Will Records Fall in Indianapolis Again? The USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships

June 20, 2025 This Saturday, the Monumental Mile in Indianapolis hosts the 2025 USATF Masters One Mile Championships. Masters athletes last toed the line here in 2023; five American records were broken. The course is flat, fast and record eligible! Several athletes again have a legitimate shot at the standing American Record. The Men’s race is at 9:50 AM with the Women starting at 10:05. The racing and the temperature, around 80F at race time, will be steamy!

Finish Line for the 2023 Championships in Indianapolis, hosted by Beyond Monumental's Monumental Mile. The 2025 finish line is a couple of blocks north of that year's. Photo courtesy of Beyond Monumental

Records Watch. Jennifer St, Jean, 50, won the 45-49 group at the Fifth Avenue Mile last fall in 5:14. That is four seconds under the W50 record. That course is point-to-point and hence not record eligible; it also falls more than 1.6 meters over (about 1600 Meters). It is by no means certain that St. Jean will break the record, but it is definite that she will run her best! Will she get it? Jennifer Harvey, 57, beat Fiona Bayly, 57, here two years ago, winning by a fraction of a second, setting the AR at 5:25. 

Jennifer Harvey left and Fiona Bayly right giving their all in 2023. Harvey got the win by a fraction of a second and the W55 American Record.

Bayly enjoyed a three second win when they met at the Fifth Avenue Mile last year. The rematch is on! But will it be for the win or for the silver medal? They are joined by Michelle Rohl, 59, who holds the American W55 1500 Meter record on the track with her 4:47.62 from 2022. Her winning 4:53.57 at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships this past February suggests she can run under 5:30 on the roads. She did just that three years ago, winning the 2022 USATF W55 1 Mile championship in 5:12. Nancy Simmons, 65, won last year in Danville at 6:08.1. With a faster course, she may be able to find the two seconds and change she needs to break the record. Brian Lindsay has Neil McDonagh to push him for the Overall and M40 win. 

Bryan Lindsay winning the 2023 Masters 1 Mile Title in Indianapolis Photo courtesy of Beyond Monumental

If they both have good days, could the 4:22 record fall? Finally, Dan King has a shot at the M65 AR. He holds the M60 Record for the Mile on an outdoor track at 4:51.45. He ran nine seconds faster than the M65 record at the Fifth Avenue Mile. Fresh off his M65 win at Peoria in the 4 Mile, it will be fascinating to see how things go on Saturday!

Dan King finishes off his M65 Win that also earned him an Age Grading Podium award at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic 

Overall Championships. MEN There will be fireworks on the Men’s side as Lindsay and McDonagh, winners of the 2023 and 2024 Overall title go head-to-head. Lindsay clocked 4:24.7 here in Indy while McDonagh’s 4:30.0, on a more technical course at Danville, gave him the win with room to spare. Lindsay, who has been devoting attention to coaching his offspring, has still found time for training. He ran 16:06 at the Choose to Move 5K in April. McDonagh clocked 4:01.57 in the 1500 Meters at the Indoor Championships in February. 

Neil McDonagh winning the 2024 Masters Mile Championships, hosted by the Mile of Truth in Danville CA  Photo Credit: Captivating Sports Photos

Lindsay's teammate, Chad Carver, ran 15:49 at the Blueberry Stomp last September. Brett Anderson turned in a 4:35 in March at the Ad Astra Running Irish Mile in Lawrence KS. Anderson and Carver should push the defending champions and sort out the podium. It seems most likely that Carver will join Lindsay and McDonagh on the podium. With the home streets advantage, it seems the final order should be: Lindsay-McDonagh-Carver. It will be up to Anderson, or someone else, to prove that wrong!

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Chad Carver     Bryan Lindsay     Neil McDonagh

WOMEN Hidi Gaff, who finished third overall in Indy two years ago in 5:22.5, will go for the gold medal this time. Gaff enjoyed a top ten Masters finish at the BOA Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago this March, clocking 30:22 for the 8K. She is familiar with the environment. She came back last year to win the Masters title in the Monumental Mile in 5:27. Her toughest competition will come from Lauren Hendrix. Her 5:26 placed her in the top twenty overall in the Women’s competitive division of the Macklind Mile in St. Louis last June. Dana Hayden, Dawn Grunnagle and Erika Holroyd, out of the 45-49 division, will make sure that the 'youngsters' earn their medals! Either way, one of them should help round out the podium. 

Dawn Grunnagle claiming the W45 Silver Medal at the 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club on their PUBLIX Atlanta Marathon Weekend

Hayden finished second in the 1500M this past February at Indoor Nationals in 5:10.5, equivalent, roughly to a 5:40 mile. She followed that with a 39:33 second place at the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K in April. Hayden also ran three 5K's this spring, in Virginia, ranging in time from 17:14 to 19:26. Grunnagle won the 40-44 division 10K Road Race at the 2019 World Masters Athletics championships. More recently she claimed the Silver 45-49 Medal at the 2024 Masters 5K Championships in 18:08. Last December, Grunnagle clocked 5:43.03 in the Mile at the Dallas Marathon. She followed that this spring with an 18:52 5K. Holroyd won the 45-49 gold medal at the Indoors 1500 Meters in Gainesville this February, ahead of Hayden, with a 5:08.73. In March, she ran a nifty 18:29 at the Haddonfield Adrenaline 5K. I will guess that the experience with the Indy course gives Gaff the edge over Hendrix. It looks close to a toss-up between these three. I will go with Holroyd based on the 5K time in March and the win over Hayden at the Indoor 1500M, but would not be amazed if it sorted out otherwise. That results in a likely order of: Gaff-Hendrix-Holroyd.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Hidi Gaff     Lauren Hendrix     Erika Holroyd

Age-Grading Championships. The Age Grading score identifies the best performance, adjusted for age, across all age groups. Those mentioned above are contenders for age grade glory. But there are others. Suzanne La Burt is rarely off the age grading podium. She won her division and finished third in age grading at the 10K Championships in April.

Suzanne La Burt finishing off her W60 record-breaking 12K Win at the 2024 Masters Championships hosted by USATF-NJ at their By Hook Or By Crook Run in Highlands NJ Photo Credit: Jason Timochko

Lisa Veneziano will push La Burt for the W60 win! In 2022, Veneziano finished ahead of La Burt in the 55-59 division at the Masters Mile Championships in Rochester.

Lisa Veneziano on Her Way to the W55 Win at the 2024 USATF Masters 10 Mile Championships, hosted by the Crim Fitness Foundation in Flint MI Photo courtesy of Crim Fitness Foundation

Picking a likely order seems perilous. Even choosing a top three in age grading is tough. I will go with Rohl for the top spot, with Bayly, Harvey, La Burt, Simmons and Veneziano in a tight band. After that I will go with Bayly and then Harvey (since Bayly has the most recent edge in their Mile duels). That gives us a likely order of Rohl-Bayly-Harvey.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Fiona Bayly     Jennifer Harvey     Michelle Rohl

MEN In addition to those mentioned in the sections above, several others deserve consideration. At 79, Gary Ostwald’s 6:58/mile pace earned the second highest age grade at the Masters 4 Mile Championships in Peoria. 

Gary Ostwald finishing off his 75-79 Win and Earning the Second-Best Age Grading Score at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic

Daniel Filip, 61, and Mark Zamek, 62. will battle for the M60 win; the winner has a shot at the age grading podium. Charles Novak, 57, last contested these Mile Championships in 2018, mounting the age grade podium that year. 

