Masters LDR at the Outdoor Track and Field Championships -- #3--10,000 Meters

 July 23, 2021.  The 10,000 Meters is scheduled for Saturday morning. Fifteen women from Age Divisions 55 to 89 are scheduled to toe the line at 7:30 AM, joined by 17 Men in Age Divisions 70 to 89. At 8:45 AM 16 women from divisions 30 to 54 are joined on the track by 17 Men from ages 60 to 69. At 9:30 the 27 men entered from divisions 30 - 54 are scheduled to be on the track. I follow the Masters LDR tradition and only report on athletes 40 years of age and older.

W70 & W85 Nancy Rollins and Tami Graf are the sole entrants in their division. Once they finish, they have the Gold Medal. See earlier posts for discussion.

W65 It seems likely based on earlier analysis that Amy McCormack and Terry Ozell are essentially in non-competing ranges of performance. Barring surprises, it should be 1-2 in the order listed.

W60 Five women are entered, four with no seed time. The one seed time listed, at over an hour, is not likely to be competitive for the top spot. Suzanne Cordes ran a 20:56 5K at the 2018 National Championships. That is now three years ago but I would be surprised if she is fit, that Cordes would not be able to run a 5K on the track in something like 45 minutes.

W55 Kathy Wolski and Lisa Veneziano should be in the mix for the win. Unless there are two Kathy Wolski's, it seems odd to see a 1:15 seed time next to her name. Perhaps she has never run a 10,000 meter event on the track. Wolski has clocked just under 40 minutes for a series of road 10K's over the last couple of years, including a 39:13 on May 29. Veneziano has been a factor in the USATF 1 Mile Road Championships in Flint MI. In the final edition of that race in Flint in 2019, Veneziano ran 5:35 to take 5th Overall and finished 2nd to Fiona Bayly in W50. This spring Veneziano ran 18:22 and 18:07 in two 15K's. It should be close!

W50 Jill Vollweiler typically runs her 10K's in something like 43 minutes. In September 2019, Parker clocked 38:16 at the MDRA Victory 10K. Elizabeth Guarini of the Virgin Islands has a 38:00 seed time; if accurate, she and Parker should have quite a race!

 W45 Melissa Gacek Run N Fun has the top seed time in this division of 38:01. Gacek has not run a recent 10K, but she did clock an 18:34 5K in May. Gacek should take the win.

 W40 The only Masters LDR athlete known to national audiences, Laurie Knowles, has scratched, leaving the race to athletes who have not participated regularly in MLDR National Championships,

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 M85 Colben Sime is unchallenged.

 M80 There are 4 athletes in this division; Andrew Sherwood, a mainstay of the Atlanta Track Club's veterans cohort, scratched.. All four who are still in were entered in the 5000 meters. See the July 23 post for details. John Becker Unattached had the top seed time in the 5000 meters so is perhaps the favorite for the 10,000 meters as well. It looks like my quick research into Becker's recent record may have been too cursory. It appears that Becker has run between 43 and 46 minutes for the 8K/5 Mile distance or 8:46 to 9:15 per mile. That suggests a time around 55:00 might be in the cards for Becker. John Elliott Potomac Valley ran a 54:42 5-miler in May so will not be likely to challenge Becker. Roland Cormier Shore AC ran a 48:42 8K at the USATF XC Championships in San Diego. Considering the terrain and surface, it seems he could run a bit faster on a smooth surface. It will be interesting to see if he can keep up with Becker. Norm Goluskin must also be considered; his seed time of 57:33 should get him on the podium, and could have him battling the other two for second, or even first.

 M75 I would have thought Gary Patton So Cal TC was a lock for first if he chose to actually run the 10,000. His seed time of 45:36 is only 16 seconds faster than the 2nd best seed time of Ross Bolding Unattached. Although we have not seen Bolding at MLDR National Championships, he appears to be competitive. He ran 57:12 at the Big 12 12K in Kansas City. That suggests a 46:00 or better 10K is in his wheelhouse. It should be a fun race to watch. Unless Bolding has an unusually strong kick himself, he will need to take the race out strong and lose Patton before the last lap. Patton is famous for his kick. It is possible Patton might decide to save his energy for the 1500M on Sunday,, but if he runs, I expect him to win.

M70 Kirk Larson, longtime mainstay of the Atlanta Track Club's M60+ team, now in the M70 division, has the 2nd fastest seed time of 42:50. Unfortunately, a freak elbow injury will keep him from towing the line. I understand the injury will not keep him from running very long, but long enough to miss this track meet. Gene Dykes Greater Philadelphia TC is entered. See my recent posts for a short description of his bona fides. If he competes, Dykes is the favorite. Peter Mullin should be untroubled for 2nd place based on his 40:55 seed time and his February 2020 41:20 10K time at the Rodeo Run in Houston. Leslie Sharpe Club Northwest is also in the mix. At the 2019 Club Cross Championships at Lehigh in Bethlehem PA, Sharpe ran 35:14 to Kirk Larson's 35:00 and Dykes's 34:48.

