Friday, August 23, 2019

Masters Athletes with Speed to Burn at the 2019 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships

August 22, 2019.  Fleet Masters athletes will be burning up the roads this Friday evening, August 23rd. The USATF Masters 1 Mile National Championships are hosted for the 6th consecutive year by the Michigan Mile at the HAP Crim Festival of Races Weekend. It looks to be another near-perfect evening for racing this year. The race time forecast is for 71 degrees under mostly sunny skies with low humidity, 47%, and winds at 8-9 mph. The Men’s race goes off at 6:45 pm with the Women at 7 pm. The course is the same as last year, is record eligible and USATF certified. The event is sanctioned which means that any records set will be validated once the paperwork is submitted.
The Start of the Men's Race at the 2018 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile [Photo by Carter Sherline, Frog Prince Studios]


Overall Championships
MEN Chuck Schneekloth, is the top returning Men’s athlete from the 2018 Overall Championships. He claimed 3rd then in 4:49, and won Silver Medals this year at the NCCWMA Championships in the 800- and 1500-Meter events. His 4:20:22 in the 1500 Meters is considered roughly equivalent to a 4:41 Mile, so Schneekloth may be even more formidable this year. He just clocked 4:34 to break the Masters Course record at the Midland Mile! His chief rival will be Mark Andrews, the 2016 10K Masters National Champion, who just took the Bronze Medal Overall at the 5K Masters Championships in Atlanta in 15:57. That time is age-grade equivalent to a 4:35 track mile. So the potential is there for Andrews to challenge Schneekloth. Others in contention include Philip Potvin,  who finished 4 seconds behind Schneekloth last year; Athlinks has no race results for him since then. That suggests he may not be at top racing fitness. Ben Van Male ran a 4:50.0 mile in July 2018 and ran a 4:52.66 in the Wisco Mile in June; the Wisco Mile is on the track and is designed to be fast by including pacing rabbits, music, and special announcing. Mark Walchinsky ran a 4:55.1 at the Loudoun Street Mile in May and then a 4:45.8 Mile on the track in July. The Loudoun Street Mile is a straight shot Mile so is likely a faster course than at Flint. Todd Straka and Nat Larson finished 4th and 6th in 2017 on this course (reversed) in 4:48 and 4:49. Larson was on the top of his game that year; he ran a 15:54 to set the M55 American 5K Record a few weeks later. Given his recent 16:54 after coming back from an absence, it seems unrealistic to expect him t match that time.  Straka ran 4:32 in the Superior Downhill Mile, but the course in Flint is definitely not downhill, and not straight. Although Straka is probably better at the Mile than the 5K, his recent 17:05 5K time suggests a 4:49 may be a stretch too far as well. But we shall see. I cannot find a recent Mile time for Tim Van Orden but he has had a fine running year already with a 28:11 at the challenging Bridge of Flowers 8K and a 16:00 at the Run Westfield America's Fastest 5K! If that means he can run a 16:30 on an ordinary course, he could well run a road mile in something like 4:45.
Chuck Schneekloth     Mark Andrews     Tim Van Orden

WOMEN The favorite is Sonja Friend-Uhl, who took the 800-meter and 1 Mile crowns at the Indoor National Championships in 2:21.5 and 5:21.8. She displayed excellent current fitness winning the Silver Medal at the 5K Masters Championships this past weekend in 17:34. Her strongest challenges will come from Fiona Bayly, who ran a 5:20 at the Fifth Avenue mile last year and finished 4th in the 5K in Atlanta last Saturday in 18:23. Bayly had a non-racing injury in March that affected one of her ankles. So approaching 5:20 may not be a reasonable expectation, especially on this more challenging course. Doreen McCoubrie finished 3rd here last year in 5:34. Her teammate, Marisa Sutera Strange, was 5th in the Mile last year in 5:39 and 5th last week in Atlanta in 18:38. Those two might crack the podium. Jill Braley  took 2nd at the 5K Masters Cross Country Championships and ran a 5:26.8 on the track at the Music City Distance Carnival this spring and an 18:12 5K in June. That pedigree is offset, though, by the 19:22 clocking in Atlanta last week. That raises questions about current fitness. Melissa Gacek, who took 2nd Overall last year, had to scratch due to family responsibilities. Jennifer St. Jean, who finished 3rd Overall at the 10K Masters Championships in April, suffered a stress fracture in May. She ceased training but resumed in mid-July. On August 18 she ran 5:23 in the Midland Avenue Mile. That suggests she is primed for a good effort on Friday. Cristina Burbach, who ran 5:37 at the Loudoun Street Mile and 5:35 at the Liberty Mile, will be right there in the lead pack, pressing for a podium finish. In 2017, Renee Tolan ran the Liberty Mile, won this Championship (reverse direction), and the 5th Avenue Mile. It is an imperfect indicator but suggestive. Tolan's times were 5:21 (Liberty), 5:24 (Flint), 5:03 (5th Avenue).
Sonja Friend-Uhl     Jennifer St. Jean     Fiona Bayly
The Start of the Women's Race at the 2018 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile [Photo by Carter Sherline, Frog Prince Studios]

Age Grading Championships 
WOMEN Symbolic of the best performance, relative to age, across all age divisions, age-grading scores range from 0 up to 100 with 90 considered ‘World Class’. The favorite on the Women’s side is Jeannie Rice, 71, who won here last year with a 100.73%. She also set the W70 American Record. Strange, 56, who took the title last weekend at the 5K Championships with a 94.86%, is a good bet for 2nd. Not far back from Strange in the 5K were Friend-Uhl, 48, at 92.06, and Bayly, 52, at 92.04--How's that for close!. McCoubrie, 56 last year, outpointed Strange, 55, in 2018, with a 96.90. Rice has several 5K's in the 22 and change range this summer; her August 3rd effort was 21:17. That age-grades at just over 100%. Unless something has gone wrong in the last two weeks , Rice is a safe bet for the win. McCoubrie beat Strange last year but Strange was a bit off her game last year at this time. 
Jeannie Rice     Marisa Sutera Strange     Doreen McCoubrie
Jeannie Rice finishing off her American Record setting performance at the 2018 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile

