April 25, 2024 The tenth running of the USATF Masters 10 Km Championships at the James Joyce Ramble in Dedham MA will be held this coming Sunday, April 28th in Dedham, MA, just outside of Boston. Some three hundred runners will pour in from across Massachusetts, New England and the rest of the country to compete. They are coming from the San Francisco Bay area, Southern California, the Rocky Mountains, the Great Lakes, across the south and the northeast. They are aiming to compete with the best of the best in Masters Long Distance Running. Local and national bragging rights are at stake. The course stretches out over the rolling hills of Dedham; it is not flat and fast but a number of American Age Division Records have been set here. Competition brings out the best.
The weather forecast for 11 AM Sunday is delightful for a 10K--55F under cloudy skies with moderate winds.
Some of the more illustrious runners entered this year include local wonders, Jan Holmquist and Nat Larson, as well as outstanding runners from across the country.
Nora Cary Morristown NJ broke into the ranks of American Record holders in 2021 when she ran a 51:09 12 Km at the National Masters Championships in Highland NJ.
Nora Cary finishing off her 12 Km American 65-69 Record at the 12 Km Masters Championships in Highlands NJ in 2021 Photo credit: Jason Timochko |
Jan Holmquist Needham MA, is a local legend who broke the American Women 75-79 10km American Record AR on this course last year with a 50:01. She also holds the 8 Km mark, not to mention that she still holds the 5 km, 8 Km, and 10 Km records for Women 70-74.
Jan Holmquist right with Race Director, Martin Hanley after last year's race Photo Credit: FitzFoto/New England Runner |
Perry Shoemaker Vienna VA broke her own 10 Mile AR for Women 50-54 by clocking 1:00:34 at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom Run in Washington DC. Shoemaker also holds the 12 and 20 Km AR's.
Perry Shoemaker finishing off her American Record-breaking 50-54 Run at the 2022 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships Photo Credit: Jason Timochko |
Gene Dykes Bala Cynwyd PA, set the 70-74 Marathon AR at 2:55:22. He ran faster than the World Record at the Jacksonville Marathon in Florida on a certified course. But as the race had not sought a USATF sanction, Dykes's run could not be ratified by World Masters Athletics. Dykes also holds 70-74 AR's at distances including the 10Km. He ran 39:02 here in 2018.
Gene Dykes finishing off his new 70-74 American Record run at the 2018 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
Joseph Gray Colorado Springs CO, a 16-time national champion in Mountain Running is a 2016 and 2019 World Mountain Running Champion.
Joseph Gray at the 2019 USATF Mountain Running Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
Nat Larson Amherst MA, still holds the 5 Km AR for Men 55-59 of 15:54. A Bay Stater like Holmquist, Larson has gone on a tear since turning 60, setting new AR's for 60-64 at every distance from the 1 Mile to the Half Marathon. His 10 km record is 34:25, set here last year.
Nat Larson heads for the M55 win at age 59 at the 2022 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
Rick Lee Bayville NJ is running on a Masters Relay team this week at the Penn Relays. But he is better known for his Ultra Marathon exploits such as a multi-day race across the Sahara desert. He holds the 50 Km and 50 Mile Records for Men 60-64 at 3:31:44 and 6:27:30. Lee held the 12 Km 60-64 AR before Larson broke it last year.
Rick Lee finishing off his 60-64 American 12 Km Record-breaking Run at the 2021 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships Photo Credit: Jason Timochko |
Roger Sayre Golden CO joined the ranks of reigning American Record holders by racing to a 1:40:41, at age 65, at the Amway River Bank Run last May.
