Gregg sets course record at San José Half Marathon

By AI, Created 4:16 PM UTC, June 01, 2026, /AGP/ – Brendan Gregg and Sarah Anderson won the men’s and women’s titles at the 2026 San José Half Marathon, while Tim Simon took the non-binary+ title. The 14th edition drew more than 5,200 participants to Santana Row and raised visibility for Special Olympics Northern California.

Why it matters: - The 2026 San José Half Marathon combined elite racing, youth events and community programming into a citywide showcase at Santana Row. - The race benefited Special Olympics Northern California. - Brendan Gregg’s course record adds a headline performance to an event designed to spotlight San José’s running community and local landmarks.

What happened: - Brendan Gregg of West Sacramento won the men’s half marathon title in 1:04:38, setting a new event course record. - Sarah Anderson of Folsom won the women’s half marathon in 1:15:39. - Tim Simon of San José won the non-binary+ half marathon title in 1:56:04. - The 14th edition was produced by Bay Area event company Run Local and drew more than 5,200 participants across the half marathon, 8K, Speed City Mile and Game On, San José Kids Run. - Nicholas Sciole of Valencia won the men’s 8K in 25:50. - Anh Bui of San Rafael won the women’s 8K in 29:51. - Lumi Seibt of San José won the non-binary+ 8K in 1:02:49.

The details: - Participants started at Santana Row on a clear San José morning. - The field was led out by the local low rider group Boulevard Bombs after a moment of silence for Billy Jimenez, a longtime Boulevard Bombs member and Run Local San Jose Half supporter. - The course passed the Municipal Rose Garden, the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, the Historic Alameda District, the SAP Center and downtown San José. - Runners finished through the Mariachi Mile, a stretch meant to celebrate San José’s Mexican heritage and Chicano culture. - The half marathon route added a Speed City Zone at Mile 9.5 on the Alameda, where runners hit timing mats for a flat-out quarter mile. - Gregg posted the fastest men’s quarter mile in the Speed City Zone at 49.35. - Half marathon runner-up Khia Kurtenbach of San [José] posted a 58.01 in the women’s Speed City Zone. - At Mile 8.5, runners age 21 and older could take the San Pedro Square Fun Route Detour through Dr. Funk and O’Flaherty’s. - The first 200 on that detour received a Tropical Second Wind Jell-O shot and $4.08 beers, a nod to the 408 area code. - Back at Santana Row, the Finish Line Festival featured early hours at many restaurants and additional retail experiences. - All participants received a finisher’s medal and a 100% fair trade cotton event shirt by Known Supply.

Between the lines: - Run Local used the event to turn race weekend into a broader civic festival, not just a road race. - The added Speed City and San Pedro Square activations show the event leaning into local identity and downtown business districts. - The youth turnout suggests the race is building beyond competitive runners and into family participation.

What’s next: - San José Run Week began Monday, May 25, with community runs hosted by different local crews each evening. - The week led into the San José Shakeout Run on Saturday morning, led by Too Legit Fitness and the Half Marathon Pace Team at Santana Row. - On Saturday, May 30, the Speed City Mile featured a winner-take-all heat of top prep athletes from across the area. - Kenzie Culbertson of Aptos won the girls’ race in 5:14 and Matthew Gray of Sunnyvale won the boys’ race in 4:34. - Each Speed City Mile winner earned $500. - The Game On, San José Kids Run brought a record 500+ youth participants who ran for free. - The free youth entry was supported by Game On, San José, the citywide youth sports and community engagement initiative of the San José Sports Authority and San José 26.

The bottom line: - The 2026 San José Half Marathon delivered fast times, bigger turnout and a stronger community footprint, with Gregg’s record setting the competitive tone for the event.