Top Masters Athletes Primed for Fast Four Miler in Peoria

 June 12, 2025. The Steamboat Classic, celebrating more than 50 years of races, hosts the USATF Open and Masters 4 Mile Championships this Saturday, June 14th. Light rain showers are expected to stop before the 7:13 AM race time; temperatures in the upper 60’s, with little wind, should make for fast times. Those sensitive to humidity may need to adjust. The relative humidity should be high, but the dewpoint is expected to stay under 70. The course, located in downtown Peoria Illinois, is flat and fast! 

Note: It appears that the 4 Mile distance is not record-eligible. So even though the course would be record eligible if USATF tracked the 4 Mile, no records will be set. Lots of personal bests will, no doubt, be achieved.

OVERALL MEN Five athletes are likely to be at the front. David Angell won a 45-49 10K Gold Medal at the World Masters Championships in March in 33:31. He finished third overall among those defined by USATF as Masters athletes. A month later, Angell ran twenty-eight seconds faster to finish fifth overall in the Masters 10K Championships, hosted by the James Joyce Ramble in Dedham MA. 

David Angell on the Final Turn on His way to the Overall Win at the 2019 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships in Atlanta GA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Dickson Mercer finished nine seconds ahead of Angell at the Masters 10K championships in April, in 32:54. With a recent 15:52 5000M effort on the track, Mercer may be primed for his first Masters overall win. 

Dickson Mercer On His way to a 5th place finish overall at the 2024 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships Photo Credit: Michael Scott

But he will need all of his experience at Masters National Championships to stay ahead of Taylor Smith. Smith ripped off a 33:12 at the Bolder Boulder 10K a couple of weeks ago, an impressive time on that course at 5400' elevation. Added credentials include a 16:01 5K last July (also at altitude) and a 2:35:06 Marathon at the California International Marathon Note: CIM is a point-to-point race known for fast times as it falls by over 90 meters.  Robert Duncan and Brian Valentini could also factor in the podium race. If the Duncan who is entered is the Robert Duncan from Plainfield Illinois that I found in Athlinks, he ran a 16:33 at the Packers 5K last July in Wisconsin and a 34:05 10K this March. Valentini has very similar credentials. He ran 16:37 to finish on the M40 podium at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5K in the Twin Cities this May. That was after running 34:00 at the Get It in Gear 10K in April. I would give Mercer the edge due to experience and being at the top of his game, then Smith, then Angell.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

David Angell     Dickson Mercer     Taylor Smith

WOMEN Note: Jessica Hruska, now in 45-49, whose 18:12 won the Masters 5 Km Championships, overall, three years ago, is the favorite among the Women. That year she also finished third in the 10K Masters Championships in 37:15 and, in December, finished fourth at the highly competitive Club Cross Country Championships in San Francisco. 

Jessica Hruska wins the Overall Title at the 2022 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club Photo Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Track Club 

Hruska has competed more sparingly at Masters National Championships in the years since 2022. Recent outings include a 30:55 8K at the 2024 Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago (finishing top ten in W40) and a 19:19 5K at the Indy Mini Marathon this May. Abby Dean and Kara Parker will challenge. Dean, in 50-54, finished fourth in the 2023 Masters 10 Km Championships in 38:17. 

Abby Dean finishing fourth Overall at the 2022 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club Photo Credit: Courtesy of Atlanta Track Club 

Since that time, Dean has had to work back from a couple of injuries. Her best recent road 10K effort was at the WMA Indoor Championships in late March, where she ran 39:55 to finish as 2nd American. Two weeks before, Dean clocked a 19:05 at the Haddonfield Adrenaline 5K. Dean stumbled a bit at the 10K Championships in late April but rebounded in mid-May with a sparkling 5:34.31 time at the Memorial Main Street Mile. It is even more amazing that the third contender, Parker, is now in 55-59. But Fiona Bayly has made the podium at national championships out of that division so why not Parker? She ran 19:28 at the Brian Kraft Memorial 5K in the Twin Cities last month and has staying power as well. Parker clocked 1:05:36 in the Ten Miler at the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon last October. She finished fifth Masters overall in that race which always attracts a strong field. Based on recent 5K times, it appears to be a toss-up. But let's go with Hruska-Dean-Parker as a likely finishing order. 

Note: Another entrant who might be able to stay with Hruska is Jeanette Ingham. Ingham owns an unusual set of marathon results if the athlete I found in Athlinks, from Texas, who is the right age, is the Ingham in question. In 2021 the Boston Marathon offered a virtual option as we were just coming out of Covid. Ingham entered and was credited with a 2:47. The time is listed by the BAA with no added information. That is not so surprising. But all other Athlinks result I find are also virtual. The most recent is a 2:32 virtual marathon credited this spring by a small marathon relay outfit in Kentucky. If Ingham can run an actual 2:32 Marathon, she is fit enough to win. Ingham's results in the Athletes section of Athlinks are private. None of this makes sense, though, and the Ingham entered is running for Atlanta. So, the Ingham entered may be entirely different from the Ingham with the virtual marathon results.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Abby Dean    Jessica Hruska     Kara Parker

AGE GRADING. The Age Grading score, the Performance Level Percentage PLP identifies the best performance adjusted for age, the higher the PLP the better. In terms of Age Grading medals awarded, 90% is gold; 85% silver; and 80% bronze.

WOMEN Nora Cary is the favorite. She is USATF’s 2024 Masters Athlete of the Year and the current holder of 70-74 records from the 5K to the 10 Mile. Cary regularly grades in the high 90's! 

Nora Cary closes out another spectacular W65 Win at the age of 69 at the 2024 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships hosted by the James Joyce Ramble in Dedham MA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Patrice Combs, fourth in Age Grading at the 10K Championships, in the low 90's, is likely to make the podium here. 

Patrice Combs making the final turn on her way to a W60 Win and a Fourth place Age Grade Finish at the 2019 USATF Masters 5 Km Championships hosted by the Atlanta Track Club Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Abby Dean and Kara Parker will make her earn it. Dean's Adrenaline 5K time grades in the upper 80's and Parker's Kraft 5K is a couple of percentage points higher. Let us go with Cary-Combs-Parker for the age grade podium order.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Nora Cary    Patrice Combs     Kara Parker

MEN Frank Zoldak, out of Boulder CO, who took top age grading honors at Club Cross in both 2023, in Tallahassee, and 2025, in San Francisco, will try to add a road title to his collection. 

