Two Cities Marathon 10K — F50-54: Hernandez dominates with a scorching final push

• Isabel Hernandez won the F50-54 group in 52:09 (8:24/mi), climbing from 42nd to 19th among women on the closing stretch — the 19th-fastest women's closing split in the field.
• Kerry Brown took 2nd in 1:00:40, a gap of more than eight minutes back, while Kim Curnutte (age 54) rounded out the podium in 1:02:37.
• Every top-five finisher gained ground on the women's field in the final segment, with Deborah Alexander making the biggest positional leap — moving from 268th to 158th among women after the 1-mile mark.
• 28 women finished in the F50-54 group, spread across a range of more than 39 minutes from first to last listed.

Isabel Hernandez didn't just win the F50-54 group — she ran away from it. Her 52:09 at 8:24 per mile was a performance that put her 19th among all women on the closing leg, a remarkable showing on a warm November morning in Fresno with temperatures already at 74°F. From 42nd among women at the one-mile mark, she surged to 19th by the finish line, which tells the real story: she was building, not fading.

The gap between Hernandez and the rest of the F50-54 field was substantial. Kerry Brown finished a solid 2nd in 1:00:40 — nearly nine minutes behind — and also ran a strong closing segment, moving from 186th to 97th among women in that final stretch. Kim Curnutte, the oldest podium finisher at 54, came in 3rd at 1:02:37, just under two minutes behind Brown.

Fourth and fifth place produced the most dramatic position swings of the group. Denise Del Toro climbed from 222nd to 146th among women, and Deborah Alexander made an even bolder move — entering the final segment 268th among women and finishing 158th, a gain of 110 spots. Neither caught the podium, but both were clearly running their best miles last.