California International Marathon F45-49: Elizabeth Leopold Runs Unchallenged to the Finish

• Solo winner: Elizabeth Leopold, 45, of Folsom, CA, completed the 26.2 miles in 4:53:48 — an 11:12/mi average across a cool, overcast morning.
• Front of the women's field: Leopold held 1st among women at every recorded checkpoint, from the opening miles through the finish line.
• Standout split: She posted the fastest split among all women on the 10K–15K segment — the sharpest stretch of her race.

Elizabeth Leopold had the F45-49 group entirely to herself on Sunday, but the absence of competition didn't mean an absence of racing. The 45-year-old Folsom native covered the point-to-point course from Folsom to Sacramento in 4:53:48, averaging 11:12 per mile through 46°F temperatures and heavy humidity that made the air feel thick despite the modest pace.

What makes Leopold's run worth noting is where she pushed hardest. On the 10K–15K segment, she laid down the fastest split of any woman in the entire field — a genuine surge in the middle of the race that separated her from the broader women's competition even as she ran alone in her age group. She led the women's race at every checkpoint recorded, never relinquishing that position from start to finish.

With just one finisher in the F45-49 group, there's no podium drama to unpack — but Leopold's consistent hold on the top women's spot and that standout middle segment tell the story of a runner who came to race, not just to finish.