Rain Doesn't Stop
Los Vaqueros Wildflower Run
See race photos!

Jenny Wilson crosses the finish line third overall to win the women's division.

Unseasonable rain didn't stop 68 runners from starting the second Los Vaqueros Wildflower run Saturday, May 2.

Thomas Taylor of Phoenix won on the shortened --- but hilly -- 5.1 mile course with a startling time of 29.36.6, almost two minutes ahead of second finisher Jason Perez of Brentwood. He was never challenged during the race, running alone after the start.

Finishing third overall was the top women's runner, Jenny Wilson of Discovery Bay with a time of 32:57.5.

Rain on Friday and all during the race left the course about a mile shorter than last year, but the late change in the course kept all of the runners safe. There were no slips or falls reported.

Both Taylor and Wilson are also past Tarantula Run winners, with Taylor setting the men's half-marathon mark in October.

Wilson set the 10K women's record a year ago. The Tarantula Run is held in October in the northern section of the Los Vaqueros Watershed, and features 5k, 10k and half-marathon races. This year, it will be held on Oct. 24, 2009.

In the age group races, Gina Masinter and Alyson Sonneman, both of Dublin, finished three-tenths of a second apart to lead the 30 to 39 age group bracket.

The youngest runner was 10-year-old Jordan Koch of Livermore, who finished with a 53:29 to win the under-12 class.

In the women's division, Emilie Perry of Oakley was the only repeat winner in the event, winning the 12 to 18 age group.

Among the men, Alan Ginos won his class in the male 50 to 59 group after finishing second last year.

Jeff Samson, who only two weeks earlier competed in the Los Vaqueros Dam Trials bicycle race, finished 11th overall, and third in the 40 to 49 age group.