M75-79: John Hollingsworth edges Philip Hollingsworth in a family finish

• John Hollingsworth won the M75-79 age group in 2:31:55 (11:35/mi), holding off Philip Hollingsworth by 1 minute 20 seconds.
• Philip Hollingsworth ran a nearly identical race, finishing 2nd in 2:33:15 (11:41/mi) — just 6 seconds per mile separating the two.
• James Shepard rounded out the three-man field in 2:46:58 (12:44/mi), finishing 3rd — over 15 minutes back of the winner.
• Both Hollingsworthss were still climbing through the men's field in the final stretch, each gaining ground from the 10K mark to the finish.

Three men toed the line in the M75-79 age group on a warm November morning in Fresno — 74°F and clear skies — and the story that emerged was as much a family affair as a race. John Hollingsworth, 78, of Fowler, and Philip Hollingsworth, 75, of Fresno ran stride for stride through the first half of the course, separated by just a handful of places in the broader men's field as they passed the 10K checkpoint. The gap between them at that point was razor-thin, and the race was very much alive.

The second half told the tale. John pulled clear steadily, and by the finish he had put 1:20 between himself and Philip — a meaningful margin earned at 11:35/mi against Philip's 11:41/mi. Both men were still moving through the men's field in the closing miles, each picking off runners on the 10K-to-finish stretch, which speaks to the discipline of their pacing in the heat.

James Shepard, 78, of Coarsegold, had the most eventful race of the three in terms of position swings. He was actually running ahead of both Hollingsworthss in the broader men's field at the 10K mark but faded through the second half, slipping back as the warm conditions took their toll. His 2:46:58 finish at 12:44/mi was a solid effort for the distance and the day, but the gap to the front of the M75-79 field — 15 minutes — tells the story of where the race was decided.