Frank Zodak on his way to an Age Grade win in addition to 50-54 at the 2023 USATF Club Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Zoldak is no slouch on the roads; his 35:47 at the 2024 Bolder Boulder 10K graded in the upper 80's and that was at altitude. Dan King won the M65 Fifth Avenue Mile last year. Despite the very active record-breaking in the 60's division, King still holds the Outdoor Track record at the Mile in 4:51.45. He is also the reigning M65 Club Cross Country Champion and had the second highest PLP in the M60+ race. 

Dan King closing in on a Dominant Victory Overall in the M60+ 8 Km Race at the 2021 USATF Club Cross Country Championships hosted at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

His 17:33 at the Boulder Thanksgiving Day 5K last fall, earned a PLP in the mid-90's.   Like Zoldak, he trains in Boulder at altitude. Roger Sayre, a third athlete training out of Boulder CO is the M65 record holder at 25K. But he also is strong at shorter races, winning the M65 title at the recent 10K Championships in 38:17. That graded in the low 90's, good enough for an Age Grade podium finish. 

Roger Sayre on his way to a Dominant M65 W and the Age Grading Silver Medal at the 2024 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships hosted by the Indy Half Marathon at Fort Ben in Indianapolis IN Photo Credit: Pam Fales

Mark Zamek, who trains in the Twin Cities these days, finished second M60 at the 2024 10K Championships in 36:08. 

Mark Zamek On His Way to a Top Five Age Grade Finish at the 2023 USATF Club Cross Country Championships hosted at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

This past March he won the M60 gold medal at the WMA Championships in Gainesville FL in 36:14. Age 61 at the time, both of those also graded in the low 90's. The crystal ball is a little murky. All four appear to be at or near the top of their game right now. Let's go with a likely order of King-Zoldak-Sayre, with Zamek very capable of messing up that predicted order.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Dan King    Roger Sayre     Frank Zoldak 

AGE DIVISION. MEN 40-44 All of the athletes discussed in the analysis of the Overall Championship, except Angell are in this division. If Mercer and Smith are to finish 1-2 overall, they will also finish 1-2 in this division. To round out the podium, I need to choose between Duncan and Valentini. Their recent efforts at 5K and 10K are within a few seconds of each other so it really is a toss-up. As 5K is closer, in distance to a 4 Mile Run, I will go with Duncan who had the slightly faster 5K time at 16:33. It will be up to Valentini to prove the prediction wrong!

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Brian Duncan    Dickson Mercer     Taylor Smith

45-49 Angell, picked for the Overall podium, is the favorite to take the M45 title as well. Matthew Di Pretore has the edge over Richard Jennings. Di Pretore finished 10th in this division at the 2024 10K Championships in 35:18. His most recent relevant race is his 17:05 5K at the Buffalo Marathon in May. A Richard Jennings finished mid-pack, finishing 34th of 50 in the M45 division at the 2021 Club Cross Championships, running for Cal Coast. If Jennings wound up in Texas a couple of years later, and registered as Rick, not Richard, Jennings, then he ran a 17:34 at the Buffalo Stampede. If that is our athlete, he could push Di Pretore. If not, there is no reason to think Di Pretore will have any trouble claiming the silver medal. The likely order is Angell-Di Pretore-Jennings. 

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

David Angell    Matthew Di Pretore     Richard Jennings

50-54 Robb Awe won the Masters Half Marathon M50 championships last fall. His 1:20:45 was achieved over a challenging course in his hometown of Indianapolis. His 5:09, in June 2024, took second in M50 at the Masters 1 Mile Road Championships. In November he ran 17:00 flat at the Bolt for the Heart 5K. 

Robb Awe Making a Turn on the Way to a Strong M50 Win at the 2024 USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships hosted by the Indy Half Marathon at Fort Ben in Indianapolis IN Photo Credit: Pam Fales  

Alan Black will give Awe a good challenge. Running for the Atlanta Track Club, Black won the 2018 Masters 1 Mile Overall Championships and finished ninth overall at the 5K Championships. This spring he has been rounding back into shape; in April he ran 17:48 at the Athens Twilight 5K. Jason Newport looks solid for third. In February 2024, Newport finished 11th in this division at the Masters 5K Championships in 18:31. Last November he clocked 17:58 at the Jingle Jog 5K. The most likely finishing order is Awe-Black-Newport.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Robb Awe    Alan Black     Jason Newport

55-59 This division just became a little less interesting. Gregory Putnam is a scratch due to a knee flare up. Christopher Harris and Putnam went 1-2 M55 at Dedham in April, with just five seconds between them. There is still plenty of interest. Zoldak, mentioned in Age Grading above, is also in this division. Harris's 35:20 at the 10K Championships suggests he has the fitness to run in the mid-22-minute range for a 4 Miler. Harris's 17:06 at the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships reinforces that notion. 

Christopher Harris heading for an M50 Podium Finish at the Warm USATF 2023 Masters 5 Km Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Zoldak, as noted, in addition to his Cross Country wins, ran 35:47 at the 2024 Bolder Boulder 10K. That suggests they are pretty close. Zoldak's slightly slower time is at higher elevation, but also a year older. And there are other contenders as well. John McMahon finished a minute behind Harris at the WMA Cross Country Championships over 8K in March. He clocked 28:12 at the Running of the Green 5 Miler in March 2024, a time comparable to Harris's 35:20 10K. Michael Mallon finished second at the Masters 10 Mile Championships last August over the challenging Crim racecourse in Flint MI. His 59:33 suggests he should be in the mix with Harris, Zoldak and McMahon. For now, I will give the edge to Harris who is the closest thing we have to a reigning M55 4 Mile Champion. After Harris, I will go with Zoldak and then McMahon, leaving Mallon to prove the predicted podium wrong!

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Christopher Harris    John McMahon     Frank Zoldak

60-64 Douglas Baldwin finished 15 seconds ahead of Mark Zamek at Club Cross last December. 

