April 18, 2026. Welcome to my blog! I report on Masters Elite LDR. In addition to this current story previewing the 2026 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships, I cover most USATF Masters LDR Championships., I report on middle 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. I cover other road races from time to time. 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. Clicking on that provides a way for you to express your appreciation for the work that goes into these articles. Shout out here to recent supporters, Matt B-C, John H, Lorilynn B, Bryan H,, Brendan, cush, Gary G, Jan F, Aaron T-L, Ken Y, Peter W, Dan K, Suzanne L B, Michael M, Ed B, Dana H, John B and Bill A. May you have good speed in 2026!
Many of the fastest Masters Milers in the country are heading to the City of Des Moines, Iowa where the Drake Relays take place every April. The Drake Relays, founded in 1910, along with the Penn Relays, founded in 1895, have been the two most famous relay carnivals in America. Drake added a Marathon road event in 1969 and in 2010 created the Grand Blue Mile to be contested on the streets of downtown Des Moines. The GBM has hosted the USATF Open Mile Championship since 2020. This year that event is also the sole selection event for the 2026 WA Road Racing Championships. It is also the host for the 2026 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships. Tuesday evening, April 21, the Masters Women's Race is at 6:40 pm, the Men's at 6:55 pm. Like the race held in Indy in 2023 and 2025, the Grand Blue Mile is an 'inverted U-shaped' layout. The course starts on Locust Street next to the Papajohn's Sculpture Park, Athletes run east along Locust, for about half a mile, to 6th Street where they turn north for a block and then turn left again to conclude with a straight shot west on Grand Avenue to the Finish Line just past 12th Street. The course is certified and record eligible. At the Open Championship here last year, Vincent Ciattei ran 3:54.6 to set the USATF All-Comer's mark for the Mile. Krissy Gear set the Women's Open Record at 4:24.0. [Note: Sinclair Johnson ran 4:21.7 in Honolulu in December of last year, but that mark is pending, not yet ratified.] The only Masters Record set at the Grand Blue Mile is from 2018 when the Drake Relays invited Mike Fremont, 96 at the time, to compete in the road mile. His 13:56 is the American M95 record to this day. But it is likely that a few more will fall this year.
A strong field is assembling. There will be some 'barn burners' and 'shootouts' in the Age Division races. But first let us look at a few runners who have their eyes not only on winning but on setting a record.
POSSIBLE RECORDS?
WOMEN: 60-64 Michelle Rohl Greater Philadelphia Track Club set the Indoor 1 Mile W60 World Record of 5:26.65 at the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston in January. She then broke her own record in March at the Armory in NY in 5:23.98! Last June in Indianapolis, Rohl set the 55-59 Road Mile record at 5:09.8. The current 60-64 American Road Mile Record is held by Lisa Veneziano at 5:39.2, also set in Indianapolis last year. That one seems likely to fall!
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| Michelle Rohl got the Overall Win at the 2025 USATF Masters Mile Championships in Indianapolis. Photo Credit: Terry Fletcher |
65-69 Nancy Simmons Impala Racing is back to see if she can be a repeat winner in 65-69. She will take a shot at breaking her own record from last year's championships in Indianapolis, 5:56.8. 70-74 Once I searched for 'Liz Schad' rather than 'Eliabeth Schad', I learned that Elizabeth Schad Unaffiliated is a talented athlete. She clocked 33:05 to win W70 in the Philadelphia Marathon's 8K last November. A month earlier, Schad ran the 5K at the Wineglass Marathon, winning W70 in 23:06. I find no results for Schad at shorter distances like the Mile. The best I can do is to calculate age grade equivalent times for the Mile. The 5K time equates to a 6:58, while the 8K time equates to a 6:08. Jeannie Rice currently holds the American Record at 6:24, set on a more technical course, in Flint MI, with some noticeable elevation gains. Normally I would put more faith in an equivalency across the smallest difference in distance. That gives more credence to the 6:58. But both courses are certified and record eligible, although the 8K satisfies the higher standard of being 'pre-verified' due to the stature and credentials of their measurer. The best I can say is that Schad has a legitimate shot at breaking Rice's record.