Roger Sayre left holds off Joe Mora in the 60-64 Division race at the 2021 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships in Highlands NJ Photo Credit: Jason Timochko |
These and other runners may challenge American Records on Sunday. It is almost certain that some of the Age Division Course Records will fall. Five course records fell. The current list of Age Division Course Records is:
COURSE RECORDS
Here are the Overall and Age Division Masters 'Course Records', as compiled by me, from annual results since 2013. (2020 and 2021 excepted; Covid interrupted the championships for two years)
Stephanie Pezzullo, a Steeplechase finalist at the
2011 USATF Outdoor Championships, will attempt to gain her first Masters
national road racing championship. Pezzullo finished second at the Masters 5 Km
Championships in Atlanta six weeks ago in 17:27. She prepped for this race with
a strong winning Masters 10K effort of 35:17 at the Charlotte Racefest in North
Carolina on April 6. Pezzullo will have to contend with a strong field. Beverly Antunes
finished second here last year in 38:00. She has focused more on duathlon events recently. Elizabeth Camy comes across the
country from Southern California. Last April she clocked a 36:41 10K at the
Great Race of Agoura Hills. Camy offered recent evidence of her fitness with a
1:18:30 Half Marathon at Surf City, age grade equivalent to a 36:23. Jennifer Lutz captured the 2023 USATF-NE
Masters 10 K Championships at the Lone Gull race last September in 36:47. Her 56:56 in the Nealon 15K Tune Up equates to a 37:14. Perry Shoemaker,
who just broke the 50-54 American Record for Ten Miles at the Cherry Blossom
Ten Miler with a 1:00:34, is a definite threat for the podium. That time equates, via age grading, to a 36:45 10K. She finished
second overall at the Masters 12 Km Championships last fall. It seems that Antunes may not be as focused on this championship as she was last year. We shall find out. Among the others, Pezzullo looks to be the favorite but not by a large margin. After that it looks like a terrific battle over the rolling hills between Camy, Lutz and Shoemaker. I am not aware of any recent runs by Lutz over the Ramble course. But she is local and I will give her the edge on that basis. After that, it seems to be a tossup. I will give the edge to Camy and provide an incentive for Shoemaker to prove me wrong. That gives me Pezzullo-Lutz-Camy as the likely finishing order.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Elizabeth Camy Jennifer Lutz Stephanie Pezzullo
MEN
Three Hundred Meters into the Start of the 2022 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships in Dedham MA Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
Mario Vazquez returns to defend his Men’s Overall championship.
Vazquez won decisively last year with a winning margin of over a hundred meters
in 31:50, setting a Masters Course Record. His recent performances at the Boston
Tune Up 15K, 47:47, and the Greater Hartford Quarter Marathon, 33:34, show he is ready to go
under 32:00 again! They equate via age grading to 31:10 and 31:45 respectively. Not only that, he cracked a sub-20 4miler at the Super Sunday race in February, finishing in 19:48! They called him ‘Super Mario’ last year; he seems just as super again this year. Joseph Gray won 16
national Mountain Running championships during his open career and was a World
Mountain Running Champion in 2016 and 2019. Gray broke 1:05:30 at the Trials of
Miles Project 13.1 last year; that is roughly equivalent to breaking 30 minutes in a 10K. If I have the right Joseph Gray and if his current fitness approaches his norm, even Super Mario will have his hands full. Justin Freeman, who finished second here
last year, will attempt to reverse the 2023 finishing order with Vazquez.
Freeman broke 32:00 at the USATF-NE 10 Km Championships in September and
appears to have similar fitness heading into this season. Eric Blake ran
32:17 here in 2019; his performance at the Manchester Road Race [4.87 miles] last November, a 24:04 that equates to a 31:23, suggests he has not lost much. Ryan Irwin was 39 last year and ran in
the Mass Participation race that starts shortly after the Masters Championship.
He ran a time that would have been good enough for third place last year, just
behind Freeman. His recent sub-20-minute performance at the USATF-NE 4 Mile
Championships shows he has speed to burn. If he can keep it under control and
surge over the final rolling uphill mile, he will be dangerous!
It may be a mistake, but if all of the above candidates show up in good health and fitness, I have to go with Gray for first, Vazquez for second, and Freeman third. After that I would have to go with Irwin and then Blake.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Joseph Gray Mario Vazquez Justin Freeman
MEN
M40 The overall contest considered
the chances of this division’s top athletes. Only one of the Overall favorites came from this division, Joseph Gray. If that pick is right, then Gray picks up this division gold medal along the way. I picked Ryan Irwin for fourth overall. If that is right, he picks up the Silver medal in this division. Ben Jarrett and Aaron Rowe are likely to battle for the final M40 podium spot. Jarrett ran a 34:20 10K at Lone Gull last September. This season he has a 20:46 in the Super Sunday 4 Miler that equates to a 32:45 10K, and a 51:20 15K at the Nealon Tune Up in March, equating to a 33:29. Rowe's most impressive credentials are 5K's, his fourth place finish in the 5 Km Masters Championships in Atlanta with a 16:09 and his 15:58 5K in Florida in January suggest a time in the 32:30 to 32:45 range is within his reach. Jarrett seems to race over longer distances like 10K to 15K more often than Rowe, at least in recent ears. On that basis, I will go with Jarrett over Rowe, That gives me a likely finishing order of Gray, Irwin, Jarrett.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Joseph Gray Ryan Irwin Ben Jarrett
2023 Overall Men's Winner at the USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: FitzFoto/New England Runner |
M45 The overall contest considered the chances of this division’s top athletes. The preview suggested the following finishing order would be appropriate: Vazquez, Freeman, Blake.
