October 27, 2025. Welcome to my blog. I report on Masters Elite LDR. In addition to this current story on recent races, you can find recaps of all USATF Masters LDR and Cross-Country Championships since Fall 2014. I also report on Masters Athletes in major Marathons including Olympic Trials. I cover distance events at some USATF Masters Indoor and Outdoor Championships. I reported on the one World Cross Country Championship that included Masters competition, Australia 2022. I regularly cover the Non-Stadia Road Race Events at World Masters Athletics Championships. See the sidebar for easy navigation through the archives. [If you are using a mobile phone, please scroll to the bottom and choose 'View web version' to access the sidebar.] While there, please note the coffee cup logo. That is a way to express your appreciation for the work that goes into these articles.
The 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships were held in Atlanta, GA on Sunday, October 19, as part of the Atlanta Track Club’s PNC Atlanta Ten Miler weekend. Athletes were anticipating the near perfect weather of Atlanta in mid-October; it had never rained on the Ten Mile Run. This proved to be the exception. A front moved through and started dumping rain about 15 minutes before the race was about to start. The Atlanta Track Club is among the very best in terms of hosting a Masters Championship. A city block was provided for Masters athletes to hang out and enjoy pre- and post-race. All the amenities necessary for a great race were provided. But even the Atlanta Track Club cannot control the weather. As Eric Heintz, the ATC's Chief Operating Officer, led the athletes out of the designated Masters area to the start of the race, the wind started to blow, and raindrops began to fall. With the athletes assembled in the starting area at the front, the wind picked up again and the rain fell harder! It was miserable waiting for the race to start. But once the horn sounded, it was competition time! Apart from some puddles on the road, it was all about executing what you had prepared for. The race was on!
As has become customary, the ATC announced the racecourse as being 'Atlanta Flat'. Atlanta is full of hills! 'Atlanta Flat' means that the organizers have made the course as flat as it can be. The organizers also try to include some long stretches with no turns where runners can get into a rhythm. In this case, one GPS, at least, that I found on an M65 Strava account listed 120 meters of elevation gain. Others had lesser amounts. It seems that the combination of hills and weather may have added about a minute to most runners' times.
OVERALL
MEN Jonathan Charlesworth West Valley Track Club CA ran 15:29 to mount the Masters podium this past spring at the prestigious Carlsbad 5000. Richard Bouckaert New Orleans, had finished thirteen seconds ahead of Charlesworth over ten kilometers of turf at the 2024 Club Cross Championships in Tacoma WA last December. This year he finished third Masters at the Houston Marathon in 2:29:36 and first Masters at the Indy Mini Marathon in May, with a 1:12:00. Two weeks before the Mini, he clocked 33:26 to finish first Masters at the Crescent City 10K. John Fernandez OH finished third Overall here, out of M50, last year in a scintillating 16:14! In August, he finished fifth overall at the 2024 10 Mile National Championship with a 58:35 on a hilly Crim course. A month later he finished top ten overall at the Masters Half Marathon Championships on another hilly course, this time in Indianapolis in early October. His time was 1:16:27. This June, he ran a 17:00 5K in Ohio.
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| The Lead Pack Hits the First Turn a Hundred Meters into the Race Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
The Men's Start was at 7:55 AM, with the Women's race starting one minute later. Charlesworth made the trip from the San Francisco Bay area worthwhile, pounding though the puddles to claim the overall Men’s win in 16:15.
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| Jonathan Charlesworth Takes the Overall Win in the Men's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Matt DeMarko |
Bouckaert was not far back, claiming second place in 16:33. That evened the score between Bouckaert and Charlesworth. Bouckaert took the honors in Tacoma over ten kilometers of turf; Charlesworth had the honors over 5 Km of hilly roads! When will these two meet again to break the tie?
