Two Cities Marathon M75-79: Guy Keeler Owns the Age Group

• Sole finisher and champion: Guy Keeler, 76, of Sanger, CA — 5:18:41 at 12:09/mi average
• Strong finish: Gained 16 places among men from 10K to the finish line, moving from 289th to 273rd in the men's field
• Competitive late push: Posted the 267th-fastest 10K-to-finish split among women — a meaningful benchmark against the broader field

Guy Keeler showed up, toed the line, and got the job done. The 76-year-old from Sanger crossed the finish line of the Two Cities Marathon in 5:18:41 — good enough to claim the M75-79 title outright, because he was the only one bold enough to race it. On a flat, point-to-point course running along the Fresno/Clovis border, Keeler covered 26.2 miles at a 12:09-per-mile average — a steady, deliberate effort across the full distance.

What makes Keeler's run more than just a solo lap is what happened in the back half. From the 10K mark to the finish, he moved up 16 spots in the men's field — from 289th to 273rd — meaning he was passing people, not fading. His 10K-to-finish split also ranked 267th among all women in the race, a useful gauge of how his late-race pace stacked up against a wider pool of runners.

At 76, finishing a marathon is the headline. Finishing one while picking off competitors over the final stretch is the story worth telling.