MEN The favorite is Nat Larson, who took the age-grading title at the 5K Championships last weekend with a 92.20%; he took 2nd in the 2017 Mile Championships with 91.75%. Mark Andrews finished 3rd in age-grading last week with 91.10%. Doug Goodhue, the 'Silver Bullet', finished  5thwith 90.82. Both will be in the thick of the age-grading race again this week. Dave Bussard returns to the Grand Prix circuit; he earned an 89.60 at these Championships in 2017, finishing 3rd. Todd Straka, who took 5th in Age-Grading here in 2017 at 88.36%, will also be in contention. Ken Youngers had an off day in Atlanta at the 5K. If he runs as he did in Dedham, he could also be a threat; he scored 92.02%.
Nat Larson     Mark Andrews     Doug Goodhue
Nat Larson white singlet pacing just off of Christian Cushing-Murray's shoulder on his way to another M55 win and the Age Grade Win at the 2018 USATF Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee  [Photo by Michael Scott]


Age Division Championships 
M40 Chuck Schneekloth will try to outkick Philip Potvin, Ben Van Male, and Mark Walchinsky. Based on the information indicated in the Overall section above, Schneekloth should claim this divisional Championship on his way to the Overall podium. Walchinsky and Van Male look close. I will opt for Walchinsky as his most recent outing, the 4:45.8 on the track, is faster than Van Male's two track outings. As Potvin has nothing on the books since last August, I am guessing he is not as sharp as last year. That could easily be wrong.
Chuck Schneekloth     Mark Walchinsky     Ben Van Male
Chuck Novak makes his move to pull away from Chuck Schneekloth, Sam Teigen, and Tim Rieth to claim the overall Silver Medal at the 2018 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile [Photo by Melissa Gacek]

W40  Based on her recent 5:23, Jennifer St. Jean, who is picked for the Overall podium, is the favorite, despite her stress fracture in May. Jill Braley should be the best of the rest even though her 19:22 5K last week in Atlanta was far off her 18:12 5K in June. If that was just a bad day, she could even challenge St. Jean for the win. Hiroko Guarneri showed last week that she could outpace Vanessa Lordi in a 5K. If that carries over to a 1 mile run, Guarneri should take 3rd. Melissa Gacek would have been in the hunt for the win here but family responsibilities got in the way.
Jennifer St. Jean     Jill Braley     Hiroko Guarneri
Jennifer St. Jean strides to the finish line, capturing the Overall Bronze Medal at the 2018 USATF Masters10 Km Championships Hosted by the James Joyce Ramble [Photo by Michael Scott]

M45 Mark Andrews is the favorite to take this division crown on his way to the Overall podium. His chief challenge should come from Atlanta teammates, Brent Fields and Brian Sydow who ran 16:28 and 16:25 last week in Atlanta. Michael Madsen, who ran a 16:20.0 5000 meter on the track in 2018, could also figure into the podium scramble.
Mark Andrews     Brian Sydow     Brent Fields
Mark Andrews holds off Peter Hammer for the Overall Gold Medal at the 2016 USATF Masters10 Km Championships Hosted by the James Joyce Ramble

W45 Sonja Friend-Uhl, favored for the Overall win, should take the Division title on the way. Cristina Burbach has two strong road miles to her credit, a 5:37.1 at the Loudoun Street Mile and a 5:35.0 at the Liberty Mile in Pittsburgh. That should be enough to give her 2nd place. Erin Larusso who ran 5:56 here last year was 11 seconds behind Burbach at the Liberty Mile.
Sonja Friend-Uhl     Cristina Burbach     Erin Larusso
Sonja Friend-Uhl with another Overall Podium Finish at the 2018 USATF Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee [Photo by Michael Scott]

M50 Todd Straka, who should be in the hunt for an Overall podium finish, should take this Division title. In 2017, Straka came in 9 seconds ahead of Mike Nier. Again this year, Nier has a 4:57.8 Indoor Mile to his credit. Tim Van Orden ran a 28:11 at the challenging Bridge of Flowers 8K, and a 16:00 at the very fast Westfield 5K. Even given that it is fast, a 16:00 is nothing to sneeze at!  Kent Lemme would, ordinarily, be in the thick of things up front. He ran some low 17 minute 5K's earlier in the year, and a 16:31 at Westfield, but then had a 17:56 in Atlanta last week. Was that a one-off bad day? If so, Lemme will be right there with Straka, Van Orden, and Nier. Others who will be pushing the pace include Michael Slinsky who ran 17:37 last week in Atlanta and Scott Ursum who has run a couple of 5K's right around 17:30 and the Brian Diemer 5K in 17:08.
Todd Straka     Tim Van Orden    Scott Ursum
Todd Straka with 600 meters to go on his way to 4th place Overall at the 2017 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile [Photo by Melissa Gacek]

W50 Fiona Bayly is the favorite. Her 18:21 in Atlanta last week, combined with her 5:20 last year at the fast 5th Avenue Mile suggest a time around 5:35 is within reach. She will need that as Lisa Veneziano, who is not nearly as fast as Bayly at longer races, seems to love the Road Mile; she ran 5:39 here last year. Last year Amy Fakterowitz, Laura DeLea, and Kimberly Anderson battled for the podium, finishing 2nd, 3rd and 4th in 5:53, 5:59, and 6:03. All three are back and primed for another speed contest. Fakterowitz has a 5:55 in her pocket already from the Seneca St. Mile; DeLea scored a 5:59 for the Midland Mile. 
Fiona Bayly     Lisa Veneziano     Amy Fakterowitz
Fiona Bayly rounds the final turn on her way to an Age Division Win and the Age-Grading National Championship at the 2018 USATF Masters5 Km Championships Hosted by the Atlanta Track Club's Atlanta's Finest 5K [Photo by Michael Scott]

