Broken Arrow Skyrace IFC — M60-69: Mayer Dominates from Chamonix

• Doug Mayer won the M60-69 field in 1:51:45, averaging 22:21/mi across a course topping out above 7,100 feet.
• Simon Boag claimed second in 2:25:45 — 34 minutes back of Mayer, but a clear 1:56:48 ahead of third.
• Mark Shijo, 68, rounded out the three-man field in 4:22:33, finishing the course at 52:31/mi.
• All three men completed a high-altitude skyrace at 70°F — no small feat for a field ranging from age 60 to 68.

Three men lined up for the M60-69 race at Broken Arrow's IFC course on a warm, clear day at Palisades, Tahoe — and one of them made it look almost routine. Doug Mayer, 61, racing out of Chamonix Mont Blanc, brought the kind of mountain pedigree you'd expect from someone based in the Alps, and it showed. His winning time of 1:51:45 at a 22:21/mi pace — on a course threading between 6,220 and 7,191 feet of elevation — was a commanding performance from wire to wire.

Simon Boag of Crystal Bay, Nevada, took second in 2:25:33, crossing in 2:25:45. The 34-minute gap to Mayer reflects just how dominant the winner was, but Boag's local familiarity with the Sierra Nevada didn't hurt — he held a steady 29:09/mi to secure the runner-up spot with nearly two hours to spare over third place.

Mark Shijo, the eldest of the three at 68 and making the trip from Sacramento, finished in 4:22:33. At altitude — where thinner air can amplify fatigue, particularly for those coming from lower elevations — covering this skyrace course at any pace is a genuine accomplishment. His 52:31/mi average reflects a patient, determined effort to see the finish line, and he did exactly that.

In a three-man field, every finisher earns their place on the results sheet. Mayer took the win decisively, Boag held firm in the middle, and Shijo closed out the M60-69 field with a finish that, at 68 and at altitude, stands on its own terms.