Masters Men at NYC Marathon: Baker Seizes the Crown in a Race Full of Jaw-Dropping Performances

• Dustin Baker, 46, wins in 1:37:23 (3:43/mi avg), the fastest Masters Men's finish, after a dramatic lead battle that saw him swap the top men's spot multiple times before pulling clear for good.
• Ricardo Corral, 66, finishes 2nd in 1:39:22 — a 66-year-old running 3:47/mi for 26.2 miles, posting the fastest men's split on the 35K–22M stretch to hold off all challengers.
• Ken Higgins, 74, finishes 5th in 2:22:58 — one of the most remarkable performances in a field full of them, while Cesar Jimenez, 79, takes 6th in 2:24:45.
• Dale Grubba, 86, finishes 18th in 3:43:09 — completing the New York City Marathon at age 86.

The Masters Men's race at TCS New York City Marathon was anything but a formality. Dustin Baker of Fletcher, NC spent much of the afternoon trading positions at the front of the men's field — sitting as high as 1st overall among men and as low as 3rd — before his decisive move on the 3M–5K stretch, where he posted the fastest men's split of anyone in the field on that segment. He never fully surrendered the advantage after that, ultimately crossing in 1:37:23 at a blistering 3:43/mi to claim the Masters Men's title.

The most compelling subplot was Ricardo Corral, a 66-year-old from Jackson Heights, NY who ran the entire marathon at 3:47/mi to finish 2nd in 1:39:22. Corral's best segment came late — his 35K–22M split was the fastest among all men — signaling he was still pressing hard deep into the race while others faded. The 1:59 gap between Baker and Corral reflects how competitive the front of this field was, with Michael Malone of San Jose, CA rounding out the podium in 3rd at 1:46:07 (4:03/mi), having posted the fastest men's split on the 5K–4M segment early on.

Beyond the podium, the Masters Men's field offered some genuinely extraordinary performances by age. Ken Higgins, 74, from Dacula, GA ran 2:22:58 — good for 5th — and posted the 5th-fastest men's split on the 15K–10M segment. Right behind him, Cesar Jimenez of North Plainfield, NJ finished 6th in 2:24:45 at age 79. And then there's Dale Grubba, 86, of Westfield, WI, who crossed the line 18th in 3:43:09. In a field of 25 finishers, the age range and finishing times tell a story that numbers alone can barely contain.