First Full Marathon
3:30:12
LA Marathon 2026. First marathon ever. Was shooting for sub-4. Negative split. Tequila shot at mile 20. Almost passed out at the finish. 🏅
The finish. Look at that energy.
THAT'S MY SON! (The best sign at any marathon, ever.)
The receipts. 8:01 average. Negative split.
Can You Beat Summit's 3:30?
Tap at the right rhythm to maintain pace. Take the tequila at mile 20 if you dare. Try to beat 3:30:12.
“That was legit the hardest thing I've done in my life but the LA energy was absolutely electric!!! I seriously have a deep new love for this city.. it was amazing seeing all the neighborhoods and the diverse culture throughout LA I was honestly tearing up the whole race..
I gave that my all, almost passed out at the finish and don't remember the last mile at all but what an experience.. shoutout everyone for cheering me on I've never felt that much love before! and whoever gave me a tequila shot at mile 20, threw up immediately after but that was so worth it lol”
— John Summit
3:30:12
Finish time
8:01
Average pace/mile
7:46
Fastest split (25K)
1
Tequila shot consumed
Full Splits — Annotated
Conservative start. Smart. Most first-timers go out too fast.
Holding steady. Slightly slower. Saving energy.
Starting to pick it up. The DJ is warming up the crowd.
Now we're talking. Sub-8 pace. The set is building.
FASTEST SPLIT. This is the drop. Negative splitting a marathon on your first try.
Still sub-8. Still pushing. The wall hasn't hit yet.
The wall. But only barely. Most people crater here. Summit just slowed slightly.
Mile 24-25. Doesn't remember this. Running on fumes and crowd energy.
The last 2.2K in 7:59 pace. Finished FASTER than he started. Absolutely elite mentality.
Why This Is Actually Insane
The Negative Split
Summit started at 8:08/mile and got FASTER mid-race, dropping to 7:46/mile at the 25K mark. This is the holy grail of marathon running. Most first-timers — most experienced runners — can't do this. You have to have supreme confidence in your fitness and iron discipline not to go out too fast. He ran a smarter race than people who've done 10 marathons.
The Tequila Shot at Mile 20
A stranger on the course handed him a tequila shot at mile 20. He took it. He threw up immediately. He kept running. And his pace for the next 10K was STILL faster than his opening 5K. The man's stomach said no but his legs said absolutely.
The Blackout Finish
He doesn't remember the last mile. This is a real phenomenon in extreme endurance — the brain starts conserving resources and stops recording memories. His body was on autopilot. The fact that he ran his final 2.2K at 7:59 pace while essentially unconscious is genuinely incredible.
Sub-4 Goal → 3:30 Reality
He wanted sub-4:00. He ran 3:30:12. That's not a 'beat my goal' — that's a completely different category. Sub-4 is solid recreational. Sub-3:30 puts you in the top 10% of all marathon finishers. On his first attempt. With a tequila shot detour.
8:01 Average Pace
26.2 miles at 8:01 per mile. For context, that's faster than most people can maintain for a single mile. He held it for three and a half hours. Through the hills of LA. On his first marathon. While apparently crying from emotion. While possibly still a little drunk from the tequila shot.
Glen's Take
A lot of DJs take days off between shows. Summit ran 26.2 miles through the hills of Los Angeles, negative split the thing, accepted a random tequila shot mid-race, and finished 30 minutes faster than his goal. His mom was at the finish line with a homemade sign.
Expert-only isn't a brand. It's a lifestyle. The man does nothing halfway. Not the music, not the skiing, not the running. 3:30 on your first marathon is elite. Full stop.
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