M55 Nat Larson has ruled this division since entering it a couple of years ago. I thought it could change last week when Larson was coming in after a few months with no race results posted in Athlinks. Even though his 16:54 was slow by his recent standards, he still had the Division win by a wide margin. Two years ago, when he was running much faster 5K's, he ran 4:49 here. If he runs in the mid-4:50's in Flint, he will be pressed, but should emerge on top once again. Alan Wells ran 4:58 here last year. His Athlinks profile is private; I have no recent results to go by. Another who could push Larson is Mark Zamek who was only 11 seconds behind him in Atlanta last week. Zamek ran 4:57.9 in the Midland Mile the day after Atlanta. Alan Evans and John Borthwick should also be in the mix. Evans refers longer races but his 35:51 in the 10K Championships in Dedham suggest a 5:00 mile is not out of reach. Borthwick ran 4:58 in the Grand Blue Mile associated with the Drake Relays in April. I find nothing since then so I give the edge to Zamek who is race-tested.
Nat Larson     Alan Wells     Mark Zamek 
Nat Larson closing hard at the finish to take the Age Grade Championship at the 2017 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile [Photo by Carter Sherline, Frog Prince Studios]
W55 Last year Doreen McCoubrie took the honors in the division over her teammate, Marisa Sutera Strange, 5:34 to 5:39. I 2016, when McCoubrie did not run, Strange took the win in 5:27. Last year at this time, Strange was off her best. A 5:27 seems to be out of her reach at present, given her 18:38 5K in Atlanta, but she may be able to give McCoubrie more of a challenge this year. McCoubrie is on her game again this year as she showed by winning the Division at the Saucony Mile in Pottstown PA in 5:38. Michelle 'Shelly' Allen ran 5:36.4 at the Big Chief 1 Mile Championships in June and a couple of weeks ago ran a 6:12 Mile as part of a 5K-1 Mile double. Lorraine Jasper ran 5:49.4 at the Hartshorn Indoor Mile in January and ran 5:47 at the Saucony Mile.
Doreen McCoubrie     Marisa Sutera Strange     Lorraine Jasper
Doreen McCoubrie closing out her W55 Division Win at the 2018 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile [Photo by Carter Sherline, Frog Prince Studios]

M60 Ken Youngers is a slight favorite in this division. He ran 5:20 last year and I would expect him to run faster this year based on his races earlier this year. The one conundrum is that Youngers had an off day in Atlanta last week. That may well be a one-off. If so, I look for him to be closer to 5:10 than 5:20, and that should be enough to take the division crown. David Westenberg who is not as fast at the longer races, focuses more on the track middle distances. He ran 2:24.5 and 4:56.1 in the 800- and 1500-meter races at the USATF-NE outdoor Championships. The 4:56 is considered roughly equivalent to a 5:19 mile. He ran faster than that at the Newburyport High Street Mile, described as a flat, fast, straight-line course, clocking 5:10. Jeffery Dundas finished 14 seconds behind Youngers in Atlanta and could well break 5:20 if he has a good day. Michael Young focuses on longer runs but can cook a mile as well, running 5:33 here last year (after running a 5:35 at the Dart for Art Mile). This year he ran 5:37 at the Dart for Art so is prepped to run mid 5:30's.
Ken Youngers     David Westenberger     Jeffery Dundas
Ken Youngers kicking home to take the M60 Division Crown at the  2018 USATF Masters10 Km Championships Hosted by the James Joyce Ramble [Photo by Michael Scott]

W60 Patrice Combs has not competed here before but typically tops the division at other distances. Jennifer Teppo was able to take the honors at the 10K Championship in Dedham, but
Combs has wins this year at the 8K in 34:29 and the 5K in 21:22. Checking Athlinks back through 2011, I find no races for Combs shorter than a 5K and many longer. It will be interesting to see what Combs does in a Mile Run. Were Nancy Simmons not entered, Combs would be the favorite. Simmons has a recent 6:02 Mile to her credit along with a 20:13 and 20:57 5K. Simmons appears to be too fast for Combs, but that's why we run races. It will be fun to watch. Simmons's teammate, Ruby Ghadially, should close out the podium. She ran a 22:40 5K in May and a 6:16 Mile in June. Mireille Silva, who ran 23:04 last week in the 5K Championships won't give up without a battle.
Nancy Simmons     Patrice Combs     Ruby Ghadially
Patrice Combs rounds the final bend to claim the W60 Title at the 2018 USATF Masters5 Km Championships Hosted by the James Joyce Ramble [Photo by Michael Scott]

M65 Joseph Reda and Reno Stirrat renew their new rivalry. Stirrat has run the Masters circuit every year, the mainstay of his Shore Athletic Club team. Reda ran a few races 5 years ago and appears committed to the circuit this year, his first, like Stirrat, as a 65 year old. Stirrat had the faster time by a half minute at the 8K Championship but Reda reversed that result at the 10K Championships with the same margin. At last week's 5K, they met again; Stirrat set the pace but Reda raced strategically, timing his move perfectly to shoot past Stirrat just before the finish line and capture the title, both with a gun time of 19:14. Stirrat may have the edge at this shorter distance; he ran 5:46.5 at the Midland Mile. Bob Deak is fast, but will have a hard time keeping up with Reda and Stirrat. He ran 5:29 at the Macklind Mile and clocked 19:28 at the 5K Championship last week. Like many other Road Miles, Macklind takes the 5th Avenue Mile approach-straight shot, downhill overall, so Deak is unlikely to match that time in Flint. Still, tht time suggests neither Reda nor Stirrat should take him for granted; a sub 5:50 is likely and a sub-5:45 certainly possible. Kirk Larson would have battled Bob Deak for 3rd; Larson ran 5:55 here last year. He had a freak non-running accident two days before the 5K race in Atlanta; that will sideline him for a couple of weeks, but luckily no permanent damage. Expect to see him next at either San Diego or Tulsa. 
Reno Stirrat     Joseph Reda     Bob Deak
Reno Stirrat holds off a younger B.A.A. Rival at the 2018 USATF Masters10 Km Championships Hosted by the Atlanta Track Club's Atlanta's Finest 5K [Photo by Michael Scott]

W65 Jill Miller-Robinett returns to the circuit for the first time in over a year. She is the favorite, and not only because she knows the ropes. She ran a 23:13 at Carlsbad and a month later ran a 23:07. She finished 2nd here in 2017 (reverse course) in 6:41. If the Age Grade equivalency approach has merit, Miller-Robinett won't be able to match that kind of time this year, but she can run fast enough for the win. Hannah Phillips has a 27:50 and a 28:08 5K to her credit recently. The equivalent Mile time of 8:40 or so shold be good enough for 2nd. Victoria Salvador, who runs her 5K's in the 32+ minute range should claim the final podium spot.
Jill Miller-Robinett     Hannah Phillips     Victoria Salvador
Jill Miller-Robinett conquering the elements at the 2018 USATF Club Cross Country Championships in Lexington KY  [Photo by Michael Scott]