Chuck Novak taking the Win Ahead of Chuck Schneekloth at the 2018 Masters 1 Mile Championships Hosted by The Crim Fitness Foundation's Michigan Mile Photo Courtesy of Crim Fitness Foundation

When the distance is a Mile, it is hard to pick anyone other than King to get the top Age Grade. Ostwald outdid him in age grading in Peoria. But this is a Mile. After those two, I will guess that Novak, the middle distance specialist, will come next in age grading. That gives us: King-Ostwald-Novak as a likely order.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Dan King     Chuck Novak     Gary Ostwald

Age Division Championships.

MEN M40 Lindsay, McDonagh, Carver and Anderson, listed as contenders for the Overall title are all from this division. Hence the likely order for this division is also: Lindsay-McDonagh-Carver.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Chad Carver     Bryan Lindsay     Neil McDonagh

M45 Chuck Schneekloth won the Overall Masters One Mile Championship in 2019 in Flint in 4:37. He won it by a whisker over Mike Madsen, who trains in Flagstaff and is the current M50 Road Mile record holder. This time, Schneekloth will need to beat another high-altitude runner, Anthony Bruns, out of Denver, if he is to take the M45 title. Schneekloth, a middle-distance athlete primarily, finished second in the M45 division at the Fifth Avenue Mile last September, clocking 4:47.5. More recently Schneekloth was the top Masters athlete in the 800 Meters on the track at Miles Mania in 2:05.09. Bruns clocked 16:17 at the Donut Dash 5K in April at altitude. Last summer Bruns ran a 4:14.05 1500M at the Boulder All Comers Track meet. It is probably relevant to mention that Bruns won the overall title at the 2021 edition of the Pearl Street Mile in Boulder CO in 4:36. That suggests a terrific duel for the win! Caleb Chambers, who ran 5:02 on this course last year and enjoyed a recent 5K outing in 17:11 appears to have a solid edge over Terry Goodspeed. As noted, I view it as a toss up for the win. But I will go with Bruns on the basis that he was running those times at altitude, and they would be a bit faster at sea level. Arguing against that is Schneekloth's experience at running the mile. For now, I will suggest a likely finishing order of Bruns-Schneekloth-Chambers.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Anthony Bruns     Caleb Chambers     Chuck Schneekloth

M50 Robb Awe, who just took the M50 title at the Masters 4 Mile Championships in Peoria at 22:03, might be the favorite. 

Robb Awe Claimed the M50 Title at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic

He also clocked a 17:00 at the Bolt for the Heart 5K last November. That speed should put him out of reach of all others except his teammate, Jasen Ritter, who clocked 4:47.01 on this course last year. Ritter reinforced the notion that he could be the faster by turning in a 16:21 at the Choose to Move 5K at the end of April. A month later though, he ran over 18 minutes at another 5K. Was that a flareup of an injury or a sign of a more enduring fitness problem? Or was he running with a friend or relative? For now, I will assume it was a temporary problem and put him as the favorite. Another teammate is Mike Cole. Cole also ran in that Bolt for the Heart 5K, finishing in 17:09. In 2019, Cole took second overall at the Masters 8K Championships in Virginia Beach. Last year Cole was running twelve marathons in twelve months so might have had heavy legs at that 5K. On the other hand, Cole has struggled with some injuries since last November. My guess is that he signed up primarily so their team could compete well in the M50+ division. Marty Stevens, another athlete from the Mountain West, ran 36:51 at Bolder Boulder this May. That would be faster at sea level but not fast enough to run for Stevens to run with Awe and Ritter, assuming full fitness. Jason Newport, who ran a sub-18 minute 5K last November, will be pushing those folks! I am going to guess that Ritter is recovered from whatever slowed him down Memorial Day Weekend. If so, he should take the division. Awe is at the top of his game and should come next. Let's go with Stevens for third. That gives us: Ritter-Awe-Stevens for a likely order.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Robb Awe     Jasen Ritter     Marty Stevens

M55 Chuck Novak has to be the favorite. In 2018 he was 2nd overall and first in M50 in the 1 Mile Championships in Flint MI, running 4:37. That was a technical course with both rises and falls as well as three soft turns and two hard turns. And he is still focused on middle distance. He won the M55 title over 1500 Meters at the Masters Indoor Championships this past February. His 4:26.91 suggests he should run well under 5:00. He ran 16:45 at a 5K on Memorial Day weekend. Christopher Harris will give him plenty to think about! He is fresh off an M55 win at the 10K Masters Championships in 35:20 Championships and a second-place finish over 4 Miles at the Masters Championships last week, in 22:11. 

Christopher Harris captures the M50 Silver Medal at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic 

Harris should be chased by John McMahon and John Prineas, who chased him to finish 3rd and 5th in this division at the 4-mile championships. Prineas may make it a bit more of a race than would seem likely at first. He took the 55-59 title at the Grand Blue Mile this April in 5:00.51. In 2022, McMahon claimed 2nd M55 in the Mile Championships in Rochester with a 5:01. Michael Resterhouse won his division at the Bayshore Marathon in 36:44. He also turned in a 17:43 5K in Orlando. If that was not 'magic', Resterhouse will definitely be a contender! My best guess for a likely finishing order is: Novak-Harris-McMahon. But Prineas and Westerhouse may have other ideas!

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Christopher Harris     John McMahon     Charles Novak

M60 Daniel Filip, who won the M60 championship last year at Danville in 5:19.5. In 2023, Mark Zamek finished 6th in this division in an off year in 5:20.1. Ordinarily that would point to an edge for Filip. His slightly faster time is more recent, and the Danville course is much more technical than the Indy course. But Zamek has been in and out of rehab over the last few years. My impression is that Zamek may enjoy better fitness now than in 2023. In any case, he finished second in the 4 Mile championships last week in 23:14. That suggests that Zamek can run under 5:20 on Saturday, despite being two years older than in 2023. 

Mark Zamek finishes 2nd in M60 at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic 

Lester Dragstedt has been podium-competitive for the last couple of years. He finished 3rd M60 last week at the 4 Mile Championships, just 24 seconds behind Zamek. But Scott Grandfield is entered. Grandfield ran a minute faster than Dragstedt at the 10K Championships in late April. Grandfield's teammate, Alejandro Heuck, is also dangerous. Primarily a middle-distance athlete on the track, he will do better than he did at the 10K championships where he finished a couple of minutes behind Dragstedt. Heuck finished 2nd in M60 at the Masters Indoor Track Championships, clocking 4:49.91, roughly equivalent to a 5:18 Mile. But that would bea track mile. Presumably road times are a tad slower. In 2022, Heuck came in fourth in M55 at Rochester in 5:10 with Grandfield fifth in 5:11. If Grandfield and Heuck are that close, it seems they should both come in ahead of Dragstedt. But that is 'on paper'. It could be quite close and come down to imponderables on the day. My best guess at order is: Zamek-Filip-Heuck. That gives both Grandfield and Heuck the edge over Dragstedt, with Heuck getting the edge over Grandfield based on that 2022 result and his experience at the distance.  Dragstedt has been known to prove me wrong. Will this be another instance?!

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Christopher Harris     John McMahon     Charles Novak

M65 Dan King is considered a threat for an American Record and has a good shot at top age Grade. The division title would come along with those accomplishments or even near accomplishments. It could be that the two runners most likely to follow King across the line on Saturday are the same two who finished behind King last weekend at the 4 Miler. Doug Keller and Norm Larson are both fine runners, highly competitive at the national level. But few runners in his division can keep pace with King, especially over a Mile. Keller was 3rd last weekend in 24:59, with Larson fourth in 26:29. Tim Mylin could be the 'fly in the ointment.' In 2023, Mylin finished fourth in this division, just two seconds behind Joe Mora and 7 behind King. The trick is that I can find no results for Mylin since that time. It could be that he is just as fit now as two years ago, except for ordinary effects of aging. Or it could be that he has had some ups and downs since then that have kept him from competing. Since he is entered as unaffiliated it cannot be that he has entered just to help out on a team score. I have to presume he is ready to roll. That gives me a likely order of King-Mylin-Keller, with Larson just off the podium.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Doug Keller     Dan King     Tim Mylin

M70 Jim Linn finished second to Jack Pottle last weekend in Peoria, his first division loss in a while. With Pottle on the sidelines, Linn should be the favorite once again. 

