F35-39 5K: Vensko Runs Away from the Field in Napa

• Nichole Vensko wins in 21:14 at a 6:50/mi pace — more than five minutes clear of the rest of the F35-39 field.
• Ashley Rose (26:33) and Suphatra Rufo (26:38) separated by just five seconds for 2nd and 3rd — a genuine sprint finish decided by a sliver.
• Linda Barrera claimed 4th in 27:51, while the next 16 finishers were packed between 29:09 and 34:41 — a densely competitive mid-field.
• 45 women finished in the F35-39 race on a crisp 36°F Napa morning.

Nichole Vensko, 38, from Pleasant Hill, didn't just win the F35-39 race — she redefined what the rest of the field was competing for. Her 21:14 finish at 6:50/mi was a full 5:19 faster than the runner-up, a margin so commanding that second place was effectively its own separate race.

And what a race that was. Ashley Rose of Napa crossed in 26:33 and Suphatra Rufo of Gig Harbor in 26:38 — five seconds separating 2nd from 3rd across 3.1 miles. Rose held the edge, but Rufo made her earn it. Linda Barrera, also of Napa, rounded out the top four in 27:51, running 8:58/mi to finish a solid 1:13 behind Rufo.

From there, the field spread into a lively pack through the mid-teens. Gigi-Beatrice Ramirez (5th, 29:09), Megan Shaw (6th, 29:22), and Lindsy Sievers (7th, 29:44) were separated by just 35 seconds across three spots. Belinda Alexander (8th, 30:12) and Laura Kight (9th, 30:14) were similarly inseparable, finishing just two seconds apart. The cold morning didn't slow the back half of the top 20 either — Meng Chang closed out the listed finishers in 34:41, with 25 more women completing the course behind her.