MEN: 40-44 Could Justin Fiske challenge the Neville Davies M40 record of 4:22, set on the Devil Mountain Mile of Truth course in May 2018? Last July, Fiske ran 4:22.69 at the Firecracker Mile in Clawson MI. That time is within a shout of the record. But the course in Clawson is a straight shot point to point with a small drop overall. Straight shot courses are not record eligible; they are, other things equal, faster than courses with turns, which can be record eligible. It will be fun to see how close he can get! 65-69 Rick Lee, Kevin Ostenberg, David Westenberg will mix it up in M65. Dan King set the record at 5:10.1 last year in Indianapolis. Lee just broke the M65 Indoor Mile Record at the Armory in NY with a 5:02. Ostenberg won the M65 Fifth Avenue Mile last year in 5:11. Westenberg just won the M65 Mile title at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships in February in Albuquerque. His 5:45 there is misleading. Westenberg had run the 3000M Thursday evening and wanted, at the Mile on Saturday, to save something for the 800M race on Sunday. And the race was at a Mile of altitude, slowing things down. Westenberg lost the 2024 M65 Road Mile championship to the incomparable long distance runner, Jacob Nur, by a single second! Still, with Lee also having won the 2025 Fifth Avenue Mile for M60 at 5:01, he should be the favorite to take the record. There is one small caveat. Lee, who is known to run everything from a 400M leg of a 4x400M relay race to ultramarathons across the Sahara Desert, is doing a very 'Rick Lee' kind of thing! He is running the Boston Marathon the day before the Mile. Not only is that logistically tough, that kind of travel does take something away. More importantly, he would have the marathon fatigue in his legs! Lee adds some juice to the affair for sure! 70-74 Thomas McBride Unaffiliated IA will take a run at the 5:33 M70 Mile Record, set in Indianapolis in 2023 by an athlete who accepted a USADA sanction for doping the following February. It would be fitting to see that one go down but it will not be easy. McBride ran 5:34.4 at the Senior Games, in Des Moines, in July '25. That is listed on Athlinks as a 5K Run; I assume it was on the roads. But two months earlier at the Drake, his winning time in the Grand Blue Mile was 5:50. It could be that it is hard to get full speed training in during late March and April in Des Moines. We shall see. 80-84 Lynn Rathjen Unaffiliated NB set the current 80-84 Record at the Lincoln Mile last July with his 6:16.9. He will have two speedy Gary's chasing him! Masters Hall of Famer, Gary Patton, set the American 75-79 Indoor Mile Record at 6:05.62 four years ago; he set the new 80-84 Mile record of 6:38.10 this February at the Armory in New York. Gary Ostwald Boulder Road Runners beat Patton at the Masters Indoor Mile in Albuquerque. But Patton beat Ostwald in the 800M the following day. 85-89 Roland Cormier set the record in Indy last year at 9:14.7. With no competition, as of Friday, April17th, will Cormier have the incentive to run faster than last year?! 90-94 Nathaniel Finestone's M90 American Record of 12:51 could well be overtaken. Last summer, Alan Poisner ran 11:52.97 at the Senior Games Mile to win the M90 division. He has almost a minute to play with; Poisner has a very good chance of taking down that record.
Note: Folks often ask about whether these road records are just American Records or are they World Records. Because tracks are standard length, World masters Athletics tracks records at all distances. That is not true of roads. We only know if a road record is an American Record because USATF sanctions and certifies races as being record-eligible or not and has a structure of course measuring set up. Because that is not true in all countries it is not possible for WMA to be certain that a given time was ruin on a record-eligible, accurately measured course. WMA does track Marathon records, essentially piggy-backing off of WA's standards for races that are e3ligible for Open Marathon records. If WMA joins in the WA Championships for the Mile, the 10K and Half Marathon, there may, in the future be age division records at those distances. Since Ken Young's passing in 2018, no one systematically tracks world results, not even Tom Bernhard.. For now, one can only say, about a road mile, that a given time may be the World's Best or that it is the fastest known time in the world. It best to say it is an American Record. Those can be checked at Andy Carr's website at: USATF LDR Records - Home.
OVERALL RACES
WOMEN The overall winner of last year's Road Mile Championships in Indianapolis was Michelle Rohl, out of the 55-59 year age division. She is not much slower this year. Could she win again, this time out of the 60-64 division? Last year she toured the Indy downtown in 5:09.8. The two women who finished within ten seconds of her, Dawn Grunnagle and Jennifer St. Jean, are not entered. Fiona Bayly who is entered, finished sixth overall last year in Indy in 5:26.13. She followed that up by winning her 55-59 division at the Fifth Avenue Mile in September with a 5:23 Fifth Avenue Mile victory. But I have learned that Bayly is a DNF because she has work responsibilities that will not allow her to take a midweek break at this time. Jessica Ponds Howard County Striders ran 5:12.62 at the Westminster Main Street Mile last July. But that course is point-to-point and not record eligible. Point-to-point courses are faster because of no turns and can be faster if there is a tailwind. The course also could have an ineligible amount of drop over its length. Ponds can certainly give Rohl a run for the money. Can she beat Rohl? It seems likely that Rohl will run under 5:30, perhaps under 5:25.
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| Top Contenders in the Women's Race at the 2025 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championship sin Indianapolis Photo Credit: Jake Rytlewski, courtesy of Beyond Monumental |
Dana Hayden Unaffiliated VA finished fourth last year in Indy, clocking 5:24. If she can match or better that time this year, she is in the hunt. Last July, Kristen McPhee Unaffiliated IL stopped the clock at 5:27.19 at the Puma ChiTown Miles. That was on the track, presumed to be faster than on roads. Local runner, Susie Duke Runablaze Iowa won the W40 division of the Grand Blue Mile in 5:28.61. Duke will need to run that fast or better if she is to compete for the win! Rohl has been so consistent it is hard to see anyone beating her. Ponds and Duke should have the best shot!
