March 3, 2024 On Saturday, February 24th, speedy Masters athletes from coast to coast converged on Atlanta. The draw was the Atlanta Track Club's PUBLIX Atlanta Marathon Weekend; they were hosting the 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships for the third consecutive year and the fifth year since 2018. Due to circumstances beyond their control, the Atlanta Track Club had to come up with a new course on relatively short notice and they delivered handsomely. Starting and finishing at the Home Depot Backyard at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the course has an uphill pull in the first mile and then another in Mile 2. It is Atlanta after all. The times suggest, on balance that the new course is comparable to the old course in terms of speed, possibly faster. The top two times for the Women were much faster than past years but neither had competed on the old course. Comparing times for athletes who ran in both years, it appears that some ran faster and some slower, without an obvious trend. Whether faster or slower, everyone who won their age division set an Age Division course record. Scroll down to the very end of this recap for a listing of the twenty new Age Division Course Record holders.
Thanks to Paul D. McPherson, Jr., who took the photographs shown here (unless otherwise credited). Thanks, also, to the Atlanta Track Club who made their photos available.
Pam Fales, Masters LDR Liaison, filled her scarce down time by taking pics at the start and finish. She gets credit, in print, for many of the photos in the Age Division section as well as a few others.
OVERALL
WOMEN After some crowding at the start last year and a fall and an injury to a female athlete, the Atlanta Track Club decided to have a separate start for the Women at 7:30 am, ten minutes ahead of the Men.
Waiting for The Start of the Women's Race at the 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships at the Publix Marathon Weekend in Atlanta GA |
A determined group surged to the front, including: Jill Braley Atlanta TC/GA, Dawn Grunnagle Unaffiliated TX, April Lund GYS TC/ND, Jennifer Pesce Garden State TC/NJ, Stephanie Pezzullo Unaffiliated/NC and Michele Yates Unaffiliated/CO.
Braley, a hometown favorite, finished 2nd in 2022 and 3rd in 2023; she ran 18:21 in 2022 and ten seconds faster the following year. Grunnagle has taken some time off from major championships after her 34:24 10K that allowed her to claim the 40-44 gold medal at the 2019 WMA Championships in Poland. Now that her daughter is a year old, Grunnagle is finding time to race again, hitting 37:32 at a local January 10K this year. Lund won the Masters race at the 2023 USATF Cross Country Championships, and subsequently won medals for Team USA at the World Masters Athletics Cross Country championships.
Lead Pack Approaching the first turn to head up Castleberry Hill- from right- Stephanie Pezzullo, April Lund, Jami Hollandsworth, and Jennifer Pesce -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Coming off a bronze medal overall performance at this year’s Cross Country championships, Lund was focused on getting back to gold. Pesce won here last year in 17:49 and demonstrated her range by winning the 2023 Masters 12 Km Championships in September at 44:29. Pezzullo was a top Open 3000M Steeplechaser; she made the finals at the 2011 Outdoor TF Championships. Pezzullo is still fast; last year she ran two sub-35-minute 10K's and a 17:48 5K. Primarily a Trail Runner and Mountain Biker, Yates was the wild card!
Those six pushed from the start, with Lund and Pezzulo leading the pack through the first mile. Lund and Pezzulo separated from the rest in the second mile. By the time they headed uphill in the last mile, Lund had a gap on Pezzullo.
200 Meters to Go! April Lund striding to victory with no one in sight -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Lund pressed all the way to the finish line, running a superb sub-17-minute 5K race!
April Lund Breaks the Tape to take the Overall Win -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Her 16:58 was the fastest at a 5 Km Masters national championship since 4-time Olympian, Jen Rhines, won in 2014! Pezzulo claimed second in 17:27, with Pesce pulling away from Yates and Braley to take third.
Stephanie Pezzulo finishes off her Silver Medal Run -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Pesce posted a 17:52, just 5 and 6 seconds respectively ahead of Yates and Braley.
Jennifer Pesce pulling away from Michele Yates to take the Bronze Medal -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Grunnagle finished 6th at 18:08.
April Lund 16:58 Stephanie Pezzullo 17:27 Jennifer Pesce 17:52
MEN The main favorites lined up for the 7:40 AM start: David Angell Unaffiliated/VA, Mike Aitken Unaffiliated/MO, Luke Mortensen Athens Road Runners/GA Perry Griffith Atlanta TC, Jay Stephenson Atlanta TC. Angell last appeared at the Masters 5 Km Championships in 2019 when he won the Overall Masters Championship at 15:41.
Waiting for the Start of the Men's Race -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Angell has been up and down in the post pandemic era as he dealt with some chronic foot and ankle problems. Angell showed signs of a return to his old form at the Masters 10 Km Championships last April; his 33:15 earned him the bronze overall medal. Aitken is a newcomer to Masters championships but ran a 16:06 5K on January 6th and followed it two weeks later with a 21:36 4-miler. Mortensen finished 2nd here in 16:01 last year. Five months later he claimed 2nd Masters at Peachtree with a 32:48 10K. Griffith finished 8th here in 2022 with a 16:16. Griffith ran 33:52 at Peachtree in 2022 but I find no 2023 results for him. Stephenson posted 16:10 at the Red Apple 5K last April. He ran 15:10 at the Macon Labor Day 5K. That is impressive but that race is known to produce fast times; it is a point-to-point course with over 13 meters per kilometer drop.
Aitken, Mortensen and Stephenson pushed to the front.
The three leaders headed up Castleberry Hill with determination and speed. They put a gap on the chase pack led by Angell and Griffith who took a more conservative approach to the hill. As they approached the 1 Mile mark, Angell reported, after the race, that a totally unexpected event occurred. The lead motorcycle passed through a break in the barriers and cones. All three of the leaders followed the motorcycle through the cones off the course! Angell, in fourth, who had studied the course and jogged it the day before, thought, for a second, that maybe he should follow them. But he knew that if he left the course, he risked disqualification. Angell stayed on the course as specified. He was reassured that he was correct when they passed the 1 Mile sign and clock and they matched up with his gps watch.
