Two Cities Marathon 5K — F50-54: Bell Dominates in Fresno

• Evie Bell took the F50-54 title in 28:43 (9:15/mi), nearly two full minutes clear of the field.
• Lulette Lipumano-Sanchez was the closest challenger, finishing 2nd in 30:41 (9:53/mi) — a gap of 1:58 back.
• Places 3 through 5 were tightly bunched: Jennifer York (3rd, 35:37), Socorro Sanchez James (4th, 35:43), and Elena Nuno (5th, 36:10) — all within 33 seconds of each other.
• 39 women finished in the F50-54 group, with the top 20 spanning a range of just over 20 minutes.

Evie Bell, age 53 out of Fresno, put on a commanding performance at the top of the F50-54 field. Her 28:43 finish at 9:15/mi wasn't just a win — it was a statement, arriving nearly two minutes ahead of anyone else in the group. In a 5K, that's a substantial cushion, and Bell never let the race become a contest.

Behind her, Lulette Lipumano-Sanchez (also of Fresno, age 50) ran a solid 30:41 at 9:53/mi to claim 2nd — well clear of the chase pack but unable to close the gap on Bell. The real drama unfolded further back, where Jennifer York (Georgetown, CA) crossed in 35:37 to take 3rd, just six seconds ahead of Socorro Sanchez James (35:43) in 4th, and Elena Nuno (Clovis, CA) not far behind in 5th at 36:10. Those three covered 33 seconds of racing — a genuine battle for the final podium spot.

The mid-pack told its own story of grit. Zenaida Rodriguez (7th, 37:05), Alessandra Riemer (8th, 38:10), Tina Webb (9th, 38:28), Irene Moreno (10th, 38:40), and Tricia Khwaja (11th, 38:43) formed a tight cluster between 37 and 39 minutes, with just 98 seconds separating Rodriguez from Khwaja across five finishers. Further back, Mary Atkinson rounded out the listed finishers in 20th at 49:23 — with 19 more women completing the course beyond her. All 39 finishers in the F50-54 group made it to the line on a Sunday morning in Fresno.