Douglas Baldwin leading a pack of top M60's Runners on his way to a Top Five M60 Finish at the 2024 USATF Club Cross Country Championships hosted by Club Northwest in Tacoma WA Photo Credit: Michael Scott 

This April, Baldwin demonstrated his range by taking 4th M60 at the Boston Marathon in 2:50:47. Zamek was top American at the WMA Indoors Cross Country championships, claiming the silver medal. But Baldwin was not there. That was Cross Country which does not always map in the same order to road races.  At the 2024 Masters 10 Km Championships, Zamek finished second in 36:08. At the WMA Championships this March in Gainesville FL, Zamek took gold in the 10K Road Race in 36:14. A couple of weeks ago, Zamek ran 17:53 at the Brian Kraft 5K. Zamek trains on the edge between glory and injury. Zamek appears to have recovered from his latest injury. Though not as fit as he would like, Zamek will be formidable. Lester Dragstedt, Joe Mora are the favorites for the final podium spot. Dragstedt's most recent national outing was the Masters 10K Championships, where he finished 5th M60 in 38:12. In 2024 he won M60 at the Masters 5K Championships in Atlanta with a sterling 18:19. Mora is a middle-distance runner on the track first and a long-distance runner on the roads second. In 2023, Mora clocked 5:13.4 to finish third at the Masters 1 Mile road Championships. That kind of speed means that Mora is dangerous. If he is in the mix close to the end, he could win it all. That he could run a 30:37 Five Miler last November at the Liverpool Turkey Trot suggests Mora has decent staying power up through and beyond the 4 Mile distance. Mora has also recently beaten Dragstedt on the cross country turf, finishing 26 seconds ahead of him at Club Cross in Tacoma last December. This is a packed field. Others who could work their way onto the podium include David Black, Dale Flanders, Mike Nier, and Brendan Sullivan. Black finished behind Dragstedt at the 10K championships, but ahead of Flanders. The claim for Flanders relies on his performance last September at the 12 km Championships where he came in a minute ahead of Dragstedt. Nier finished two seconds ahead of Black at the 10K championships and ran a 32:38 Five Miler at the Running of the Green race this March. And it is worth noting that at the 2023 1 Mile road championships in Indianapolis, Nier, in the 55-59 age division then, ran ten seconds faster than Mora. This is way too tough to call. But I will go with Zamek for the win, followed by his teammate, Baldwin, and then Mora edging Dragstedt for third.

 Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Douglas Baldwin    Joseph Mora     Mark Zamek

65-69 As noted in the Age Grading section above, King is very strong. King strained a calf muscle on the way into this race. But his ability to rehab such strains is second to none. He feels that although it is not perfect, the calf should not be a factor. That is good news for King and bad news for the rest of the field. King's winning 5:09 in M65 at the Fifth Avenue Mile last fall along with his subsequent 17:33 at the Boulder Turkey Trot 5K suggests King can break 23 minutes in the 4 Mile without really pushing. And that should be fast enough to take the win in this division. Of course, if King wants to be competitive in age grading, he may have to push a bit harder than that. Unless something goes wrong for King, Doug Keller and Roger Sayre should battle for 2nd and 3rd, with Sayre having the edge. Keller finished third at Club Cross in Tacoma (in the absence of Sayre) finishing well behind King. On the roads, Keller ran a 31:09 8K in April and ran 18:44 at the Brian Kraft 5K in the Twin Cities this May. Sayre, as noted above is the 25K Record holder for 65-69. So he is very strong. But he also has good speed. Sayre is coming off a 10K win at the Masters 10 Km Championships in 38:17. Last summer he ran 18:45 at the Cookie Chase 5K at altitude. Two other strong runners, John Blaser and Norm Larson should duke it out for 4th and 5th. Larson finished 7th this April at the Masters 10K in 41:02. Blaser finished 4th at the 2024 Masters 10 K Championships but his time was 44 seconds slower than Larson's. Blaser has run a 21:26 and a 22:25 5K this May. Larson ran 20:54 at the Paddy's 5K this March. I will go with King-Sayre-Keller as the most likely order of finish but Larson and Blaser will make them work for it!

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Douglas Keller    Dan King     Roger Sayre

70-74 Two weeks ago, the favorite going into this race would have been Rick Becker, who won this division at Club Cross and won the M70 10K Road Race at the end of March in 40:39. But he suffered a bike crash giving him a shoulder injury that prevented any kind of training. All his rivals wish him well and would prefer to have him in Peoria competing. But they will carry on! Jim Linn is the favorite. Linn finished second to John Barbour at the 10K Championships. Battles between Barbour and Becker on the turf when both are healthy have been legendary. Barbour's time at Dedham was 21 seconds faster than Becker's. We are looking forward to their next matchup which might not be until Club Cross next January in Tallahassee. With the exception of Becker, all of the entrants here also competed at Dedham. Linn came in at 41:56, half a minute ahead of Jack Pottle. 

Jim Linn blue singlet Wins the M70 Division By Over Two Minutes at the 2023 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships hosted by USATF-NJ at their By Hook or By Crook Run Photo Credit: Jason Timochko

A minute later, Scott Lucking, Denny Kurtis, and Reno Stirrat finished within a half-minute of one another, in that order. Linn also owns wins over Pottle at Tacoma and Boulder on the turf. And Linn won this division at the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships, clocking a nifty 19:53! Linn will be tough to beat over a 4 Mile course! Pottle has been pushing Linn whenever they meet. Will this be the race where Pottle is able to turn the tables? Lucking, Kurtis and Stirrat will be right on their heels! And Doug Bell could factor in as well. He had an off day at Dedham, finishing a good minute behind Stirrat. But at the 2024 5 km Championships in Atlanta, Bell finished fourth, twenty-seven seconds ahead of Kurtis. Bell cannot be ignored! The most likely order of finish in this highly competitive field is Linn-Pottle-Lucking, but many other permutations are possible!

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

James Linn    Scott Lucking     Jack Pottle

75-79 Gary Ostwald is a strong favorite in this division. Although he did not compete at the Masters 10 Km Championships this year, he finished second in this division at the 2024 championships behind Gene Dykes. Dykes is currently out of commission with a serious knee injury. Ostwald also won the division at the Tacoma Club Cross Country Championships last December. 