They will experience a substantial challenge from: David Angell, Brendan Prindiville, and T.J. Unger. They finished third, fourth and fifth last year in times ranging from 33:15 to 33:49. Angell, the Overall winner here in 2017 and 2018, got off to a great start this year with an Overall win at the 5 Km Masters Championship in Atlanta in 16:03; that equates to a 32:36 10K.
David Angell claims the Overall Win at the 2018 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
Prindiville turned in a 21:20 at the
USATF-NE 4 Mile championship; this equates, on age grading, to a 33:27 10 Km.
Unger finished four seconds ahead of Prindiville at the 4-Mile Championship. Any one of these three could break onto the podium on a good day. It looks likely to take a sub-33 10K to do so.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Eric Blake Justin Freeman Mario Vazquez
M50 Mark Andrews, Robbie Genzel, Michael McGrane, and Jesus Muniz are the prime contenders. Andrews finished 3rd in this division in 16:28 at the Masters 5 Km championship in Atlanta this year, after winning in 2023 with a 16:30. Andrews clocked 34:35 at the Race with Grace 10K last November. Projecting from the 5K's may be too optimistic; they suggest a 33:30 is within Andrews's reach. Genzel clocked 24:57 at a 7K race in Denver in 2022. Based on age grading and the likelihood of running a bit faster at sea level, that suggests it was equivalent to a sub-36 10K. McGrane finished the Lone Gull 10K last September in 37:21 and earlier this spring ran a 57:49 15K at the Nealon Tune-Up race. That is consistent with a sub-38 10K. Muniz ran 1:18:30 at the Clarksburg Half Marathon last year and a 59:00 at the Sactown 10 Miler in Sacramento earlier this month. Both are consistent with running a 35:30 or so 10K. This analysis suggests Andrews, the Overall winner in 2016, is the favorite for the division title this year.
Mark Andrews pulls away from Peter Hammer to take the overall Win at the 2016 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships |
After Andrews, it looks like an order of Muniz, Genzel, and McGrane is suggested by recent results.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Mark Andrews Robbie Genzel Jesus Muniz
M55 Jason Cakouros, Jeffrey Conston, Mark Hixson, Joseph Shairs, Scott Siriano, Brett Stoeffler, and Fred Weir will battle for the three podium spot sin this division.
Cakouros finished third in this division last year in 36:29. His 23:16 at Super Sunday 4 Miler, equating to a 36:36 10K, suggests he enjoys the same fitness this spring.
Conston finished 8th in this division last year in 37:51. More recently he finished 9th in Atlanta in 18:27, which equates via age grading to a 37:39.
Hixson finished 5th here last year in this division with a 37:12. In September he ran a 17:48 5K at the Faxon Law 20K min New Haven. This March he clocked 18:19 in a 5K. Those two 5K's taken together suggest that another low 37 Ten K is within Hixson's grasp.
Mark Hixson finishes off his 5th place effort in 55-59 at the 2023 USATF masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Shairs is normally running in tandem with his teammate, Gregory Putnam. But Putnam is rehabbing an injury at the moment. And Shairs has moved up to M55 this year; he finished 5th last year in M50 with a 36:09 effort. His outings this spring at the Super Sunday 4 M in 22:57 and his 55:47 at the Tune Up 15K reinforce the notion that he can run close to 36 flat again this year. The 4-Miler equates to a 36:04 and the 15K to a 36:20.
Siriano finished seventh here in M55 last year in 37:20 while quietly gathering 70 points toward his eventual first place M55 finish in the Masters National Grand Prix. His 18:26 at Atlanta was 23 seconds faster than his race the year before. If Atlanta’s new course is no faster than the old one, Siriano may crack 37:30 this year.
Stoeffler finished second here last year in 36:20. His 36:37 at the Middletown 10K in CT earlier this month suggests a low 36 10K is within his reach again.
Weir finished thirteen seconds ahead of Conston in Atlanta and then in early April ran 37:44 at the Cooper River Bridge 10K.
It is hard to go against Shairs as the favorite. He ran the fastest last year among this group's returning athletes. He has run well this spring.
