Rocket City 10K — F65-69: Wilfong Runs Away With It

• Denise Wilfong won the F65-69 age group in 1:03:39 (10:15/mi), finishing nearly 13 minutes clear of the field.
• Cindy Moeller claimed second in 1:16:28 (12:18/mi), holding off Paula Pendergast (3rd, 1:22:51) by just over six minutes.
• Karen Kennedy rounded out the four-woman group in 1:43:00 (16:35/mi).

Warm, humid, and breezy conditions greeted the F65-69 runners in Huntsville — 70°F with 17 mph winds and 76% humidity made for a demanding December morning. None of that slowed Denise Wilfong, who set a commanding pace of 10:15 per mile from Carmel, Indiana. Her 1:03:39 finish was in a different gear from the rest of the age group, and the gap to second place tells the story: nearly 13 minutes of separation over just 6.2 miles.

Behind Wilfong, Madison local Cindy Moeller ran a solid 12:18/mi to cross in 1:16:28, earning second in her home state. Paula Pendergast of Rochester, Minnesota made the trip south and finished third in 1:22:51 — a 13:20/mi effort that put her about six and a half minutes back of Moeller. Karen Kennedy of West Chester, Ohio completed the group in 1:43:00, covering the course at 16:35/mi to take fourth.

Four women in their late 60s toeing the line on a warm, windy December day is a story worth telling on its own terms. Wilfong's performance stood out as the clear headline, but all four earned their finish in conditions that would test runners of any age.