Gary Ostwald on the way to an M75 Silver Medal at the 2024 USATF Masters 10 Km Championships hosted by the James Joyce Ramble in Dedham MA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

At the beginning of the year, I anticipated that Don Morrison, aging up from the 70-74 division, would likely be at the front of the pack. But Morrison started the year with a Cross Country skiing accident that kept him out of commission for a few weeks. By the 10K Championships at Dedham, Morrison was starting to get back to his old self, finishing second, a minute ahead of Jerry Learned. But then, a couple of weeks ago a post on Facebook noted that he had been hospitalized for an illness that was not, at the time, clearly diagnosed, but may have been tick-related. Whether that has hampered his training significantly or not, is anyone's guess. A Facebook posting earlier this week indicates he is feeling better but not fully recovered. Learned, as noted, appears to be on his game. For the last couple of years, since putting a health problem behind him, Learned has been a regular on the podium in this division. As noted, he finished third in Dedham over 10K, finishing a minute astern of Morrison in 47:44. Learned finished third at the 2024 5K Championships in 23:35. Last November he ran a 24:23 5K at the Invesco Half Marathon. Allen Joyce and your author, Paul Carlin have been well back from Learned in recent months. They have been back and forth over the past year. I had the edge in the 2024 Grand Prix year, coming in ahead of Joyce at Clubs in Tallahassee, the 5K in Atlanta, and at the 12 Km in New Jersey. But Joyce had the edge at the WMA Championships in Gainesville this March, finishing a minute ahead of me in the 10K Road Race. It is hard to know what to do with Morrison in terms of this preview. He might not show up if his health is not 100%. On the other hand, it may be that he has been feeling well enough to train and will show up but not be fully competitive. I will guess the latter and choose a likely order of Ostwald-Learned-Morrison. If Morrison cannot compete, I would have to put Joyce on the predicted podium as he has the most recent edge. Late breaking news--Morrison does have a form of lyme disease and is a scratch from this 4-mile championship and the one-mile championship on the 21st.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Allen Joyce     Jerry Learned     Gary Ostwald

80-84 Richard Kutzner returns to the fray after an absence of a few years from the national championships. He last competed at the 2018 Masters 5 Km Championnships; he finished third in 75-79 with a 24:06. Przemyslaw 'Przemek' Nowicki was competing in those same championships in the 70-74 division, finishing 7th in 22:41. But that was seven years ago. Kutzner has run well recently, focusing mostly on longer distances. He clocked 1:57:33 at the Rock n Roll San Antonio Half Marathon and 1:31:54 at the Capital Pursuit 10Miler in Iowa. Last summer he turned in a 1:04:10 at the challenging Quad City Bix 7 Miler. Were this race longer, Kutzner would be favored over Nowicki. At 4 Miles, however, things move in Nowicki's favor. After overcoming some health problems last year, Nowicki is enjoying a return to good health and fitness. Last fall he ran 53:55 at the Giralda Farms 10K and this April ran 54:45 at the Cherry Blossom 10K in New Jersey. Nowicki finished second at the 10K Championships in Dedham in late April. He noted after the race that he had strained a glute muscle from running the day before and that he hoped it would heal fully before the June races. Nowicki is the favorite, but Kutzner is a close second. Teammates Ed Bligh and Morris Williams will compete for the final podium spot. Bligh ran 28:31 at the 2024 5K championships, finishing second in this division. Williams did not compete that year. In 2023, Williams ran 29:58 on a slightly different course. Bligh clocked 1:02:38 at the Members 10K in Georgia this April. The most recent 10K I know of for Williams was when he ran 1:05:40 at the 10K national championships. Based on that, I will give the edge to Bligh. That gives me a likely finishing order of Nowicki-Kutzner-Bligh.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Ed Bligh    Richard Kutzner     Przemek Nowicki

85-89 Roland Cormier competes unchallenged in this division. He had a challenger at the 10 km Masters Championships. Cormier won in 1:34:23. But I understand he used the first part of his race for a warmup. He is likely to run better at Peoria although he will not need to.

Podium: Roland Cormier

WOMEN: 40-44 NO ENTRIES

45-49 Hruska, favored for the Overall win, is expected to win this division as well. Unless Ingham, mentioned in the note in the Overall section is, in fact, a 2:32 marathoner, Hruska should not be challenged. Alicia Eno competes at national championships in track and cross country and occasionally on the roads. She finished fourth in this division at the 5 Km Championships in Boulder last year and 6th the year previously in Boca Raton. 

Alicia Eno leads Brenda Osovski GVH into the Finish at the 2023 USATF Masters 5 Km Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Eno finished 11th in 2024 at the 1 Mile Road Championships on a technical course in Danville CA, clocking 6:56.6. At the Masters 10 Mile championships over a challenging Crim course in Flint MI, Eno finished fourth in 1:16:34. Eno ran a 1:47:21 Half Marathon in Florida in December. Her most recent outing appears to be a June 7th 53:58 10K in Michigan. That is much slower than her usual efforts. If that was unusual for some reason, then Eno looks good for second. If it is a sign of a fitness problem, then Vanessa Lordi could well move up. Lordi ran a 24:05 5K at the Kaiser Permanente Half Marathon in February and clocked 24:43 at Carlsbad in April. Laura Scholz, who clocked 51:06 at the Members 10K in February in Atlanta, could also move up if Eno is off her best. I am going to guess that Eno's last outing was not indicative of her current fitness and leave the most likely order of finish as Hruska-Eno-Lordi. I am leaving Ingham out of the top three without more information.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Alicia Eno     Jessica Hruska     Vanessa Lordi

50-54 Abby Dean would be highly competitive no matter who else entered. As it turns out, Dean, who is mentioned in terms of the prospective overall podium above, is the only entrant in this division.

Likely Podium:

Abby Dean

55-59 The first two seem pretty clear cut. Parker, mentioned as an overall Championship contender, should take the win. Her recent outings suggest a time near 25 minutes should be possible over 4 miles. Amy McMahon will not be far back though. McMahon has not competed at a national road championship since the 2022 Masters 1 Mile Championships in Rochester NY. There she finished 4th in 50-54 in 5:42. She also finished fourth in this division at the Club Cross Championships in Tacoma last December. Her most recent outings include a 1:12:06 at the Mountain Goat 10 Miler in May. McMahon is likely to be well under 28 minutes, and perhaps under 27, in Peoria. Teammates, Cassandra Crane and Brenda Osovski will vie for the final podium spot. They often compete at the same national championships with Osovski typically finishing a bit ahead of Crane. At the 10K Championships in April they were close, with Osovski's 48:46 giving her seventh place, just 14 seconds ahead of Crane. The likely order of finish is Parker-McMahon-Osovski.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Amy McMahon     Brenda Osovski     Kara Parker

60-64 Kris Huff, a frequent podium contender at national championships, should take the win in Peoria. At the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships, Huff finished 4th in this division with a 22:07. This April she finished 5th W60 at the Boston Marathon in 3:15:32. 