After that it looks very tight between Cakouros and Stoeffler. There sems no reason on paper to suggest that Stoeffler might not come in ahead of Cakouros again this year. That suggests a finishing order of Shairs, Stoeffler, and Cakouros, with Hixson, Weir, Conston and Siriano all pushing to prove me wrong and land on the podium.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Jason Cakouros Joseph Shairs Brett Stoeffler
M60 Nat Larson has owned this division since turning sixty, as indicated by the records he owns. Mark Zamek was able to stay with him at Club Cross last December for the first half of the race. And, at Richmond, Zamek took the more aggressive route, built a lead over the first six kilometers only to see Larson catch and pass in the final kilometer of their eight-kilometer race. Zamek trained well after that but a chronic PBT injury has slowed him down over the last few weeks. He has altered his goals. He will race this Sunday but indicates it will be just for team points; he does not expect to challenge for the win. With a runner as competitive as Zamek, you never know what will happen once the gun sounds, but that is the plan. Rick Lee and Henry Notaro tend to focus on longer races. Lee, the M60 50 Km and 50 Mile American Record holder, loves to race and does so at almost every distance; he is running on a relay team this week at the Penn Relays. Two years ago Lee finished second here at Dedham in 36:19. Both Lee and Notaro ran in the Boston Marathon on the 15th. Notaro has not raced in this championship before but he finished third at the 12 Km Championships last September in 44:15, roughly equivalent to a 36:19.
If those two do not have too much marathon in their legs, they should go 2-3 behind Larson. Lester Dragstedt has been running very well lately. He won in Atlanta where the field did not include his main rivals. He finished fourth at the 12 Km last September in New Jersey but was well back from Notaro. Last year Dragstedt was seventh here in 38:43. Mark Reeder has run well here in the past, finishing third in 55-59 five years ago with a 36:45. But he has no recent results I can find that suggest he is in that kind of condition now. On paper it looks like Larson-Lee-Notaro is the likely order. Although if Zamek's competitive juices get flowing, his planned 'workout-level' run might go out the window. Then he could be on the podium even though it might set his full recovery back some. It will be fun to see whether Dragstedt has upped his game enough to break up those top three.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Nat Larson Rick Lee Henry Notaro
M65 David Westenberg cruised to a win last year in 39:22. Primarily a middle-distance runner on the track until a couple of years ago, has transformed himself into a nationally competitive runner at distances up to the Marathon. While training for Boston, he found time to run an 18:19 5K in March. He ran at Boston this year as part of a father-daughter pact. Whether it was due primarily to the heat or something else, it was a very tough outing. Thirteen days later, how will he fare? Roger Sayre surely becomes the favorite although Westenberg will battle. Sayre did not run in Dedham last year but did race in Atlanta this year, finishing second in 18:24 equivalent to a 37:46. As noted earlier, Sayre is the M65 AR holder at 1:40:39. Ken Youngers won here in 2022 with a 37:48 so he is a formidable opponent. At the most recent Masters championship, the 5 Km in Atlanta, Youngers finished third at 18:55, equivalent to a 38:51.
Ken Youngers finishing off his 65-69 win at the 2022 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
Unless Westenberg has recovered fully from the Marathon, it seems a projected finishing order of Sayre-Youngers-Westenberg is reasonable. Should any of those three have an off day, John Blaser finished third last year in 42:01. Late breaking news! Roger Sayre's hamstring was acting up during an easy shakeout today (Saturday, Apr 27) and he has decided *not* to race on Sunday.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Roger Sayre David Westenberg Ken Youngers
M70 With Robert Qualls temporarily out of action and James Linn not entered, the race for the podium will have to go through John Barbour, Joe Reda, and Reno Stirrat. Both Barbour and Stirrat have had their ups and downs with injury over the last few years. But both appear ready to roll in their new age divisions. Reda tends to be uninvolved with national championships except in the year he enters a new age division. Five years ago, he competed strongly, winning the M65 Masters National Grand Prix. The finishing order that year at Dedham was Barbour-Reda-Stirrat. It would not be amazing if history were to repeat itself. Barbour finished fourth M65 here last year in 42:08.