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| Richard Bouckaert Claims Second Place Overall in the Men's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
And what about the bronze medal? Rich Wilson GRC Tracksmith VA would provide a stern challenge; he ran a 16:25 5K at Washington DC's Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in early April. It seemed almost too much to hope that Fernandez, out of the 55-59 division, could make the podium again. But that is what happened. His 17:08 allowed him to edge Wilson for the bronze medal by seven seconds!
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| John Fernandez Does It Again! He Mounts the Overall Men's Podium, running out of the 55-59 Division, at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Jonathan Charlesworth 16:15 Richard Bouckaert 16:33 John Fernandez 17:08
WOMEN Jill Braley Atlanta Track Club, one of her club’s steadiest performers, finished sixth here last year in 17:58. This year she ran 18:11 over that same course in a race that was not a national championship. This September, Braley clocked 17:33 on the fast Macon Labor Day 5K course. Michele Yates CO, finished fourth last year, edging Braley by a single second. Yates finished 3rd Overall at 18:27 last November at the Masters 5 Km XC Championships in Boulder. Considering that was at altitude and on the turf, it was a fast time! Angela Giuliani TX ran an 18:53 5K last December and turned in a 1:26:49 Half Marathon this past February in Texas. Shannon Jones FL ran 5K's this past summer in 18:50, 19:19 and 18:47. Two athletes out of older divisions, Lorilynn Bloomer SC 50-54 and Fiona Bayly New York NY 55-59, deserve mention as overall contenders. Bloomer has competed frequently at Cross Country Championships but less frequently on the roads. She ran two 5K's last November, one in 18:49 and the other in 18:14. Bayly finished 5th overall here in 2023 and slipped to 9th last year. But she finished 6th overall at the Masters Road Mile in Indianapolis this year in 5:26. This August Bayly clocked 18:28 at the Asbury Park 5K.
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| The Women's Field Heads into the First Turn at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Yates took it out hard! Braley, rising to the challenge, kept Yates within striking distance and moved up over the course of the race. Braley crossed the line in first place at 18:48!
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| Jill Braley claims the Overall Win in the Women's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Yates finished fourteen seconds back in second place, improving by two positions over 2024's 4th place.
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| Michelle Yates finishes second Overall in the Women's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Giuliani cracked a 19:09 5K to claim the bronze medal! She edged Bloomer by just four seconds! Bayly was nine seconds back in 5th, just three seconds ahead of Jones.
Jill Braley 18:48 Michele Yates 19:02 Angela Giuliani 19:09
Angela Giuliani, from Texas, came in under the radar. Whether she likes hills or can handle weather, or it was just her day, Giuliani cracked a 19:09 5K to claim the bronze medal! She edged South Carolina’s Lorilynn Bloomer by just four seconds!
AGE GRADING The Age Grade Performance Level Percentage PCP identifies the athletes with the best performance, adjusted for age.
WOMEN Fiona Bayly New York City Age 58 finished 4th in age grading at the 2024 Masters 12 Km Championships last September, second at the 2024 Masters Half Marathon Championships, and 4th again at the Masters Road Mile Championships in Indianapolis this June. Bayly's 19:22 earned a 91.82 PLP and left her atop the charts this time.
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| Fiona Bayly Finishes Fifth Overall, Wins the 55-59 Division and Wins the Overall Age Grading Championship in the Women's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Taking the Age Grading crown at a Masters National Championship is special-quite an achievement! Nora Cary Shore AC NJ 70 holds multiple American W70 Records and won the age grading competition at this year's Masters 10 Km Championships. She ran 22:59 here for a 90.94 PLP which earned the silver age-grading medal.
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| Nora Cary Wins the Women's 70-74 Division and is Second Overall in Age Grading in the Women's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Patrice Combs Atlanta TC 68, earned the best PLP at the Masters 4 Mile Championships in June in Peoria. She made it two age grade podiums in a row when her 22:41 yielded an 89.57 PLP for third here in Atlanta.