Kris Huff leading a small pack at the 2024 USATF Cross Country Championships hosted by Club Northwest in Tacoma WA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

Pamela Ricker ran a 37:53 five miler last November and finished 8th in this division at the 10 Km Championships this April in 48:41. Ricker looks good for second. Crystal Kyle and Leslie Nowicki will vie for the final podium spot. I give Kyle the edge based on her 24:39 at the Interplanetary 5K in Illinois in April. The month before she ran 1:22:24 at the Gate River Run which suggests Nowicki can push her for third Nowicki ran 52:47 in finishing 13th at the Masters 10 km Championships this April. Gate River has the challenging Hart Bridge to get over, so I still favor Kyle. The most likely order of finish seems to be Huff-Ricker-Kyle.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Kris Huff     Crystal Kyle     Pamela Ricker

65-69 The race in this division got more interesting with the last day entry of Suzanne Cordes. Before that it looked like an easy win for Patrice Combs. At the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships, Combs finished 2nd in 22:01. At the Masters 10 Km Championships this April, Combs took the win in 44:12. She appears to be back at the top of her game. Cordes is most dangerous on the turf. 

Suzanne Cordes leading a pack on her way to a Podium Finish in W60 and a Top Ten Age Grade PLP at the 2023 USATF Cross Country Championships at Pole Green Park in Richmond VA Photo Credit: Michael Scott

She won this division last year at Boulder after taking the title two years earlier in 60-64. In December of 2023 at Club Cross in Tallahassee, Cordes finished 4th in 60-64 at 27:38. Combs finished second in 65-69 at 29:11. Cordes does not often compete on the roads at national championships. She did compete at the 2023 1 Mile road Championships in Indianapolis but was far off her best. The next year was better; Cordes finished 4th W60 on the technical Danville course in 6:43.3. But that doe3s not seem quite fast enough to challenge Combs over 4 Miles. So, for now, I will keep Combs as the favorite and leave Cordes at number two. Marie Capdevielle, Lisa Vaughn, and Cindy Williams should all be in the hunt for the bronze medal. Capdevielle ran 26:07at the Little Silver 5K in New Jersey last October and 53:21 at the Cherry Blossom 10K this April. Vaughn finished seventh in this division at the 10K Championships in April with a 52:06. She followed that with a 25:41 5K at the Quad City Distance Classic in May. Williams was a regular podium contender on the circuit in the teens but has been less active in the 20's. It appears she is ready to roll again. She ran 26:18 5K in February in Atlanta and followed that with a nifty 51:05 at the members 10K in April. Those three should have quite a race for the bronze! I will give the edge to Williams, in part because she seems to be on the upswing but also because of her successful experience at many national championships. That gives me a likely order of Combs-Cordes-Williams.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Patrice Combs     Suzanne Cordes     Cynthia Williams

70-74 This is Cary's division. As noted above she is a strong favorite to take the Age Grading prize. She is as strong a favorite to take this division as one can imagine. This April she broke her own American W70 Record in winning the 10K Championship in 43:20. And that was just three weeks after her 1:10:20 at the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in Washington, D.C. broke the 10 Mile American Record. It seems almost a certainty that Cary will break 28:00 over 4 miles. Even though Cindy Lucking is a very strong runner, she cannot run with Cary. Lucking finished second at the 2024 Masters 5K Championships with a 26:51. She followed that this spring with a 56:41 third place finish in this division at the Masters 10 Km Championships. 

Cindy Lucking on her way to a W70 Win at the 2024 USATF Cross Country Championships at Pole Green Park in Richmond VA Photo Credit: Michael Scott 

Helene Myers finished sixth in this division at the Masters 10 km Championships with a 1:22:43 time. She should collect a third-place finish and 85 points towards her quest to earn a second straight Masters National Grand Prix W70 win.  The likely order of finish is: Cary-Lucking-Myers.

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Nora Cary    Cynthia Lucking     Helene Myers

75-79 Kathleen Allen finished 7th W70 in the 2024 Masters 5 Km Championships in 32:16. This spring she ran 1:03:06 in winning the W75 10 Km Championship in Dedham MA. Andrea McCarter, her teammate, did not compete at the 10K championships. In April she ran 1:16:43 at the Members 10K in Atlanta. The month before she ran 37:31 at the Hawks Fast Break 5K. The likely order of finish is: Allen-McCarter

Likely podium in alphabetical order:

Kathleen Allen    Andrea McCarter

80-84 Susan Sajdak is the only athlete registered. That is lucky for me. There are no results for Sajdak that I could find either through Athlinks or a general search. Sajdak is the likely winner, however fast or slow she runs.

Likely Podium:

Susan Sajdak

85-89 Joyce Hodges-Hite goes for another win! She is the sole registrant in this division. She won the W85 division in the 10K Road Race at the World Masters Championships in March with a 1:49:08. She finished second at the Masters 10K Championships in April at 1:48:19. 

Joyce Hodges-Hite sets out on her way to a W85 Win at the 2023 USATF Masters 5 Km Cross Country Championships in Boca Raton FL Photo Credit: Michael Scott

This race should provide a win and 100 points toward Hodges-Hites's quest for a third consecutive W85 Masters National Grand Prix award!

Likely Podium:

Joyce Hodges-Hite

Teams The Atlanta Track Club is likely to claim three of the four Women’s team titles up for grabs, with the Genesee Valley Harriers perhaps taking the other. Atlanta battles the Boulder Road Runners in an M50+ clash too close to call. The same is true in M60+ with Twin Cities Running Club, Atlanta and GVH all in the running. Boulder seems likely to take M70+.

Recap-WMA Indoor Championships-Non Stadia Cross Country

 March 24, 2025. The weather was fine, and spirits were high, on Sunday, March 23rd as the Masters athletes reported to the West End competition area for the 2025 WMA Indoor Championships Non-Stadia Cross Country Championships. Fair skies, light winds, and 60's temperatures greeted the competitors. The Cross Country course was a 2 km loop course on grass, three loops for age divisions 70+ and four loops for all other age divisions. One of the athletes from an older division rolled his ankle during his preview of the course on Saturday. Another described the course, on Strava, in the following terms "Lumpy grass, sandy soil with a few rolling hills - think golf course that is no longer maintained other than an occasional mow." Of course, to many Cross Country runners that is part of the joy and challenge of Cross Country--you never know exactly what you are going to get. It was a terrific day of racing and Team USA delivered the goods!