John Barbour finishing off his fourth place finish in 65-69 at the age of 69 at the 2023 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
His 1:06:14 at the Tune Up suggests he should be able to break 43 again this year. In February, Reda ran 1:31:06 at the Mesa Half Marathon. In early April he won the M70 division at the Carlsbad 5000 in 20:23. Both suggest that a sub-42 effort in Dedham should be possible. It is worth mentioning that both those races are flat and fast; the course at Dedham is a rolling hills course. Stirrat finished fifth in M65 last year with a 43:48. Rehabbing over the fall and winter, Stirrat appears to have returned to full fitness, just within the last couple of weeks. He ran 43:19 at the Cherry Blossom 10K in New Jersey on the 6th of April, and followed that with a 21:24 at the Capt. Zinn 5K in NJ last week. Those suggest a sub-44 is likely and a sub-43 possible, but perhaps a stretch too far. Who else is likely to break 44 minutes? Doug Bell ran 43:56 in Longmont CO, at altitude, last November. His 21:06 fourth place effort in Atlanta is also consistent with a sub-44, perhaps sub 43:30. Don Morrison finished fifth at Atlanta with a 21:25, age grade equivalent to a 43:37. His 35:47 at the Valley Forge 5-Miler earlier this month suggests some caution with expecting a sub-44; it equates to a 44:44. Bell and Morrison should be ready to step up if any of the three favorites has an off day. To be clear, I am going with an order of Barbour-Reda-Stirrat.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
John Barbour Joe Reda Reno Stirrat
M75 As noted earlier, Gene Dykes still holds the American M70 Record for the 10K with the 39:02 he ran here in 2018. He has not competed at Dedham since that race and has had to negotiate some health issues. Nonetheless he appears to be the favorite. He won the 5 Km M70 championship in Atlanta with a 21:15 effort, age grade equivalent to a 43:13. When Dykes was not competing last year, Gary Ostwald was the runner to beat. In the 2023 Grand Prix season, Ostwald took the division crown at Club Cross and Cross Nationals and then on the roads at Ten Miles and 10 Km. His 10 Km winning time last year was 46:07.
Gary Ostwald finishing off his 75-79 victory at the 2023 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
When Dykes returned to competition in the fall of 2023, he took the 12 Km title ahead of Ostwald and the same was true at the January 2024 Cross Nationals in Richmond, VA. In 2022, Dave Glass was unbeatable in M75 at every distance from 10 Km up. Last year he won the title at the 5 Km in Atlanta and the Half Marathon in Syracuse. But Ostwald beat Glass at the 10 Mile, 10K and 12K. Towards the end of the year, Glass discovered that he had a heart problem and had a valve replacement in December. Glass hoped for a swift return to competitive fitness but it has been slower going this winter and spring than he hoped. Glass sent a message earlier this week noting that he has had three efforts, a 2.29 Miler in early March at 8:15 per mile pace, followed by a 5K at 8:37 pace, and then a 5 Miler at 8:34 pace. Almost anyone else would view that as terrific progress in returning from heart surgery. It means it is unlikely Glass will be able to contend for the podium at this race. Glass's teammate, Jerry Learned, appears to be in condition to run at or under 8:00 per mile pace. He finished third in Atlanta with a 23:35 that equates roughly to a 47:53. That equivalence may be too optimistic. A month later Learned ran a 51:07 10K at the Members 10K race in Georgia. That 51:07 is an 8:12 per mile pace. Allan Bates moves up from M70. Last year he finished 8th in M70 with a 48:23; this year he clocked 48:05 at the Holyoke St Pat's 10K. Those times are good enough for me to make him a favorite for the final podium spot. Marshall Randolph, also from the Greater Boston area, is new to these championships but also has a good credential heading into this race. He won the M75 division at the Tune Up 15 K with a 1:15:38, equating to a 49:03 10K. A week before this race in 2023, Randolph, aged 74 at the time, clocked 37:59 at the 5 Miler in Lexington MA. That converts to a 47:29. Both times suggest a sub-50 is within Randolph's grasp. It does not look like there is anyone else in the division that can stay with the runners listed above. I had high hopes heading into the late winter but my 25:41 at Atlanta leaves me off the pace needed. I had a local 5K in March at 25:01 but that was not a certified course. I went out to Carlsbad for the 5000 with high hopes of breaking 26. I came down with a mild cold which seemed to affect my breathing. Whether due to that or something else, my time was 26:01, too slow to suggest a competitive 10K time is likely.
My projected order of finish is Dykes-Ostwald-Bates. Learned and Randolph should battle for fourth.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Allan Bates Gene Dykes Gary Ostwald
M80 Jan Frisby is the new kid on the block; he turned 80 this week! His 52:12 here last year netted him sixth place in M70. If he can come anywhere close to that this year, he will be a sure bet for the win. Frisby has been running well. He finished off his M75 career with two fourth place finishes. His 25:01 in the 5 Km at the Atlanta Championships equates to a 52:32. Frisby looks to be the favorite.