M70 Terry McCluskey took the win in Atlanta in 20:48; that's age-grade equivalent to a 6:02 and should be fast enough to take the division. Last year Lloyd Hansen won this race in 6:03. Unfortunately Hansen's sciatica has come back, along with a strained hamstring. A gutsy runner, Hansen ran for the team at Atlanta. He will need a break now to recover. Atlanta teammates, Jerry Learned and Dave Glass chased McCluskey to the finish in 21:38 and 21:40, and they will likely battle for 2nd and 3rd again. In Atlanta Hansen was able to edge Doc Rappole for 4th, 22:57 to 23:02. I, Paul Carlin, am returning to the circuit again after missing the 10K and 5K Championships because of conflicts. In the interim I was able to clock a 22:34 and a 23:17 5K; neither course was as tough as the Atlanta 5K course, however. So I will have my work cut out for me to stay with Rappole.
Terry McCluskey     Jerry Learned     Dave Glass
 Terry 'Wild Man' Mccluskey cresting a hill on the way to his M70 Win at the 2018 USATF Club Cross Country Championships in Spokane WA [Photo by Michael Scott]

W70 There is no  stronger division favorite than Jeannie Rice. The W70 American Record holder at the 1 Mile in 6:37, the Half Marathon in 1:38:42 and the Marathon in 3:27:50, it would be astounding if anyone else from the Division kept up with her. Susan Hartman who ran the AJC Peachtree Road Race (10K) in 1:05:35, hitting a 10:35 per mile pace, should take 2nd with plenty to spare. Carol Rhodes has a recent 48:40 4-miler to her credit along with a 35:51 5K in January. She should claim 3rd ahead of her teammate, Judy Melton.
Jeannie Rice     Susan Hartman     Carol Rhodes
Jeannie Rice enjoying her Age Grade Gold Medal at the Awards Ceremony at the  2018 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile [Photo by Carter Sherline, Frog Prince Studios]

M75 Hall-of-Famer, Doug Goodhue, should have little trouble picking up another National Championship this week. He won the Division 5K last week in Atlanta in 21:24 with almost two minutes to spare. It should be closer this week as Jan Frisby continues his return from injury, albeit with a sometimes troublesome heel still. He tweaked it about 5 days before the 5K and took it easy over the first mile or so. That he wound up running 23:15 to take 2nd suggests the heel wasn't too troublesome during the race. He may be able to go out a little more aggressively in this race. Still, Goodhue could crack 6:15 and Frisby is unlikely to break 6:30 even if it is a really good day. David Cohen is running for his team, just a week after running in the Ultravasan 90 Km run in Sweden. He was the oldest finisher by far of that race, and was the subject of several interviews. His job this week is to finish one mile rather than 56, and if he does, he will also wind up on the podium with a Bronze Medal.
Doug Goodhue     Jan Frisby     David Cohen
Doug Goodhue capturing the M75 Title and the M60 and up Age-Grading title at the 2018 USATF Masters 5 Km  Championships in Buffalo, NY [Photo by Andy Martin]

W75 Catherine Radle  ran 10:15 here last year; this year she is unopposed.
Catherine Radle

M80 No Entries

W80 Tami Graf won here unopposed last year in 11:31 (11:29 Net.) That 11:29 time is now the W80 American Record. Graf also won this year's Masters 10K Championships in 1:22:13 and the 8K Championships in 1:04:40. Her most recent effort is a 39:42 5K in early August. Now that Madeline Bost has aged up to the W80 division, Graf will have a real challenge. Bost's most recent effort is a 43:06 5K but earlier in the spring she ran 5K's in 37:19, 38:10, and 39:32 on successive weekends. 
Tami Graf     Madeline Bost
Tami Graf concentrates as she finishes off her American Record setting W80 win 2018 USATF Masters (Road) Mile Championships Hosted by the Crim Foundation's Michigan Mile [Photo by Carter Sherline, Frog Prince Studios]

M85 In 2016 Jon Desenberg took the M80 Division title unopposed. This year he will have that honor in M85. That will match up nicely with the 5K title he captured at the Senior Games in June in New Mexico in 36:12.
Jon Desenberg

W85 No Entries

M90 Nathan Finestone and Richard Soller will renew their rivalry at a shorter distance. Soller took the 8K title in March in Finestone's absence and Finestone returned the favor at the 10K. They finally met at the 5K in Atlanta, where Finestone took the title with minutes to spare. That should be the story here, too, except now they are probably good pals and will enjoy the camaraderie.
Nathan Finestone     Richard Soller

Team Championships
All race prognostication is difficult. It is much trickier figuring out team races as there are so many more variables and some runners expected to contribute may not be able to run at all or may show up for the team and run slower than their norm. Below are my educated guesses at likely outcomes.
M40+ The Atlantic Track Club is favored to edge the Garden State Track Club. M50+ The Greater Springfield Harriers are slight favorites, with Atlanta, the Genesee Valley Harriers (GVH), and the Playmakers Elite New Balance in a podium ‘dogfight’ right behind them. M60+ Atlanta is the favorite, with the Ann Arbor Track Club and the Shore Athletic Club tightly matched for 2nd and 3rd. M70+ The Ann Arbor Track Club looks to take its second Championship in a row, with Atlanta and GVH close behind, attempting to supplant them.

WOMEN 
W40+ The Atlanta Track Club is unopposed; they take the win as their third runner crosses the finish line.
Atlanta Track Club
W50+ The Athena Track Club is favored. Using best guess at individual mile times, the top three for Athena, Doreen McCoubrie, Marisa Sutera Strange, and Lorraine Jasper are all capable of breaking 6:00. Atlanta has some fine runners; Mary Shah could break 6:00 and Kris Huff can do it on a good day, even though she ran 6:52 here last year. That would be a stretch for Maureen Martin. 
Athena Track Club     Atlanta Track Club
W60+ The Impala Racing Team is favored over the Atlanta Track Club for this one, but not by much. I had a likely 5K time for each team and just figured how the two teams would do at a 5K and applied that to the mile. No doubt this is a close one. If everyone runs as they have been running recently, Impala has Nancy Simmons, Ruby Ghaddally, & Jill Miller-Robinett accumulating up to about 66:25 for 3x5K and Atlanta with Patrice Combs, Mireille Silva, & Margaret Taylor (or Cindy Williams) accumulating to 67:05. A projected 40 second difference probably means it is too close to call but I will stick with the Impala-Atlanta order.
Impala Racing     Atlanta Track Club
W70+ The Atlanta Track Club is unopposed; they take the win as their third runner crosses the finish line.
Atlanta Track Club

