San Francisco Marathon 5K — Women 70–74: Rollins rules the fog

• Kathy Rollins, 40:55 — won the F70-74 field at 13:10/mi, finishing more than 20 minutes clear of the next finisher.
• Linda Thornburgh, 1:01:33 — claimed second at 19:49/mi, holding a comfortable gap over third.
• Esperanza De Guzman, 1:11:55 — crossed third at 23:09/mi, nearly 10 minutes ahead of fourth.
• Gloria Reyes, 1:34:57 — rounded out the four-woman field at 30:34/mi.

Four women in the 70–74 field toed the line on a cool, damp San Francisco morning — 53°F, 95% humidity, and a steady ocean breeze — and every one of them finished. That alone is worth noting. But it was Kathy Rollins of Davisburg, MI who made the clearest statement, crossing in 40:55 at a 13:10/mi pace to win by more than 20 minutes over the rest of the field.

Linda Thornburgh of Sturgis, MI — just two years Rollins' junior at 71 — took second in 1:01:33, running 19:49/mi through the city streets. The gap between first and second was wide, but Thornburgh held her own well clear of the chase, finishing nearly 10 minutes ahead of third-place Esperanza De Guzman of Mission Hills, CA, who came in at 1:11:55 (23:09/mi).

Gloria Reyes of Daly City, CA completed the field in 1:34:57, covering the course at 30:34/mi to bring all four starters home. In a small but determined group of septuagenarians racing through the fog, finishing is the baseline — and all four cleared it.