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Susie Duke Jessica Ponds Michelle Rohl
MEN Fifth overall at last year's Road Mile Championships in Indy, Brett Anderson Unaffiliated NE cannot be ignored. He clocked 4:28.58. Anderson was a few seconds slower at the Lincoln Mile in July, where he finished 9th in their Elite section in 4:31.97. Anderson was second in the M40 division at the Masters Indoor Championships at 4:42.9, losing by inches. As in the discussion of M65 in the records section above, it is hard to know how much to make of that effort. My guess is that Anderson will run closer to 4:30 in Des Moines, but how much closer? Ean Caskey RunningWild Elite ran 4:34 at the Blazing 5K-Mile in October 2023. He ran slower in 2025, clocking 4:46. But Caskey also ran 15:29 in the 5K on the same day. That time may be his time at the 1-mile mark after the first loop. As noted above in the record section, Justin Fiske, has the fastest recent time, a 4:22.9 at the Firecracker Mile in Clawson MI. That time would likely have been slower on a certified, record eligible course. But if he can manage to break 4:30 on Tuesday, that may be enough for the win! Jay Stephenson's Unaffiliated GA time of 4:37 at the Flagstaff Downtown Mile is slower than he would have run at a sea level, inverted U course. The Flagstaff course is a two-loop course which means it is slower; it has either 7 or eight turns, compared to the two turns at Indy and Des Moines. Also, at 7000', Flagstaff is well over a Mile high, slowing times at the Mile distance. The NCAA has recognized this with specific adjustments to qualifying standards for distances 400M and up. It is hard to say how much faster Stephenson would have been, but an equivalent time well under 4:30 seems likely. Stephenson had lots of daylight on Jesse Chettle and Ben Bruce.
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| Men's Race With a Half Mile to Go at the 2023 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Indianapolis Photo posted by Beyond Monumental on their Facebook page |
Chuck Schneekloth, like Stephenson, is in the M45 division. But one can never count out the winner of the 2019 Masters Championships Road Mile in Flint MI.
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| Chuck Schneekloth right Edges Mike Madsen left for the overall win at the 2019 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Flint MI Photo Credit: Enmotive |
Schneekloth had an off year in Indianapolis last year, just cracking the Top Ten in 4:46. At the Masters Indoor Championships this past February in Albuquerque, Schneekloth dropped down to 800M. He did not jump on the acceleration quickly enough on the last lap, finishing third in 2:09.26. Still, that kind of closing speed can be dangerous if the race should wind up being tactical. A third member of the M45 contingent, Adrian Masse HFC Striders, could also contend. He ran 4:42.00 to finish eighth at the USATF-NE Road Mile championships. Stephenson is probably the favorite but Anderson, Casket and Fiske are also likely to be close and could win in a mad dash for the tape!
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Brett Anderson Justin Fiske Jay Stephenson
AGE DIVISION RACES
MEN 40-44 As noted above in the Overall section, Anderson, Caskey, and Fiske are seen contending for the Overall win. They are all in the M40 division, so will contend here as well. Nicholas Kipruto Unaffiliated CO did not get a specific mention in the discussion of potential overall winners. Kipruto has been a very solid performer at the Army Ten Miler and has competed well at Masters National Cross Country Championships. He finished top twenty at Club Cross in Tacoma and top fifteen in Portland at Cross Nationals last year. Without any recent Mile or even 5K road times, it is hard to know how competitive he will be at the Mile. That leaves me with Anderson, Caskey, and Fiske as the top contenders for the M40 podium.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Brett Anderson Ean Caskey Justin Fiske
45-49 Massie, Schneekloth and Stephenson were all mentioned in the Overall discussion above. They appear to be the favorites for the M45 podium. With the caveat that I could not find any competitive marks for a plausible Jonathan Lee or David Thompson in Athlinks, there appear to be no other athletes in this division with a strong chance of breaking 5:00. That leaves me with Massie, Schneekloth, and Stephenson as my M45 podium favorites.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Adrian Massie Chuck Schneekloth Jay Stephenson
