Rocket City 10K — F35-39: Sneed Dominates with a Sub-45 Clocking

• Rachel Sneed won the F35-39 age group in 44:26 (7:09/mi) — more than 4 minutes and 27 seconds clear of runner-up Allison Stowers.
• Stowers (48:53) and Hannah French (50:28) rounded out the podium, separated by just 1 minute and 35 seconds in a tight battle for second.
• Sarah Van Wagenen took 4th in 53:35, completing a top four that all finished under 54 minutes.
• A field of 28 finishers spread across nearly 38 minutes from first to last, reflecting a wide range of paces on a mild December morning in Huntsville.

Rachel Sneed, 38, from nearby Owens Cross Roads, made this race look straightforward. Her 44:26 — a 7:09-per-mile clip — wasn't just a win; it was a statement. The gap back to Allison Stowers of Chattanooga was 4:27, a margin that speaks to how completely Sneed controlled the F35-39 race from start to finish.

Behind Sneed, the real competition was for the podium. Stowers (7:52/mi) and Nashville's Hannah French, 35, (8:07/mi) ran within striking distance of each other throughout, with French ultimately finishing 1:35 back at 50:28. Madison's Sarah Van Wagenen slotted in 4th at 53:35, giving the top four a clean separation before the field opened up considerably.

The middle of the pack produced its own drama in the form of a cluster of near-identical times. Elizabeth Moats (1:03:30) and Tomasa Buis (1:03:32) finished just two seconds apart, followed by Staci Hicks (1:04:05) and Carmelina Tyler (1:04:07) — another two-second gap — making for a tight knot of four runners all within 37 seconds of each other around the 1:03–1:04 mark. With mild temperatures, light wind, and overcast skies providing near-ideal conditions, the 28-woman F35-39 field made the most of race day in Huntsville.