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| Patrice Combs Claims the Win in the Women's 65-69 Division and Nails Down the bronze Medal Overall in Age Grading at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Bloomer 53, who finished just off the overall podium, here, too, was fourth. Her 19:13 put her PLP at 87.16. Lesley Hinz Atlanta TC 67 rounded out the top five; her 23:23 merited an 85.67 PLP.
Fiona Bayly 58 19:22 91.82 PLP Nora Cary 70 22:54 90.94 Patrice Combs 68 22:41 89.57
MEN Lynn Rathjen NB 80 set the M80 American 1500 Meter Record, on the track, this summer, with a 5:44.41. Rathjen showed he can also power through 5000 meters of wind and rain, up and down hills! His 22:23 topped the age grading chart at 92.48.
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| Lynn Rathjen won the Overall Men's Age Grading Championship along with the Gold Medal in the 80-84 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Alabama’s John Glidewell Atlanta TC-residence AL 68, a two-time age grading winner here, finished second; his 18:43 yielded a 91.10 PLP.
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| John Glidewell Claimed His Third Straight National M65-69 5 Km Championship and the Overall Siulver Age Grading medal at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Nat Larson Greater Springfield Harriers MA 63 is a regular on the age grading podium. In 2024, for example, he topped the Age Grading charts at the USATF Cross Country Championships and at the 10 Km Championships.
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| Nat Larson white singlet Wins the Men's 60-64 Division and Claims the Overall Bronze Medal in the Men's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Now fully recovered after rehab from a winter skiing injury, Larson finished third; his 17:56 earned a 90.89 PLP.
AGE DIVISION
MEN M40 Charlesworth, Bouckaert and Wilson went 1-2-4 overall and 1-2-3 in this division. Rich Wilson VA 17:15. Wilson and Pratt apparently enjoyed a great competition. Wilson went out strong. Pratt was more patient. After the long hill, Wilson had more than ten seconds on Pratt. But Pratt started whittling away at the lead, cutting it to 5 seconds with a kilometer to go, and then a single second with a hundred meters to go!
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| Rich Wilson finished fourth Overall and Third in the 40-44 Division in the Men's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Wilson prevailed by three seconds at the finish!
Jonathan Charlesworth 16:15 Richard Bouckaert 16:33 Rich Wilson 17:15
M45 Nathan Deeter 17:34 Atlanta, who finished fifth in M40 in 2024, made it to the top of his new age division. Deeter edged his teammate, Chadwick Hales, for the win by seven seconds!
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| Nathan Deeter enjoys the Win in the Men's 45-49 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Hales, who finished fifth in this division in 2024, moved up to the silver medal. Matthew DiPretore Greater Philadelphia, sixth last year, claimed the bronze in 17:57, just three seconds ahead of Gary Moore Atlanta.
Nathan Deeter 17:34 Chadwick Hales 17:41 Matthew DiPretore 17:57
M50 Fully recovered from his 2:40:38 third place overall finish at the Loch Ness Marathon in late September, George Darden Atlanta 17:27 showed his speed and hill climbing ability! He led teammates, Alan Black and Steve Bell across the finish line for an Atlanta 1-2-3 sweep!
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| George Darden speeds to the Win in the Men's 50-54 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Black did not let a minor gear faux pas ruin his day; he hung tough to claim second. Bell moved onto the podium after finishing just off, in fourth, last year!
George Darden 17:27 Alan Black 17:45 Steve Bell 18:10
M55 Fernandez, amazingly, finished third overall out of the 55-59 division. He took the M55 victory in 17:08, winning by a half minute over a very strong challenger, Ivan Lieben West Valley TC. Under better conditions, Lieben took the M55 win at Carlsbad this year in 16:55 and followed that with a 16:35 in Oakland CA in the summer. Lieben ran with the lead pack through the first mile and then the hills took their toll. He toughed it out here, nailing second in a strong division!
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| Ivan Lieben Closes Off His Silver Medal Run in the Men's 55-59 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Christopher Harris Atlanta was just off the pace, finishing third, just five seconds back from Lieben. After taking the win earlier this year at the 10 K Championships, Harris showed his range by mounting the podium at both the 4 Mile and these 5K championships.