Apparently, the lead motorcycle must have gone across a city block and rejoined the course after a sharp turn. At the end of their race, Stephenson led Mortensen and Aitken into the finish area, thinking they had the top 3 spots. When they saw the finishing clock reading 13 minutes and change, they must have suspected something was wrong. It was not their fault; they meant to do nothing wrong, but they had cut the course. The actual winner was still out on the course. The Referee issued a disqualification.
After that incident, Angell was in front of the lead pack but there were challengers with him. By the time they hit their stride along Peters Street and swung around onto Trinity, the lead group was stretching out. Across Pryor Street and the sharp downhill to Central, Angell created a small gap to his rivals. That pack was led by John Fernandez Unaffiliated/OH and Edward Ross Shore AC/NJ, but still included Griffith, Alcides De Quesada Unaffiliated/FL, and Peter Reed Unaffiliated/TN. Angell took the two left turns and headed back up Mitchell. He could still hear footsteps, but they were slightly more distant. Once he crested the hill, for the first time, he enjoyed the sound of silence. After stretching it out on Mitchell St, speeding down another drop on MLK, Jr. Drive and taking the turn onto Northside Dr, it was all but over. Angell had a 30-meter gap on his closest rival.
David Angell Heading for the Win-200 Meters to Go! -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Angell crossed the finish line in 16:03, knowing that he was the first athlete to run the course as specified and finish. But what would happen now? He did not have his picture taken breaking the tape! He was not presented with an American flag to drape over his shoulders. Was he the winner? By that time, the officials were already working hard. The three who left the course were disqualified. There was video evidence of the incident where they left the course. That mistake meant the athletes had 'cut the course' and run a shorter distance. The Technical Instructions specifically warned athletes to know the course and not follow a lead motorcycle that goes off course. It is a reminder to all of us; the onus is on athletes to know the course and stay on it.
Angell enjoyed the win in 16:03, his first overall national championship since the pandemic. The rest of the field was tightly packed; Griffith, who had broken away from the chase group, came storming around the corner, second at 16:10, just four seconds ahead of Fernandez.
Perry Griffith on his way to the Overall Silver Medal -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
De Quesada finished five seconds later, at 16:19, in fourth, with Peter Reed three seconds back in 5th.
Angell, Griffith and Fernandez were honored with the Overall Championship medals and get the prize money. In a recognition of the effort put forth by the athletes who, inadvertently, cut the course, the Atlanta Track Club awarded Stephenson, Mortensen and Aitken cash prizes equivalent to the cash prize they would have won had they actually finished 1-2-3.
But make no mistake. Many athletes have been ahead of the field at the 1 Mile mark of a 5 Km race only to be caught and passed later. We will never know what the outcome might have been, but we do know that the podium was Angell- Griffith- Fernandez. Angell is the 2024 Masters 5 Km Champion.
David Angell 16:03 Perry Griffith 16:10 John Fernandez 16:14
AGE DIVISIONS
MEN 40-44 Griffith was the only 40–44-year-old on the overall podium. At the same time, he claimed 2nd overall, he earned the gold medal in 40-44. Apart from Stephenson, Mortensen and Aitken, Griffith's main rivals in the division were Neftali Colon Unaffiliated/FL, Fred Joslyn Unaffiliated/PA, and Chuck Terry Unaffiliated/NY. Colon ran a 35:37 10K in March of 2023. But by January 20th of this year showed more speed in clocking a 16:51 5K. Joslyn was on the Team USA squad that went to Qatar and won the 2016 World Athletics 50K Championships. In 2022 he ran 54:03 to win the Capitol Ten Miler. Last year he won it in 55:15, equivalent via age grading to a 33:28 10K. Terry's 34:25 earned him 9th overall and 4th in this division at the Masters 10 Km Championships last April.
Neftali Colon #210 foreground, Steve Bell red&black background, and Edward Ross white singlet head out among other competitors -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
At the Stockade-a-thon a half year later in November, Terry finished 3rd Masters, clocking 52:40 over 15K. Joslyn started more cautiously than the Overall leaders; he maintained a position a few seconds behind the main chase group. When that broke up, Joslyn was not able to move up but held his position. Joslyn finished strong with a 100-meter lead on his two rivals. Colon closed on Terry in the final stretch. Colon had a little extra, passing Terry to take the bronze medal by 2 seconds!
Perry Griffith 16:10 Fred Joslyn 16:26 Neftali Colon 16:47
45-49 David Angell came out of 45-49 to take the Overall win; that gave him the division win at the same time. Three others were in the hunt for the two remaining podium spots, Christopher Hernandez Genesee Valley Harriers/NY, Peter Reed Unaffiliated/TN Edward Ross Shore AC. Hernandez finished 3rd in the division last year in 17:12. He was also on the division podium at the Masters 1 Mile Championships in Indianapolis in June. He captured second at 4:47. Although it is hard to find much information online about Reed, he did win the Crosstown 5K in Memphis TN with a 16:09 the weekend before this race. Ross finished 3rd in this division at Cross Nationals in Richmond in January. One of his recent road credentials is a 1:02:31 10-Miler at the Blue Cross Broad Street Run. Reed and Ross were running with the main chase group through the 3 Km mark, with Hernandez a good 80 meters back.
Edward Ross bronze medal 45-49 heading for the Finish Line, with Mark Andrews bronze medal 50-54 and then Fred Joslyn silver medal 40-44 in hot pursuit -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
When they hit the hill just after the 2-mile mark, Reed was able to start pulling away from Ross. Hernandez could not close the gap to Ross but was able to keep Ross from widening his lead. Reed claimed division silver with his 16:21, pulling away to a 10-second lead on Ross, who finished third. Hernandez kept it going, finishing 4th with a nifty 16:52, a good 20 seconds faster than his 2023 time.
