F25-29: Shoemaker Surges Late to Claim the Win in Napa

• Abigail Shoemaker took the F25-29 title in 2:35:48 (5:57/mi), posting the fastest women's split from 10M to 13.1M to seal the comeback.
• Jennifer Sandoval led the women's race for much of the middle miles, running the fastest women's split from 6.2M to 10M, but finished 2nd in 2:39:25 (6:05/mi) — 3:37 behind.
• Kate Rye claimed 3rd in 2:50:48 (6:31/mi), climbing from 7th among women at the midpoint to 5th by the finish, and posted the 4th-fastest women's split from 10M to 13.1M.
• 201 finishers completed the F25-29 field on a cool, humid morning along the Silverado Trail.

Sandoval came out swinging. She held the lead among women from early on, running the fastest women's split between miles 6.2 and 10 to build what looked like a commanding position. Through the halfway mark she was still sitting in front, while Shoemaker — who had gone out second among women — settled into patient pursuit. The net-downhill course through Napa's vineyard corridors rewarded runners who saved something, and Shoemaker had plenty saved.

The decisive move came between miles 10 and 13.1, where Shoemaker posted the fastest women's split of that entire segment. She had moved from 2nd to 1st among women by that checkpoint and never looked back, crossing in 2:35:48 — a 5:57/mi average that was well under the existing women's course record of 2:38:29. Sandoval held on gamely but could not close the gap, finishing 3:37 back in 2:39:25.

Behind the top two, Rye ran a quietly impressive race, working her way up from 7th among women at the half to 5th by the finish and landing on the F25-29 podium in 3rd at 2:50:48. Hildebrandt was steady throughout, holding 6th among women from early on and finishing 4th in the F25-29 field in 2:53:28. Rao was the field's best closer among the top five, moving from 13th among women to 11th by the finish and recording the 10th-fastest women's split from mile 20 to the line — good enough for 5th in F25-29 in 3:00:30.