Two Cities Marathon 5K — F35-39: Kuehn Runs Away With It

• Erika Kuehn won the F35-39 age group in 24:57 (8:02/mi) — more than 3½ minutes clear of the field.
• Lauren Layne took 2nd in 28:34 (9:12/mi), the only other finisher under 30 minutes.
• Katie Saul and Bekki Carrillo staged the tightest battle of the day, separated by just 4 seconds — 31:23 to 31:27 — for 3rd and 4th.
• 42 women finished in the F35-39 age group, with the top 20 ranging from 24:57 to 43:30.

Erika Kuehn made this one look easy. The 36-year-old Fresno local crossed in 24:57 at an 8:02/mi clip — a pace that would have been competitive in far larger fields. Her margin over 2nd place was 3 minutes and 37 seconds, which in a 5K is not a gap, it's a statement.

Lauren Layne, also of Fresno, was the clear runner-up, finishing in 28:34 (9:12/mi) to claim 2nd. The real drama unfolded just behind her, where Katie Saul (38, Upland) and Bekki Carrillo (39, Clovis) ran the closest race of the afternoon. Saul edged Carrillo 31:23 to 31:27 — four seconds over 3.1 miles — to secure 3rd. Ger Yang rounded out the top five in 33:03 (10:38/mi).

From 6th through 20th, the field spread across a wide range of paces, with Jaspreet Kaur (34:54), Dana French (35:48), and Fabiola Avalos (36:18) leading that middle pack. Cristina Lopez closed out the listed finishers in 20th at 43:30 (14:00/mi), with 22 more women completing the course behind her. Kuehn's win was the headline, but 42 women showed up and ran a 5K on a Sunday in Fresno — that's the full story.