 9:45v median +3:57
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Block 05 18:09Running 5 11:54v median +5:56
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Block 06 12:50Running 6 9:36v median +3:47
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Block 07 14:40Running 7 9:34v median +3:44
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Block 08 18:48Running 8 10:15v median +3:54
Roxzone, per block
Approach · Exit 11:03
Against the middle of your field
Men · n = 950
A pace, not a person: at every mat, the middle of the 950 men who finished.