Jim Linn brings it Home, Collecting the M70 Silver Medal at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic 
 

He also has past success at the mile on his side. In 2023, on this course, he finished second to a runner who, a few months later, accepted a USADA drug sanction. It is plausible to assume that Linn's 5:51.8 was the fastest time for a 'clean' M70 runner that day. Scott Lucking was just twelve seconds behind Linn at the 4 Miler. That is not a lot of daylight over four miles, three second per mile, on average. Lucking ran 5:46.94 in the 1500M at the Indoor Championships in February. Roughly equivalent to a 6:11 mile, he can certainly push Linn for the win. Harold Leddy is coming in with good fitness. Primarily a middle-distance runner, he finished just seven seconds behind Lucking at the 10K Championships at the end of April. He, too, competed at the Indoor championships, finishing a good twenty seconds ahead of Lucking in the 1500 Meters. Leddy should be able to beat Lucking. Can he beat Linn? It certainly seems possible. Reno Stirrat is always in the mix and finished just seven seconds at Peoria. Stirrat ran 6:20 at the Impact Zone Mile in mid-May. It seems like the three L's, Leddy, Linn and Lucking will all be close to 6 minutes or under. Doug Bell and Doug Chesnut finished third and fourth in this division two years ago. They will be competitive, but it will be tough to break up the four already mentioned. They will be focused on finishing well and tight together to maximize the chances of a team win. The most likely order of finish is Leddy-Linn-Lucking, with Stirrat just off the podium.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Harold Leddy     Jim Linn     Scott Lucking

M75 Gary Ostwald is noted as likely to finish on the Age Grading podium. He should win the division in a proverbial cakewalk. Don Morrison might have been able to push Ostwald but he was hospitalized for Lyme Disease a few weeks ago and is a scratch. We hope to see him back in action later this year. Jerry Learned finished second to Ostwald in Peoria last week and seems solid for second place. He won this division last year at the 1 Mile Championships in Danville in 6:41.9. 

Jerry Learned finishes off his M75 Silver Medal Run at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic   

Though Learned is not a middle distance specialist, he regularly runs the 1500-meter event at the MTF Track Championships and does very well. The most likely third place finisher is Victor Vasquez, who has run his 5K's this spring in the 23:30 to 24:30 range. He clocked a 48:34 to help Team USA to the M70+ 10K Road Race win at the WMA Championships. Keith Yeates could certainly give Vasquez a battle for third place. Yeates ran a 49:11 10K at the Masters Championships in April; he is not far off Vasquez's time. Yeates finished second in this division on this course two years ago. That course knowledge also works to his advantage.  Should any of those run into difficulty, Allen Joyce, who finished a few minutes behind Learned at Peoria seems poised to move up. The most likely order of finish is: Ostwald-Learned-Vasquez, with Yeates just off the podium. But I would not be amazed to see Yeates on the podium as he was two years ago.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Jerry Learned     Gary Ostwald     Victor Vasquez

M80 The three entrants in this division all ran at the 10 Km Championships. Jack Frame won at 54:43, with Przemek Nowicki 2nd at 55:09. Morris Williams finished third, but well behind those two. My best guess is that Nowicki can win. He does not like hills and the James Joyce Ramble course has hills. Nowicki is also a regular participant at the middle distances on the track. This year he finished 2nd in this division in the 1500 Meter event at the MTF Indoor Championships. His 7:38.01 is roughly equivalent to running an 8:23 Mile. I thought that experience might give Nowicki the edge but then I saw that Frame won the M80 division at the Impact Zone mile in May, running 7:37.08. The more likely order of finish seems to be: Frame-Nowicki-Williams.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Jack Frame     Przemek Nowicki     Morris Williams

M85 Roland Cormier is coming off an M85 win in Peoria, covering the 4 Miles in 43:23. He finished second earlier in the year in the 1500Meters at the MTF Indoor Championships; his time was 9:10.86, roughly equivalent to an 11:11:05 mile. Adrian Craven has not competed recently at national championships. But he ran 11:30.7 to win this division here in Indy two years ago. Cormier should take the win with Craven second.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Roland Cormier     Adrian Craven

WOMEN W40 Gaff and Hendrix look good for the division win as they are favored for the top two spots overall. Lauren Davis finished sixth in this division at the 10K championships in April with a 46:49. Brooke Novak, who ran a 7:00 mile in May and a 24:52 5K in May will try to prevent that from happening. The most likely order of finish is: Gaff-Hendrix-Davis.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Lauren Davis     Hidi Gaff     Lauren Hendrix

W45 Holroyd, Hayden, and Grunnagle, from this division, are expected to contend for the overall win. Holroyd was picked for the podium in a very close call, so is the favorite to win this division. It is hard to see much difference in the records of Grunnagle and Hayden. Hayden has a slightly faster effort in the 1500M than Grunnagle's road mile but one would expect a track mile to be faster than a road mile. I will give the edge to Hayden on the basis that her three 5K's are all faster than Grunnagle's effort in December. The likely order in a close finish is likely to be: Holroyd-Hayden-Grunnagle.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Dawn Grunnagle     Dana Hayden     Erica Holroyd

W50 Jennifer St. Jean who has a legitimate shot at a record, as discussed above, is the favorite. Hortencia Aliaga will make her earn the gold medal. Aliaga has two sub-6-minute road miles this spring, one a 5:58 and the other at the Impact Zone Mile, a 5:35.03 in mid-May. She turned in a 19:22 5k at the Fitzgerald Lager run earlier this month. 

Hortencia Aliaga wins the W50 Championship at the 2024 Masters Championships hosted by USATF-NJ at their By Hook Or By Crook Run in Highlands NJ Photo Credit: Jason Timochko

It looks like quite a duel between Jennifer McCann and Gabrielle Panepinto for the third spot on the podium. McCann ran 6:07.9 at the Grand Blue Mile in late April, following that with a 6:17 at the TMC Downtown 5K in Arizona at the end of May. Panepinto ran 6:03 at the Brooklyn Mile last August and 6:08 at the Impact Zone Mile. It could go either way based on the GBM for McCann and the Impact Zone for Panepinto. But the other result favors Panepinto so I will go with that. The more likely order of finish seems to be: St. Jean-Aliaga-Panepinto. McCann could well prove that wrong.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Hortencia Aliaga     Gabrielle Panepinto     Jennifer St. Jean

W55 This is the most tantalizing race of the day. There is a rematch between Bayly and Harvey, with an overlay of Track record holder, Michelle Rohl. Friendly rivals from New York City, Harvey took Bayly by a fraction of a second at the 2023 Masters Championships on this same course. Last fall it was Bayly's turn to prevail by a few seconds at the Fifth Avenue Mile. But Rohl looks to be coming in with a slightly faster possibility than either. See details in 'Record Watch' above. All three are fierce competitors but only one can win tomorrow and that one is most likely to be Rohl. After that, I go with Bayly over Harvey. 

Michelle Rohl left takes it Out Hard with the Eventual Overall Winner; Rohl takes the Silver Overall Medal, the Gold W55 Medal and the Age Grading Gold Medal at the 2022 USATH Masters Mile Championships, hosted by the Genesee Valley Harriers at the Rochester Mile in Rochester NY Photo courtesy of GVH

Bayly is the more recent winner in their mutual showdowns. It is hard to imagine anyone else can stay with those three. Kimberly Aspholm won the division at the 10 Km Championships at the end of April and enjoyed a 6:01.02 outing at the Impact Zone Mile. Aspholm is having a terrific year, but the winner will surely be under 5:40 and probably under 5:30. Amy McMahon finished second in the division in Peoria with a 28:43 and ran 5:49 at the Fifth Avenue Mile last September. 

