Cleveland 5K: Zelinsky dominates the F25-29 field in tough conditions

• Hailey Zelinsky won the F25-29 age group in 22:18 (7:11/mi), finishing 35 seconds clear of runner-up Aimee Kearns.
• Aimee Kearns held second in 22:53 (7:22/mi), while Heather Mcardle rounded out the podium in 24:46 — nearly two minutes further back.
• The 4th-through-6th spots were tightly contested: just 25 seconds separated Harpreet Kaur (25:00), Shyenne Ledford (25:24), and Frances Bull (25:25).
• 103 women finished in the F25-29 age group, racing through 67°F heat, 83% humidity, and a stiff 15 mph wind off Cleveland.

Hailey Zelinsky, 25, from Cleveland, made the home crowd's day. Her 7:11/mi average wasn't just fast — it was a full 11 seconds per mile quicker than Kearns, and that gap compounded over 3.1 miles into a 35-second cushion at the line. In conditions that pushed back — heavy humidity and a wind that had no interest in helping anyone — that kind of sustained pace was the clearest statement made all morning in this age group.

Kearns, representing Struthers, ran a composed and honest 22:53 to lock up second, while Berea's Heather Mcardle claimed third in 24:46. The podium was effectively sealed before the real drama of the day unfolded just behind it: Harpreet Kaur (25:00), Shyenne Ledford (25:24), and Frances Bull (25:25) waged a three-way battle for 4th through 6th, with Bull and Ledford separated by a single second at the finish. At 8:11/mi each, they were as close as the clock could show.

Further back, the mid-pack told its own story of grinding it out in difficult weather. Megan Misencik and Jenna Lang crossed in 27:43 and 27:44 respectively — one second apart after more than 3 miles — while the top 20 wrapped up with Jenna Vance's 29:50. With 83 more finishers beyond those listed, the F25-29 field was one of the day's deepest, and every one of them earned their finish against that wind.