Napa Valley Marathon F70-74: Suzanne Koonce Owns the Field

• Sole finisher and champion: Suzanne Koonce, 70, of Menlo Park crossed in 4:18:15 at a 9:51/mi average.
• Strong closing kick: Koonce posted the 208th-fastest women's split on the 20M-to-Finish stretch, moving up 43 places among women in that final push.
• Steady climb through the field: Her gender standing improved from 335th to 320th to 309th to 266th across the race's checkpoints — a consistent, disciplined move through the women's field from start to finish.

Suzanne Koonce was the only finisher in the F70-74 field at the 2022 Napa Valley Marathon, and she made the most of a cold, clear morning in Napa — 39°F at the gun, with still air and heavy humidity. She covered the 26.2 miles in 4:18:15, averaging 9:51 per mile from start to finish.

What makes Koonce's run worth noting isn't just the finish — it's the trajectory. She entered the race sitting 335th among women and steadily worked her way forward at every checkpoint, reaching 266th by the time she crossed the line. That's a net gain of 69 places in the women's field, driven by patient, purposeful running.

The final 10K told the sharpest story: Koonce's 20M-to-Finish split ranked 208th among all women in the race, a closing segment that reflected real strength at the end of a marathon. At 70 years old, running down dozens of competitors in the back half of a 26.2-miler is no small thing — and on this day, she did it alone at the top of her field.