50-54 It looks like Lee Klarich Unaffiliated CA is the one to beat in 50-54. This past March, Klarich was first Masters athlete to finish at the Santa Cruz Mile in 4:46. Last September he won M50 at the Fifth Avenue Mile in 4:53. In 2024, when 49, Klarich won M45 at the USATF Masters Road Mile Championships in Danville CA. Ken Cooper is perhaps the only other runner in the division with a good shot at breaking 5 minutes. He ran 4:58 last July at the Hopkins Raspberry Mile in Minnesota. Two athletes who could contend, but do not have any recent Mile times I could find, are Steve Bell Atlanta Track Club and Rob Semelroth Unaffiliated IA. Bell finished fourth M50 at the 2024 5K Championships in Atlanta; his time was 18:10. Atlanta had a different course for the 2025 championships, had to adjust the new course slightly before the championships, and it was likely long. His 'actual' adjusted time was probably something like 17:10. Semelroth won the M50 division at last fall's Blazing 5K in 17:14. This March he won M50 at the Spring 4 Miler in Des Moines. Ryan Meyer Tree City Track Club could make some noise as well. In March of last year, he ran 16:51 at a St Pat's Day Race. But two months later, he clocked 18:57 t the Famous Idaho Potatoes 5K. It seems that was a one-off bad day. By July, his 4:59 enabled Meyer to finish 12th overall and first Masters at the Girls on The Run Mile in Boise ID. I will give Meyer the edge over Bell and Semelroth and suggest that Klarich, Cooper and Meyer are the three favorites.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Ken Cooper Lee Klarich Ryan Meyer
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| Start of the M40+ Race at the 2024 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Danville CA Photo Credit: Kristin Schleicher |
55-59 John McMahon, Jason Newport and Todd Straka are the favorites. McMahon finished 4th M55 last year at Indy in 5:05.46. Newport was fourth in M50 but two seconds behind McMahon with his 5:07.7. They9 are in the same division this year and should enjoy the duel within the division! Straka has not competed recently in the Road Mile. His 4:51.5 in the 2023 championships in Indy left him in second place behind Christian Cushing-Murray, who set the record, now surpassed last year. Straka's time was 4:51.5. At the Indoor Masters Champs in February this year, Straka finished second, behind AR Road Mile Record holder, Chuck Novak. Straka's time at the Mile High city was 5:05.1. DeWayne Gill ran 5:15 at the Pearl Street Mile in 2023, another mile high venue. That would have been closer to 5:00 at sea level. But it was two years ago; that typically makes a noticeable difference for M55 division athletes. For that reason I have left him out of my top three. But Gill will not be far back if any of those top three have an off day for any reason.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
John McMahon Jason Newport Todd Straka
60-64 The top returning athletes from last year's championships in this division are: Mark Zamek Twin Cities TC, 2nd in 5:13.93; Henry Hoffman Ann Arbor TC, 5th in 5:21.37; and Mike Nier Genesee Valley Harriers, 6th in 5:23.09 [all three are gun times]. Peter Bandettini Shadow Project TC, Lester Dragstedt Atlanta TC and John Van Danacker Twin Cities TC will also be in contention. In September 2024, Bandettini clocked 5:11.07 at the Frederick MD Market Street Mile, a point-to-point race. Dragstedt finished just three seconds behind Nier last year. He is always there, on or pressing for the podium. Van Danacker has not previously competed at the Road Mile championships. But he acquired a major feather in his cap this January when he won the 60+ race at Club Cross in Tallahassee! Last July he ran in the Hopkins Raspberry Mile in Minnesota, finishing second to his teammate, Zamek, in 5:22. Zamek's winning time was 5:16. The tricky thing about a list of favorites is that Zamek has been in rehab with an ankle and sometimes back difficulties for the last few months. As soon as it seems like he has made a big break-though, something comes crashing. One of his more recent posts concluded with the sentiment that things seem to be coming around well enough that a mile time somewhere between 5:16 and 5:30 seems possible. If at the low end of that range, Zamek should be on the podium and could win it. If at the higher end, perhaps just off the podium. My guess is that Zamek will be on the podium but it is far from certain. My best guess puts his teammate, Van Danacker, running with the confidence of a Club Cross winner, with Zamek on the podium. I will add Hofman, a very determined runner, moving up from 5th last year.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Henry Hofman John Van Danacker Mark Zamek
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| Start of the Men's Race at the 2018 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Flint MI Photo Credit: Carter Sherline |
65-69 This division was discussed in the records section. In a masters race filled with excellent matchups, this is one of the best. The current M65 World Indoor Mile Record holder and Fifth Avenue Mile M60 winner, Lee, goes up against the M65 Winner of the Fifth Avenue Mile, Ostenberg, and the winner of the M65 Indoor Masters Mile Championship this year, Westenberg. If this were a pure matchup with no complications, Lee would, necessarily, be the favorite. But the Mile race is at 6:55 pm on Tuesday, April 21 at 6:55 pm. The early waves of the Boston Marathon go off at 10 AM on Monday, September 20th. Lee is entered in both. He hopes to win his age division at Boston. The M60 winner in 2022 and 2023 with sub-2:50 times, a second in 2024 and a sixth, at age 64, in 2025, Lee is the favorite to win M65 this year. It is not like Lee is going to just go easy through the Marathon. The plan, as of now, is to do some preliminary recovering from the Marathon effort and then enplane for Iowa. I am sure Lee reserves the right to scratch from the GBM if the logistics or the recovery turn out to be more complicated than anticipated. Perhaps that is the most likely outcome. But, for now, I put Lee in with Ostenberg and Westenberg as co-favorites. Only an athlete who has run an Ultra Marathon across the Sahara Desert, breaks records from the Mile to the 50 Mile distance and runs almost everything in between would contemplate this attempt! Doug Keller Twin Cities TC finished second M65 last year in Indy with a 5:32.39 effort. Keller also ran 5:41 at the Hopkins Raspberry Mile in July las% year, finishing one second ahead of his teammate, Paul Brown Twin Cities TC. Keller and brown should be in contention, along with Tim Conheady Greater Philadelphia TC who finished second to Westenberg at the Indoor Masters Championships.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Rick Lee Kevin Ostenberg David Westenberg