David Angell 16:03 Peter Reed 16:22 Edward Ross 16:31
50-54 It may be hard to believe but the 50-54 podium had a cumulative time quite close to the cumulative time of the 45-49 podium. The top three were tight. Fernandez, who finished 3rd overall, took the division win. He and De Quesada were running side-by-side for much of the race. At the bottom of the Trinity Street hill, approaching the 2-Mile mark, there was no more than a second between them. Not only that, the defending division champion, Mark Andrews Genesee Valley Harriers, was within striking distance, twenty meters back. Andrews ran faster this year than last but could not match Fernandez and De Quesada. They pulled away ever so slightly over the last 2 kilometers, taking 1st and 2nd in 16:13 and 16:19. Andrews claimed the bronze in 16:28, with 150 meters to spare.
Mark Andrews claims the 50-54 bronze medal -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Steve Bell Atlanta Track Club outlasted his teammate, Christopher Harris, finishing 4th in 17:02 with a 4-second margin.
John Fernandez 16:13 Alcides de Quesada 16:19 Mark Andrews 16:28
55-59 Dean Thompson Chattanooga Track Club/TN was on his game last year, finishing 2nd in 17:39. Earlier that year he had finished 3rd in the division at Cross Nationals in Richmond. He did not compete this year. Thompson's teammate, Ryan Shrum, finished 7th last year. They would lock horns with Matthew Marion Atlanta TC and his teammate, Fred Weir. Marion did not compete here last year but demonstrated his distance credentials with a 1:19:58 at the Half Marathon in Houston this January. Weir finished two seconds and one place ahead of Shrum here last year. Alan Thomas Athens Road Runners finished two seconds behind Shrum last year. They would mix it up again and see how they came out. Thompson led the way in the early going. By the time they headed down Trinity toward Central, he had 25 meters on Marion and Thomas, running in 2nd and 3rd in the division, just a few seconds apart. Shrum, with Weir on his heels, was tracking them another thirty meters back. The new athletes in the mix, Marion and Thomas, were able to reel in Thompson in the final mile. Marion led the way to the finish line, winning the division title in 17:54, a dozen meters ahead of Thomas, who had a similar margin over Thompson. Shrum had been able to keep his edge over Weir, crossing the line 4th in 11:04, just two seconds ahead of Weir.
Matthew Marion 17:54 Alan Thomas 17:57 Dean Thompson 18:01
60-64 Lester Dragstedt Atlanta Track Club, who finished 4th here last year, was the favorite. All that last week of registration, he must have been waiting for the other shoe to fall, to see if one of his rivals from last year, or from other championships might yet enter. None did. Dragstedt had been leading Atlanta's 60's team to strong results all last year. He performed well at Richmond in January, claiming fifth behind a strong set of entries, none of whom signed up for this 5 Km Championship. Dragstedt's teammate, David Black might provide his toughest competition. He had the same time at the Masters Ten Mile Championships and actually came in 8 seconds ahead of Dragstedt at the Masters 10 Km Championships. Chuck Bridgman Unaffiliated/OH finished 19 seconds behind Dragstedt here last year. Tim Ensign Chattanooga TC ran a 31:38 Turkey Trot 8K last November. Consistent with that, Ensign finished 31 seconds behind Dragstedt at Richmond this January. Dragstedt focused on the task at hand and took care of business. He left all his rivals behind; Dragstedt had almost 50 meters on his closest division pursuer, Ensign, at the 3 km mark.
Lester Dragstedt left -red t-shirt, no cap setting out on the race where he will win the 60-64 Gold Medal -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Dragstedt increased that gap to over 100 meters by the time he crossed the finish line, the division winner in 18:19. Ensign maintained an edge over Black and Bridgman, claiming second in 18:54. Bridgman was 20 meter ahead of Black at the 3 K mark, but Black pressed harder over the last 2K, caught his rival and earned the bronze medal at the finish line, though both had the same 19:09 time. Mike Mertens GVH enjoyed a strong closing two kilometers, finishing eight seconds back in fifth.
Lester Dragstedt 18:19 Tim Ensign 18:54 David Black 19:09
65-69 John Glidewell Atlanta TC set the American 65-69 5K Record here last year with a 17:31 chip time/17:32 gun time effort. Naturally, he started as the favorite. But two other speedy 65-69 year olds were in the field. Roger Sayre Boulder Road Runners/CO finished 2nd to Glidwell here last year in 18:28; he clocked a 39:12 10K last November in Wisconsin. When Sayre has entered a championship without either Glidewell or Jacob Nur entered, he tends to win. Last year he earned the 65-69 gold medal at both the Masters Ten Mile Championship in 1:01:09 and at the Masters half Marathon Championships over a hilly course on an unseasonably warm day in Syracuse with a 1:24:43. Ken Youngers Atlanta TC finished third here last year in 18:50. When Youngers is on, he is very tough to beat. In 2022 he won the 65-69 Masters Championships on a rolling hills course at Dedham MA in 37:48. He has not been at that level recently but has run very fast his last few outings. Paul Beers Unaffiliated/VA finished 6th here last year in 19:58. The race unfolded as expected. Glidwell sped off, running with the top guns from 55-59. He enjoyed a 70-meter lead over Sayre when he passed the 3K mark. Sayre, in turn, had almost 40 meters on Youngers. Beers had just started on. the steep downhill to Central as Youngers took the corner at the bottom.
Nothing changed over the final 2K. Glidewell enjoyed the win in 17:53. There was no new American Record this year, but Glidewell does have the Course Record. Sayre ran four seconds faster t1han last year, claiming division silver in 18:24. Youngers enjoyed a third-place finish in 18:55. A minute later Beers finished 4th, a good 50 meters ahead of Brian Cummins Unaffiliated/FL in 5th.
John Glidewell 17:53 Roger Sayre 18:24 Ken Youngers 18:55
70-74 Robert Qualls Unaffiliated/NV has won almost every national championship he has entered since turning 70 a couple of years ago. Qualls won here last year in 20:09. But he is also the M70 defending champion from the 2023 Masters Road Championships over 1 Mile and 10 Km, but also for all three national Masters cross country events. But it was a loaded field, sure to give Qualls his stiffest challenge in recent months. James Linn New Jersey Pacers Run Club captured the 12 Km crown in 51:44 last September. He also ran a 19:36 5K last September. Richard Larsen Greater Springfield Harriers/MA won the 2022 edition of these championships in 19:37. Later that year he won the Masters 10 Km Championships for 70-74 in 40:30. He won the 2022 Boston BIGGSteps 5K in 19:45. Last summer Larsen challenged himself with a run up the highest mountain in Vermont and the climb to Mt Washington in New Hampshire. Doug Bell Boulder Road Runners has finished 3rd here the last two years; he is always a threat.
