M55-59: Suchey Runs Away With It in San Francisco

• Alex Suchey, 58, wins M55-59 in 3:01:07 (6:54/mi), finishing more than four and a half minutes clear of runner-up James Scanlan.
• James Scanlan (3:05:37, 7:05/mi) holds 2nd, with Pascal Di Vincenzo a distant 3rd in 3:25:42 — a 20-minute gap back to the podium's third step.
• Tightest battle of the day: Ian Murray (6th, 3:38:50) and Duane Menigoz (7th, 3:38:56) were separated by just six seconds after 26.2 miles.
• 145 finishers completed the M55-59 race on a brisk, breezy San Francisco morning — 59°F and 15 mph winds off the bay.

Alex Suchey made the M55-59 race look like his personal training run. The 58-year-old from Folsom rolled through at 6:54/mi to clock 3:01:07 — a commanding win that left the rest of the field well behind. His gender place tracking tells an interesting story: he moved from 51st among men at the first checkpoint all the way back to 93rd by the finish, meaning he was running with — and trading places among — a much faster men's field for much of the race before the full marathon distance sorted everyone out. The win was never seriously in doubt.

James Scanlan, racing on home turf in San Francisco, was the clear runner-up at 3:05:37 (7:05/mi). The four-and-a-half-minute gap to Suchey was established early and held. Third went to Pascal Di Vincenzo of Grez-doiceau in 3:25:42 — a strong effort, though a full 20 minutes behind Scanlan. Jackie Xl Ma rounded out the top four in 3:29:44, with Jun Kawashima (5th, 3:37:01) completing the top five.

The most gripping finish in the M55-59 field happened well off the podium. Ian Murray, making the trip from Lahaina, HI, crossed in 3:38:50 — just six seconds ahead of Duane Menigoz (3:38:56) from Onarga, IL. Six seconds after 26.2 miles of San Francisco hills and headwinds. Beatle Tran (8th, 3:40:38) and Stephen Dong (9th, 3:41:46) kept the mid-pack honest, while Christopher Goron and Francois Hemez both clocked 3:44-something to claim 10th and 11th respectively — separated by just 11 seconds.