M60-64: Romero Runs Away With It at Long Beach

• Ruperto Romero, 61, wins in 2:17:54 — a 5:16/mi clip that left the rest of the M60-64 field in the dust.
• Podium gap: Trinidad Robles (3rd, 2:21:34) crossed ahead of Sergio Torres (2nd, 2:22:41) on the clock, but the places tell a different story — Torres held 2nd by the finish order.
• Robles made the biggest move of the race's second half, climbing from 238th among women at the halfway mark to 169th by mile 20, posting the 132nd-fastest women's split on that 13.1M→20M stretch.
• 51 finishers completed the M60-64 race, with the top two separated by 4:47 — a gap that reflects just how dominant Romero's morning was.

Ruperto Romero of Huntington Park put on a masterclass in front-running across Long Beach's 26.2 miles. His 5:16/mi average is a number that demands respect at any age — and in a field of 60-to-64-year-olds on a warm October morning (72°F, 73% humidity), it was simply untouchable. He moved through the men's field from 69th at the early checkpoint to 129th by the halfway mark, a drift that reflects the marathon's natural sorting — not a fade — as the overall field compressed around him at the front.

Behind Romero, the real drama unfolded between Sergio Torres and Trinidad Robles. Robles, 62, of Anaheim finished in 2:21:34 — 1:07 faster on the clock than Torres's 2:22:41 — yet Torres claimed 2nd place by the official order. Both men ran strong second halves: Robles posted the 132nd-fastest women's split from 13.1M to 20M, while Torres recorded the 171st-fastest on that same stretch. Robles was clearly the faster runner over that segment, and his climb from 238th to 169th among women's splits tells the story of a man who found another gear when it mattered.

Terence Tessier of Upland took 4th in 2:36:39 (5:58/mi), a full 15 minutes back of Romero but a solid effort in its own right. Sebastian Lopez rounded out the top five in 2:43:15, while Hongsoon Kwon (6th, 2:47:25) and Gabriel Lugo (7th, 2:52:19) kept the pack honest through the back half of the leaderboard. Tom Aaker and Dean Tan both cracked three hours — 3:00:14 and 3:00:49 respectively — in what amounted to a tight battle for 10th and 11th.