Qualls knew about the threat and did everything he could to beat it back. He went out aggressively on the first longer, more gradual uphill, leaving both Larsen and Linn behind. When he crossed the 3K mat, Qualls was over 70 meters ahead of Linn. As it turned out, this was Linn's day to challenge Qualls, not Larsen. Not up to a sub-20 on the day, Larsen was another 75 meters behind Linn at that point. Linn had no real hope of catching Qualls with that kind of lead with just 2 km to go. But Linn did take 8 seconds back. Qualls won in a much faster time than last year, 19:30. Linn was 13 seconds back in 19:43, with Larsen over a half minute back in third. It was not his day but it is pretty amazing to run a low 20's 5K at age 72 on an off day! Bell finished 4th in 21:06, nineteen seconds ahead of Don Morrison Greater Philadelphia TC. Qualls was more than up to the challenge. He ran more than half a minute faster t1han his winning time last year, showing he has more in the tank yet! Linn also showed that he is a real threat from the 5K to the 12K!
Robert Qualls 19:30 James Linn 19:43 Richard Larsen 20:19
75-79 In 2018 Gene Dykes Greater Philadelphia TC all but set a new World 70+ Marathon Record when he clocked 2:54:23 at the Jacksonville Bank Marathon. It turned out the race was not USATF sanctioned; World Masters Athletics requires that records be set in races that are sanctioned by the relevant national governing body. He does hold the American 70-74 Marathon Record at 2:55:22, not to mention the Half Marathon and 50Km records. Dykes has been more up and down than we were used to before the pandemic. That is partially due to some niggling health issues. On the other hand, what is a down race for Dykes is an up race for most others in his age division. He was able to 'deep six' a venerable American 75-79 Marathon record with his 3:17:01 at Chicago last October. But Dykes is plenty fast at shorter races too. He ran 20:47 in 2022, finishing second to Larsen's 19:37. Slowed last year by some of his medical issues, he still managed to break 21:30 at age 74.
Dykes loves to run Ultras and he will run them fairly close to races that are way shorter than a Marathon. Dykes posted in Strava a week before this 5K that he has 'only' completed 66 miles of a 100-Mile ultra because he had made a 'rookie mistake' and failed to research the weather carefully enough. Without his usual rain gear, Dykes got soaked over the last 16 miles. No one thought that experience would slow Dykes much six days later and they were right. His main challengers were Rick Katz Boulder Road Runners and Jerry Learned Atlanta TC. Katz's 22:58 here last year left him in 8th place for his last year in 70-74. But had he been a year older, that same time would have left him just 4 seconds out of the win for 75-79. Since turning 75, Katz has been on the podium at the three championships he entered, all on the turf. He won the Masters 5 Km at Boca Raton FL with a 24:48, finishing well over a minute ahead of Learned, who claimed the silver medal. With the stronger fields at Tallahassee and Richmond, Katz still ran his way onto the podium, earning bronze both times. Learned finished right behind Katz both times, just 18 seconds back at Tallahassee but well over a minute back at Richmond. This would be their first meeting as 75-year-olds on the roads. Dykes started off at a comfortable pace but one which no one else in the division could match. By the 3 Km mat, Dykes was over 200 meters ahead of the pair. He extended his lead the rest of the way, winning in 21:15, fourteen seconds faster than his 2023 time.
At the 3 Km mat, Learned was still within striking distance of Katz, just 15 meters back. If Learned could work the uphill on Mitchell, he might reel Katz in. But it was not to be. Katz was able to handle both the uphill and then the downhill on Mitchell, extending his lead to over 40 meters by the time they finished at the Home Depot Backyard. Katz had second in 23:21, 14 seconds ahead of Learned.
At Richmond, over 8 Km of turf, Jan Frisby had moved away from me, your author, Paul Carlin, in the early stages and I was able to get closer over the last 2 km but not make the catch. Frisby finished 5th and I was 6th. It was the same story this time except Frisby pulled away on Castleberry Hill, grew the gap to a 28 second lead by the 3 Km mat and then extended it. Frisby finished 4th in 25:01, forty seconds ahead of me. Dykes did a fine job, garnering another hundred points for his Grand Prix attempt. Dykes is committed to running certain marathons and ultras. And like everyone else, life also can conflict with races. Dykes struggles to fit in five Grand Prix races; he needs to be sure every race counts! Katz landed on the podium yet again. Learned showed he is not going away and will continue to compete hard.
Gene Dykes 21:15 Rick Katz 23:21 Jerry Learned 23:35
80-84 Harold Rosen Unaffiliated/MD, who won this division at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run last April in 1:27:04, was coming, for the first time, to challenge for a USATF Masters National Championship. He ran a few 5K's last year in the low 27 to mid 28-minute range. That is faster than any of the others entering this year. Last year, Doug Goodhue claimed the title in 26:36. He ran a 25:08 5K in November. But by early December at Club Cross, his hamstring acted up. Goodhue decided to take some time off from racing and focus on getting the hamstring under control; he is not entered this year. Ed Bligh finished 2nd last year in 28:45. He also clocked a 10K in a few ticks over an hour at the AJC Peachtree Run, with its challenging hill and, typically, warm 4th of July weather. Bligh claimed the division win in Tallahassee over the 8 Km cross country course in 49:01. David Turner last ran a sub-27-minute 5K in the 2019 Masters Championships when he was 79. He came back after the pandemic to win the 80-84 division with a 29:22 in 2022. Turner did not compete last year. Rosen had no difficulty. After the initial rise and drop, they faced a gradual climb over the next 3/4ths of a mile. Rosen pulled away to take the lead. After the hairpin turn at one mile, they stretched it out on the long curving stretch of Peters Street and then headed downhill to the 3k mat. Rosen enjoyed a lead of over 100 meters on Bligh, and 150 on Turner. Rosen continued apace, taking the win in 26:53 with more than 90 seconds to spare. Bligh was able to keep Turner at bay, claiming second in 28:31, with Turner 23 seconds back at 28:54. Rosen enjoyed a victorious entry to the world of USATF Masters Championships. Bligh and Turner both improved on their most recent performances at these championships. Turner will also turn 85 between now and 2025. If he retains his health and fitness, he should enter as the favorite for the 85-89 win.
