Napa Valley 5K: Lauren Furuta Wins F60-64 in Dominant Fashion

• Lauren Furuta (1st, 30:11) crossed the line nearly two minutes clear of the field, running 9:43/mi to claim the F60-64 title.
• Suzanna Wilson (2nd, 32:01) held off Jan Gustafson (3rd, 34:41) by a comfortable 2:40, with Wilson's 10:18/mi pace putting clear daylight between the two.
• Maren Rocca Hunt (4th, 35:42) — a local Napa runner — rounded out the top four, finishing just over a minute behind Gustafson.
• A field of 20 spread across a span of over an hour, with Cindy Hughes (20th, 1:32:28) completing the out-and-back course and the full F60-64 field finishing.

On a cool, humid March morning in Napa — 55°F with 93% humidity and an 8 mph breeze — Lauren Furuta of Centennial, CO, made the F60-64 race look straightforward. Her 30:11 finish at 9:43/mi wasn't just a win; it was a statement, putting 1:50 between herself and second place from the moment she crossed the line.

Suzanna Wilson of South San Francisco gave chase, clocking 32:01 at 10:18/mi for a solid runner-up finish. Jan Gustafson of Bloomington, MN brought home third in 34:41, with Maren Rocca Hunt — racing on home turf in Napa — finishing fourth at 35:42. The gap from fifth onward widened steadily: Julie Brasil (5th, 38:23) and Patricia Salkin (6th, 39:20) were separated by under a minute, while Julie Smith (7th, 40:31) and Rae Vadnais (8th, 40:41) finished just ten seconds apart.

The back half of the field showed the full range of this community race. Stacy Gavin (9th, 43:24) and Kimberley Dehart-Vickers (10th, 44:47) kept the midpack competitive, while Rokhand Collins (14th, 51:44), Cynthia Frenchman (15th, 52:36), and Patricia Payne (16th, 55:05) kept their own battles alive deep into the course. All 20 finishers completed the Kiwanis Club–organized event, with Cindy Hughes of Sweetwater, TX, finishing 20th in 1:32:28 to close out the F60-64 field.