M70-99: Kallet leads wire-to-wire in Auburn's heat

• Andrew Kallet, 70, wins in 2:19:14 (13:55/mi), more than 11 minutes clear of the field.
• Jerry Furlong, 82, takes 2nd in 2:31:01 — the oldest finisher in the group by nearly a decade, and the strongest closer of the five.
• David Bry and Dennis Scott finish 3rd and 4th separated by just 59 seconds — 3:02:26 to 3:03:25 — after more than three hours on the trail.
• Thomas Dovi rounds out the five in 3:33:55, finishing 30 minutes behind Scott in 5th.

Five men 70 and older toed the line at the American River 50 Miler's 10-mile race on a warm, clear Saturday in Auburn — 73°F with the sun out and only a light breeze to offer any relief. Andrew Kallet set the tone from the start, moving through the men's field steadily and never relinquishing his grip on the M70-99 lead. His winning time of 2:19:14 at a 13:55-per-mile pace was a commanding performance, and his margin of 11:47 over second place left no doubt about who owned this age group.

The real subplot of the day belonged to Jerry Furlong. At 82, Furlong is in a category of his own just for showing up — but he didn't just show up. He ran 2:31:01 at a 15:06-per-mile pace and posted the 24th-fastest split in the men's field on the final Last Gasp-to-finish segment, a strong close that reflects genuine competitive intent. He climbed from 36th among men at the first checkpoint all the way to 24th by the finish, making him the most aggressive mover in this group across the back half.

Behind Furlong, the race for 3rd came down to a near-identical finish. David Bry, also 70, crossed in 3:02:26, while 77-year-old Dennis Scott came in at 3:03:25 — 59 seconds back. Scott had actually posted the 29th-fastest men's split on the Last Gasp-to-finish leg, compared to Bry's 32nd-fastest on the prior Rattlesnake Bar segment, meaning Scott was the one closing ground late. Bry held on, but it was tight. Thomas Dovi, 74, finished 5th in 3:33:55 — a 21:24-per-mile pace across ten miles in the heat that deserves its own respect.