John Fernandez 17:08 Ivan Lieben 17:39 Christopher Harris 17:44
M60 Larson, holder of M60 American Records over nine distances from 1 Mile to the Half Marathon, claimed the win in 17:56. It was good to see Larson back atop the podium after a challenging year of injuries. He was joined, twenty seconds later, by marathoner and ultramarathoner, Rick Lee Shore AC NJ, and another four seconds later by Mark Zamek Twin Cities RC MN. Lee, the American Record holder for the M60 50 Km and 50 Mile distances, just won the M60 heat at the NYRR Fifth Avenue Mile in a tick above 5 minutes flat. This is his last race before the NYC Marathon! He has amazing range!
Rick Lee Claims Second in a Stacked Field in the Men's 60-64 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales
Zamek may be healthy (for the right, Masters athlete, definition of 'healthy') for the first time in a couple of years. Now, if he can get a good few weeks of injury-free and illness-free training in, Zamek may be ready to move up even more!
Nat Larson 17:56 Rick Lee 18:16 Mark Zamek 18:20
M65 Glidewell’s 18:43 enabled him to claim his third straight M65 win at the Masters 5 Km Championships in Atlanta. Roger Sayre Twin Cities RC is the 2025 M65 10K Champion and holder of the M65 American Record for 25K. Dropping down to 5K, Sayre earned the silver medal in 19:09 with over half a minute to spare. It is his second consecutive silver medal at the 5 Km Championships in Atlanta.
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| Almost overtaking Lester Dragstedt 60-64, Roger Sayre blue singlet Claims the Silver Medal in the Men's 65-69 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
His teammate, Doug Keller, finished third. It was Keller's third straight podium at a national championship in as many tries. Third at the 4 Mile in Peoria, he finished 2nd in Indianapolis at the Mile and then took bronze here!
John Glidewell 18:43 Roger Sayre 19:09 Doug Keller 19:47
M70 Rick Becker Atlanta TC-resident WA enjoyed his first race after having a pacemaker put in. Becker, a three-time Masters Harrier of the Year and holder of M65 American Records on the track, posted a 20:48 winning time.
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Rick Becker On His Way to the Win in the Men's 70-74 Division at the
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It was also Becker's first national race since Club Cross in Tacoma last December, where he took the win. He also won the cross Country and 10K road championships at the WMA Indoor Championships. But then a bike crash derailed his running for a while, before he learned he needed a pacemaker. James Linn Shore AC-residence PA battled Becker for the win as long as he could. Once he started to drop back, the runners who were closing in were his teammates, Kevin Dollard and Harold Leddy. They finished 2-3-4 in 21:13, 21:14 and 21:18! Along with his gold medal from Indianapolis in the Road Mile, Linn garnered his third silver medal at a national road championship this year. Dollard reversed the tables on his friendly rival, Brian Cummins Syracuse TC. Cummins finished ahead of Dollard in 2024 at the 5 Km Championships and enjoyed the edge at the 10 Km Championships. Cumins finished fourth this time. Who will be on top next time?
Rick Becker 20:48 James Linn 21:13 Kevin Dollard 21:14
M75 Don Morrison Greater Philadelphia TC had a tough first half of the year He missed a few national championship races due to a cross-country skiing accident and later, a bout with Lyme Disease. Morrison made up for lost time, winning by over half a minute in 23:22.
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| Don Morrison Closes Out a Dominant Win in the Men's 75-79 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Jerry Learned Atlanta earned his third consecutive M75 Silver Medal at a national road race championship this year, running 24:14. It also improved on the bronze medal finish he enjoyed in the 2024 edition of these championships. Learned’s teammate, Allen Joyce, finished third. Joyce adds this 2025 bronze medal to the one he earned at the 4 Mile Championships and to the team Gold he earned in the M75 10 Km Road Race at the WMA Indoor Championships in Gainesville in March.