Amy McMahon finishes off her W55 Silver Medal Run at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic  

There will be just as stirring a battle for fourth and fifth as for the podium spots. Rohl-Bayly-Harvey for the likely order.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Fiona Bayly     Jennifer Harvey     Michelle Rohl

W60 When Suzanne La Burt and Lisa Veneziano met in 2022 at the Masters 1 Mile Championships in Rochester, Veneziano took honors, 5:40 to 5:58. La Burt has raised her game since then, but Veneziano is still very strong and likely to take the win on Saturday. La Burt ran 5:56 at the Big Bang Mile last August and followed that with a 5:44 at the Fifth Avenue Mile. Veneziano finished third here two years ago in 55-59 behind Bayly and Harvey in 5:35. I do not find a recent mile for Veneziano but she ran an 18:42 5K at the Brian Diemer run last weekend. Suffice to say, she is fit! Judy Stobbe looks good for third, although she will definitely be pushing Veneziano and La Burt for the win! Stobbe ran 5:45 at the Fifth Avenue Mile last September. Her 5:32.8 1500Meter effort at Indoor nationals in February converts roughly to a mile in just over 6:00. Stobbe clocked 22:25 at the Washington Heights 5K in early March. Stobbe will have to fend off Pamela Ricker who ran 22:35 at the Fitzgerald Lager 5K in June! It should be close between those two. I give the edge to Stobbe because she is a middle distance runner on the track. That gives us: Veneziano-La Burt-Stobbe as the likely finishing order.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Suzanne La Burt     Judy Stobbe     Lisa Veneziano

W65 As noted in the Records Watch section above, Nancy Simmons has a legitimate shot at the AR of 6:06. She finished 2nd in 60-64 last year in Danville in 6:08.1. The course in Indy is definitely faster. Whether that translates to a new record or not is anyone's guess, but Simmons is likely to be close to or under 6:00! Lesley Hinz looks good for second place. She finished third W65 in Danville last year, running 6:34. This May, Hinz clocked 6:19 at the Grand Prix Mile in Georgia in May. The Danville course is technical. The GP Mile is probably a better indicator of current fitness for a road mile. Suzanne Cordes ran 6:43 to finish 4th in W60 at Danville last year. The same comments about Danville for Hinz apply to Cordes as well. She will probably not be able to keep up with Hinz but seems likely to run around 6:30. Either Cordes or Kitty Musante are likely to take the W65 bronze medal. Musante ran 6:35 at the Fifth Avenue Mile last September and clocked 22:04 at the Northey 5K in Florida in April. Cordes's 29:21 for 2nd place in W65 at the 4 Mile Championships last weekend converts roughly to a 22:45 5K. 

Suzanne Cordes Claims the W65 Silver Medal at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic  

It looks like another terrific duel for third place! I will give Cordes the edge but it could go either way. That give us a likely order of: Simmons-Hinz-Cordes, with Musante looking to prove that prediction wrong!

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Suzanne Cordes    Lesley Hinz     Nancy Simmons

W70 Ivy Bell looks solid for the win. Her 6:50.0 at the Spring Street Mile in Manchester CT on May 17th was followed a week later by a 6:54 at the Newtown Savings Bank Mile. Donna May could have the best speed of the other competitors. She followed a 26:37 at the Running Wild 5K in Florida last August with a 24:59 at the Matanzas 5K in January. May competed in the 2018 Masters 5 Km Championships, finishing second in W60 in 24:23. Cindy Lucking is running well and could give May a real battle for 2nd place; she is typically on the podium this year. Lucking finished third at the Masters 10K Championships this April in 56:41. She took the win in Peoria last weekend, running 37:23 over 4 Miles. Both should convert roughly to a sub-27-minute 5K. 

Cindy Lucking gets the W70 Win at the 2025 Masters 4 Mile Championships hosted by the Steamboat Classic in Peoria IL Photo Courtesy of Steamboat Classic   

Miriam Paulus is also in the hunt. Her 27:48 at the Sugar Maple 5K is not as fast as May's 5K's nor as fast as Lucking's converted 10K time (sub 27). But she then recorded a 7:52.06 at the Dash for Cash 1 Mile. May and Lucking will need to be on their toes or Paulus could catch them out. The likely order seems to be: Bell-May-Lucking.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Ivy Bell    Donna May     Cynthia Lucking

W75 Kathleen Allen should have no trouble tomorrow. She won this division in Peoria last weekend in 41:06. In late April she won at the Masters 10 Km Championships in 1:03:06. Joanie McMullen may have the edge over Andrea McCarter if she has the same relative fitness now that she had in 2019. That is the last result I can find for McMullen, a 35:23 effort over 3.3 miles at the Pecan Classic. If I convert that to a 32:54 5K, that ages up via age grading to a 36-minute 5K in 2025 and to something like a 1:14-ish 10K. McCarter clocked 1:16:43 at the Members 10K in April in Georgia. Considering all of the uncertainty, it looks like a toss-up between McCarter and McMullen. I will give the edge to McCarter on the basis that she has been competing regularly for Atlanta while McMullen has not. The likely order then is: Allen-McCarter-McMullen.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Kathleen Allen    Andrea McCarter     Joanie McMullen

W80 Myrna Barnett is the favorite. In February, Barnett won the W80 1500M run at the MTF Indoor Championships in Gainesville, clocking 10:30.11. hat is roughly equivalent to an 11:30-ish Mile. Her 35:19 5K on March 1st at the Atlanta Publix Marathon weekend is better than either of Catherine Radle's two 5K efforts last year. Radle clocked 38:00 at Atlanta's Finest 5K last August and turned in a faster 37:25 5K at the Invesco QQQ Half Marathon in November. The third entrant, also a teammate of Barnett and Radle, Susan Hartman, has no recent results that I can find.  In 2018 and 2019, Hartman competed in the 1 Mile Championships in Flint MI, clocking 14:06 in 2018 and 14:59 in 2019. Her main goal on Saturday will be, no doubt, as it was in those earlier years, to finish so that Atlanta has a complete scoring team. If so, they walk away with the win and 100 Grand Prix points. The likely finishing order seems to be Barnett-Radle-Hartman.

Likely Podium in Alphabetical Order:

Myrna Barnett    Susan Hartman     Catherine Radle

W85 Joyce Hodges-Hite keeps showing up to compete. She is the sole entrant in 85-89 and will take the win if she finishes. And Hodges-Hite is always focused on finishing! She took the W85 win at the Masters 10K Championships in April with a 1:59:02 time. She won another gold medal last weekend at Peoria, running 1:12:25.

Likely Winner: Joyce Hodges-Hite

Teams The Atlanta Track Club should take the W70+ and W80+ team titles. They battle the Shore Athletic Club for the W50+ win. In W40+, it is a three-way shootout among the Central Park TC, Garden State TC and Impala Racing. The M60+ and M70+ divisions have the most teams competing. Atlanta will be in the hunt for both of those titles. The Twin City Running Club won in Peoria and is the M60+ favorite. But Greater Springfield Harriers, Shore, and Genesee Valley Harriers will make them earn it! Boulder Road Runners extended their M70+ winning streak in Peoria last week. But Shore brings a stronger team to the 1 Mile Championships. and could challenge.

