M45-49 and W45-49: Mann leads a two-person charge through Virginia Beach

• Randolph Mann, 49, won the 45–49 age group in 51:23 (10:20/mi), posting the fastest women's split on the 2M→4M segment.
• Eileen Owen, 48, completed the pair in 1:24:32 (17:00/mi), finishing 5th among women at that same checkpoint stretch.
• The gap between the two finishers in the 45–49 group was 33 minutes and 9 seconds.

With just two finishers in the 45–49 age group on a mild but humid March morning in Virginia Beach — 62°F, 76% humidity, and a 9 mph breeze off the coast — the race within this cohort was more about individual performance than head-to-head drama. Randolph Mann, 49, made a statement from the gun, holding the top spot among women at every checkpoint and never relinquishing it. His 51:23 finish at a 10:20/mi clip was the headline result, and his 2M→4M split was the fastest of any woman in the field on that stretch — a standout middle segment that underscored how controlled and strong his effort was.

Eileen Owen, 48, made the trip from Fairfax to Virginia Beach and crossed the line in 1:24:32, averaging 17:00/mi across the 8K. She held a steady 5th-place position among women through the 2M→4M segment and maintained that standing to the finish — consistent, if not closing.

The 33-minute gap between the two tells its own story: these were two very different races run on the same course on the same morning. Mann's performance stands as the clear highlight of the 45–49 group, while Owen's finish rounds out the age group's representation. Two starters, two finishers — everyone who toed the line in the 45–49 group made it to the end.