M65 Three-time Harrier of the Year, should win this race handily. His seed time of 38:06 is far better than his closest competitors. should be his closest competition. Gibson ran the rare 6-mile distance in January 2021 in 39:16, roughly equivalent to a 40:45 10K. If his fitness has improved since then he might stay a bit closer to Becker, at least for a few laps.Rick BeckerPete Gibson Colonial Road Runners

M60 This division has the largest 10,000 meter field in this meet with 12 competitors. , William Enicks IVSo Cal TC has the top seed time of 37:20, achieved at the certified 10K of the Strawberry Plains  Half Marathon on January 30th. That is about a minute faster than his other 10K times over the last couple of years so it may be that he was able to take advantage of the break provided by the Pandemic to increase his fitness.Enicks won his most recent outing at a Masters LDR Championship, running 59:28 at the 15K Championship in October 2019 in Tulsa.  Enicks will need to be on his game as there are several other strong runners entered. has been one of the key runners for the M60+ team that has took the 2018 and 2019 Club Grand Prix titles. He ran 39:26 at the 2019 USATF Masters 10K Championship in Dedham. Anderson's most recent 10K is the AJC Peachtree Road Race, always a challenge. He clocked 41:19, a minute and a half slower than his 2019 Peachtree effort. may be even more of a threat. At the 2019 10K Championships, he ran 38:09. The only recent effort  listed for Muse in is a 45:50 in the iconic New Balance Falmouth Road Race, a 7 miler. That is roughly consistent with a high 38/low 39 10K, so consistent with our normal expectation for Muse. On the other hand, his seed time is 42 minutes, surprisingly high for a runner of his ability. But it may accurately reflect a fitness shortfall due to limited racing.  will be in the mix for the podium should any of those three, Enicks, Muse, or Anderson, be off their game. He clocked a 44:58 10K in a Connecticut 10K in June. seed time of 39:00 is 3rd best; he should be in the hunt for the podium. He ran two different 19:07 5K's in June; those are age-grade equivalent to a 39:06. It is good to see Barnett back in nationally competitive form after losing 2017 to 2019 to injury. In December 2016, at the Club Cross Championships in Tallahassee, he finished 2nd to Hall of Famer, in M55, clocking 35:37 in the 10K race. If the is the same Schmidt of 6DS3 fame, 6 decades of sub-3 hour Marathons, his seed time of 38:48 is definitely credible. He ran 2:58:07 in the January 2020 Chevron Houston Marathon. It looks like Enicks and Schmidt are likely to battle each other for the win. Barnett or, possibly, Muse, could wind up on the podium, or break up Enicks and Schmidt if things go their way.Michael Anderson Atlanta Track ClubCharlie Muse Greater Lowell Road RunnersAthlinksJohn Hadcock  Kerry Barnett's Pete MagillSteve Schmidt Unattached

M55 Colin Munsey Roanoke Valley Elite has no seed time listed but has run a bunch of 5K's over the last year or so in the low to mid 18's, which are age-grade equivalent to mid-37 10K's. Michael Collins Unattached, the 2019 Masters 15K Champion, has the top seed time of 35:00. He should be home free if he can run anywhere near that time. Munsey has a shot at 2nd, although he will need to get by Dean Thompson Unattached whose seed time is 36:39. Based on his 39:09 seed time and many strong performances at MLDR National Championships, Lester Dragstedt Atlanta Track Club will make sue they all earn it.

M50 Michael McGrane has no seed time listed. He has run for the BAA at Club Cross but is not a regular at Masters LDR Championships. He ran a 1:17:21 at the Delta Dental Half Marathon last October. That time is age grade equivalent to a 35:21 10K. That suggests he is the guy to beat! Scott Siriano runs occasionally in Masters LDR Championships. See one of the earlier posts, July 20th or July 22nd  for more detail. Relevant for this event is that he has recently been running 5K's from the mid-18's to the low 19's. An 18:30 is age-grade equivalent for a 54 year old to a 37:43. That suggests Siriano is competitive with Jason Newport Speedy Feet, who has a 37:30 seed time. McGrane should take the tiel with Siriano and Newport duelling for 2nd.

 M45 There is plenty of speed at the top of this age division. Greg Mitchell and Sam Krieg should battle for the win. Krieg ran 33:06 at the 2019 AJC Peachtree Run, finishing just 12 seconds back from David Angell, who won the 2018 and 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships. Greg Mitchell is no slouch, however, the winner of numerous Masters LDR National Championships. Mitchell had the better of Angell in a couple of their encounters, suggesting he can compete with Krieg. In terms of current fitness, the indicators are a 15:57 5K he ran in May 2020, age grade equivalent to a 32:23, and a 1:10:56 Half Marathon in Washington state on June 5th, age grade equivalent to a 32:27.It looks like a heck of a race! None of the others in the field have comparable seed times, nor do they compete much, if at all, on the MLDR circuit.
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compete much, if at all, on the MLDR circuit. I wish them well, but have little to say on this division.M40 None of the three entrants in this division

That is it for the 10,000 meters. Unfortunately, I have no time to find pics. If I get a chance, I will add some later.

The last preview will be for the 1500 Meter event which takes place on Sunday. With luck, I will have the preview up sometime tomorrow (Saturday, July 24)

 

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