70-74 As noted in the Records section, McBride could threaten the M70 record, currently 5:33. But it will be a tall order. Last summer, McBride ran 5:34.43, rounded to 5:35, at the Senior Games Mile. In April of last year he clocked 5:50 in winning M70 at the Grand Blue Mile. The 5:50 is probably the better predictor. James Linn Shore AC and his two teammates, Kevin Dollard, and Harold Leddy have something to ay about the outcome. Linn won last year, in a real battle with John Stolz Unaffiliated OR. Linn edged Stolz for the win by a tenth of a second in 5:46.02. Dollard did not run last year but in 2023, he finished just four seconds behind Linn. This past October, Dollard and Leddy both finished within five seconds of Linn at the 5K championships in Atlanta. Three others need to be considered: George Henahan Unaffiliated FL, Jack Pottle Boulder Road Runners and Joseph Reda Unaffiliated WI. The order of finish in this year's M70 Indoor Mile Championships was Pottle, 1st in 6:00.12, then Henahan in 6:06.61, with Stolz third in 6:13.46. Henehan also took thee M70 crown at the Fifth Avenue Mile last September in 5:59. That suggests that Pottle and Henehan might both be able to beat Linn. Where does Reda come in? Reda takes time away from USATF Masters National Championships. Whenever he has returned, he has run well. He on the M65 division in 2019 in Flint MI in 5:33. In 2024 he won the Masters Road Mile M70 Championship in Danville CA in 6:14. Neither was a fast Mile course. Athlinks has no more recent results than a 1:36 Half marathon in February 2025. Based on past experience, I expect Reda to be ready to compete for the win. It could go many ways; my best guess is that the podium favorites should be Linn, Pottle and Reda, not necessarily in that order.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
James Linn Jack Pottle Joseph Reda
75-79 Doug Bell Boulder Road Runners is the 'new kid' in town for M75. Bell finished fourth last year in Indy, running 6:24.31. His toughest competition should come from Jerry Learned Atlanta TC, Don Morrison Greater Philadelphia TC and Tim Wigger So Cal TC. Learned's 6:38.64 earned an M75 silver medal last year in Indy. Morrison did not race at Indy but in July, he clocked 6:53.1 in Harrisburg. My guess is that Morrison might have run faster then had he not contracted Lyme disease in the spring and lost some training time. Last October in Atlanta, Morrison came in a good minute ahead of Learned in the M75 5K Championships. Wigger's most recent Mile outcome was Indoors in February at the USATF Championships. He came from off the pace to pass learned in the home stretch, only to have Learned rally and claim the win with a lean at the tape. Fourteen seconds is a lot of real estate in a Mile. Bell comes in the favorite. Morrison should give him the closest competition. But Learned is a battler! He and Wigger should be close. I am sure Wigger will be counting on having a clear edge over Learned with 50 meters to go. I have to put Learned among the podium favorites; he edged Wigger at their last meeting.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Doug Bell Jerry Learned Don Morrison
80-84 As the Records section above indicates, this is one of the premier matchups of the evening. Yoou have the holder of the M80 American Road Mile Record, Rathjen, going up against the M80 World Indoor Mile Record holder, Patton, and the guy who beat Patton in the Mile at the Indoor Championships, Ostwald. Luckily there are only three of them so I can pick all three as podium favorites. It is a road mile, and a four-hour drive from Rathjen's Nebraska home. I think of Rathjen as the favorite. But he probably has to lose Patton and Ostwald and not let it come down to a final kick. That can be a tall order. Up until this year, it would have been a 4-hour drive for Patton, too. But he moved from Rock Rapids IA to Florida this year. It will be interesting to see Patton and Ostwald duke it out with both focusing just on the Mile. Ostwald got wins in the 3000M and Mile. Patton got the win in the 800M. And this time it is at 800' above sea level rather than 5000+. Ostwald has been running really well these days, dominating his division in races from the Mile up to the 10 Mile. Still, it is hard to imagine that Patton won't have the edge this time.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Gary Ostwald Gary Patton Lynn Rathjen
85-89 This one is easy. Roland Cormier Shore AC has the division to himself. Last year he had a rival; Cormier won in 9:14.67. He would likely be the favorite even if some rivals had entered!