MEN 
[For the Men I used the 5K approach used above for W60+]
M40+ I have Atlanta with Brian Sydow, Brent Fields and Mark Weiss adding up to about 50:40. The Garden State Track Club  is not far off. When I add up likely times for Chuck Schneekloth, Mark Zamek, and Dave Ferrugia, I get 51:25. I have GVH with Mark Andrews, Christopher Hernandez, and Stephen Ruchlin at 53:12. First and 2nd is again too close to call, but I will stick with the analysis. 
Atlanta Track Club     Garden State Track Club     Genesee Valley Harriers
M50+ This division race will be a 'Barn Burner'! The Greater Springfield Harriers have ruled this division for the last couple of years; it is hard to go against them even when they are 'banged up.' Both Nat Larson and Kent Lemme are off their best. But with Alejandro Heuck's help, they may have just enough firepower to pull out another win as they did at the 5K last week. I have them at about 53:10. But I have both GVH with Mike Nier, Alan Evans, & Dale Flanders and the Playmakers Elite New Balance with Scott Ursum, Dave Bussard (on the comeback trail), & Tim Lambrecht at 53:40. The 4th team in the race, Atlanta Track Club with Alan Wells, Michael Strickland, and Jeff Haertel at 54:15. With a projected spread of about a minute on a 3x5K calculation, that is something like a 20 second spread at a mile. It is anyone's for the taking.
Greater Springfield Harriers     Genesee Valley Harriers     Playmakers Elite
M60+ Atlanta appears to have too much up front speed for the other teams to handle. The Ann Arbor Track Club, with Michael Young, Hugh Kuchta & Eduardo Matsuo gets a 59:45. I have thenm with Ken Youngers, Jeffery Dundas & Mike Anderson around 55:35. Shore AC with Reno Stirrat, Kevin Dollard, & Scott Linnell are accumulated to about 60:00. I have the Kansas City Smoke with Stan McCormack, John Blaser & Randy McDermott at 62:22. If everyone runs exactly according to these projections, which is highly unlikely, it comes out as below. Atlanta should take the win with no problem although the Grand Prix pressure is off. Apparently as Boulder did not send a team, ATC has clinched the Team GP 1st place this year. It will be a dogfight between Ann Arbor and Shore, with the KC Smoke right there to hop onto the podium if either of those two run into difficulty.
Atlanta Track Club     Ann Arbor Track Club     Shore AC
M70+ Ann Arbor took the title last wek at the 5K with Terry McClsky, Doug Goodhue & an injured Lloyd Hansen. Hansen is out on rehab this week, but I (Paul Carlin) am back in. With recent 5K's in the 22:40 to 23:17, I should be not too far off an injured Hansen performance. That should be enough. I have them at around 65:30. I have Atlanta with Jerry Learned, Dave Glass & Sam Benedict at about 69:30 and GVH with Doc Rappole, Tony Gingello, & Jim Glinsky around 71:42.
Ann Arbor Track Club     Atlanta Track Club     Genesee Valley Harriers

Best of luck to my fellow runners!
Many of you will prove me wrong, and I will be delighted if you outperform your 'prediction'! [Maybe not quite as delighted if you are in my division though, lol.]

Friday, August 16, 2019

Second Half of 2019 Masters Grand Prix kicks off with 5 Km Masters Championship in Atlanta

August 14, 2019. The 2019 Masters Grand Prix kicks off its 2nd half with the 5 Km Masters Road Championship in Atlanta. On Saturday, August 17 at 7:25 AM the Atlanta Track Club will send the Masters Championship runners off as the first wave of runners in their Atlanta's Finest 5K. The 5K is typically one of the premier events on the circuit; it is a privilege to have it hosted by one of the premier running organizations in the country!

An earlier post, on August 13th, previewed the Overall and Age Grading competitions. This post focuses on the contests for Age Division Championships. [A brief preview of the team competition is included in the Overall Preview for USATF at http://www.usatf.org/News/Competitive-races-anticipated-for-2019-USATF-Maste.aspx]As of Tuesday evening, the forecast for Saturday race time was 74 degrees with 78% humidity and winds at 3 mph. Those are better conditions than last year, although still classic Atlanta summertime race weather. None of that will phase these experienced Masters runners; their focus will be on the races within the race!

AGE DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS

WOMEN
40-44 The only top returner from last year is the Overall and Division Champion, Laurie Knowles. She captured the title in 17:29, with over a minute to spare. As the earlier preview noted, Knowles has not had a normal race, by her standards, since last fall. But as long as she retains, or has regained, some of the fitness she displayed last year, she should take the division again. 
Laurie Knowles captured the Overall and 40-44 Division 5K Championships last year [Photo by Michael Scott]

Kelly Couch took 3rd in the division at the 10 Km Championships at the James Joyce Ramble in 38:07. That is age grade equivalent to an 18:29 5K; she should take 2nd if Knowles is lose to her form of last year. Erika Holroyd looks a good bet for 3rd place. She ran 32:26 at the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago, Age-Grade equivalent to a 19:52. She has also run 5K's in about 19 minutes. Holroyd is somewhat familiar with Atlanta racing; she finished 4th Masters runner in the Road to Gold 8 Miler put on by the Atlanta Track Club to preview the course they will employ for the 2020 US Olympic Marathon Trials in 2020. Jill Braley ran a strong race in Buffalo last fall to take 2nd place in the Masters 5 Km Cross Country Championships. Her efforts this year at the USATF Cross Country Nationals in Tallahassee and at the 8 Km Championships in Virginia Beach did not meet with the same success. Perhaps this will be the race where she gets back on track. Brooke Bray took Braley's measure at the 8K Championships and could well be the one to break onto the podium if any of the favorites are off their game.
Laurie Knowles     Kelly Couch     Erika Holroyd

45-49 Sonja Friend-Uhl, in finishing 4th Overall, took the Division Championship in 18:11. She seems a safe bet to repeat. Friend-Uhl took top honors at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships in the 800 and 1500 Meter events and then ran 5K's from the high 17's to low 18's in the spring.
Sonja Friend-Uhl cracking onto the podium at the 2016 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships [Photo by Bob Brock]

Abby Dean, who finished 2nd in the Division in 18:40 last year, would ordinarily be pushing the pace in hopes for a reversal of form. She ran a 31:37 8K in June, suggesting a 5K time of around 19:20 might be in the cards. But after that she ran in two 5K races, clocking 20:59 in July and 20:20 in early August. That pattern suggests a minor injury and recovery that is probably not full. It is doubtful she will be able to challenge Friend-Uhl for the win. Holly Ortlund, who took 2nd in the 40-44 Division in 2017 at the 10K Championships in 37:27, would likely take 2nd if she were at that full fitness. Her recent efforts at both 5K, in the low 20's, and an 8K in 31:37, suggest she also is dealing, perhaps, with some of the niggling injuries that occasionally slow us down. And, should any of the top favorites have an off day, Kathy Wiegand, who finished 7th in 40-44 last year, might well find her way onto the podium. Nor can we ignore Nancy Thomas, who finished only 8 seconds behind Wiegand last year.
Sonja Friend-Uhl     Abby Dean     Holly Ortlund



