M65-69: Tom Cali Runs Away from the Field in Napa's Cold Rain

• Tom Cali, 69, wins in 3:28:47 — a 7:58/mi average that left the rest of M65-69 more than 20 minutes behind.
• Closest battle of the day: Michael Brandl (3:48:56) and Michael German (3:49:14) finished just 18 seconds apart for 2nd and 3rd.
• German made the late move: German ran the 240th-fastest men's split on the 20M→Finish stretch; Brandl's was 278th — meaning German closed faster down the stretch, nearly erasing what had been a larger gap.
• Field of 11 completed the marathon in 41°F drizzle, with finish times ranging from 3:28:47 to 5:36:50.

In a cold, wet morning in Napa — 41°F, light rain, humidity pushing 84% — Tom Cali, the oldest man in M65-69 at 69 years old, put on a masterclass in pacing and late-race strength. His 7:58/mi average was not just fast; it was dominant. He entered the men's field around 219th place early on, dipped back slightly to 223rd, then steadily climbed, finishing 193rd among the men. That final 20M→Finish stretch, where he posted the 151st-fastest men's split in the field, is where the race was truly sealed. His winning margin over 2nd place: 20 minutes and 9 seconds.

Behind him, the race for the podium was a genuine two-man drama. Michael Brandl, 65, of Redwood City, and Michael German, 66, of Daly City, were locked in a tense battle through the back half. Brandl held the edge for most of the race, climbing steadily from 343rd to 301st in the men's field. But German — who had fallen as far back as 369th among men at one point — came roaring back, posting the 240th-fastest men's split on the 20M→Finish segment compared to Brandl's 278th. That faster closing stretch nearly wiped out the gap entirely. Brandl held on for 2nd in 3:48:56; German crossed 3rd in 3:49:14, just 18 seconds back.

Mike Moak (4th, 3:59:00) and Steven Lafler (5th, 4:06:34) rounded out the top five, with Moak edging under the four-hour mark at a 9:07/mi pace. The back of the field showed tremendous grit in the conditions: David Saldivar, 68, of San Francisco, closed out his marathon in 5:36:50 — 12:51/mi — to bring all 11 M65-69 starters home.