Jan Frisby white singlet #97 heading to the finish line and a 4th place Men's 75-79 finish at the 2022 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
Clayton 'Zeke' Zucker is probably the only other entrant in the division with a legitimate shot at a sub-1-hour 10K. He clocked 56:22 here last year in finishing 8th in M75. His 38:11 at the USATF-NE 4 Mile Championships at the Super Sunday race in February equates to a 59:38 10K. Teammates Richard Paulsen and David Pember should battle for the bronze medal. Paulsen finished 9th last year in M75 off of a 1:00:25. This year he clocked 51:35 at the Lexington 5 Miler. Pember did not compete here last year but has a 50:22 outing at the Irish Clover 5 Miler. It will be a tight race no doubt. I will give the edge to Pember based on his course experience at the Ramble and not knowing which of the two five milers is the more challenging course. My finishing order pick is Frisby-Zucker-Paulsen. But hold onto your hats, there could be some surprises!
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Jan Frisby Richard Paulsen Zeke Zucker
M85 There are two entrants, Jerry LeVasseur and Ram Satyaprasad. LeVasseur won this division last year with a 1:39:35. This year he has a teammate and rival to contend with. Satyaprasad appears to be slightly fitter. Le Vasseur ran the Irish Clover 5K in 49:13. Satyaprasad ran the irish Clover 5 Mile in 1:17:04, age grade equivalent to a 1:36:03 10K. Satyaprasad ran a 3-miler this season, the Frozen Shamrock 3-Miler in 41:52, with a close equivalence to a 43:26 5K. Satyaprasad is the favorite with LeVasseur perhaps staying within striking distance. Projected order is Satyaprasad-LeVasseur.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Ram Satyaprasad Jerry LeVasseur
M90 Lawrence Cole aged up from M85 this year. He has taken the M90 title in six races so far this year and this championship should be his seventh. Cole's latest triumph was the Cohasset Rotary Race by the Sea 10K in 1:38:21. He should be striding up East Street on Sunday, basking in the applauds from the well-wishers in the crowd and waltzing home the M90 winner.
Podium picks:
Lawrence Cole
WOMEN
W40 The Overall podium is predicted to emerge from division. The projected finishing order overall is Pezzullo-Lutz-Camy. See that section for the discussion. That is also, by necessity, my projected finishing order for this division.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Elizabeth Camy Jennifer Lutz Stephanie Pezzullo
Stephanie Pezzullo far right and April Lund white singlet leading the Women's field at the 2024 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships in Atlanta Photo Credit: Paul McPherson, Jr. |
W45 The top contenders overall did not come from this division. Euleen Josiah-Tanner is one of the favorites. Josiah-Tanner finished fourth last year in the WMA Non-Stadia 10 Km championship race in Poland; her time was 39:27. She raced in the Indoor Championships in Chicago this March, winning the 3000M in 10:58.54 and finishing 2nd in the 1 Mile in 5:33.96.
Euleen Josiah-Tanner finishing her Half Marathon Fourth Place Women's 45-49 at the 2023 WMA Indoor Championships Photo Credit: Todd Straka |
Allyson Casey clocked 25:36 at
the USATF-NE 4 Mile Championships and 1:00:32 at the USATF-NE 15K Championship. Those convert via age grading to a 40:23 and 39:34 10K respectively. Sanders ran 19:30 in the Gingerbread Dash 5K and clocked 40:11 at the O’Hartford
10K this spring. Based on her 26:59 at the New England 4-Mile Championships, Erin
McVeigh, given her 26:59 at the Super Sunday 4-Miler, has the best chance, among the rest, of breaking onto the podium. Casey's 15K effort is impressive; she finished 2 and a half minutes ahead of Sanders. Because Josiah-Tanner has not recently been focused on the 10K or 10,000 meters, I will opt to give Casey the favorite's role, with Josiah-Tanner picked for silver and Sanders for bronze. McVeigh could move up if any of those three have an off day.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Allyson Casey Euleen Josiah-Tanner Sybil Sanders
W50 Karolyn Bowley, Abby Dean, Perry Shoemaker with Samantha Forde and Heather Webster. If all three are at full fitness, Bowley, Dean and Shoemaker would be strong favorites for the podium. Bowley and Shoemaker appear ready to roll. Dean is coming back from surgery over the winter. Her 20:22 5K at the Masters Championships in Atlanta was good for third this year. But her time in 2023 was a minute faster. That suggests she will have trouble matching the 38:15 that gained her fourth place overall last year. It is still likely that Dean will break 40 minutes, and, perhaps, 39? That should be enough to end the day on the podium.
Abby Dean finishes her bronze medal effort at the 2023 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Shoemaker, judged to be a contender for the Overall Championships, is the strong favorite for the win, Bowley should be next. She finished 4 seconds behind Dean here last year in 38:19. Dean is likely to have a somewhat slower time this year due to her rehab. Bowley's times at the Super Sunday 4 Miler and the Tune Up 15K, 24:35 and 58:45 provide recent evidence of a fitness that should keep Bowley's time well under 39 minutes.