Don Morrison 23:22 Jerry Learned 24:14 Allen Joyce 29:05
M80 Rathjen, the Age Grade Ace, took the win with minutes to spare. It is his first national championship on the roads that I know of. Rathjen could earn many more if he starts to travel a little more consistently. Jack Frame Shore AC pulled away from his teammate, Przemek Nowicki, on the hills, earning the M80 Silver Medal with a minute and a half to spare, in 27:27.
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| Jack Frame Finishes Second in the Men's 80-84 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Nowicki claimed third. They have become quite the 1-2 punch for the Shore AC 80's team. After Nowicki took the M80 win at the 4 Mile Championships, Frame led the way, as here, at the 1 Mile Championships in Indianapolis.
Lynn Rathjen 22:23 Jack Frame 27:27 Przemek Nowicki 28:59
M85 David Turner Atlanta had the edge over Roland Cormier Shore AC at the Masters Outdoor Championships this July; he replicated that with a solid win in 31:24. Cormier enjoyed the silver medal in 35:40. Cormier took the M85 wins in the 10 Km and 4 Mile national championships. But Turner is tough to beat, especially on his Georgia hills!
David Turner 31:24 Roland Cormier 35:40
WOMEN W40 Yates, Giuliani and Jones finished 2-3-6 overall and go 1-2-3 in this division.
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| Angela Giuliani Finishes Third Overall in the Women's Race and Claims the Silver Medal in the 40-44 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Maxey Hebert GA, finished fourth, 15 seconds off the podium.
Michele Yates 19:02 Angela Giuliani 19:09 Shannon Jones 19:25
W45 Braley won overall out of this division, coming in ahead of all the 40-44 year olds! She was joined on the podium by Dana Hayden VA. Hayden finished second W45 at the Masters National Road Championships in June in 5:25. She knew she had the speed to close if she could manage the hills. She did not need it on this day, finishing second, enjoying a cushion of over a minute.
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| Dana Hayden Finishes Second in the Women's 45-49 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Emily Noble Athens Road Runners GA finished third. Seventh in 2024, Noble moved up to the podium!
Jill Braley 18:48 Dana Hayden 19:39 Emily Noble 20:38
W50 Bloomer, fourth Overall, took possession of the division crown by speeding away from a strong field in 19:13.
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| Lorilynn Bloomer foreground Finishes Fourth Overall in the Women's Race and Claims the Win in the 50-54 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Last year’s 1-2 finishers, Rebekah Kennedy Central Park TC NY and Abby Dean Greater Philadelphia TC battled to a similar outcome this year, with Kennedy second and Dean third. Bloomer, previously affiliated with the Bowerman TC of Oregon, finished 6th overall at 2022 Cross Nationals in San Diego. She has landed on the division podium at three national cross country championships in the last three years. Now residing in South Carolina, Bloomer ran some fast 5K's there this past fall. Kennedy does not run often at road championships but continues to find success. Dean competes well but is not where she wants to be in her fitness. Achieving the podium at a national championship is nothing to sneeze at. Dean hopes to put an Achilles issue firmly behind her so she can compete for the top of the podium.
Lorilynn Bloomer 19:13 Rebekah Kennedy 21:15 Abby Dean 21:42
W55 Bayly, the top age grader overall, enjoyed a 90 second victory margin with her 19:22. It was her second straight national 5 Km championship! After Bayly, it was a three-way battle between Melissa Landers-Potts Sirius Athletics GA, her teammate, Rachel Hopkins, and Amy McMahon NY. Hopkins finished second to Bayly in this division last year. But Landers-Potts pulled away from the other two, taking second at 20:55.
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| Melissa Landers-Potts Finishes Second in the Women's 55-59 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Hopkins edged McMahon for third by six seconds in 21:23!