Note: I learned from one of his teammates that USATF's Sport 80 registration platform was acting up. Atlanta's David Black was unable to enter even though he was trying before the close of registration. Atlanta could move up in the M60+ team race, but TCRC should still win. USATF staff entered him manually, but he does not show up on the Sport80 entry list. I know there were at least two others who needed assistance registering on the last day, but they both showed up on the entry list. I do not know if there are any others,

Top Masters Athletes Primed for Fast Four Miler in Peoria

 June 12, 2025. The Steamboat Classic, celebrating more than 50 years of races, hosts the USATF Open and Masters 4 Mile Championships this Saturday, June 14th. Light rain showers are expected to stop before the 7:13 AM race time; temperatures in the upper 60’s, with little wind, should make for fast times. Those sensitive to humidity may need to adjust. The relative humidity should be high, but the dewpoint is expected to stay under 70. The course, located in downtown Peoria Illinois, is flat and fast! 

Note: It appears that the 4 Mile distance is not record-eligible. So even though the course would be record eligible if USATF tracked the 4 Mile, no records will be set. Lots of personal bests will, no doubt, be achieved.

OVERALL MEN Five athletes are likely to be at the front. David Angell won a 45-49 10K Gold Medal at the World Masters Championships in March in 33:31. He finished third overall among those defined by USATF as Masters athletes. A month later, Angell ran twenty-eight seconds faster to finish fifth overall in the Masters 10K Championships, hosted by the James Joyce Ramble in Dedham MA. 

David Angell on the Final Turn on His way to the Overall Win at the 2019 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships in Atlanta GA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Dickson Mercer finished nine seconds ahead of Angell at the Masters 10K championships in April, in 32:54. With a recent 15:52 5000M effort on the track, Mercer may be primed for his first Masters overall win. 

Dickson Mercer On His way to a 5th place finish overall at the 2024 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott

But he will need all of his experience at Masters National Championships to stay ahead of Taylor Smith. Smith ripped off a 33:12 at the Bolder Boulder 10K a couple of weeks ago, an impressive time on that course at 5400' elevation. Added credentials include a 16:01 5K last July (also at altitude) and a 2:35:06 Marathon at the California International Marathon Note: CIM is a point-to-point race known for fast times as it falls by over 90 meters.  Robert Duncan and Brian Valentini could also factor in the podium race. If the Duncan who is entered is the Robert Duncan from Plainfield Illinois that I found in Athlinks, he ran a 16:33 at the Packers 5K last July in Wisconsin and a 34:05 10K this March. Valentini has very similar credentials. He ran 16:37 to finish on the M40 podium at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5K in the Twin Cities this May. That was after running 34:00 at the Get It in Gear 10K in April. I would give Mercer the edge due to experience and being at the top of his game, then Smith, then Angell.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

David Angell     Dickson Mercer     Taylor Smith

WOMEN Note: Jessica Hruska, now in 45-49, whose 18:12 won the Masters 5 Km Championships, overall, three years ago, is the favorite among the Women. That year she also finished third in the 10K Masters Championships in 37:15 and, in December, finished fourth at the highly competitive Club Cross Country Championships in San Francisco. 

Jessica Hruska wins the Overall Title at the 2022 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club Photo Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Track Club 

Hruska has competed more sparingly at Masters National Championships in the years since 2022. Recent outings include a 30:55 8K at the 2024 Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago (finishing top ten in W40) and a 19:19 5K at the Indy Mini Marathon this May. Abby Dean and Kara Parker will challenge. Dean, in 50-54, finished fourth in the 2023 Masters 10 Km Championships in 38:17. 

Abby Dean finishing fourth Overall at the 2022 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club Photo Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Track Club 

Since that time, Dean has had to work back from a couple of injuries. Her best recent road 10K effort was at the WMA Indoor Championships in late March, where she ran 39:55 to finish as 2nd American. Two weeks before, Dean clocked a 19:05 at the Haddonfield Adrenaline 5K. Dean stumbled a bit at the 10K Championships in late April but rebounded in mid-May with a sparkling 5:34.31 time at the Memorial Main Street Mile. It is even more amazing that the third contender, Parker, is now in 55-59. But Fiona Bayly has made the podium at national championships out of that division so why not Parker? She ran 19:28 at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5K in the Twin Cities last month and has staying power as well. Parker clocked 1:05:36 in the Ten Miler at the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon last October. She finished fifth Masters overall in that race which always attracts a strong field. Based on recent 5K times, it appears to be a toss-up. But let's go with Hruska-Dean-Parker as a likely finishing order. 

Note: Another entrant who might be able to stay with Hruska is Jeanette Ingham. Ingham owns an unusual set of marathon results if the athlete I found in Athlinks, from Texas, who is the right age, is the Ingham in question. In 2021 the Boston Marathon offered a virtual option as we were just coming out of Covid. Ingham entered and was credited with a 2:47. The time is listed by the BAA with no added information. That is not so surprising. But all other Athlinks result I find are also virtual. The most recent is a 2:32 virtual marathon credited this spring by a small marathon relay outfit in Kentucky. If Ingham can run an actual 2:32 Marathon, she is fit enough to win. Ingham's results in the Athletes section of Athlinks are private. None of this makes sense, though, and the Ingham entered is running for Atlanta. So, the Ingham entered may be entirely different from the Ingham with the virtual marathon results.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Abby Dean    Jessica Hruska     Kara Parker

AGE GRADING. The Age Grading score, the Performance Level Percentage PLP identifies the best performance adjusted for age, the higher the PLP the better. In terms of Age Grading medals awarded, 90% is gold; 85% silver; and 80% bronze.

WOMEN Nora Cary is the favorite. She is USATF’s 2024 Masters Athlete of the Year and the current holder of 70-74 records from the 5K to the 10 Mile. Cary regularly grades in the high 90's! 

Nora Cary closes out another spectacular W65 Win at the age of 69 at the 2024 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships hosted by the James Joyce Ramble in Dedham MA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Patrice Combs, fourth in Age Grading at the 10K Championships, in the low 90's, is likely to make the podium here. 

Patrice Combs making the final turn on her way to a W60 Win and a Fourth place Age Grade Finish at the 2019 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Abby Dean and Kara Parker will make her earn it. Dean's Adrenaline 5K time grades in the upper 80's and Parker's Kraft 5K is a couple of percentage points higher. Let us go with Cary-Combs-Parker for the age grade podium order.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Nora Cary    Patrice Combs     Kara Parker

MEN Frank Zoldak, out of Boulder CO, who took top age grading honors at Club Cross in both 2023, in Tallahassee, and 2025, in San Francisco, will try to add a road title to his collection. 

Frank Zodak on his way to an Age Grade win in addition to 50-54 at the 2023 USATF Club Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Zoldak is no slouch on the roads; his 35:47 at the 2024 Bolder Boulder 10K graded in the upper 80's and that was at altitude. Dan King won the M65 Fifth Avenue Mile last year. Despite the very active record-breaking in the 60's division, King still holds the Outdoor Track record at the Mile in 4:51.45. He is also the reigning M65 Club Cross Country Champion and had the second highest PLP in the M60+ race. 

Dan King closing in on a Dominant Victory Overall in the M60+ 8 Km Race at the 2021 USATF Club Cross Country Championships hosted at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

His 17:33 at the Boulder Thanksgiving Day 5K last fall, earned a PLP in the mid-90's.   Like Zoldak, he trains in Boulder at altitude. Roger Sayre, a third athlete training out of Boulder CO is the M65 record holder at 25K. But he also is strong at shorter races, winning the M65 title at the recent 10K Championships in 38:17. That graded in the low 90's, good enough for an Age Grade podium finish. 

Roger Sayre on his way to a Dominant M65 W and the Age Grading Silver Medal at the 2024 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships hosted by the Indy Half Marathon at Fort Ben in Indianapolis IN Photo Credit: Pam Fales

Mark Zamek, who trains in the Twin Cities these days, finished second M60 at the 2024 10K Championships in 36:08. 