Harold Rosen 26:53 Ed Bligh 28:31 David Turner 28:54
Harold Rosen heading for the finish line with 200 Meters to Go-About to Claim the 85-89 National 5 Km Championship -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
85-89 Bill Blask Greenville TC/SC, Adrian Craven Atlanta TC, and Sid Davis Atlanta TC lined up to contest the 85-89 division. All who finished would be on the podium. But who would be atop it? Craven would likely come in ahead of Davis. Craven was 15 minutes ahead last year, with just a few hundred meters to go, when he tried to avoid a runaway toddler in his path. After tripping in his efforts to avert running into the child, Craven was assisted to his feet by a bystander. Upon review of the evidence. the Referee disqualified Craven. The Referee observed that Craven had, unknowingly, also received unwanted assistance from the bystander in moving toward the finish line.
This year Craven had to worry about a faster challenger. Blask, a newcomer to the championships had run two 5K's in under 37 minutes last year. But probably neither of those were as challenging a course as the one in Atlanta. Craven's time last year was 38:50. How much time did Craven lose to the fall, probably not enough to lower his time to 38 minutes? The two would have a real duel. Craven was up to the challenge, but Blask still pulled away inexorably in the first mile. The gap grew larger; by the bottom of the hill before turning onto Central, Blask had carved out a 100-meter gap. Despite his best efforts, Craven could not cut into that lead.
Adrian Craven center-black knit cap starts out on his 85-89 Silver medal Run-with Andrew Sherwood on his left -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Blask enjoyed the win at 39:51 with a minute and 23 seconds to spare. Davis earned the bronze medal with a 54:38 tour of Castleberry Hill and the southwest side of Atlanta's downtown.
Bill Blask 39:51 Adrian Craven 41:14 Sid Davis 54:38
WOMEN 40-44 Lund, Pezzullo, and Pesce, who went 1-2-3 overall, finished 1-2-3 in this division at the same time. Yates finished just 5 seconds behind Pesce in 4th, both overall and in the division. Jami Hollandsworth Unaffiliated/MI finished 5th at 18:33, with Hidi Gaff Three Rivers Racing/PA in sixth at 19:28.
The Leaders surged away from the Start- from left: Jami Hollandsworth, Stephanie 'PEZZ' Pezzullo, April Lund, and Michele Yates -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
45-49 Braley has finished third in 40-44 the last two years. In her first year in 45-49, she takes the crown. Grunnagle, in her return to national competition, finished 6th overall and second in the division.
Dawn Grunnagle finishes sixth overall and earns the 45-49 Silver Medal -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
The defending 45-49 champion, Sara Girotto Greater Philadelphia TC, finished third. Girotto won this division in 2022 and 2023, despite a fall in a crowded start last year. While trying to avoid a fallen runner, Girotto was pushed and, already off balance, fell to the street. She bounced up, adrenaline flowing, set off a second time and won the division in 18:54. A few days after the race she learned that her knee needed to be surgically repaired. She returned, after the surgical repair, and months devoted to regaining fitness, to finish third in this division. She ran 5 seconds faster this year! Girotto's 18:49 gave her almost a minute lead over Rhia Kilpatrick Athens Road Runners, fourth in 19:45. Kilpatrick had finished 8th in 40-44 last year; she ran 8 seconds slower this year but moved up 4 places in her new age division.
Jill Braley 17:58 Dawn Grunnagle 18:08 Sara Girotto 18:49
50-54 Abby Dean Greater Philadelphia TC, Samantha Forde Impala Racing/CA, and Rebekah Kennedy were the prime contenders. Two years earlier, Dean was at the top of her game; she won this division in 18:43. Last year she was working her way back from surgery the autumn before. She was far enough along in recovery that she took the win, but in a slower time, 19:22. This past November she had surgery again and was once more in rehab mode. Her recovery might take longer this year; her time at Cross Nationals in Richmond this January was 28 seconds slower than last year. Forde, who finished fourth here last year in 20:05, finished well over a minute ahead of Dean at Richmond. Kennedy finished a half-minute behind Dean here last year, and 12 seconds ahead of Forde. But Forde finished a good half-minute ahead of Kennedy at Club Cross in Tallahassee this past December. Forde and Kennedy would be battling. Kennedy was able to get out and away from Forde, as she did last year. Forde was still within shooting distance of Kennedy, just 4 seconds back at the 3 K mat. Despite her best efforts, Forde could not diminish the gap. Kennedy crossed the finish line with the division win in 19:59, with Forde seven seconds back.
Rebekah Kennedy with 200 Meters to Go as She wins the 50-54 Gold Medal -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Dean ran well but was not yet ready to compete for the win. A good thirty meters behind Forde with 2 km to go, Dean was able to hold off everyone else and claim third in 20:22. Alysia Puma Shore AC, who finished eighth in the division last year, moved up to fourth with a time of 22:12. Forde's teammate, Alexandra Newman, was fifth.