Fiona Bayly 19:22 Melissa Landers-Potts 20:55 Rachel Hopkins 21:23
W60 Hronn Gudmundsdottir Impala Racing CA won the W55 10K silver medal in April; she celebrated her new age division by taking W60 Gold here in the 5 Km national championship at 21:21.
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| Hronn Gudmundsdottir Claims the Win in the Women's 60-64 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
In June, Kris Huff Atlanta TC and Pamela Ricker Shore AC battled for the four-mile championship. Huff won on that occasion with a minute to spare. It was a different story this time. Ricker was able to get past Huff and hang on for a three second cushion; she took the silver medal to Huff's bronze!
Hronn Gudmundsdottir 21:21 Pamela Ricker 22:33 Kris Huff 22:36
W65 Patrice Combs Atlanta TC is at the top of her game right now. She claimed W65 victories in the 10 Km and the 4 Mile national championships this spring. Combs, winning in 22:41, led a 1-2-3 Atlanta TC sweep here. Teammates, Lesley Hinz and Mireille Silva, claimed silver and bronze, respectively. Hinz trains primarily for middle distances on the track. But she runs longer road and cross country races for her team and has done quite well. At these championships in 2024, Hinz finished just off the podium. She was just 11 seconds behind Kitty Musante Shore AC, the 2024 5 Km bronze medalist. Silva finished nine seconds behind Musante at the Road Mile Championships but claimed 4th place at the 10 Km championships in April. Both Hinz and Musante were able to get past Musante this time, finishing 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
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| Lesley Hinz finishes second in the Women's 65-69 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
But there are more races to come; the rivalries continue!
Patrice Combs 22:21 Lesley Hinz 23:23 Mireille Silva 23:49
W70 Cary, the Age Grading silver medalist, turned in a tour-de-force performance in the division, winning by seven minutes, in 22:59. Trenice Mullis Dubow Atlanta TC and her teammate, Terry Ozell, who also focus mostly on track events, finished 2nd and 3rd.
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| Trenice Mullis Dubow claims Second Place in Women's 70-74 Division at the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club at their PNC Ten Miler Photo Credit: Pam Fales |
Eight minutes later, Helene Myers Potomac Valley TC finished fourth.
Nora Cary 22:59 Trenice Mullis Dubow 30:06 Terry Ozell 31:57
W75 Norma Hudnall Atlanta TC-residence SC, the 2025 Indoor Track W75 Champion in the 1500M and 3000M, led another Atlanta 1-2-3 sweep. Hudnall finished at 28:41, with Kathleen Allen second at 33:03. This was Allen's second straight silver medal at a national championship, after taking W75 gold medals at the 10 km and 4 Mile. Nora Renzulli finished third.
Norma Hudnall 28:41 Kathleen Allen 33:03 Nora Renzulli 40:24
W80 Myrna Barnett Atlanta TC reversed the 2024 W80 outcome. Her teammate, Catherine Radle, had finished fifteen seconds ahead of her in 2024. This time it was Barnett all the way; she won in 36:00, with Radle second. Barnett adds this to the gold medal she won in Indianapolis in the Road Mile where Radle finished second.
Myrna Barnett 36:00 Catherine Radle 38:07
W85 Barbara Belanger New England 65 Plus RC traveled from Massachusetts to compete. Despite being a member of the premier running club for runners 65 and up, Belanger has not competed at the USATF Masters 10 Km championships held in Dedham MA, outside of Boston. But she has run plenty of fast 5K's inn the recent past. She won with a large victory margin in 40:30. Joyce Hodges-Hite Atlanta TC, the Queen of the W85 Grand Prix, finished second.
Barbara Belanger 40:30 Joyce Hodges-Hite 56:47
TEAMS: The Atlanta Track Club entered a strong Masters contingent to defend the home roads. Atlanta won all but three of the Team Division contests. Note: The Team score is the cumulative time of the first three runners to cross the finish line. I report the average time of the top three runners which is easier to interpret.