Samantha Forde finished sixteen seconds ahead of Dean at Atlanta on the 24th of February, but Dean’s fitness has likely increased enough to more than make up that difference. Forde’s 1:06:40 division win at Sactown suggests a similar expectation as the 5 Km in Atlanta. Forde is likely to break 41 but breaking 40 would be a stretch. Heather Webster finished second in the W45 division at this race in 2019. Her 26:46 at the Buffalo Subaru 4 Miler last July suggests Webster might be ready to break 43 minutes.
This review suggests a final finishing order of Shoemaker-Bowley-Dean, with Forde most likely to step up if any of those three have an off day.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Karolyn Bowley Abby Dean Perry Shoemaker
W55 Top contenders for the division podium include Susan Mix, Jody Dushay, Mimi Fallon, Hronn Gudmundsdottir, Lori Kingsley, and Kathleen Shaw. Mix is my pick for the win. Her 24:52 in the Super Sunday 4 Mile and her 1:29:23 at the New Bedford HM suggest a 10K time in the vicinity of 40 minutes. Dushay looks a good bet for a 42-minute 10K. She finished fourth in 42:30 here last year. Her 26:40 in the Super Sunday 4 Mile this February suggests she is ready for a similar effort this Sunday.
Jodi Dushay far right finishes off her fourth place finish in W55 at the 2023 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Fallon finished third last year in 42:03.
Her 1:05:25 in the Tune Up 15K in March and the 43:24 at the Cooper River Bridge
Run suggests a sub-43 may be in the cards again this year. I find no recent 10K efforts for Gudmundsdottir. Her 2023 Sactown 10 Miler of 1:10:13 and her
Atlanta 3rd place in 20:45 in February both project to something like a 42:30 10
K. Kingsley finished fifth in the 2022 12K Masters Championship at 52:03. This
year she clocked a 1:31:21 at the Two Rivers HM. Both suggest a sub-43 minute 10K is within her current ability. Shaw claimed fifth here last year in 42:46 (16 sec behind Dushay] and her 33:10
at the Manchester Road Race last November reinforced that sub-43 potential. If Mix can indeed run close to 40 minutes, no one else from the division is likely to be close. Fallon was 27 seconds ahead of Dushay here last year. Even though Dushay's 4 Mile time suggests she may be faster, I will stick with Fallon until Dushay shows she can win head-to-head over 10 K. Shaw should be close to Dushay but finish behind her. What about Gudmundsdottir? From the above times it looks like Fallon might dominate Gudmundsdottir. But I did not report that Fallon finished a half minute behind Gudmundsdottir in the Masters 5 Km Championships at the end of February. It could be that the 10K is more Fallon's distance than the 5K with respect to Gudmundsdottir. It also might be argued that Fallon, coming out of a New England winter, enjoys a bigger bump to fitness from February to late April. But I still have to go with Gudmundsdottir based on that solid finish ahead of Fallon. That leaves me with a finishing order of Mix-Gudmundsdottir-Fallon.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Mimi Fallon Hronn Gudmundsdottir Susan Mix
W60 Since turning 60 last year, Suzanne La Burt has enjoyed the edge over Mary Cass. At this race last year, La Burt was competing in the 55-59 division, finishing second in 41:09. That was over half a minute faster than Cass's winning W60 time of 41:43. Cass continues to run well but La Burt is, so far, just a bit faster. Cass ran a sparkling 20:41 at the 5 Km championships in Atlanta, but La Burt won in 19:53. Cass had a fine outing at the Tune Up 15K in March; her 1:04:32 equates roughly to a 41:57 10K. But La Burt countered with a 40:35 at New Jersey's Cherry Blossom 10K in early April.
Suzanne La Burt finishing her 2nd place Women 55-59 Effort at the 2023 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Trish Bourne and Beth Stalker will vie for the bronze medal. Bourne finished sixth here last year in W55 at 43:08. Her 35:10 at the Bobby Doyle 5 Miiler in August equates roughly to a 44:05. Stalker has not competed in these championships in recent years. Her chance for a bronze is based on two races last November. Her 1:08:31 at the Tune Up 15K equates to a 44:32 10K. The following week she ran a 43:42 10K at the Troy Turkey Trot. I will go with Bourne, in part for her experience on this course. That gives me La Burt-Cass-Bourne. Stalker would most likely be the one to step up if any of the favorites has an off day.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Trish Bourne Mary Cass Suzanne La Burt
W65 Ordinarily Nora Cary would be the favorite to take this division crown, even in her last year in the division. She does not compete here often. The last time was five years ago when she was in her last year of the 60-64 division; she finished third. Cary holds the 12 Km American Record for 65-69 at 51:09. She won this division at Club Cross in Tallahassee last December and at Cross Nationals in Richmond this past January. But on Sunday she will go against Stella Gibbs, a newly minted 65-year-old. Gibbs did not compete here last year, but in 2022, she won the 60-64 division with a sterling 42:24. This February at the 5 Km championships, Gibbs scored another win with her 21:14.