50-54 Fiona Bayly finished 5th Overall last year, taking the Division title in 18:19, and the Age-Grading Championship at 91.11%. Katherine Wolski was 2nd in 18:53. Bayly was definitely on her game earlier in the year when she ran a scorching 37:31 at the UAE Healthy Kidney 10K. Of course, not every outing is as incredible. A 38:35 in the New York Mini 10K reminds us that even the fastest runners have on and off days. If Bayly has a day like she did for the Healthy Kidney 10K, she will fly to victory. 
Fiona Bayly rounding the final turn on her way to an 18:11 and the Age-Grading Championship at the USATF Mastes 5 Km Championship last year [Photo by Michael Scott]

If it as an effort closer to the Mini 10K, she is still likely to win but will be pressed more closely by Hronn Gudmundsdottir and Wolski. Gudmundsdottir finished 6th Overall and took division honors at the 10K Championship in April. Her time of 38:49 suggests she can compete with Wolski for the 2nd position. Wolski has run her recent 5K’s in the low 19’s, and also clocked a 39:23 10K. Amy Fakterowitz finished 4th at Dedham in 41:18 and that is the most likely finish for her this year. 

Fiona Bayly     Hronn Gudmundsdottir     Katherine Wolski



55-59 Based on her 18:30 at Freihofer’s in early June, Marisa Sutera Strange cannot be counted out for Overall honors and should take the Division crown easily. 
Marisa Sutera Strange strides to victory at the 2019 USATF Masters Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee [Photo by Michael Scott]

Kris Huff finished 3rd in 50-54 last year and clocked a 44:30 10K in Dedham for 5th place in the Division. She seems a safe bet for 2nd place. Teresa Quan and Mary Sweeney should battle for the final podium position. Quan ran 39:46 in the 8K Championship at Virginia Beach. Sweeney clocked 50:43 at Peachtree. That suggests a tight contest. I will give Sweeney the edge because of ‘home city advantage’ and because the Peachtree course is more challenging and weather conditions are also tougher.
Marisa Sutera Strange     Kris Huff     Mary Sweeney

60-64 Patrice Combs took Division honors last year in 21:44. Her recent Peachtree outing of 43:10 shows her recent fitness is good. She should have no trouble repeating as Champion. 
Patrice Combs heads for her 60-64 Division Victory at the 5 Km Masters Championship last year [Photo by Michael Scott]

Mireille Silva’s 23:41 last year netted 9th place in 55-59 but would have been good for 2nd place in 60-64. Her 46:11 at the 10K Championships and a 22:35 at a 5K in May mean she should be the favorite to come in 2nd behind Combs. Teammates, Margaret Taylor and Cynthia Williams, will resume their friendly rivalry. Taylor came in ahead of Williams at the 10K Championships in Dedham, with Taylor 7th in 49:33 and Williams 8th in 50:06. Williams reversed that outcome at Peachtree, clocking 53:25 to Taylor’s 53:33. I will go with the most recent result but it is likely to be a tight race again for the final podium position.
Patrice Combs      Mireille Silva     Cynthia Williams



65-69 Victoria Crisp took the Division title in 23:31 last year and seems poised to repeat. She has two sub-23-minute 5K efforts this past June and July. Atlanta teammates, Kathleen Allen and Terry Ozell will vie for the 2nd and 3rd place finishes. Allen ran 27:46 to finish4th in the Division last year. Ozell has run 4 Milers this year in 36:50 and 38:07 and a 1:16:24 at Peachtree. The faster of those two 4-milers favors Ozell over Allen, with the slower one favoring Allen. The 38:07 is more recent so that encourages me to pick Allen for 2nd. Peachtree is tough but the time of 1:16:24 suggests that Ozell either ran into trouble or was running sensibly in the hot and humid conditions or was running easily with a friend or relative.
Victoria Crisp     Kathleen Allen     Terry Ozell     

70-74 Susan Aderhold is the defending Champion in the Division; she ran 30:57 last year. Terry Foody did not compete here last year but she seems poised to challenge for the Division title this year. She has a 29:23 5K to her credit on August 2nd along with some in the 31-33-minute range. Last March she clocked a 27:24! Carol Rhodes took 2nd last year in 37:52. If she can run close to that this year, she should claim the Bronze medal ahead of Judy Melton.
Terry Foody     Susan Aderhold     Carol Rhodes


75-79 Catherine Radle won the Division last year in 35:25, but has her work cut out for her. Norma Thomas, who took the 8K Championship title in 2015 in 43:29 and ran 45:14 the following year. But she will probably not bring that level of fitness to Atlanta. The most recent race I can find is a 2:14:27 Half Marathon in 2017. She was typically running her HM’s in the high 2:07 range  in 2015 and 2016. A 2:14 is still very fast but that was two years ago; what is her current fitness? 
Norma Thomas ran 45:14 at the 2016 USATF Masters 8K Championships in Brea, CA [Photo by Leon Laub]

Radle also faces a challenge from her teammate, Myrna Barnett, who did not run here last year. She has some mid-33 minute 5K’s to her credit this year and a 1:16:24 at Peachtree. Radle apparently ran into trouble at Peachtree, clocking a 1:48:45.  I will guess that Thomas is in good condition; she is making the trip from Southern California to compete.
Norma Thomas     Myrna Barnett     Catherine Radle

80-84 Mary Ann Maher is unopposed. In mid-February she ran a 51:51 5K, followed a week later by a 49:36 effort. In April she ran 47:32. It seems unlikely she would lower her time again by another two minutes, but it will be interesting to see. She has only to finish the race to claim a National Championship.
Mary Ann Maher

90-94 Betty Lindberg is the defending Champion. She won the Division last year in 51:56. Unopposed, she will waltz home the victor.
Betty Lindberg

MEN
40-44 David Angell won the Overall Championship last year and collected the Division title along the way. He should repeat. He has some 5K's this spring and summer in the 15:33-15:54 range. He also finished 2nd to Abdi Abdirahman in the Masters competition at the AJC Peachtree Road Race in a fast 32:54. Cracking 33 minutes in that heat and humidity is quite an accomplishment. 
David Angell #104 and John Gardiner #145 setting out on their duel-Angell took 1st in 15:45 at the 2018 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships Hosted by The Atlanta Track Club [Photo by Michael Scott]