WOMEN W40+ Atlanta Track Club entered an A and a B team. The Athens Road Runners were able to break the two Atlanta teams up and take second. But Atlanta A was too strong. Their first two runners finished before any Athens runners did and their third runner beat the third runner of Athens. Atlanta's average team time was a minute and a half faster than Athens. It was a solid competition.
Atlanta Track Club 'A' Jill Braley, Maxey Hebert, Beth Presten Average time: 19:31
Athens Road Runners Emily Noble, Rhia Kilpatrick, Robyn Ellerbrock 21:32
Atlanta Track Club 'B' Brooke Novak, Laura Scholz, Cassandra Harris 29:27
W50+ This was one of the few division crowns that Atlanta did not claim. Georgia’s Sirius Athletic Club had what it takes. Their two top runners arrived at the finish ahead of all Atlanta runners. Their third runner could not keep up with Atlanta's top two runners, but came in well ahead of Atlanta's third runner, who dropped down from 60+.
Sirius Athletics Melissa Landers-Potts, Rachel Hopkins, Laura Johnson 21:52
Atlanta Track Club Kathy Wiegand, Kelly Walsh, Cynthia Williams 24:02
W60+ Without their W60 ace, Suzanne La Burt, sidelined by a plantar fascia issue, Shore AC was not able to keep pace with Atlanta. Shore's top runner came in first, but Atlanta's #1 was just three seconds back and followed, five seconds later, by their #2 runner. Shore's #2 came next. But when Atlanta's #3 athlete came across the line 24 seconds later, it was all over. Shore made it close, but Atlanta had the win!
Atlanta Track Club Kris Huff, Patrice Combs, Lesley Hinz (Mireille Silva, Alice Pate) 22:54
Shore Athletic Club Pamela Ricker, Nora Cary, Kitty Musante (Leslie Nowicki) 23:25
W70+ Atlanta Track Club was unchallenged in this division.
Atlanta Track Club Norma Hudnall, Trenice Mullis Dubow, Terry Ozell (Kathleen Allen, Nora Renzulli) 30:15
W80+ This is the second consecutive year in which Atlanta Track Club has managed to field an 80+ Women's team. No other club, as far as I know, has fielded a W80+ team at a National Masters Championship. Needless to say, they were unchallenged.
Atlanta Track Club Myrna Barnett, Catherine Radle, Joyce Hodges-Hite 43:38
MEN M40+ Atlanta Track Club was opposed but only by a single team. Greater Philadelphia Track Club had one athlete each from 40+, 50+, and 70+ enter. Athletes can drop down in age to run on a younger team but not the reverse. The only valid team for greater Philly was a 40+ team with one runner each from 40+, 50+ and 70+. Atlanta won easily.
Atlanta Track Club Nathan Deeter, Chadwick Hale, Gary Moore (Dustin Heslep, Scott Gaglia) 17:45
Greater Philadelphia Track Club Matthew DiPretore, Matthew Cutrona, Don Morrison 20:23
M50+ Atlanta entered an 'A' and a 'B' team. Shore AC cobbled together a team to oppose them, consisting of one 50's, one mid-60's, and one very late 60's athletes. No one expected Shore to compete for the win, but it was not necessarily the case that they would be unable to beat out the 'B' team for second place. The first four runners across the finish line were from Atlanta A; they won handily. The first runner for Shore came next but was followed 55 seconds later by the top two from Atlanta B, within two seconds of each other. When the B team's #3 crossed the line next, just one second ahead of Shore's #2, that started a clock on Shore's #3. He had to finish within forty seconds of Shore's #2. That did not happen; Atlanta got the 1-2 finish ahead of Shore.