Rebekah Kennedy 19:59 Samantha Forde 20:06 Abby Dean 20:22
55-59 Even with a very strong field, Fiona Bayly was a huge favorite. The defending 55-59 champion with an 18:40 last year, Bayly has continued to post strong performances. She won the Joe Kleinerman 10K on January 6th in 38:33 and also took the division crown at the Houston Half Marathon two weeks later with a 1:25:20. Melissa Chiti won this division at Cross Nationals in Richmond a month earlier. Last August she ran a 22:03 at Atlanta's Finest 5K. That uses the same racecourse that was used for the 2023 USATF Masters championships. Mimi Fallon Liberty Athletic Club is a regular at the Masters 10 Km Championships. Now that she has joined a team that aims to compete in the Grand Prix we may see Fallon at a few more of our championships. Always competitive for the podium, Fallon, finished 3rd in the division at the 10 Km this year in 42:03; she ran three 5K's between October and November last fall in 20:11, 20:15, and 20:24. Hronn Gudmundsdottir Impala Racing finished 5th in this division at the Masters Ten Mile Championships last April in 1:10:13, age-grade equivalent to a 42:31. In November she ran a 1:37:24 at the Clarksburg HM. Not so long ago, in 2019, Gudmundsdottir finished 3rd in 50-54 with a 19:29 at the Masters 10 Km Championships, run here in Atlanta in August. Speed may be her forte. Rachel Hopkins finished third in 50-54 with a 19:43 last year. With Bayly skipping the race, Hopkins won this division at Clubs in Tallahassee, clocking 24:41 over 6 Km of turf.
Once the gun sounded and the field worked its way up to the top of Castleberry Hill, the top three had sorted themselves. Bayly, Hopkins and Gudmundsdottir were well separated, with Chiti and Fallon locked in combat behind those three. At the bottom of the downhill on Trinity, it was Bayly with over 150 meters on Hopkins, who was, in turn, more than fifty meters ahead of Gudmundsdottir. Eighty meters back it was Fallon with Chiti on her heels. No one had made any mistakes; they were all strong, determined runners. The gaps grew a little bit over the last 2 Km of up and down. Bayly had her repeat win in 19:02. Hopkins was 1:08 behind in second with Gudmundsdottir claiming the final podium spot in 20:44.
Rachel Hopkins striding to the finish and a Silver 55-59 Medal -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Chiti stayed right on Fallon until late in the race but could not make the catch. Fallon was fourth in 21:17, with Chiti fifth, six seconds later.
Fiona Bayly 19:02 Rachel Hopkins 20:10 Hronn Gudmundsdottir 20:44
60-64 Mary Cass was atop this division in 2022 and the first half of 2023. Then Suzanne La Burt turned 60. They have met three times since then. Except when Kris Clark got between them in the Masters 12 Km at Highlands, they have gone 1-2. Each time it has been La Burt ahead of Cass. At Boca Raton the matter was in doubt until late in the race. La Burt finished four seconds ahead of Cass. The margins were bigger in the others but not huge. Cass finished 2nd to Clark last year in 20:17. One thing for sure, Cass and La Burt would have a battle. Cass's teammate, Amanda King, ran a 22:25 5k on Super Sunday in 2023 and finished fifth in the division at Tallahassee in 27:58. That was well behind La Burt and Cass but was 14 seconds faster than Kris Huff Atlanta TC, King's main rival for the final podium spot. Huff finished third in the 55-59 division last year in 21:28.
La Burt left nothing to chance. She pushed up Castleberry Hill and Cass, despite her best efforts, could not match her pace. By the 3 Km mark, La Burt had over a hundred meters on Cass. Cass was running well though. Her teammate, King, was 70 meters back in third, with Huff over a hundred meters behind her in fourth. Those gaps did not shrink.
Suzanne La Burt on Her Way to 60-64 Victory -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
La Burt enjoyed the win in 19:53, with Cass in second 48 seconds slower. King got the bronze medal in 21:20 and Huff had the fourth-place finish at 22:07.
Suzanne La Burt 19:53 Mary Cass 20:41 Amanda King 21:20
65-69 In 2022, Stella Gibbs Impala Racing finished 4th here in the 60-64 division in 21:06. A couple of months later she won at Dedham, clocking 42:24. A year later, Gibbs finished 3rd in 60-64 at the Masters ten Mile Championships with a 1:15:16. She ran 21:38 and 21:12 at the Stow Lake and Morgan Hill 5K's last summer. That appears to be faster than the defending champion, Patrice Combs Atlanta TC who won here last year in 22:32. However a 44:14 outing at Peachtree suggests breaking 22 minutes in a 5K was within her reach in the summer. Lesley Hinz trains primarily for the shorter distances on the track but she can run a fast 5K if necessary. She ran 24:29 here last year and has run two 5K's this January in 24:23 and 24:21. Kitty Musante finished 2nd in this division last year at 23:28. She had a couple of slower times later in the year but turned the corner and posted a 23:13 in mid-January. She followed that with a 22:35 and, on February 11th, presumably on a course that was flat and fast, a 21:18! Cindy Williams is an anchor for Atlanta's 60+ team. She finished 4th at Tallahassee last December in this division, behind Combs and Hinz, but ahead of Musante.
When the horn sounded, Gibbs set off and found herself among the 60-64 runners she had often competed with. She hit the 3 K split in 12:59. Combs was 50 meters back in second but had a gap of over a hundred meters on the rest of the field. Musante had pulled away from Hinz, hitting that 3K mark in 14 minutes flat; Williams was a little closer to Hinz than Hinz was to Musante. But it would be tough to move up. Gibbs took the win in 21:14. Combs ran faster than last year, claiming second in 22:01 with a minute to spare. Hinz pushed hard and did take three seconds out of Musante's lead. It was a good effort but did not change the finishing order. Musante had third in 23:04; Hinz was 11 seconds back in 4th. Williams had the 5th spot at 23:48.
Stella Gibbs 21:14 Patrice Combs 22:01 Kitty Musante 23:04
70-74 Kari Chandler Unaffiliated/ MI has been running times that no one else in this field could touch. She ran a 22:43 5K at a turkey trot in Lansing Michigan last November and earlier clocked 38:04 in the Autumn Classic 8K. After hip replacement surgery it took Cynthia Lucking Atlanta TC a bit to regain her fitness. But since Tallahassee last December, Lucking has been leading the way for the Atlanta 70's team. She finished 2nd in the division at Clubs in 35:31 and won the division at Richmond Cross Nationals in 34:50. This would be Lucking's first road national championship in her comeback from the hip replacement. Norma Hudnall, also primarily a track athlete, is happy to help her team out with Cross Country and road races as needed. She finished third in the division last year in 27:40. and was third at Tallahassee, sixteen seconds behind Lucking. Francoise Levinson ran a 55:47 10K last May and a 26:38 5K at a Gobbler jog last November. Mary Lewis finished fourth in this division last year in 28:31. Chandler, as expected, shot to the front of the field, running primarily among younger athletes. She hit the 3K mat at 13:58, almost 300 meters ahead of the 70-74 field. Lucking was able to control the race otherwise, crossing the 3K mat at 16:17, with a 50-meter lead over the newcomer to the championships, Levinson. Lewis was 25 meters back from Levinson with Hudnall on her heels. Chandler took the win in 23:03. That was an impressive margin of victory! Lucking enjoyed her return to a road national championship; she claimed the silver medal in 26:51 with over a half minute to spare.
