Boilermaker 5K F70-74: Elder Claims the Crown in Utica

• Rachel Elder, 71, wins in 31:08 (10:01/mi), holding off Lenore Valuckas by 22 seconds in a tight battle at the front.
• Lenore Valuckas, 73, finishes 2nd in 31:30 — the oldest athlete on the podium and just 22 seconds off the win.
• Barbara Smith rounds out the podium in 3rd at 33:13, with Mimi Vilord close behind in 4th at 33:56.
• 26 women finished in the F70-74 field, ranging from 31:08 to beyond 45 minutes — a full, competitive spread of effort on a humid July morning.

Rachel Elder came to Utica and meant business. The 71-year-old from Canastota ran a 10:01/mi pace to cross in 31:08, a performance that stood clear of the field. What made it interesting was who was giving chase: Lenore Valuckas, a 73-year-old from nearby Sauquoit, pushed her every step of the way, finishing in 31:30 at 10:08/mi. That's a 22-second gap — real separation, but earned honestly by Elder over 3.1 miles in 87% humidity.

Barbara Smith of Severna Park, MD made the trip north worthwhile, taking 3rd in 33:13. Mimi Vilord, 74, from Marco Island, FL was the oldest athlete in the top four and finished 4th in 33:56 — a strong showing that put her ahead of five younger competitors. The gap from 3rd to 4th was 43 seconds; from 4th to 5th, Susan Schafer of Whitesboro crossed in 35:03 to claim 5th.

The middle of the field was its own story. Mary Schmutz (6th, 35:26), Barbara Steinebach (7th, 35:42), and Lynn Viall (8th, 36:10) were separated by just 44 seconds across three places — a compact cluster working through the same warm conditions. Further back, Dianne Smith (14th, 41:59), Diane Deacon (15th, 42:08), Sue Stephenson (16th, 42:08), and Beth Montague (17th, 42:10) finished in a span of just 11 seconds — four athletes converging at the line after very different journeys through the course. All 26 finishers in this field deserve credit for toeing the line on a humid Utica morning.