M75-79: Sosnowski Breaks Four Hours to Win the Age Group

• Michael Sosnowski (76, Carmel Valley) won M75-79 in 3:59:47 — a 9:09/mi average, the only sub-4-hour finish in the group.
• 34-minute gap to second: Don Younkin (76, Philadelphia) crossed in 4:33:58, leaving a wide margin between first and the rest of the field.
• Tight battle for 4th–5th: Charles Curran (5:16:07) and James Morris (5:18:51) were separated by just 2 minutes and 44 seconds across 26.2 miles.
• Eight finishers completed the M75-79 race, ranging from 3:59:47 to 6:00:56 — a span of two full hours.

Michael Sosnowski came to Sacramento and delivered the defining performance of the M75-79 field. Running 9:09 per mile, he was the only athlete in the group to break four hours — and he wasn't just squeaking under. His moves through the men's field tell a story of a controlled, progressive effort: he climbed from 3,900th among men at the earliest checkpoint all the way to 3,500th by 40K before a modest settle to the finish. That kind of sustained forward movement over 26 miles doesn't happen by accident.

Don Younkin (Philadelphia) ran a solid 4:33:58 for second, holding steady through the back half and picking up spots in the men's field from 35K onward — a sign he managed his effort well when others faded. The gap back to third-place Eric Spector (5:08:48) was another 35 minutes, and Spector's moves data shows a gradual drift back through the men's field across the second half, suggesting the final miles were a grind.

The most compelling subplot was the race for fourth. Charles Curran (Sacramento, 5:16:07) and James Morris (Albany, 5:18:51) ran the better part of a marathon within striking distance of each other, with Curran holding the edge by 2:44. Both were still trading positions deep into the race — Morris actually slid back slightly in the men's field through the middle miles before steadying.

George Mcalister (5:23:58), Andrzej Jonca (5:49:55), and Bruce Mauldin (6:00:56) rounded out the eight finishers. On a mild December morning in Sacramento, all eight M75-79 athletes finished a marathon — which, at this age group, is the headline beneath the headline.