M20-29 at Rio Del Lago 100: Rocha Runs Away With It

• Tyler Rocha wins in 19:11:32 — an 11:31/mi average across 100 miles, finishing more than two hours ahead of runner-up Gerber Vicente (21:13:35).
• Rocha's closing kick was real: he posted the 2nd-fastest split on the Granite Beach 2–to–Finish leg among the men, putting the race away with pace rather than just patience.
• Vicente's charge from the back: he entered the men's field somewhere around 122nd before a relentless climb through the standings brought him all the way to 13th among men by the finish — and 2nd in M20-29.
• Places 4 and 5 flipped on the clock: Will Boardman (23:20:11) finished 4th despite running a slower time than Conor Drewes (23:16:53, 5th) — timing finer than the displayed seconds settled it.

Tyler Rocha made this one look almost straightforward, which is the hardest thing to do in a 100-miler. The 29-year-old from Seattle moved through the men's field with steady authority — sitting 5th among men early, briefly touching 3rd, and ultimately settling at 7th among men at the line. His 19:11:32 is the headline number: at a race that chews up runners through the Sierra Nevada foothills, breaking 19:15 in the M20-29 group is a statement. The two-hour gap to the podium's second step was decisive.

Gerber Vicente's race told a completely different story. The San Anselmo 28-year-old was buried deep in the men's field at the first checkpoint — around 122nd — and spent the entire day hunting places. A 6th-fastest split on the Rattlesnake Bar 2–to–Granite Beach 2 segment was his signature move, and he crossed in 21:13:35 to claim a well-earned 2nd in the age group. Stuart Suplick (Berkeley, 21:50:12) rounded out the podium in 3rd, posting the 7th-fastest split on the No Hands 1–to–ALT leg while holding his position through the back half of the race.

Behind the podium, 23 finishers in the M20-29 group navigated a clear, mild November day — 72°F and light winds — that offered no excuses and no shelter. Skyler Bowersmith (22:58:14) crossed 7th in the age group despite outrunning both Boardman and Drewes on the clock, a reminder of how deep this field ran. The spread from Rocha's winning time to Cullum Andrews' 27:26:11 in 20th tells the full story of a 100-mile day: everyone suffers, but some suffer faster.