Note 1: With no disrespect intended, in most cases below, I will not report the full name of athletes from countries other than the US. Sometimes I will report a last name and country, other times just refer to their nation. This saves me time and, given the difficulty of getting some international names correct, saves me from error. Where it seems clear, I observe the Hispanic tradition for last names of including the father's family name first followed by the mother's. If an athlete competes for the USA, I do not mention a country along with the name.

Note 2: Points are reported. Points are total places of the first three scorers for each national teams. Only complete teams are included. As a result, if there is just one complete team, the score is 6 points for 1-2-3 even if the individuals did not finish that high in individual competition.

Note 3: Thanks to April Lund who posted photos and video from the Cross Country Championship races. I have used a few.

First up were the Men and Women 70+ divisions, run together.

Race 1: M70+/W70+ 9 AM

WOMEN 80-84 A solo Czech athlete won the Gold medal in 48:22. 

75-79 In the first sign that the US would not have things all their way, and that there would be some terrific races, Kenny of Ireland was able to hang with the remarkable Jeannie Rice! Kenny sprinted past her in the closing kilometer. This is not the event that Rice trains for, and it is just three weeks after her Tokyo Marathon. I would still classify it as an upset. Hats off to Kenny and Rice for a stirring contest. Rice was up by three seconds with two kilometers to go. But Kenny got the win by 7 seconds! 

Jeannie Rice-Heading for the Silver Medal in 75-79 at the 2025 WMA Indoor Championships Cross Country - Photo courtesy of April Lund

After a British runner took 3rd in 34:56, Norma Hudnall was 2nd American in 4th 38:53, with Andrea McCarter providing the all-important third scorer for Team USA. Gold for USA 1:45:23  6 points.

Individual: Kenny Ireland 30:28     Jeannie Rice 30:35     Tabor Great Britain 34:56

Team: USA 1:45:23    6 points

70-74 This one was not an upset! The 2024 Masters Athlete of the Year, Nora Cary, did not disappoint. Ahead by two minutes with one loop to go, Cary won, going away, by almost four minutes! Two Canadians and one Finnish athlete finished before Cindy Lucking provided the second score at fifth place 35:58 for Team USA. Trenice Mullis Dubow closed things off for the team in sixth 41:11.

Individual: Nora Cary 28:14     Canada 32:05     Finland 32:22

Team: USA 1:45:23   6 points

MEN 85-89 Runners from Mexico and France took it out hard. Three minutes ahead of the field, and just one second apart, Mexico pulled away on the last loop for a 29-second win. David Turner led the Americans through the first three loops and held it through to take the Bronze medal with over a minute to spare. George Gilder passed Roland Cormier on the final loop to finish 4th 40:21. Cormier closed things off for Team USA in 5th place 40:36.

Individual Mexico 34:00     France 34:29     David Turner 38:59

Team: USA 1:59:56   6 points

80-84 A Swede and a Spaniard battled for the win. Separated by a single second with one loop to go. The Swede won the close contest by six seconds! Three and a half minutes after a Finn took third. Przemek Nowicki was the first American to finish, fourth 40:24. Morris Williams finished sixth 47:01.

Individual: Sweden 33:46     Spain 33:51     Finland 36:50

Team: No complete teams.

75-79 After French and British runners, Jean Thomas and Ronald Cattle, went 1-2, Gary Ostwald led the American contingent in third place. Within six seconds of the British runner with one loop to go, Ostwald ran a gritty last lap but was only able to take one second out of the Brit's lead. Jerry Learned provided the second score in 4th place 29:12; Terry McCluskey closed things off for Team USA in 5th, securing the Team Gold 29:45.

Individual: Jean Thomas France 27:46     Ronald Cattle Great Britain 28:09     Gary Ostwald 28:15

Team: USA 1:27:12   6 points

70-74 A many time USATF Masters Harrier of the Year, Rick Becker delivered! Over a half minute ahead of the field with one loop to go, Becker won by nearly a minute! Jack Pottle and Reno Stirrat continued the fine running they displayed this past fall at the Masters 5 Km XC and the Club Cross championships. With one loop to go it was two Canadians, Pottle and Stirrat, in a tight group. Midway through the final loop, Pottle and Stirrat were able to drop the Canadians. Pottle pulled away to claim second fourteen seconds ahead of Stirrat, with the bronze medal, in a true 1-2-3 sweep for Team USA!

Individual: Rick Becker 26:03     Jack Pottle 26:57     Reno Stirrat 27:11

Team: USA 1:20:11   6 points     Thailand 1:28:56   29 points     Puerto Rico 1:29:46   29 points

Race 2: W35-69 10:15 AM

W65 Suzanne Cordes loves running on the turf and led another 1-2-3 sweep for Team USA! Cordes finished the third loop a half minute ahead of Kitty Musante who had a similar gap on the third American athlete, Diane Rothman. Rothman had over a minute on the Spanish woman who would finish fourth. Cordes added slightly to her lead on the final loop, winning by 40 seconds. Musante held her place as 2nd American and Rothman added slightly to the gap back to the Spanish athlete.

Individual: Suzanne Cordes 39:56     Kitty Musante 40:36     Diane Rothman 41:14

Team: USA 2:01:46   6 points

60-64 The two top Brits, Elms and Usher, went up against the top two Americans, Suzanne La Burt and Mary Cass. La Burt could not keep pace with the speedy Elms but finished over a minute ahead of Usher. Cass was twelve seconds behind Usher with one loop remaining. Cass pushed with all her might, but Usher had the answer as Cass was unable to take time out of her lead. Tina Klein closed off the American effort with a 38:02 for sixth. La Burt, Cass and Klein rolled to Team Gold!

Individual: Elms Great Britain 33:58     Suzanne La Burt 34:26     Usher Great Britain 35:43

Team: USA 1:48:23   6 points

55-59 Except for knowing that her name ends with '...dottir' as is standard with Finnish names, I cannot decipher the winner's name. The Icelandic script has defeated me, and she defeated everyone in the division. The Finn had over 40 seconds on McDonald of Great Britain with a loop to go and finished with that lead. Rachel Hopkins, who is always a threat for a national age division Cross Country championship, could not stay with the pair. Hopkins captured the bronze medal and Amy McMahon added a fourth-place finish forty seconds later. Then they had to wait to find out if Laura Delea's back held up for the entire race. It did! After French, Colombian and German athletes took the next three spots, Delea closed off Team USA's scoring with her 8th place in 40:57.

