F40-44 5K: Stephanie Kelley Dominates in Fresno

• Kelley wins going away — her 23:14 (7:29/mi) was 40 seconds clear of runner-up Jacqueline Schiemer (23:54), a comfortable margin in a 64-woman field.
• Top two pull clear of the pack — 3rd-place Katie Johnson finished in 25:56, a full 2:02 behind Schiemer, opening a significant gap between the podium and the rest of the group.
• Tight mid-pack battle — Jessica Benitez (29:07) and Socorro Leal (29:36) were separated by just 29 seconds across 6th and 7th, while Denise Vasquez (31:07) and Georgina Epperson (30:56) were within 11 seconds of each other for 10th and 11th.
• Warm conditions for a November race — 74°F and clear skies in Fresno made for a sun-soaked morning across all 64 finishers in the F40-44 group.

Stephanie Kelley made this one look straightforward. The 43-year-old Fresno local crossed in 23:14 at a 7:29-per-mile clip, never seriously threatened after going out strong. Clovis's Jacqueline Schiemer gave chase and held second with a solid 23:54, but the 40-second gap at the line tells the story — Kelley was simply in a different gear on this warm November morning.

The podium closed with Katie Johnson (25:56), also 41, rounding out a top three that was already well separated from the rest of the field by the time the race settled. Johnson's 8:21-per-mile pace was respectable in the heat, but the real story behind her was how quickly the field compressed — Leticia Lewis (28:22) through Jessica Benitez (29:07) covered five spots in under 45 seconds, making for a genuinely competitive scrap for 4th through 6th.

Further back, the race stayed lively. Megan Sanborn made the trip from Coalinga worth it, finishing 8th in 30:07, while the stretch from 15th (Brenda Melgar, 32:48) through 16th (Sara Jannatifar, 32:50) was decided by just two seconds. With 44 additional finishers beyond the top 20, the F40-44 group was one of the day's deeper fields — a strong turnout for a 5K in the Central Valley sun.