Jason Holroyd  ran the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K in 25:51 and the 8 miles of the Road to Gold race in 43:40. Both suggest he could run around 16 minutes or a bit under. That is probably not fast enough to threaten Angell but makes him a strong favorite for 2nd in the Division. Walt Guyer ran a 1:11:56 Half Marathon in March, which is suggestive of a mid 16's 5K. He ran a 15:52 5K last year, but most of his 5K's are in the low 16's. Others who might break onto the Division podium include Ben Hovis, Thomas Knowles, and Martin Wennblom. Hovis has a 16:20 5K and a 27:27 8K to his credit this year. Knowles is on the comeback trail from an injury earlier this year; he ran a 16:37 5K in June. Wennblom ran 16:05 in June and 16:17 two weeks ago.
David Angell     Jason Holroyd     Walt Guyer

45-49 Kevin Castille broke the American Record two years ago in Syracuse, running a sizzling 14:29. That course was flat and fast, unlike the one in Atlanta. He just ran 14:24 in a Louisiana 5k in July. But if Castille can run within a minute of those times, he should have no trouble taking the Division crown along with the Overall Championship.
Kevin Castille winning the 2017 USATF Masters 5 Km Championship and setting the American Record of 14:29 at the Syracuse Festival of Races [Photo by Bob Brock]

That is ironic because the 45-49 division is probably the strongest division at the top. Greg Mitchell won the 2018 Overall Masters Half Marathon Championship in 1:10:36; he has a Carlsbad 15:39 and a 32:25 10K at the WMA Championships in Poland to his credit this year. As if those two were not enough, throw Mark Andrews, the 2016 Masters 10K Champion into the mix. Those three should go 1-2-3. If any of those three have an off day, Atlanta teammates, Brent Fields and Brian Sydow, will be pressing the pace. Fields ran 16:56 here last year to finish 2nd in the division while Sydow was 6 seconds back in 3rd.
Kevin Castille     Gregory Mitchell     Mark Andrews

50-54 Tim Meigs and Kent Lemme will renew their rivalry. Last year the honors went to Meigs with an 11 second win in 16:28. In May, Lemme ran a 16:31 in a 5K that bills itself in its title as 'America's Fastest 5K.' His recent efforts have been a little less spectacular at 17:01 and 17:06. Meigs, like Lemme, was focused on Marathon training earlier in the year but also tested his 5K speed with a 16:51 in July. That outing gives Meigs the edge but no doubt this will be a real 'barn-burner'!
Tim Meigs foreground#185 starts off, gradually building speed, to take 4th place Overall at the 2018 5 Km Championship

Who else might spoil their party. Lemme need look no further than his Greater Springfield teammate, Mark Hixson. Hixson was only 3 seconds behind Lemme here last year. I would worry about his fitness due to him running 28:54 in a recent 8K if it had not been at the Bridge of Flowers 8K, which bills itself as 'one of the toughest 8K's in New England.' Thomas Hampton, Jr. has an intriguing 16:27 5K to his credit from last November but that posting in Athlinks also indicates a gun time of 17:02. The latter time would still be faster than most other results listed for a 50-54 year old Thomas Hampton. A 50 year old Dan Cole ran 36:53 at Peachtree this year. If that is the same Daniel Cole who is entered in the 5K here, he might be in the mix.
Tim Meigs     Kent Lemme     Mark Hixson

55-59 Nat Larson took this division by 40 seconds over Mark Zamek in 16:24. Zamek is no slouch but Larson is the American Record holder based on the 15:54 he ran a couple of years ago in Providence, RI. Ordinarily the preview would be for Larson to win in a breeze. Zamek has been running his 5K's in the 17:19 to 17:36 range this summer. But Larson has not run as much as usual. In fact I cannot find any race results for Larson since the Frank Nealon Boston 15K Tune-up race in March. That was a characteristically fine 51:58 effort.
Nat Larson on his way to the Division Victory and the Age-Grading Championship at the 2018 USATF 5 Km National Championship in Atlanta [Photo by Michael Scott]

Significantly, he did not run the 10K Championships in Dedham. Does that mean he was injured or just taking a break for other reasons? It is hard to say. Still it is reasonable to conjecture that the layoff would mean Larson will not be at the top of his form. Of course when I used that reasoning for a different preview a couple of years back on Kristian Blaich, he came out and ran as well as ever. The third finisher should be one of the three Atlanta teammates, Gary Droze, Jeff Haertl, or David Matherne. Droze and Matherne ran this race last year, with Droze finishing 3rd in 55-59 in 18:15 and Matherne finishing 10th in 50-54 in 18:05. With a 17:37 5K in March and a 37:53 outing at Peachree, Matherne appears to be on his game. Droze is a little less certain. He ran his usual fine race in Virginia Beach in March, taking 2nd in the Division Championship in 29:14. But I can find no results since. Haertel ran an 18:07 5K in March, and has two 4-Milers in 23:37 and 24:17 this summer.
Nat Larson     Mark Zamek     David Matherne

60-64 Last year Roger Sayre took the honors with a blistering 17:29. He was followed across the line by three stalwarts who are not entered this year, Joe Sheeran, Rick Becker, and Tom McCormack. Ken Youngers ran 18:18 but that was, remarkably, only good enough for 5th place. Sayre has been going from strength to strength. Earlier in the year he took the Gold Medal in the Half Marathon at the WMA Championships in Torun, Poland in 1:17:29. He clocked 38:10 in the tough Bolder Boulder 10K in May and then ran 57:31 at the Utica Boilermaker 15K. He should be ready to roll in Atlanta!
Roger Sayre flies to victory in 60-64 in the 2018 USATF Masters 5 Km Championship in Atlanta [Photo by Michael Scott]

Fully recovered from back surgery a couple of years ago, Youngers will give him more competition this year. Youngers took the 10K title in Dedham this year in 36:18 and ran a recent 5K in 17:34. Sayre probably still has the edge but nothing can be taken for granted. It does not appear anyone else can stay with those two. Gary Leaman ran 18:45 in the 55-59 division here last year. He has an 18:21 to his credit this year in the Fitzgerald Lager 5K. Jeffery Dundas took 4th at the 10 Km Championships in a fast 37:47 but then ran into trouble at Peachtree. Sayres's new Boulder teammate, Paul Hughes, was only 48 seconds back from Sayre in the Bolder Boulder and had a 38:28 at a Colorado Springs 10K. If the Peachtree result was a 1-shot anomaly for Dundas, he might well take the bronze medal. That's what his Dedham result would predict. Hughes and Leaman should be close to each other. High altitude runners sometimes have trouble with humidity and New Jersey runners have had plenty of humidity to run in this summer, so I will give a slight edge to Leaman. [Late heads up from Boulder Road Runners-Hughes is not a US citizen so he will run with a BRR singlet but cannot count for their team nor win an individual award.]
Roger Sayre     Ken Youngers     Gary Leaman