Podium Favorite:
Roland Cormier
90-94 Believe it or not, there are two rivals entered in this division! Alan Poisner Heartland Racewalkers won M90 Gold in the Mile at the Senior Games in 11:52.97. Sid Davis ran a 54:38 5K at the Masters Championships in Atlanta last October, finishing third in M85. For comparison, Poisner ran a 42:40 5K last November. Poisner is the favorite for the win. Davis will be on the podium with him.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Sid Davis Alan Poisner
WOMEN 40-44 The Overall section above noted that Jessica Ponds and Kristen McPhee are contenders for the Overall win. That means they are, necessarily, contenders for the W40 Division win. But Lauren Hendrix RockR Racing is not far off. She finished ninth Overall last year in Indy, 2nd in W40. Her time was 5:34.38, only seven seconds slower than McPhee's time on the track in Chicago. Hendrix ran 1 19:00 and a 20:23 5K last fall. Those compare with a 19:17 that McPhee ran in an October Pumpkin chase last fall. All three are favored for the podium with a nod to Ponds as the favorite for the W40 win.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Lauren Hendrix Kristen McPhee Jessica Ponds
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| Start of Women's Race at the 2018 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Flint MI Photo Courtesy of Crim Festival of Races |
45-49 Duke and Hayden were mentioned in the Overall section as possible contenders for the overall win. They are among the podium favorites for the W45 division. Sara Conrad Mill City Running seems to spend more time running trail races and cross country skiing than running road races. But she ran 33:20 over 8K at Chicago's Shamrock Shuffle in March of last year. Equivalent roughly to a sub-21-minute 5K, that is enough to put her among the podium favorites.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Sara Conrad Susie Duke Dana Hayden
50-54 Laura Scholz Atlanta TC is the only entrant. I imagine her main focus is to finish as well as she can to score points for the Atlanta W40+ team. In the process, regardless of how fast or slow she runs, Scholz will pick up the W50 win when she crosses the finish line.
Podium Favorite:
Laura Scholz
55-59 See Overall section for comments on Bayly. She would have been the favorite for the W55 win but, unfortunately, cannot make it to this race. In her absence, Amy McMahon Checkers AC becomes the favorite; she finished 5th in W55 at Indy last year in 5:58.7. In September, McMahon added a fourth place W55 finish at the Fifth Avenue Mile to her resume. Her time was 5:54. McMahon's teammate, Jullie King should also land on the podium. Her 37:09 at the Running of the Green 5 Mile race last month suggests she can run a sub-23-minute 5K. Katharine Serrano Atlanta TC ran 23:17 at the Fast Pace 5K in October 2024. Cassandra Crane Genesee Valley Harriers could also threaten for the podium. Crane ran a 33:48 four-Mile at the Masters Championships in Peoria last June to finish 3rd in W55. That time equates to a 23:52 5K.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Julie King Amy McMahon Katharine Serrano
W60 As noted in the Records section, Rohl is likely to take down the American W60 record for the Road Mile and could win overall. She is a strong favorite in W60! Michelle Allen Atlanta TC, Lauren Leslie Liberty AC, and Linda Ostenberg Aggie Running Club should fight it out for the remaining two spots on the podium. Allen finished 5th W60 at the Mile Championships in Indy last year, clocking 6:25.34. I do not find a recent Mile time for Leslie but she ran a nifty 21:52 5K on Cape Cod last summer. Ostenberg finished just off the W60 podium at last fall's Fifth Avenue Mile in a time of 6:20. At Carlsbad earlier this month, Ostenberg finished third at Carlsbad in 21:07. It looks pretty tight between Allen and Ostenberg; times at the Fifth Avenue Mile appear to be a few seconds faster than at Indy (because Fifth Ave is a straight shot, record ineligible course). Leslie will be right there if anyone is unable to turn in their best performance.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Michelle Allen Linda Ostenberg Michelle R/ohl
65-69 Nancy Simmons Impala Racing, who won last year in Indy, setting a new 65 Record of 5:56.8, returns to defend her Championship title. Lesley Hinz, who finished second last year in 6:13.55, will give chase again. Hinz won the W65 Mile at the recent Indoor Championships with a 'Mile High' 6:59. After those two, Julie Hayden Greater Philadelphia TC and Deb Torneden Unaffiliated appear to be pretty evenly matched. Hayden turned in a 6:10.03 at the Loudoun Street Mile in Virginia last year. She ran 22:53 in the Lucky Leprechaun 5K this March. Torneden won the Manhattan KS Ad Astra Running Irish Mile this March in 6:31. Last fall Torneden ran a 22:51 5K. Their 5K times suggest they are closely matched. Hayden may have the edge at the shorter distance. Their Mile times were both on straight shot courses. I will add Hayden to the list of podium favorites on that basis, and let them settle it on the roads of Des Moines.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Julie Hayden Lesley Hinz Nancy Simmons
70-74 Elizabeth 'Liz" Schad won the W70 division of the 2025 Philadelphia Marathon's 8K in 33:05, an average of 6:39 per mile. She also took the W70 win in the 5K at the Wineglass Marathon last October in 23:06, averaging over 7 minutes a mile. The 5K time is age grade equivalent to a 6:58 Mile; the 8K time has a 6:08 equivalency. That makes her a substantial favorite to take the W70 Division in Des Moines. At the 2025 Indoor Championships in Florida, Tracey Bernett ran 6:32 and finished 6th in the W65 1500M. That is roughly equivalent to a 7:08 Mile. This year, with the Championships in Albuquerque, Bernett ran 7:41 to finish first in the W70 Mile. Bernett is the favorite for second place. Teammates, Cynthia Lucking Atlanta TC and Terry Ozell should battle for the other podium spot.
