Recap of USATF 5K Championship in Syracuse, NY on October 5th-Women's Races

October 15, 2014. There were incredible performances by the women who ran the roads in Syracuse.

All Lined Up and Ready to Roll!

Sabra Harvey, 65, and Jan Holmquist, 70,  broke American 5K age group records in scintillating times, and newly minted Masters runner, Jen Rhines, came 'within a dime' of  breaking Colleen De Reuck's overall master's 5K road race record for women. She took the overall Masters title by more than a minute over a sterling field and set three Syracuse course records [overall masters, W40, and single-age record for age 40] in the process.

Jen Rhines, winning her first USATF Masters title at 5K in Syracuse, NY Oct. 5 2014

Overall [and W40].  The overall masters competition was overshadowed by the appearance of three-time Olympian and still very competitive Open Elite road runner, Jen Rhines [BAA/Boston], and her quest for the record. Even though she did not get the record she was seeking, her 15:58 was within ten seconds of the record and fast enough for a dominant win. Sonja Friend-Uhl [Brentwood, TN]

Sonja Friend-Uhl, a few seconds after crossing the finish line to capture 2nd in the Masters Race

took 2nd place by a good margin in 17:40 but the race for the third spot on the podium was a doozy, with three women finishing within 8 seconds of one another. Holly Ortlund [Decatur, GA] got the third place in a time of 18:08, with Michelle LaFleur [Savannah, GA] and Robyn Holland [Winston Salem, NC] finishing in 4th and 5th, both with a time of 18:16. How's that for racing!

Michelle LaFleur, winning out for 4th place  Masters over Robyn Holland

W45. The Keystone State dominated this division, taking all three places. Leslie Hoey

Leslie Hoey, taking 1st in the W45 division.

[Downingtown, PA] led the way with an 18:54, followed by Linda Hawke [Malvern, PA] in 19:45,

Linda Hawke, capturing 2nd in the W45 division.

and Peggy Conlon [Chester Springs, PA] in 3rd in 20:21.

W50. Marisa Sutera-Strange [Pleasant Valley, NY], Doreen McCoubrie [Malvern, PA] and Julie Hankin [Malvern, PA] came in 1-2-3 for the Athena Track Club, with the top two
 

Marisa Sutera-Strange, first across the line in the W50 contest

Doreen McCoubrie with another impressive performance on the roads

 cracking the 19 minute barrier in 18:32 and 18:49.

W55. Nancy Stewart [Atlanta, GA], Joan Miller [Chestnut Hill, MA] and Ena Weinstein [Baldwin, GA] contested this division, with Stewart getting the victory and a new single-age Syracuse FoR record in 19:38. Miller and Weinstein followed with times of 21:01 and 21:29

Ena Weinstein makes the podium with this finish in the W55 age group at the national championship

respectively.

W60. The Genesee Valley Harriers took 2nd and 3rd in this division to storm to the F60+ team championship. Coreen Steinbach [Pompey, NY] took first, however, in a fast 21:38. Sharon Moore [Rochester, NY] and Cindy Ingalls [Pittsford, NY] from GVH followed Steinbach across the line in 22:41 and 23:58 respectively to join her on the podium.

W65. Sabra Harvey [Houston, TX] won this division handily, setting a new American F65 record of 20:27 in the process, breaking the old record by 49 seconds. And, of course, this also gives her the age group and single age records for the Syracuse FoR race course. This adds to her US record collection as she is also the current holder of the W60 8K mark [32:43] and has a record pending certification for the W65 10K [42:37]. Second and third went to Susan Gustafson [Hingham, MA] and Lynda McGuire [Scottsville, NY] in 24:17 and 25:49 respectively.

W70. Jan Holmquist [Burlington, MA] sped along the Syracuse race course, smashing the American 5K record for this group by over a minute, in a time of 22:16. Like Harvey, she is also now the holder of the Syracuse FoR course records for age group and single age. Ruth Thelen and Sue Gardinier joined Holmquist on the podium with Thelen nipping Gardinier 27:39 to 27:56.

W75. The decorated runner from the state of Colorado, Libby James [Fort Collins, CO],

Libby James, taking another national age group first place, at the 2014 USATF 5K Championships

came within 24 seconds of her W75 American record, set two years ago. Her time of 24:00 flat gave her the victory in this group with Madeline Bost [Randolph, NJ] taking second.

W80. Anny Stockman and  Edna Hyer had quite a battle in this division but Stockman pulled away over the course of the race to win with a sizable victory margin, 35:46 to 38:16.

Team Races.

W40+. Atlanta Track Club [Sonja Friend-Uhl, Holly Ortlund, Nancy Stewart] won the division handily in a time of 55:26. Genesee Valley Harriers [Melissa Senall, Erika Duthiers, Audra Naujokas-Knapp] edged the Athena Track Club [Leslie Hoey, Linda Hawke, Peggy Conlon] by a mere ten seconds, in 58:50, to take the second spot.

W50+. The Athena TC [Marisa Sutera-Strange, Doreen McCoubrie, Julie Hankin] took this one going away, winning by almost 6 minutes in a time of 57:54. Athen TC-B [Mary Swan, Betsy Stewart, Coreen Steinbach] had a tight race with the GVH [Beth Deciantis, Carol Bischoff, Colleen Magnussen] but won out for the 2nd spot on the podium  63:49 to 64:38.

W60+. The GVH [Sharon Moore, Cindy Ingalls, Carolyn Smith-Hanna] took this one easily in a time of 70:42, defeating the Liberty Athletic Club [Jan Holmquist, Susan Gustafson, Lenore Webber] and the Syracuse Chargers [Suzanne Leone, Ruth Ripley, Connie Ciccone] who clocked 73:09 and 74:14 for 2nd and 3rd.

W70+. The Playmakers Elite/New Balance team [Ruth Thelen, Ellen Nitz, Janet Wallen] from Michigan ran away from the Checkers AC Christa Meier, Fran Rowe, Edna Hyer] in 88:17 to win by 20 minutes.