Overall marathon winner comes in at 2:38:18, less than two-tenths of a second ahead of second place
CARLSBAD, Calif. – Sunday morning, Jan. 14, over 6,000 participants took part in the Carlsbad Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K, where they journeyed along a scenic oceanfront course, and enjoyed entertainment set up on the course along the way. This was the first marathon distance road race to take place in San Diego County in 2024. The endurance event has been held in Carlsbad annually for over 35 years.
Lucas Binder, the men’s marathon champion and overall first-place finisher, completed the 26.2 miles in 2:38:18, followed by the men’s marathon second-place finisher, Blake Dunkleberger, who was just two-tenths of a second behind him. Nathan Williams took the third-place spot for the men’s marathon. The women’s marathon course was led by Stefanie Cullingford, who finished with a time of 2:49:36. Second and third-place finishers for the women’s marathon were Brooke Trossen and Teresa Baza Vargas. Both the men’s and women’s marathon podiums were dominated by Californians, with all six winners being residents of the state.
The men’s half marathon division was led by Patrick Smyth, who finished with a time of 1:06:20, and Allie Schaich led the women’s division with a time of 1:14:44. First place finishers of the men’s and women’s 5K were Eddie Ramos with a time of 16:03, and Lauren Davis with a time of 18:40.
The weekend of events also featured the Kids Marathon Mile at LEGOLAND® California Resort. The Kids Marathon Mile took place before the Park opened to guests, providing a unique and exclusive opportunity for participants to race through LEGOLAND® California! 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.
The race is a part of the In Motion Events SoCal Triple Crown race series, which also includes the GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K, and the America’s Finest City Half Marathon & 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 SoCal Triple Crown medal to celebrate their accomplishment of completing the race series. The next race in the series will be the GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K on March 24, and registration is now open.
For more information about In Motion Events please visit www.inmotionevents.com, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
About The Carlsbad Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K and In Motion Events
The Carlsbad Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K is a scenic winter race that covers over 18 miles of breathtaking ocean views with outstanding course support and entertainment. The race is produced by In Motion Events, a full-service, turnkey event marketing and management firm based in San Marcos. The family-owned and operated business has been working with Southern California-based races and events since 1981. In Motion Events’ mission is to produce the very best running and walking events possible that are a credit to their company, to their sponsors and the community in which they are held. For more information on In Motion Events, visit www.InMotionEvents.com.