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| Cindy Lucking Winds it Up as She heads for the finish and the W65 Win at the 2018 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Flint MI Photo Credit: Carter Sherline |
Lucking ran 8:45.73 to finish 5th W70 last year in Indy. Ozell did not race in Indy last year. But, in May, Ozell clocked 8:17 at the Grand Prix Mile in Atlanta. Earlier, in February, at the 2025 Indoor Championships in Florida, Ozell finished 3rd W70 at 7:45.3. That time is roughly equivalent to an 8:27 Mile. These projections presume that Lucking is largely recovered from last year's stress fracture. At the Half Marathon championships in Spicewood TX last year, Lucking competed with a strict run/walk regime dictated by her Physical Therapist. Either way, Ozell has the edge, on paper. Based on that, I add Ozell's name to the list of podium favorites. But she and Lucking could have quite the duel!
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Tracey Bernett Terry Ozell Elizabeth Schad
75-79 Sabra Harvey Team Red Lizard was the Masters LDR Athlete of the Year in 2027. She competes less frequently now and with more modest objectives. But Harvey is still very fast! A couple of months ago, Harvey sped to the W75 win in the Mile at the Indoor Championships with a 7:25.20. No one else is close to that on paper. Barbara Sauer Checkers AC, though not as speedy as Harvey, is a very accomplished runner. She won the W75 division at the 2024 Masters 5K Championships in 32:05. I cannot find a recent Mile race for Sauer but she clocked 34:29 in the Firestone 5K this February in Florida. Andrea McCarter Atlanta TC was second W75 in the Mile at the recent Indoor Masters Championships, clocking 11:15. She ran 37:31 at the Hawks Fast Break 5K in March 2025.
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| Andrea McCarter Heading for the Finish Line and her W75 Silver Medal at the 2023 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Indianapolis Photo posted by Beyond Monumental on their Facebook page: |
It seems likely that Harvey, Sauer and McCarter will go 1-2-3 in that order,
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Sabra Harvey Andrea McCarter Barbara Sauer
80-84 Catherine Radle Atlanta TC and her teammate, Susan Hartman have the Women's 80+ team title in their sites. They have no opposition in their individual 80-84 division. The faster of the two will take the win. That appears likely to be Radle. Radle finished 2nd W80 at Indy last June, in11:11:14, with Hartman six minutes back in second.
Podium Favorites in Alphabetical Order:
Susan Hartman Catherine Radle
85-89 Joyce Hodges-Hite will be the anchor of the W80+ Atlanta team. Going for her third consecutive Masters National W85 Grand Prix Championship, Hodges-Hite is going for her second win of the season, unopposed, as is often the case. Hodges-Hite won in Indy last year with a 16:42 effort. The remarkable Hodges-Hite just keeps rolling.
Podium Favorite:
Joyce Hodges-Hite
AGE GRADING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Age Grading produces a score called the Performance level Percentage, PLP, that is an indicator of how each athlete has run relative to the best possible time for that athlete's single year of age. For example, for the Mile run, a female athlete age 47 who runs 5:45 scores a PLP of 74.75. But if a female athlete age 64 ran the same 5:45 time, she would receive a score of 86.32; she is running, in some sense, 86.32% as fast as the best possible for her age. The calculations are based on data on the best times recorded internationally. Someone can, for example, set an American Record and receive a score less than 100%. The Masters LDR Committee awards medals to the athletes receiving the highest three PLP scores, for each sex. NOTE: The developers of the Age Grading tables found out last year that the tables for the Mile were too generous and not linked into the structure of other age divisions well enough. Since then, the tables for the Road Mile have been recalibrated. Scores for the Mile will be lower this year.
