M20-24: Christopher Bell Dominates a Warm Huntsville 10K

• Christopher Bell won M20-24 in 39:12 (6:19/mi), a full 2:37 ahead of runner-up Jayson Denovellis.
• Jayson Denovellis held second in 41:49 (6:44/mi), finishing nearly 9 minutes clear of 3rd-place Kevin Lew.
• A tight battle for 4th and 5th: Connor Mann (54:29) edged Chris Gauldin (55:00) by just 31 seconds.
• Six men finished M20-24 on a challenging day — 70°F, 17 mph winds, and 76% humidity made for demanding conditions.

Bell ran away from this field. His 6:19/mi average in 39:12 was the kind of performance that leaves little to discuss at the front — Denovellis gave chase but couldn't close a gap that was decisive from the outset. At 6:44/mi, Denovellis was solid in his own right, finishing comfortably in second and nearly nine minutes ahead of the rest of the field.

Behind those two, a significant gap opened before Kevin Lew crossed in 50:39 (8:09/mi) to claim third. The real drama of the day played out just behind him, where Hamilton, Ohio's Connor Mann and local Huntsville runner Chris Gauldin waged a back-and-forth battle for fourth. Mann ultimately prevailed by 31 seconds — 54:29 to Gauldin's 55:00 — a margin that would have felt razor-thin in those humid, breezy conditions.

Richard Oehrlein rounded out the M20-24 group in 1:26:18, his 13:53/mi pace suggesting a much tougher afternoon than his competitors. With heat, wind, and humidity all conspiring against the field, finishing six-for-six is a story in itself.