Levinson ran into no trouble over the final 2 Km, taking the final podium spot with a 27:27. Hudnall was able to use her track speed to pass and pull away from Lewis, taking 4th in 27:46, with Lewis fifth in 27:55.
Kari Chandler 23:03 Cindy Lucking 26:51 Francoise Levinson 27:27
75-79 Terry Foody Unaffiliated/KY, Andrea McCarter Atlanta TC, and Barbara Sauer Greater Buffalo TC/NY were sure bets to make the podium; they were the three entrants who showed up, and therefore finished ahead of everyone who did not. What would the final order of finish be? Foody finished 4th in the division at Tallahassee. She has run three 5K's in the last year that are between 36:05 and 36:13. McCarter finished second here last year in 37:09. She ran a 36:08 Resolution Run this January. Given the hilliness of the Atlanta course it seems reasonable to expect Foody and McCarter to be competitive with one another. Sauer, the newcomer to the division, Sauer is much faster. At this event last year, Sauer finished 5th in 70-74 in 29:08. Had she been a month of two older, her 29:08 would have netted her a runaway win in the 75-79 division. Sauer did not explode from the start for a huge lead, but steadily built it. By the time she crossed the 3K mat at 19:28, she had a lead of more than 75 meters on McCarter. Foody ran steadily but found herself over a hundred meters behind McCarter at that point. Sauer enjoyed the win with over 2 minutes to spare. She is the Women's 75-79 National 5 Km Champion. McCarter posted a 34:38 time to claim the silver medal, with Foody in third at 35:09.
Barbara Sauer 32:05 Andrea McCarter 34:38 Terry Foody 35:09
80-84 Teammates Myrna Barnett Atlanta TC and Catherine Radle enjoyed a friendly competition. Last year Barnett took her second straight 75-79 win. Barnett finished first in 36:46 with Radle third in 38:35. The year before Barnett and Radle went 1-2 separated by just over a minute. Based on that history one would think a finishing order of Barnett-Radle was close to a sure thing. But this time Radle was able to stay right on Barnett's heels.
Catherine Radle right-knit hat with pom-pom sets off from the Starting Line on her way to a win in the 80-84 Division -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
At the 3K mat, Barnett had a slim 2second lead. Whether Radle pulled away on the Mitchell Street uphill segment of stayed patiently in second until they reached the turn onto Northside Dr. and pulled away over the final 300 meters. Either way, Radle turned the tables and enjoyed a narrow win. She crossed the finish line in 36:06 with a winning margin of just twenty meters! Barnett was probably happy for her teammate to enjoy the thrill of victory as she had the last two years.
Catherine Radle 36:06 Myrna Barnett 36:15
85-89 Joyce Hodges-Hite, the 2023 Masters National Grand Prix 85-89 Champion, was at it again. The only entrant this year, her task was to tame the new course and finish. That was no problem for Hodges-Hite! She covered the first 3K in 30:28, and less than twenty minutes later, crossed the finish line to add another national championship to her collection!
Joyce Hodges-Hite left and Catherine Radle right , Gold Medalists in the 85-89 and the 80-84 Divisions respectively, Relax after the Race -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
She also gained another hundred points towards the 2024 Grand Prix championship.
Joyce Hodges-Hite 50:08
AGE GRADING
Age Grading assigns a Performance Level Percentage PPL to each athlete based upon how close their time in a race is to the fastest possible time for a runner of their age and sex. Those 'fastest possible times' are statistical constructs from global race data. For example, if a Masters athlete runs 20:00 for a 5K and the fastest possible time for that runner's age and sex is 18:00, their PLP would be, subject to rounding errors within a computer, to (18/20)*100 or a 90.00% PLP. If a younger runner of the same sex clocked 20:00, their time would, presumably, be compared to a faster World's Best, such as 17:00. That younger athlete who ran the same time would, if these hypothetical numbers were correct, be assigned a PLP of (17/20)*100 or 85%. If an athlete matches the 'World Best' their PLP would be about 100. A runner could break an American Record, however, and score less than 100, if the American Record is not as fast as the World's Best. Higher scores are better. A rough nomenclature has emerg0ed over the years. The term World Class is applied to PLP's 90% and above; National Class requires 80% PLP or above. Gun times are used for Overall, Age Division and Team results. Age Grade PLP's are based on net time to even the playing field across age divisions. Older athletes typically cede the front rows to the younger athletes.
WOMEN Suzanne La Burt 60 who has often been on the Age Grading podium outdid herself this time and is atop the podium. Her 19:52 earned a 93.12% PLP. Stella Gibbs 65 who finished fifth in age grading in 2022, moved up three places to claim second place. Her 21:12 earned a 92.92%. Gibbs was just 0.02% ahead of Kari Chandler 71. Chandler's 23:00 performance scored a 92.90% PLP.
Kari Chandler finishes first in the 70-74 Division and wins the bronze medal in Age Grading, symbolic of the Tope Performances Across All Age Divisions -- 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships |
Just off the podium was Fiona Bayly 56, in fourth; she earned a 92.73 PLP from her 19:01. Bayly had been fifth in age grading the last two years, showing an admirable consistency. Mary Cass 62 moved up from 6th in 2023 to 5th this year. Her 20:40 performance gave her a 91.69%. The top five all had World Class performances.
Suzanne La Burt 60 19:52 93.12% Stella Gibbs 65 21:12 92.92% Kari Chandler 71 23:00 92.90%
MEN John Glidewell 67 was atop the Age Grading podium last year and is this year as well. His 17:52 earned a 94.59% PLP.
