M70-99: Stevens Holds Off Campbell in Battle of the Septuagenarians

• John Stevens, 78, won the M70-99 age group in 3:09:23 (18:56/mi), finishing nearly five minutes clear of the only other finisher.
• Michael Campbell, 70, completed the 10 miles in 3:14:10 (19:25/mi) — a 4:47 deficit to Stevens at the line.
• Both men posted strong closing splits: Campbell's Last Gasp→Finish was the 15th-fastest in the men's field on that segment, with Stevens right behind at 16th-fastest.

Two men, a combined 148 years of age, and a genuine race to the finish — that's the M70-99 story at the 2025 American River 50 10 Miler. John Stevens, 78, of Carmichael, took the age-group win on a clear, mild April morning in Auburn, holding an 18:56/mi pace across all 10 miles to clock 3:09:23.

Michael Campbell, eight years Stevens' junior at 70, gave chase throughout and never let the gap become comfortable. His 3:14:10 finish at 19:25/mi was respectable on its own terms — but Stevens simply wouldn't be caught. The margin at the line: 4 minutes and 47 seconds.

What makes the finish particularly notable is how both men closed. On the final Last Gasp→Finish segment, Campbell was the 15th-fastest in the men's field, and Stevens the 16th-fastest — meaning neither man faded when it counted most. At 78, Stevens running down the finish among the sharper closers in the entire men's race is the defining number of this age group's afternoon.