Rocket City 10K: Tony Williams dominates the M60-64 field

• Tony Williams took the M60-64 title in 54:03 — an 8:42/mi pace that left the field nearly three minutes behind.
• John Warchol was the closest challenger, finishing 2nd in 57:02 — a gap of 2:59 back of Williams.
• Steve Rodgers and Vince Bolton staged the tightest battle of the day, separated by just 28 seconds (1:14:11 vs. 1:14:39) for 3rd and 4th.
• Seven M60-64 runners finished on a warm, blustery December morning — 70°F and 17 mph winds made for demanding conditions.

Tony Williams came to Huntsville and made it look straightforward. The 60-year-old local ran 54:03 — a crisp 8:42 per mile — and crossed the line nearly three full minutes clear of anyone else in the M60-64 group. On a day that felt more like late September than early December, with humid air and a stiff 17 mph wind working against every runner on the course, that kind of separation is a genuine statement.

John Warchol, also 60, made the trip down from Atlanta and earned a solid 2nd in 57:02. He was clearly the second-best man on the day, but Williams was simply in another gear. Behind those two, the race for the remaining podium spot was a different story entirely — a protracted battle that wasn't settled until close to the finish line.

Steve Rodgers (63, Meridianville) and Vince Bolton (60, Bowling Green) ran nearly in lockstep through much of the race, ultimately separated by just 28 seconds at the line — 1:14:11 to 1:14:39 — with Rodgers claiming 3rd. Alan Johnston (5th, 1:17:15), Will Wright (6th, 1:20:08), and Roger Reyes (7th, 1:24:28) rounded out the seven-man field, each finishing in their own patch of open road. Credit to every one of them for lacing up on a muggy, windy Alabama morning and getting it done.