65-69 Kirk Larson is the defending Champion; he took the title in 20:10. Since last year Joseph Reda and Reno Stirrat have aged up. they will renew their new rivalry at the top of 65-69 in Atlanta. Stirrat had the edge in Virginia Beach, running 31:27 in the 60-64 Division while Reda took 2nd in the 65-69 division in 32:03. Stirrat ran a fine 18:44 5K in June but ran into some trouble later as his 5K's this summer have been in the low 20's.
Reno Stirrat starts to pull away from Stephen Chantry at the 2017 USATF Masters 8 Km Championships at Virginia Beach 

Stirrat increased his mileage to the 75-85 per week range this past month as the beginning of Marathon prep, but tapered for the 5K. Reda appeared to be at the top of his game this summer; he ran 45:29 in the tough Bix 7 mile run. Larson will be right there, pushing the pace as always. He ran 41:07 at the 10 Km Championships in Dedham. Robert Qualls and George Braun could also be in the mix; they finished 16 and 18 seconds behind Larson at Club Cross Country in Spokane.
Joseph Reda     Reno Stirrat     Kirk Larson

70-74 Lloyd Hansen enters as the favorite. He finished 2nd last year to Gene Dykes who is not entered this year. His 20:46 last year was nearly a minute ahead of Jerry Learned who took 3rd. This year Hansen has been on a roll, running 20:01 at the Carlsbad 5000 and winning the 8K and 10K Championships by wide margins. Hansen and Learned went 1-2 at Virginia Beach but Hansen won by over two minutes. At the 10K in Dedham, Dave Glass resurfaced as a contender; Hansen ran 42:13 to Glass's 2nd place finish in 44:54.
Lloyd Hansen surges toward the finish line and the 70-74 Division Title at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship [Photo by Michael Scott]

Learned was another minute back in 4th. Since then Learned has run a 20:50 in the Hollis Fast 5K and a nice 46:39 at Peachtree. That suggests at least a modest recovery from whatever slowed him down in Dedham. Glass has run the Firecracker 4 in 28:32 and the Silks and Satins 5K in 21:50. Terry McCluskey might also contend; he won the Club Cross Country Championship in December and then won his age division at the Naples Half Marathon with a fine 1:33:43 in January. He has been dealing with nagging injuries since then; he finished 6th in Virginia Beach in 36:18 and ran 22:13 in the 5K at Dexter-Ann Arbor in June. Hansen has also been dealing with a recurring foot problem; he has not raced since Dedham.

Lloyd Hansen     Jerry Learned     Dave Glass

75-79 Hall of Famer, Doug Goodhue has been running this year like his moniker, the 'Silver Bullet'! He took this Division in last year's race with a 22:30, winning by almost a minute over Robert Hendrick who is not entered this year and announced that he would not be running on the circuit for the foreseeable future. Richard Kutzner, another formidable distance runner, was another minute back in 3rd. He, too, has decided not to enter this year. Goodhue won the 8K Championship in 34:22 with a margin of over 7 minutes. 
Doug Goodhue, the 'Silver Bullet' rolls to another win, this time in the 75-79 Division at the 2018 USATF Masters National Championship in Atlanta [Photo by Michael Scott]

Jan Frisby, another of the lions of the 90's and 2000's, made yet another comeback to take the 10K title in Goodhue's absence this year. Age Division Runner of the Year in 1994,1995, and 1999, Frisby came back to earn the title again in 2015. He continues to struggle with heel problems; his 50:13 was a few minutes slower than he was aiming for. In the interim he had a nice outing at the USATF Outdoor Track and Field Championships, taking a nice double with what Frisby refers to as a 'pedestrian' 23:45 5000 meter run, followed by a nice 6:13 1500 Meter run where he had several more seconds in the tank had he needed them. Until a week before the race, Frisby had been hoping for a sub-23 5K in Atlanta. Unfortunately the heel acted up again. He was 50-50 for a while but is definitely panning on coming; he will aim to start at a more modest pace of 8 minutes per mile and then see, as the race unfolds, if he can pick it up without adding damage to the heel. Goodhue has been on his game since the 8K. He skipped the 10K because he was committed to run the Glass City Half Marathon. A 1:37 and change half marathon showed that he was still as fit as in March. He ran into a little trouble in July; his 38:07 was not up to his recent standard. Still it seems likely that he will have enough fitness for another sub-23 this Saturday. David Turner, Jr. who finished 3rd in the 8K Championship in 42:13, also ran a 25:57 5K in June. He seems a safe bet for the Bronze Medal.
Doug Goodhue     Jan Frisby     David Turner

80-84 Sid Davis is the defending Champion; he won last year in 41:32. He will not be the favorite on Saturday, however. John Elliott won the 8 Km Championship in Virginia Beach this year in 48:24. That is age grade equivalent to a 29:31. He showed that was no fluke by clocking 29:27 in a May 5K. Fred Motz looks a safe bet for 2nd place. He ran a 33:08 5K last November. His 1:10:11 at Peachtree shows he retains that fitness level. James Kurtz will push the pace but may have to settle for 3rd place. He ran 1:12:03 in a 10K and has run 5K's this year in the 34:30 to 37 minute range. Should any of those three have an off day, it appears Steven Fuchs who ran a 39:38 5K in June, is poised to move up.
John Elliott     Fred Motz     James Kurtz

90-94 Richard Soller is the defending Champion; he took the division unopposed last year in 44:31. That was the only Championship he competed in last year. This year he entered the 8K in Virginia Beach as well and captured the Gold Medal in 1:20:56, age grade equivalent to a 49:01 5K. At the Senior Games in June, he faced a competitor in  the division and ran a 47:24 5K, showing he has more speed than he revealed at the 8K. Nathan Finestone enters as the favorite, however, based on the 1:22:28 he registered in taking the 10K Championship this past April in Dedham; that is age-grade equivalent to a 39:29. Finestone has since recorded a 40:31 5K in early June and a 1:09:49 5 Miler in late June, age grade equivalent to a 42:03 5K.
Nathan Finestone     Richard Soller