John Fernandez 54 not only won the 50-54 division in his first appearance, he claimed the silver medal in age grading; his 16:30 merited a 93.01%. Roger Sayre 66 is rarely far off the age grading podium. He finished fifth last year. Sayre moved up two places to earn the bronze age grading medal; his 18:23 scored a 90.94 PLP. Mark Andrews 53 moved up from sixth last year to fourth this year; his 16:28 gave him a 90.89. He was just 0.05% off the podium! Robert Qualls 71 is a year older and lowered his time by over half a minute, a huge improvement! He jumped from 12th to 5th! His 19:28 scored a 90.51%. As with the Women, all five produced World Class performances.
TEAM In Masters LDR Road Race championships, team scores are the sum of the times of the first three runners to finish from that team. Low score wins. Teams may declare up to five runners. The 4th and 5th runners across the finish line provide insurance against one of the top three running into trouble, either in getting to the starting line or in finishing once the race has started.
The home team Atlanta Track Club ATC cleaned up! They held serve against strong teams from other regions of the country. ATC entered multiple teams in every Men's division except 70+; they entered teams in the Women's Divisions, 70+ and 80+.
ATC’s women won the 40+, 70+ and 80+ divisions, and earned a bronze medal in 60+. San Francisco’s Impala Racing claimed the 50+ win for Women, with Liberty AC, out of Greater Boston, taking top honors in 60+, and 2nd in 50+. New Jersey’s Shore Athletic Club won the silver medals in 60+ and the bronze in 50+. Greater Philadelphia took bronze in 50+.
ATC was even more dominant on the men’s side, with wins in every division from 40+ to 80+ except 70+ where they took second. Colorado’s Boulder Road Runners enjoyed a handsome victory in 70+ with Atlanta edging the Ann Arbor TC for 2nd place, by just 7 seconds per runner. The Athens Road Runners claimed the bronze in 40+, with Chattanooga TC enjoying bronze in 50+.
MEN 40+ Atlanta TC A 50:26 total/average = 16:49 P Griffith, C Hales, N Deeter (D Heslep)
Atlanta TC B 54:47/18:16 D Seo, J Mickle, K Gibson (J Eison, M Castleberry)
Athens Road Runners B 56:05/18:42 T Kolet, M Ross, J Coffee
4. Greater Philadelphia 5. Shore AC 6. Atlanta TC D
**Note: The DQ that affected runners in the overall and 40-44 race also meant that the Athens Road Runners A team did not have a complete scoring team.
50+ Atlanta TC A 52:03/17:21 S Bell, C Harris, F Dolan (T Carroll)
Atlanta TC B 54:29/18:10 M Mario, F Weir, B Sydow (B Slavens, C Cadiou)
Chattanooga TC 55:18/18:27 D Thompson, R Shrum, T Ensign
4. Athens Road Runners 5. Genesee Valley Harriers 6. Shore AC 7. Atlanta TC C 8. Atlanta TC D
60+ Atlanta TC A 55:07/18:23 J Glidewell, L Dragstedt, K Youngers (C Hannan, G Oshust)
Atlanta TC B 1:03:27/21:09 D Black, J Bitsko, M Anderson (N Feather)
Atlanta TC C 1:23:38/27:53 R Stroud, R Carter, S Benedict
70+ Boulder Road Runners 1:07:20/22:27 D Bell, B Kirschner, R Katz (J Frisby)
Atlanta TC A 1:10:07/23:23 K Larson, J Learned, W Irvin (A Joyce, P Taylor)
Ann Arbor TC 1:10:29/23:30 D Kurtis, A Pratt, P Carlin
80+ Atlanta TC A 1:32:04/30:42 E Bligh, D Turner, A Must (A Sherwood)
Atlanta TC B 2:13:41/44:34 J Dubow, A Craven, S Davis
WOMEN 40+ Atlanta TC 59:08/19:43 J Braley, A Koepp, B Presten (H Guarneri)
Athens Road Runners 59:42/19:54 R Kilpatrick, E Noble, S Baldwin (A Cass)
Greater Philadelphia TC 1:02:06/20:42 S Girotto, A Dean, A Broadbent (L Siegel)
4. Impala Racing
50+ Impala Racing 1:02:04/20:42 S Forde, H Gudmundsdottir, S Gibbs
Liberty AC 1:05:57/21:59 M Fallon, J Craig, J Shakar (A Cossi)
Shore AC 1:07:43/22:35 A Puma, M Massell, K Musante
60+ Liberty AC 1:04:39/21:33 M Cass, A King, V Bok (M McNulty)
Shore AC 1:06:10/22:04 S La Burt, D Capko, D Grocki
Atlanta TC A 1:06:48/22:16 P Combs, K Huff, M Silva (L Hinz, B Chandler)
4. Atlanta TC B 5. Athens RR 6. Greater Buffalo TC
70+ Atlanta TC A 1:27:40/29:14 C Lucking, T Ozell, K Allen (A McCarter)
Atlanta TC B 1:27:55/29:19 F Levinson, N Hudnall, M Finley (M Reed)
New Age Division Course Records- Atlanta Track Club 5 Km course, February 2024 forward (net times):
WOMEN: 40-44 April Lund 16:58 45-49 Jill Braley 17:57 50-54 Rebekah Kennedy 19:57 55-59 Fiona Bayly 19:01 60-64 Suzanne La Burt 19:52 65-69 Stella Gibbs 21:12 70-74 Kari Chandler 23:00 75-79 Barbara Sauer 32:00 80-84 Catherine Radle 36:02 85-89 Joyce Hodges-Hite 50:01
MEN: 40-44 Perry Griffith 16:10 45-49 David Angell 16:02 50-54 John Fernandez 16:13 55-59 Matthew Marion 17:52 60-64 Lester Dragstedt 18:16 65-69 John Glidewell 17:52 70-74 Robert Qualls 19:28 75-79 Gene Dykes 21:10 80-84 Harold Rosen 26:47 85-89 Bill Blask 39:42