Atlanta Track Club 'A' George Darden, Christopher Harris, Alan Black (Steve Bell, Jordan Eison) 17:39
Atlanta Track Club 'B' Frederick Dolan, Brad Slavens, Brian Sydow (Christophe Cadiou, Michael Strickland) 19:17
Shore AC Rick Lee, Jeffrey Conston, Scott Linnell 20:45
M60+ Both Atlanta Track Club and the Twin Cities Running Club entered teams that contained some of the strongest 60-64 and 65-69 runners in the country. Chattanooga Track Club did not quite have that strength but entered a very credible team. They finished third, only a minute slower, on average, than the top two teams. Atlanta's top three runners were Glidewell, Dragstedt and Black. TCRC's were Zamek, Sayre, and Keller. Zamek gave TC the early lead. But 23 seconds later, Glidewell answered for Atlanta. When Atlanta's Dragstedt and TC's Sayre crossed the line with the same time, that left TC still 23 seconds ahead. When Atlanta's Black crossed the finish line 20 seconds later, that meant TC's Keller had to finish before the clock ticked to 19:43. Despite Keller's best efforts, it could not be done! He finished in 19:47. Atlanta had the win! TCRC had the silver medals and, perhaps, the nagging thought that if each of them could have found a way to run two seconds faster, the podium positions would have been reversed. Chattanooga was less than a minute slower on average than the top two.
Atlanta Track Club 'A' John Glidewell, Lester Dragstedt, David Black (Ken Youngers, Brendan Sullivan) 19:04
Twin Cities Running Club Mark Zamek, Roger Sayre, Doug Keller 19:06
Chattanooga Track Club Dean Thompson, Timothy Ensign, Mike West 20:03
M70+ Though not as vibrant a competition for the win as there was in M60+, this division had three traditional teams entered. No one on the four teams entered was out of the 70-79 age range, and, among the top three teams, all but one was in the 70-74 range. There was only a disparity in the times that athletes could run. Shore AC had no trouble earning the win. Even though Atlanta 'A' had the top finisher, Shore's three runners finished less than a half minute later, all within five seconds of one another. Though it looks like classic 'pack' running, I was told it was not quite. Shore's top runner battled with Atlanta's top runner as long as he could. Once he was spent, and slowed a bit, the other two came up on him at the end. Still, it was very impressive to have your three scoring runners finish within 5 seconds of one another. The only way Atlanta could finish ahead of Shore would be for both their #2 and #3 runners to finish in the next 11 seconds, a very tall order! It did not happen. In the end Shore had the win with a large victory margin. Even with one scoring runner aged 79.99, Ann Arbor Track Club was strong enough to snatch the bronze medals from Atlanta B.
Shore AC James Linn, Kevin Dollard, Harold Leddy 21:15
Atlanta Track Club 'A' Rick Becker, Jerry Learned, Neil Feather (Steve Carlisle, Lynn Robinson) 24:11
Ann Arbor Track Club Dennis Kurtis, Aaron Pratt, Paul Carlin 25:38
M80+ Competition was also robust in this division. All athletes on the two teams entered were well within the ten-year range and most in the first half of that range, as with the M70+ contest. Shore AC brought a team that Atlanta TC could not match up with, but they tried their hardest to do so. Shore took the first two finishing slots. Then Atlanta had the next two. But the Shore team, at that point, was 5:45 ahead. Atlanta needed their third athlete to score next and he did so. Now Shore's third athlete, their only athlete in 85-89, needed to score in the next 5:45. No problem, said the third Shore runner, coming across the line, three minutes and 14 seconds later. Shore had the win with room to spare, 47 seconds per runner!
Shore AC Jack Frame, Przemek Nowicki, Roland Cormier 30:42
Atlanta Track Club Ed Bligh, David Turner, Morris Williams (Joel Dubow) 31:29
That concludes the recap of the 2025 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships, hosted by the Atlanta Track Club's PNC Ten Miler!
Next up for the Masters LDR Grand Prix is the USATF
Masters 5 Km Cross Country Championships on November 1st in San
Francisco.
Sources: USATF Events website, my archives, Athlinks, Strava, and Facebook.
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Thank you, Paul Carlin, for yet another detailed, colorful and warm review of the event.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the wonderful recap!
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