Familiar Faces Claim First-Place Spots at 14th Annual GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K

March 24, 2025

Men’s and women’s half marathon champions return to 2025 race after placing in 2024 event

SAN DIEGO, Calif. /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – The men’s and women’s half marathon first-place finishers at the 14th annual GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K were not only returning participants from 2024, but also returning podium finishers. The men’s first-place finisher and San Diego resident, Eddie Ramos, placed third in 2024, leveling up to the top spot this year. Maria Jose Ruiz Solorzano, placed second in last year’s race, and returned to the 2025 race as the first-place finisher. Thousands of other finishers joined them along the route in Downtown San Diego on Sunday, March 23.

San Diego locals overtook the top men’s half marathon division spots, with all three podium finishers residing in San Diego. Ramos, the men’s half marathon champion and first-place finisher, completed the 13.1 miles in 1:12:18. He was followed by the men’s half marathon second-place finisher, Nathan Wilber. Daniel Weiss took the third-place spot for the men’s half marathon.

The women’s half marathon course was led by Ruiz Solorzano, who finished with an impressive time of 1:15:55 and placed fourth overall. Second and third-place finishers for the women’s half marathon were Kai Bohannon and Bridget End. Jesse Lewis took first place in the non-binary division with a time of 1:41:03, followed by second and third-place finishers Cece Collins and Desiree Klassen.

The GOVX San Diego Half Marathon took runners through five miles of waterfront, four historic communities, three parks, two miles of downtown streets and wrapped up with participants crossing the finish line under the historic Gaslamp Quarter sign. The 5K participants took on a flat and fast course that weaved through downtown San Diego.

The men’s 5K division was led by Jiovanni Garcia Barrera, who finished with a time of 16:30, followed by second and third-place finishers, Victor De La Paz and Eric Mayan. Evie Spengler led the women’s division with a time of 20:43. Alice Hong and Kathryn Woolbright came in shortly after to claim second and third place in the women’s 5K. J Martinez placed first in the non-binary division, finishing the 3.1 miles in 35:36, with Amanda Dohring and Julie Germain claiming second and third-place in the non-binary 5K.

The GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K attracts returning runners year after year for many reasons, including the opportunity to join their Half Marathon Legacy program. Runners who participate in the half marathon for consecutive years are automatically in the Legacy program. Each consecutive year, participants are rewarded with a new Legacy item, including branded shirts, jackets, hats, backpacks and more to show off their continued commitment. Participants are also provided exclusive access to the Legacy Zone at the finish line festival. There are currently about 1,500 Legacy runners and of those, 192 have participated in the race every year since its inception.

The GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K is a part of In Motion Events’ San Diego Foundation SoCal Triple Crown race series, which also includes the Carlsbad Marathon, 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 San Diego Foundation SoCal Triple Crown medal to celebrate their accomplishment of completing the race series. Runners simply register for all three events separately, no additional registration or fee is required to qualify for the San Diego Foundation SoCal Triple Crown finisher award. Over 1,500 runners are currently on track to completing the 2025 San Diego Foundation SoCal Triple Crown. Registration for America’s Finest City Half Marathon & 5K, the final race of the series, is open.

“One of our main goals at In Motion Events is to create lasting memories for all our participants through our running events,” said Christine Adams, CEO of In Motions Events. “Seeing runners of all experience levels and abilities returning year after year is really a rewarding thing for our team. We love seeing all the familiar faces, and look forward to continuing to grow our running community at each and every race.”

The event’s title sponsor, GOVX, has also announced the renewal of their contract to continue their sponsorship of the local running event through 2027. This year was the second year that GOVX served as the event’s title sponsor. The GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K showcases GOVX’s investment in this community and brings additional focus to the event’s support of the military, first responders, emergency medical professionals and their families who are very predominant community members in the San Diego area.

“For a second consecutive year, the GOVX Half Marathon & 5K challenged runners to push limits, embrace perseverance and celebrate every mile,” said Alan Cole, GOVX CEO. “At GOVX, we are beyond grateful for the opportunity to return as the Title Sponsor and do our part to support the incredible athletic achievements of our local community.”

For more information about In Motion Events, please visit www.inmotionevents.com and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. For more information on GOVX, visit www.GOVX.com.

ABOUT GOVX SAN DIEGO HALF MARATHON & 5K AND IN MOTION EVENTS

The GOVX San Diego Half Marathon is a scenic course that will take runners through five miles of waterfront, four historic communities, three parks, two miles of downtown streets and finishes in the historic Gaslamp Quarter. The 5K is a flat and fast course all in downtown San Diego. 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.

ABOUT GOVX

GOVX is dedicated to serving those who serve our country and communities – military service members, first responders, law enforcement officers, emergency medical professionals, educators, and other government service personnel. With a customizable suite of solutions, GOVX provides leading brands who share in our mission with a unique opportunity to support this deserving audience. Through our flagship ecommerce site, GOVX.com, brands can authentically reach a growing community of 10M+ members with their own storefront.

More than 1.5K trusted brands currently have a storefront on GOVX.com, offering unbeatable deals to those who serve. With our verification app, GOVX ID, brands can easily enable service member discounts within the checkout flow of their own sites. More than 3K brands currently utilize our GOVX ID technology to honor service members. By leveraging GOVX marketing services solutions, brands can effectively amplify their products or services within our engaged and exclusive community and reinforce their support for Americans who make a difference. In addition to providing unmatched value to those who serve, GOVX also donates a portion of every order to non-profits who serve the military and first responder community. To date we have donated nearly $2M through our GOVX Gives Back initiative. For more information, visit https://www.govx.com.