Mark Zamek On His Way to a Top Five Age Grade Finish at the 2023 USATF Club Cross Country Championships hosted at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

This past March he won the M60 gold medal at the WMA Championships in Gainesville FL in 36:14. Age 61 at the time, both of those also graded in the low 90's. The crystal ball is a little murky. All four appear to be at or near the top of their game right now. Let's go with a likely order of King-Zoldak-Sayre, with Zamek very capable of messing up that predicted order.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Dan King    Roger Sayre     Frank Zoldak 

AGE DIVISION. MEN 40-44 All of the athletes discussed in the analysis of the Overall Championship, except Angell are in this division. If Mercer and Smith are to finish 1-2 overall, they will also finish 1-2 in this division. To round out the podium, I need to choose between Duncan and Valentini. Their recent efforts at 5K and 10K are within a few seconds of each other so it really is a toss-up. As 5K is closer, in distance to a 4 Mile Run, I will go with Duncan who had the slightly faster 5K time at 16:33. It will be up to Valentini to prove the prediction wrong!

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Brian Duncan    Dickson Mercer     Taylor Smith

45-49 Angell, picked for the Overall podium, is the favorite to take the M45 title as well. Matthew Di Pretore has the edge over Richard Jennings. Di Pretore finished 10th in this division at the 2024 10K Championships in 35:18. His most recent relevant race is his 17:05 5K at the Buffalo Marathon in May. A Richard Jennings finished mid-pack, finishing 34th of 50 in the M45 division at the 2021 Club Cross Championships, running for Cal Coast. If Jennings wound up in Texas a couple of years later, and registered as Rick, not Richard, Jennings, then he ran a 17:34 at the Buffalo Stampede. If that is our athlete, he could push Di Pretore. If not, there is no reason to think Di Pretore will have any trouble claiming the silver medal. The likely order is Angell-Di Pretore-Jennings. 

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

David Angell    Matthew Di Pretore     Richard Jennings

50-54 Robb Awe won the Masters Half Marathon M50 championships last fall. His 1:20:45 was achieved over a challenging course in his hometown of Indianapolis. His 5:09, in June 2024, took second in M50 at the Masters 1 Mile Road Championships. In November he ran 17:00 flat at the Bolt for the Heart 5K. 

Robb Awe Making a Turn on the Way to a Strong M50 Win at the 2024 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships hosted by the Indy Half Marathon at Fort Ben in Indianapolis IN Photo Credit: Pam Fales  

Alan Black will give Awe a good challenge. Running for the Atlanta Track Club, Black won the 2018 Masters 1 Mile Overall Championships and finished ninth overall at the 5K Championships. This spring he has been rounding back into shape; in April he ran 17:48 at the Athens Twilight 5K. Jason Newport looks solid for third. In February 2024, Newport finished 11th in this division at the Masters 5K Championships in 18:31. Last November he clocked 17:58 at the Jingle Jog 5K. The most likely finishing order is Awe-Black-Newport.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Robb Awe    Alan Black     Jason Newport

55-59 This division just became a little less interesting. Gregory Putnam is a scratch due to a knee flare up. Christopher Harris and Putnam went 1-2 M55 at Dedham in April, with just five seconds between them. There is still plenty of interest. Zoldak, mentioned in Age Grading above, is also in this division. Harris's 35:20 at the 10K Championships suggests he has the fitness to run in the mid-22-minute range for a 4 Miler. Harris's 17:06 at the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships reinforces that notion. 

Christopher Harris heading for an M50 Podium Finish at the Warm USATF 2023 Masters 5 Km Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Zoldak, as noted, in addition to his Cross Country wins, ran 35:47 at the 2024 Bolder Boulder 10K. That suggests they are pretty close. Zoldak's slightly slower time is at higher elevation, but also a year older. And there are other contenders as well. John McMahon finished a minute behind Harris at the WMA Cross Country Championships over 8K in March. He clocked 28:12 at the Running of the Green 5 Miler in March 2024, a time comparable to Harris's 35:20 10K. Michael Mallon finished second at the Masters 10 Mile Championships last August over the challenging Crim racecourse in Flint MI. His 59:33 suggests he should be in the mix with Harris, Zoldak and McMahon. For now, I will give the edge to Harris who is the closest thing we have to a reigning M55 4 Mile Champion. After Harris, I will go with Zoldak and then McMahon, leaving Mallon to prove the predicted podium wrong!

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Christopher Harris    John McMahon     Frank Zoldak

60-64 Douglas Baldwin finished 15 seconds ahead of Mark Zamek at Club Cross last December. 

Douglas Baldwin leading a pack of top M60's Runners on his way to a Top Five M60 Finish at the 2024 USATF Club Cross Country Championships hosted by Club Northwest in Tacoma WA Photo Credit: Michael Scott 

This April, Baldwin demonstrated his range by taking 4th M60 at the Boston Marathon in 2:50:47. Zamek was top American at the WMA Indoors Cross Country championships, claiming the silver medal. But Baldwin was not there. That was Cross Country which does not always map in the same order to road races.  At the 2024 Masters 10 Km Championships, Zamek finished second in 36:08. At the WMA Championships this March in Gainesville FL, Zamek took gold in the 10K Road Race in 36:14. A couple of weeks ago, Zamek ran 17:53 at the Brian Kraft 5K. Zamek trains on the edge between glory and injury. Zamek appears to have recovered from his latest injury. Though not as fit as he would like, Zamek will be formidable. Lester Dragstedt, Joe Mora are the favorites for the final podium spot. Dragstedt's most recent national outing was the Masters 10K Championships, where he finished 5th M60 in 38:12. In 2024 he won M60 at the Masters 5K Championships in Atlanta with a sterling 18:19. Mora is a middle-distance runner on the track first and a long-distance runner on the roads second. In 2023, Mora clocked 5:13.4 to finish third at the Masters 1 Mile road Championships. That kind of speed means that Mora is dangerous. If he is in the mix close to the end, he could win it all. That he could run a 30:37 Five Miler last November at the Liverpool Turkey Trot suggests Mora has decent staying power up through and beyond the 4 Mile distance. Mora has also recently beaten Dragstedt on the cross country turf, finishing 26 seconds ahead of him at Club Cross in Tacoma last December. This is a packed field. Others who could work their way onto the podium include David Black, Dale Flanders, Mike Nier, and Brendan Sullivan. Black finished behind Dragstedt at the 10K championships, but ahead of Flanders. The claim for Flanders relies on his performance last September at the 12 km Championships where he came in a minute ahead of Dragstedt. Nier finished two seconds ahead of Black at the 10K championships and ran a 32:38 Five Miler at the Running of the Green race this March. And it is worth noting that at the 2023 1 Mile road championships in Indianapolis, Nier, in the 55-59 age division then, ran ten seconds faster than Mora. This is way too tough to call. But I will go with Zamek for the win, followed by his teammate, Baldwin, and then Mora edging Dragstedt for third.

 Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Douglas Baldwin    Joseph Mora     Mark Zamek

65-69 As noted in the Age Grading section above, King is very strong. King strained a calf muscle on the way into this race. But his ability to rehab such strains is second to none. He feels that although it is not perfect, the calf should not be a factor. That is good news for King and bad news for the rest of the field. King's winning 5:09 in M65 at the Fifth Avenue Mile last fall along with his subsequent 17:33 at the Boulder Turkey Trot 5K suggests King can break 23 minutes in the 4 Mile without really pushing. And that should be fast enough to take the win in this division. Of course, if King wants to be competitive in age grading, he may have to push a bit harder than that. Unless something goes wrong for King, Doug Keller and Roger Sayre should battle for 2nd and 3rd, with Sayre having the edge. Keller finished third at Club Cross in Tacoma (in the absence of Sayre) finishing well behind King. On the roads, Keller ran a 31:09 8K in April and ran 18:44 at the Brian Kraft 5K in the Twin Cities this May. Sayre, as noted above is the 25K Record holder for 65-69. So he is very strong. But he also has good speed. Sayre is coming off a 10K win at the Masters 10 Km Championships in 38:17. Last summer he ran 18:45 at the Cookie Chase 5K at altitude. Two other strong runners, John Blaser and Norm Larson should duke it out for 4th and 5th. Larson finished 7th this April at the Masters 10K in 41:02. Blaser finished 4th at the 2024 Masters 10 K Championships but his time was 44 seconds slower than Larson's. Blaser has run a 21:26 and a 22:25 5K this May. Larson ran 20:54 at the Paddy's 5K this March. I will go with King-Sayre-Keller as the most likely order of finish but Larson and Blaser will make them work for it!

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Douglas Keller    Dan King     Roger Sayre

70-74 Two weeks ago, the favorite going into this race would have been Rick Becker, who won this division at Club Cross and won the M70 10K Road Race at the end of March in 40:39. But he suffered a bike crash giving him a shoulder injury that prevented any kind of training. All his rivals wish him well and would prefer to have him in Peoria competing. But they will carry on! Jim Linn is the favorite. Linn finished second to John Barbour at the 10K Championships. Battles between Barbour and Becker on the turf when both are healthy have been legendary. Barbour's time at Dedham was 21 seconds faster than Becker's. We are looking forward to their next matchup which might not be until Club Cross next January in Tallahassee. With the exception of Becker, all of the entrants here also competed at Dedham. Linn came in at 41:56, half a minute ahead of Jack Pottle. 

Jim Linn blue singlet Wins the M70 Division By Over Two Minutes at the 2023 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships hosted by USATF-NJ at their By Hook or By Crook Run Photo Credit: Jason Timochko

A minute later, Scott Lucking, Denny Kurtis, and Reno Stirrat finished within a half-minute of one another, in that order. Linn also owns wins over Pottle at Tacoma and Boulder on the turf. And Linn won this division at the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships, clocking a nifty 19:53! Linn will be tough to beat over a 4 Mile course! Pottle has been pushing Linn whenever they meet. Will this be the race where Pottle is able to turn the tables? Lucking, Kurtis and Stirrat will be right on their heels! And Doug Bell could factor in as well. He had an off day at Dedham, finishing a good minute behind Stirrat. But at the 2024 5 km Championships in Atlanta, Bell finished fourth, twenty-seven seconds ahead of Kurtis. Bell cannot be ignored! The most likely order of finish in this highly competitive field is Linn-Pottle-Lucking, but many other permutations are possible!

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

James Linn    Scott Lucking     Jack Pottle

75-79 Gary Ostwald is a strong favorite in this division. Although he did not compete at the Masters 10 Km Championships this year, he finished second in this division at the 2024 championships behind Gene Dykes. Dykes is currently out of commission with a serious knee injury. Ostwald also won the division at the Tacoma Club Cross Country Championships last December. 

Gary Ostwald on the way to an M75 Silver Medal at the 2024 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships hosted by the James Joyce Ramble in Dedham MA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

At the beginning of the year, I anticipated that Don Morrison, aging up from the 70-74 division, would likely be at the front of the pack. But Morrison started the year with a Cross Country skiing accident that kept him out of commission for a few weeks. By the 10K Championships at Dedham, Morrison was starting to get back to his old self, finishing second, a minute ahead of Jerry Learned. But then, a couple of weeks ago a post on Facebook noted that he had been hospitalized for an illness that was not, at the time, clearly diagnosed, but may have been tick-related. Whether that has hampered his training significantly or not, is anyone's guess. A Facebook posting earlier this week indicates he is feeling better but not fully recovered. Learned, as noted, appears to be on his game. For the last couple of years, since putting a health problem behind him, Learned has been a regular on the podium in this division. As noted, he finished third in Dedham over 10K, finishing a minute astern of Morrison in 47:44. Learned finished third at the 2024 5K Championships in 23:35. Last November he ran a 24:23 5K at the Invesco Half Marathon. Allen Joyce and your author, Paul Carlin have been well back from Learned in recent months. They have been back and forth over the past year. I had the edge in the 2024 Grand Prix year, coming in ahead of Joyce at Clubs in Tallahassee, the 5K in Atlanta, and at the 12 Km in New Jersey. But Joyce had the edge at the WMA Championships in Gainesville this March, finishing a minute ahead of me in the 10K Road Race. It is hard to know what to do with Morrison in terms of this preview. He might not show up if his health is not 100%. On the other hand, it may be that he has been feeling well enough to train and will show up but not be fully competitive. I will guess the latter and choose a likely order of Ostwald-Learned-Morrison. If Morrison cannot compete, I would have to put Joyce on the predicted podium as he has the most recent edge. Late breaking news--Morrison does have a form of lyme disease and is a scratch from this 4-mile championship and the one-mile championship on the 21st.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Allen Joyce     Jerry Learned     Gary Ostwald

80-84 Richard Kutzner returns to the fray after an absence of a few years from the national championships. He last competed at the 2018 Masters 5 Km Championnships; he finished third in 75-79 with a 24:06. Przemyslaw 'Przemek' Nowicki was competing in those same championships in the 70-74 division, finishing 7th in 22:41. But that was seven years ago. Kutzner has run well recently, focusing mostly on longer distances. He clocked 1:57:33 at the Rock n Roll San Antonio Half Marathon and 1:31:54 at the Capital Pursuit 10Miler in Iowa. Last summer he turned in a 1:04:10 at the challenging Quad City Bix 7 Miler. Were this race longer, Kutzner would be favored over Nowicki. At 4 Miles, however, things move in Nowicki's favor. After overcoming some health problems last year, Nowicki is enjoying a return to good health and fitness. Last fall he ran 53:55 at the Giralda Farms 10K and this April ran 54:45 at the Cherry Blossom 10K in New Jersey. Nowicki finished second at the 10K Championships in Dedham in late April. He noted after the race that he had strained a glute muscle from running the day before and that he hoped it would heal fully before the June races. Nowicki is the favorite, but Kutzner is a close second. Teammates Ed Bligh and Morris Williams will compete for the final podium spot. Bligh ran 28:31 at the 2024 5K championships, finishing second in this division. Williams did not compete that year. In 2023, Williams ran 29:58 on a slightly different course. Bligh clocked 1:02:38 at the Members 10K in Georgia this April. The most recent 10K I know of for Williams was when he ran 1:05:40 at the 10K national championships. Based on that, I will give the edge to Bligh. That gives me a likely finishing order of Nowicki-Kutzner-Bligh.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Ed Bligh    Richard Kutzner     Przemek Nowicki

85-89 Roland Cormier competes unchallenged in this division. He had a challenger at the 10 km Masters Championships. Cormier won in 1:34:23. But I understand he used the first part of his race for a warmup. He is likely to run better at Peoria although he will not need to.

Podium: Roland Cormier

WOMEN: 40-44 NO ENTRIES

45-49 Hruska, favored for the Overall win, is expected to win this division as well. Unless Ingham, mentioned in the note in the Overall section is, in fact, a 2:32 marathoner, Hruska should not be challenged. Alicia Eno competes at national championships in track and cross country and occasionally on the roads. She finished fourth in this division at the 5 Km Championships in Boulder last year and 6th the year previously in Boca Raton. 

