Rocket City Marathon 10K — F45-49: Upward Takes the Win in a Tightly Packed Field

• Susan Upward (46, Emerald Isle, NC) won the F45-49 group in 8:07 (displayed as 76:57/mi avg), finishing 4 minutes 13 seconds ahead of runner-up Abby Frazee.
• Abby Frazee and Carrie Kilareski were separated by just 3 minutes 42 seconds for 2nd and 3rd, with the entire podium covered by under 8 minutes.
• The middle of the pack was remarkably compressed: places 6 through 10 were separated by just 7 minutes 5 seconds across five runners.
• Melissa Gaddis and Yolanda Hall — both from Madison, AL — crossed in the identical displayed time of 8:29:25, with timing placing Gaddis 11th and Hall 12th.

Susan Upward made the trip from Emerald Isle, North Carolina pay off, pacing at 76:57 per mile to claim the F45-49 title on a warm, humid December morning in Huntsville — 60°F and 85% humidity is no small ask over 10K. Her margin of 4:13 over Abby Frazee of Smyrna, Tennessee was comfortable but hard-earned, and Frazee in turn held off Carrie Kilareski of Nokesville, Virginia by 3:42 to lock up the podium. Three states, three podium spots.

The real drama unfolded in the chase pack. Andi Johnston, racing on home soil in Huntsville, finished 4th at 8:11:55, just under 3 minutes off the podium. Shaundrea Watkins of nearby Madison rounded out the top five at 8:15:08. Then came a six-runner wave — Dalila Pugh, Stephaine Segura, Lori Cecil, Jennifer Wargo, Heidy Arellano, and Melissa Gaddis — all finishing between 8:20:35 and 8:29:25, a span of less than nine minutes for six athletes.

The Madison, AL contingent made their presence felt throughout the results. Gaddis and Hall — both Madison runners — posted the exact same displayed time of 8:29:25, with the timing system separating them by the finest of margins into 11th and 12th. Laura Koontz, also from Madison, was just 13 seconds back in 13th. Allyson Noland of Tupelo, Mississippi closed out the 15-finisher field in 8:42:20, completing a group that showed real depth from top to bottom.