WOMEN The top three Age-Grading athletes from last year who are competing this year are: Michelle Rohl, Nancy Simmons, and Lesley Hinz, at 100.71, 94.20, and 92.34. NOTE: The times for last year's winners, using this year's tables, would generate scores of 91.95, 84.24, and 81.94. Liz Schad, W70, and Sabra Harvey, W75, could also find their way onto the women's age grading podium. If Schad should run 6:24, matching the W70 AR, her PLP would be 82.16. If Harvey could run closer to 7:00 flat than her time at Mile High Albuquerque, Harvey could land on the Age Grading podium. Those should be the main contenders. It seems likely Rohl will secure the top PLP.
MEN The Top Three Age-Grading athletes from last year at Indy, who are competing this year are: Gary Ostwald, James Linn, and Mark Zamek. The Men's scores were the alarm bell that the tables were off. They finished first, fifth, and eighth last year, scoring 104.01, 96.56, and 94.12, substantially higher than their typical scores at other distances. Using this year's tables on last year's times would render PLP's: 96.34, 93.46, and 93.32. Who else might contend? If Justin Fiske, 40, could run 4:24, his score would be 92.23. If Ostenberg or Lee, both 65, could run 5:10, they would score a PLP over 94. If Westenberg, 68, would run 5:20, he would score 96.59. If McBride, 70, can run 5:40, his PLP would be 92.79. Patton and Rathjen join Ostwald in the division that could have the three highest PLP's. Ostwald and Patton, both 80, if they run 6:25, their PLP's would be 97.77. Rathjen, 81, would score 100.34% for the same time. Those should be the main contenders. Ostwald is on his game. Earlier this month, he broke the M80 5K record at Carlsbad. He may well earn the top age grade score again.
TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
It is always difficult to project team outcomes because final declarations are not due until the end of packet pickup. WOMEN My best guess is that Atlanta will field a W40+ team of Novak, Scholz and Serrano and that they will be unopposed. Checkers AC will field a W50+ team of King, McMahon and White. They will also be unopposed, In W60+, it could be Atlanta with Allen, Hinz, Lucking and Ozell vs. a Liberty AC team of Bok, Lesley, McNulty and Copley. That contest could go either way. If Atlanta chooses to keep Lucking and Ozell in W70+, along with McCarter, they would be unopposed. Atlanta has Hartman, Radle and Hodges-Hite in W80+, also unopposed.
MEN Garden State TC will field a team in M40+ of Sullivan, J Lee, and Schneekloth. They win unopposed. In M50+ it looks like Boulder vs. Atlanta vs. Checkers. Boulder has: Bennett, Gill and Straka. Atlanta counters with Bell, Hawkins, Slavens and Strickland. Checkers has Silliman, Ciliberto and McMahon. Shore also could field a team if they move Blaser, Hanlon or Linnell down from M65 to join Rinaldi and Siriano, as they did last year, with Blaser. My guess is they will move those folks down so they are all on a team that scores decent points. Boulder, Checkers and Atlanta will slug it out for the win. In M60+, Twin Cities RC brings another strong team that will likely take the win: Keller, Van Danacker and Zamek. They can also field a 'B' team and add one more to the three mentioned for a 4-athlete 'A' team. The others are: Kessler, Larranaga, Moulsoff, Brown and Langhout. It does not appear that Boulder has enough athletes registered to field an M60+ team. Perhaps Borthwick and Feerst will drop down to augment the M50+ team. GVH will contend with Flanders, Mora and Nier. Mora could not make it last year when GVH finished third. He will lower their time by a good chunk!
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| Dale Flanders heading for the finish and team Bronze at the 2025 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Indianapolis Photo Credit: Jake Rytlewski |
Ann Arbor, (with Hofman, Sak, and Freeman) and Atlanta (with Dragstedt, Matherne and Hannan) bring solid teams but likely do not have the top end firepower to compete with TCRC and GVH. They will battle for third and fourth.
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| Casey Hannan helping his team to valuable 4th Place Grand Prix points at the 2025 USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships in Indianapolis Photo Credit: Jake Rytlewski |
In M70+, Boulder and Shore will fight for the win. Boulder has Chesnut, Pottle, Bell, and Ostwald. They won in Indy last year. But last year, Shore lacked a third M70+ runner so dropped their two M70+ runners to run in M60+. It seems likely Shore will keep Dollard, Leddy and Linn together in M70+, as they did at the 5K in Atlanta last October. If so, Shore is probably the favorite over Boulder for the win. It should be a terrific duel! Atlanta will have Lucking, Learned, Joyce, Ozell and Taylor. They are probably outgunned for 1st and 2nd but have a solid team that will get third and the 80 GP points.
That is how it looks to me at this time, Sunday evening, January 19th. It may be a while before the recap gets posted. With the 10K Championships in Dedham on Sunday, April 26th, I will be working on that preview before getting to the recap of the Mile.
Sources: USATF Events website and the Masters National Grand Prix webpage, my archives, Athlinks, Strava, Facebook, World Masters Athletics, and relevant race websites.
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