Individual: Iceland 33:52     Great Britain 34:39     Rachel Hopkins 37:09

Team: Great Britain 1:44:20   6 points     USA 1:55:55   15 points

Note: There is a confusing facet of Team Results. One cannot simply look at the individual results for the age division. If a particular division has fewer than three athletes from a given nation, the Team Manger can move enough athletes down from a higher division, prior to the race, to form a complete team. That is, apparently, what Great Britain did. The Team Manager must have moved Elms and Usher down from W60, where they had only two runners and therefore would not score a team anyway. With Elms and Usher in the team scoring, their cumulative team total is 1:44:20, as indicated, and their point total is 1-2-3 as all three Brits finish ahead of Hopkins in the team scoring, 

50-54 Euleen Josiah-Tanner ran her best today; she is the 50-54 World Champion! Hortencia Aliaga had another fine race but could not stay with her compatriot today! Aliaga ran tough though. She had just 14 seconds on a Polish athlete with one loop to go. Over that 2 Km, Aliaga extended her lead to almost 20 seconds. Bialorczyk, the Pole took third and one of her teammates claimed fourth. A Puerto Rican athlete was fifth. Katherine Huggins, a converted marathoner, closed things out for Team USA with her sixth place in 36:16. She fought off a Ukrainian athlete who was just seven seconds back with one loop to go, certainly within shooting distance. Huggins finished strong, stretching that gap to over 20 seconds. Team USA took the Team Gold ahead of Poland.

Individual: Euleen Josiah-Tanner 33:57     Hortencia Aliaga 34:36     Bialorczyk Poland 34:55

Team: USA 1:44:49   8 points     Poland 1:47:43   13 points

45-49 Erika Holroyd was on fire! Ahead of Ireland's M Kenny by a minute with 2 Km to go, Holroyd upped her winning margin to 1:08 by the finish. Jennifer Pesce, 14 seconds behind Kenny with a loop to go, gave it all her effort but could not keep it close. Pesce finished third, over two minutes ahead of Shannon Florea, who claimed bronze for the USA. Florea showed strength at the end. Locked in a duel with a Peruvian runner at the end of three loops, Florea pulled away to take fourth with 15 seconds to spare. With Holroyd, Pesce and Florea going 1-3-4, Team USA had no trouble taking Team Gold.

Individual: Erika Holroyd 31:43     M Kenny Ireland 32:51     Jennifer Pesce 33:40

Team: USA 1:41:41   6 points

40-44 This was Katie Sherron's day! The Gulf Winds took full advantage of the home state setting. Both she and April Lund have had success at Masters Cross C4ountry championships. Sherron set a pace that was initially a bit too fast for Lund. Down by ten seconds with 2 km to go, Lund closed Sherron's advantage down to a single second by the end. That must have been exciting to watch! The last time Chelsea Lenge Warren and Lund met, Warren finished just two seconds back. The gap was bigger this time but Warren played an important part. Vail, a Czech athlete, passed her in the final loop. Warren could not match Vail's pace but held tough to the line. She extended the gap back to the British athlete, Luxton, who was trying to close on her. That gave USA a 1-2-4 finish and the Team Gold.

Individual: Katie Sherron 30:29     April Lund 30:30     Vail Czech Republic 31:01

Team: USA 1:32:08   6 points     Great Britain 1:50:43   13 points

35-39 Santos, of Portugal, and Brzezina, of Poland, went 1-2. No one stayed close to Santos. Andrea Richardson was twenty seconds behind Brzezina with one loopp to go. She pushed and took 3 seconds out of the lead but had to be happy with the bronze medal. In pursuing Brzezina, she upped her advantage over the French and German athletes who were chasing her. After those two claimed 4th and 5th, Rachel Aubert finished 6th in 36:09, with Megan Zavorka Thomas 7th in 37:08. That closed out team scoring for the USA. If any of those three had faltered, Charmayne Yazzie was next up in 8th.

Individual: Santos Portugal 30:16     Brzezina Poland 32:30     Andrea Richardson 32:47

Team: USA 1:46:08    8 points     Germany 1:53:29   13 points

Video of Start of Men 35-54 Race-Courtesy of April Lund

Race 3: M55-69 11:15 AM

65-69 Kauppila, of Finland, carved out an 8 second lead over Roger Sayre in the first three loops. Sayre pushed for all he was worth on the final loop; he took just two seconds out of Kauppila's lead. Kauppila had the gold and Sayre the silver. Sayre enjoyed a lead of over forty seconds on the third-place finisher, Alem of Algeria. Jay Littlepage was twenty-six seconds behind Alem in fourth; Ken Youngers finished a minute later in fifth. Littlepage appears to have reaped the rewards of a very active and successful training block. Either Sayre ran exceptionally well today, or Youngers had an off day. The last time they met on the turf they finished very close to one another. Regardless, they both were part of a successful Team USA effort that reaped the Team Gold.

Individual: Kauppila Finland 31:51      Roger Sayre 31:57     Alem Algeria 32:41

Team: USA 1:39:13   6 points

60-64 Australia's John Meagher set a pace no one could match. Mark Zamek was a half-minute back with a loop to go. Zamek was able to take a couple of seconds out of Meagher's lead but that was it. With one loop to go, a Spanish athlete had Zamek in his sights, just 40 meters ahead. But by the end of the loop, Zamek had nearly a hundred meter lead as he crossed the finish line. Neither Rick Lee nor Mark Hixson were able to stay with the Span6ish athlete, but they worked together for a good Team USA result. Running together with the final loop in front, they stretched their lead over a British athlete who was chasing them. 

Mark Hixson left and Rick Lee heading for 5th and 4th to secure the Men 60 Team Gold Medal at the 2025 WMA Indoor Championships Cross Country - Photo courtesy of April Lund

Lee outlasted Hixson to take 4th by three seconds, in 31:16.

Individual: John Meagher Australia 29:57     Mark Zamek 30:26     Spain 30:46

Team: USA 1:33:01   6 points     Ireland 1:47:37    19 points     Great Britain 1:52:08   20 points.

55-59 Molero-Eichwein, a German athlete, was able to break out form a lead group of four, establishing a gap of about 50 meters with one loop to go. Matt Farley was, at that point, part of the chase group, along with Rens of Belgium and Mora (Arroyo) of Spain. The German doubled his lead over the final loop. Rens and Farley were able to drop Mora on the run into the finish. Rens just outlasted Farley, claiming silver by a single second with Farley in the bronze medal position. A fast-closing Steven Brightman nearly caught the Spaniard, carving fifteen seconds out of his lead in the final two kilometers. They were given the same 29:42 time. Christopher Harris, who had been running with Brightman, couldn't quite match his speed over the final meters, finishing sixth just 4 seconds back. Team USA moved from second to first over the final loop.