Stella Gibbs left pulls away from Lorraine Jasper to claim the 60-64 win at the 2022 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
Cary ran 45:44 at the Giralda Farms 10k last November. Gibbs and Cary are most likely to go 1-2. Will any other entrants produce a sub-50 time? Liz Champagne seems likely to go under 50 minutes. Champagne won 65-69 here last year in 49:25. Her 1:16:12 at the Tune Up 15K equates to a 49:25 10K; that strongly suggests the time is within her grasp again. Liz Perry could press Champagne for the bronze. She ran a 50:11 10K in Middletown CT on April 7th. I am opting for a finish order of Gibbs-Cary-Champagne.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Nora Cary Liz Champagne Stella Gibbs
W70 Francoise Levinson, Alice Miller and Denise Piekos are entered. Levinson appears to be the favorite. She ran 28:50 at the Jerome Scales 5k in January of 2022. Adjusting that for distance and years of age, we get a 10K-equivalent of 1:00:21. A year later, Levinson ran the virtual 5 Mile at the Jerome Scales race. Adjusting that for distance and age gives us 1:01:33. It seems unlikely that Miller can match Levinson. Levinson ran in the mass participation race at the James Joyce Ramble last year, clocking 1:02:05. That is not far off Levinson's times. But this spring Miller ran 1:06:15 at the Rotary Cohasset 10K. Miller seems to have the edge on Piekos, who ran 1:07:48 in these championships last year, finishing second in W70. Her 53:19 in the Irish Clover 5 Miler this March suggest an equivalent 10K time of 1:06;59. I opt for Levinson-Miller-Piekos.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Francoise Levinson Alice Miller Denise Piekos
W75 Jan Holmquist, Andrea McCarter, and Joan Tremberth are entered.
Holmquist is the American Record holder at this distance, at 50:01, set last year, and is the defending champion! Enough said! It is pretty much a toss-up between McCarter and Tremberth for the silver and bronze. McCarter ran 34:38 to finish second at the 5 km Championships in Atlanta. Tremberth ran 34:30 at the Irish Road Rover 5K in March. Eight seconds does not mean much, especially in 5a 5K. But Tremberth finished 2nd in this division here in Dedham in 2022, clocking 1:09:04. Based on that experience and running in her home region, I will opt for an order of Holmquist-Tremberth-McCarter.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Jan Holmquist Andrea McCarter Joan Tremberth
W80 Margaret Stewart is the sole entrant in this division. She typically runs 5K's in the 43 to 47 minute range. She clocked 1:44:16 at Peachtree last July so we know she is up to a challenge.
Podium picks:
Margaret Stewart
W85 Barbara Belanger gives Joyce Hodges-Hite a rare opponent in this year's 10K championships. Belanger ran a 37:45 5K last November; she ran 39:43 in January. Hodges-Hite won the 5 Km Championships for 85-89 with a 50:08. Belanger should be able to take the win with that kind of margin in a 5K. We shall find out on Sunday.
Podium picks in alphabetical order:
Barbara Belanger Joyce Hodges-Hite
W90 Edna Hyer celebrates her 90th birthday on Saturday. On Sunday she goes for the win in the 90-94 division. There is currently no American record for the Women's 90-94 division. If Hyer finishes, she establishes a new AR, subject to ratification. [That should be a formality; the course is pre-verified.] There seems little doubt that Hyer will finish. This March, Hyer has run 44:09 in the Bunny Hop 5K and 1:11:29 in the Shamrock 8K. It will definitely be a challenge to finish a 10K at the age of 90. Hyer's last 10K was at these championships just two years ago when, at 87, she won the 85-89 division at 1:25:12.
Edna Hyer Far Left, Checkers AC sets off on the road to 85-89 victory in 2022 at the USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott |
It will take her a bit longer at age 90, but I expect Hyer to be the new American Record holder at the end of the day (subject to ratification).
Podium picks:
Edna Hyer
Best of luck to all the competitors and thanks to all who make it happen!
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