Alicia Eno leads Brenda Osovski GVH into the Finish at the 2023 USATF Masters 5 Km Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Eno finished 11th in 2024 at the 1 Mile Road Championships on a technical course in Danville CA, clocking 6:56.6. At the Masters 10 Mile championships over a challenging Crim course in Flint MI, Eno finished fourth in 1:16:34. Eno ran a 1:47:21 Half Marathon in Florida in December. Her most recent outing appears to be a June 7th 53:58 10K in Michigan. That is much slower than her usual efforts. If that was unusual for some reason, then Eno looks good for second. If it is a sign of a fitness problem, then Vanessa Lordi could well move up. Lordi ran a 24:05 5K at the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon in February and clocked 24:43 at Carlsbad in April. Laura Scholz, who clocked 51:06 at the Members 10K in February in Atlanta, could also move up if Eno is off her best. I am going to guess that Eno's last outing was not indicative of her current fitness and leave the most likely order of finish as Hruska-Eno-Lordi. I am leaving Ingham out of the top three without more information.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Alicia Eno     Jessica Hruska     Vanessa Lordi

50-54 Abby Dean would be highly competitive no matter who else entered. As it turns out, Dean, who is mentioned in terms of the prospective overall podium above, is the only entrant in this division.

Likely Podium:

Abby Dean

55-59 The first two seem pretty clear cut. Parker, mentioned as an overall Championship contender, should take the win. Her recent outings suggest a time near 25 minutes should be possible over 4 miles. Amy McMahon will not be far back though. McMahon has not competed at a national road championship since the 2022 Masters 1 Mile Championships in Rochester NY. There she finished 4th in 50-54 in 5:42. She also finished fourth in this division at the Club Cross Championships in Tacoma last December. Her most recent outings include a 1:12:06 at the Mountain Goat 10 Miler in May. McMahon is likely to be well under 28 minutes, and perhaps under 27, in Peoria. Teammates, Cassandra Crane and Brenda Osovski will vie for the final podium spot. They often compete at the same national championships with Osovski typically finishing a bit ahead of Crane. At the 10K Championships in April they were close, with Osovski's 48:46 giving her seventh place, just 14 seconds ahead of Crane. The likely order of finish is Parker-McMahon-Osovski.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Amy McMahon     Brenda Osovski     Kara Parker

60-64 Kris Huff, a frequent podium contender at national championships, should take the win in Peoria. At the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships, Huff finished 4th in this division with a 22:07. This April she finished 5th W60 at the Boston Marathon in 3:15:32. 

Kris Huff leading a small pack at the 2024 USATF Cross Country Championships hosted by Club Northwest in Tacoma WA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Pamela Ricker ran a 37:53 five miler last November and finished 8th in this division at the 10 Km Championships this April in 48:41. Ricker looks good for second. Crystal Kyle and Leslie Nowicki will vie for the final podium spot. I give Kyle the edge based on her 24:39 at the Interplanetary 5K in Illinois in April. The month before she ran 1:22:24 at the Gate River Run which suggests Nowicki can push her for third Nowicki ran 52:47 in finishing 13th at the Masters 10 km Championships this April. Gate River has the challenging Hart Bridge to get over, so I still favor Kyle. The most likely order of finish seems to be Huff-Ricker-Kyle.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Kris Huff     Crystal Kyle     Pamela Ricker

65-69 The race in this division got more interesting with the last day entry of Suzanne Cordes. Before that it looked like an easy win for Patrice Combs. At the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships, Combs finished 2nd in 22:01. At the Masters 10 Km Championships this April, Combs took the win in 44:12. She appears to be back at the top of her game. Cordes is most dangerous on the turf. 

Suzanne Cordes leading a pack on her way to a Podium Finish in W60 and a Top Ten Age Grade PLP at the 2023 USATF Cross Country Championships at Pole Green Park in Richmond VA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

She won this division last year at Boulder after taking the title two years earlier in 60-64. In December of 2023 at Club Cross in Tallahassee, Cordes finished 4th in 60-64 at 27:38. Combs finished second in 65-69 at 29:11. Cordes does not often compete on the roads at national championships. She did compete at the 2023 1 Mile road Championships in Indianapolis but was far off her best. The next year was better; Cordes finished 4th W60 on the technical Danville course in 6:43.3. But that doe3s not seem quite fast enough to challenge Combs over 4 Miles. So, for now, I will keep Combs as the favorite and leave Cordes at number two. Marie Capdevielle, Lisa Vaughn, and Cindy Williams should all be in the hunt for the bronze medal. Capdevielle ran 26:07at the Little Silver 5K in New Jersey last October and 53:21 at the Cherry Blossom 10K this April. Vaughn finished seventh in this division at the 10K Championships in April with a 52:06. She followed that with a 25:41 5K at the Quad City Distance Classic in May. Williams was a regular podium contender on the circuit in the teens but has been less active in the 20's. It appears she is ready to roll again. She ran 26:18 5K in February in Atlanta and followed that with a nifty 51:05 at the members 10K in April. Those three should have quite a race for the bronze! I will give the edge to Williams, in part because she seems to be on the upswing but also because of her successful experience at many national championships. That gives me a likely order of Combs-Cordes-Williams.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Patrice Combs     Suzanne Cordes     Cynthia Williams

70-74 This is Cary's division. As noted above she is a strong favorite to take the Age Grading prize. She is as strong a favorite to take this division as one can imagine. This April she broke her own American W70 Record in winning the 10K Championship in 43:20. And that was just three weeks after her 1:10:20 at the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in Washington, D.C. broke the 10 Mile American Record. It seems almost a certainty that Cary will break 28:00 over 4 miles. Even though Cindy Lucking is a very strong runner, she cannot run with Cary. Lucking finished second at the 2024 Masters 5K Championships with a 26:51. She followed that this spring with a 56:41 third place finish in this division at the Masters 10 Km Championships. 

Cindy Lucking on her way to a W70 Win at the 2024 USATF Cross Country Championships at Pole Green Park in Richmond VA Photo Credit: Michael Scott 

Helene Myers finished sixth in this division at the Masters 10 km Championships with a 1:22:43 time. She should collect a third-place finish and 85 points towards her quest to earn a second straight Masters National Grand Prix W70 win.  The likely order of finish is: Cary-Lucking-Myers.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Nora Cary    Cynthia Lucking     Helene Myers

75-79 Kathleen Allen finished 7th W70 in the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships in 32:16. This spring she ran 1:03:06 in winning the W75 10 Km Championship in Dedham MA. Andrea McCarter, her teammate, did not compete at the 10K championships. In April she ran 1:16:43 at the Members 10K in Atlanta. The month before she ran 37:31 at the Hawks Fast Break 5K. The likely order of finish is: Allen-McCarter

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Kathleen Allen    Andrea McCarter

80-84 Susan Sajdak is the only athlete registered. That is lucky for me. There are no results for Sajdak that I could find either through Athlinks or a general search. Sajdak is the likely winner, however fast or slow she runs.

Likely Podium:

Susan Sajdak

85-89 Joyce Hodges-Hite goes for another win! She is the sole registrant in this division. She won the W85 division in the 10K Road Race at the World Masters Championships in March with a 1:49:08. She finished second at the Masters 10K Championships in April at 1:48:19. 

Joyce Hodges-Hite sets out on her way to a W85 Win at the 2023 USATF Masters 5 Km Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

This race should provide a win and 100 points toward Hodges-Hites's quest for a third consecutive W85 Masters National Grand Prix award!

Likely Podium:

Joyce Hodges-Hite

Teams The Atlanta Track Club is likely to claim three of the four Women’s team titles up for grabs, with the Genesee Valley Harriers perhaps taking the other. Atlanta battles the Boulder Road Runners in an M50+ clash too close to call. The same is true in M60+ with Twin Cities Running Club, Atlanta and GVH all in the running. Boulder seems likely to take M70+.