Individual: Molero-Eichwein Germany 28:53     Rens Belgium 29:21     Matt Farley 29:22

Team: USA 1:28:50   11 points     Spain 1:30:20   17 points     Canada 1:43:53   30 points

Race 4: M35-54 12:15 PM

Video of Start of Men 35-54 Race-Courtesy of April Lund

50-54 This race was loaded with international talent. Spain's De La Fuente ran fast enough to be on the podium for the next two younger age divisions. He was followed a half minute later by an Irish athlete, Fulcher, a British runner, Brodie, and a Spanish teammate, Gadea Sanchez. Ahrlin Bauman, a mainstay of the tough Bowerman XC squads and winner of M50 at 2023 Cross Nationals in Richmond, finished 5th 31:46. A Venezuelan and a second Irish athlete finished 6th and 7th. Markelle Taylor was the second American in 8th place 33:53. Matthew Bivans finished 12th 37:41 to assure Team USA of the Silver Medals behind Ireland's gold.

Individual: De La Fuente Spain 28:08     Fulcher Ireland 29:00     Brodie Great Britain 29:31

Team: Ireland 1:38:12   9 points     USA 1:43:20   12 points

45-49 Kevin Shirk led Team USA. He stayed with the leaders, Luig0i Del Buono, of Italy, and Hilel Ayachi, of Tunisia. The punishing pace was too much. Shirk fell back ont hefinal loop but maintained his third place position, claiming the bronze medal and leading the US squad to gold. Trent Bryson provided crucial support, finishing fourth 29:25. Leonardo Canete closed scoring off for Team USA with his 7th place finish 31:08, a half minute ahead of a Mexican competitor. USA edged Italy for the team win by a single point!

Individual: Luigi Del Buono Italy 27:45     Hilel Ayachi Tunisia 27:53     Kevin Shirk 28:13

Team: USA 1:28:46   10 points     Italy 1:29:46   11 points

40-44 To say that Team USA dominated this division is an understatement. The first 8 finishers all wore the blue Team USA kit, not to mention 9 of the first ten. World Mountain Running Champion, Joseph Gray led the way as he has done at every national Masters LDR championship he entered in 2024. Not known as a Cross Country runner, newly minted Masters athlete, James Grabow. came in with 'road cred' in the form of a 1:06:40 half marathon in 2023 and two 31:30 10K's in the past year. It worked! Grabow had only lost 12 seconds to Gray by the 6 km mark. Twenty seconds after Gray crossed the line in first, Grabow claimed the second spot. Mark Currell prepped over the winter by taking Masters wins at each of the Salt Lake City Winter series runs, the 5K in 16:03, the 10K in 32:56, and the 15K in 50:57. Currell was able to finish ahead of fellow Americans, David Proudfoot, Jerry Faulkner, Jeremy Ruston, Adrian Herrera, and Bryan Hendricks. Currell's third place finish gave Team USA the official sweep and the Team Gold ahead of Germany.

Individual: Joseph Gray 25:44     James Grabow 26:04     Mark Currell 27:25

Team: USA 1:19:13   6 points

35-39 Ignacio Garcia Ramon of Spain and Jorge Jabaz were locked in a classic duel, dead even with 2 kilometers to go. Ramon had just a little more in the tank. He finished in first, ten seconds ahead of Jabaz. A half minute after Jabaz claimed the silver medal, Mattia Francini of Italy finished third. A Spanish athlete took fourth. Thomas York was in fifth place with the final loop ahead but Schulz, a German athlete, was right on his heels. Schulz was able to outlast York down the stretch; York finished 6th 30:17, a mere second behind Schulz! Spain had the only complete team; they took the Gold.

Individual: Ignacio Garcia Ramon Spain 26:59     Jorge Jabaz 27:09     Mattia Francini Italy 27:39

Team: Spain 1:23:28   6 points

USA Individual Medal Winners: 

Gold    Rick Becker     Nora Cary     Suzanne Cordes     Joseph Gray     Erika Holroyd     Euleen Josiah-Tanner     Katie Sherron     

Silver   Hortencia Aliaga     James Grabow     Jorge Jabaz     Suzanne La Burt     April Lund     Kitty Musante     Jack Pottle     Jeannie Rice     Roger Sayre     Mark Zamek

Bronze    Mark Currell     Matt Farley     Rachel Hopkins     Gary Ostwald     Jennifer Pesce     Andrea Richardson     Diane Rothman     Kevin Shirk     Reno Stirrat     David Turner

The above reads like a 'Who's Who' of American Masters Cross Country Runners---Not all of the greats are there, but all who made the list are Great American Masters Cross Country Runners!     

Medal Count-XC: Individual

USA:  27 TOTAL - 7 Gold; 10 Silver; 10 Bronze

Great Britain: 7 TOTAL - 2 Gold; 2 Silver; 3 Bronze

Spain: 4 TOTAL - 2 Gold; 1 Silver; 1 Bronze

Ireland: 3 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 2 Silver

Finland: 3 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 2 Bronze

France: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Silver

Czech Republic: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Bronze

Italy: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Bronze

Poland: 2 TOTAL - 1 Silver; 1 Bronze

Australia: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold

Germany: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold

Iceland: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold

Mexico: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold

Portugal: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold

Sweden: 1 TOTAL - 1 Gold

Belgium: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver

Canada: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver

Tunisia: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver

Algeria: 1 TOTAL - 1 Bronze

Medal Count-XC: Team

USA: 18 TOTAL - 16 Gold; 2 Silver

Ireland: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Silver

Spain: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Silver

Great Britain: 2 TOTAL - 1 Gold; 1 Bronze

Germany: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver

Italy: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver

Poland: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver

Thailand: 1 TOTAL - 1 Silver

Canada: 1 TOTAL - 1 Bronze

Puerto Rico: 1 TOTAL - 1 Bronze

TEAM AWARDS Pics - Courtesy of April Lund 

Men 40-44 Podium-Team USA-Gold

Men 50-54 Podium-Team USA-Silver

Men 60-64 Podium-Team USA-Gold

Women 50-54 Podium-Team USA-Gold