USATF Masters 5K National Championships on October 5 2014--Preview

Preview as of 9 am Sep 16 2014 (based on online information search and list of entrants at USATF site)

The USA Track and Field Masters 5K Road National Championships are scheduled for October 5, 2014 in Syracuse, NY as part of their annual Festival of Races. Organized by Dave Oja, this is one event that elite Masters runners look forward to each year. Now in its 7th consecutive year as host of the 5K championship, it is very well organized, Dave goes out of his way to make all of the runners feel appreciated and knows so many on a first name basis. And, by the way, the course is flat and fast; it has about as few and as gentle turns as you can have for an out and back course. Dave prides his race on having 'world class' age-graded performances (90% or better) for almost all of his individual age records. He has his hopes set on at least one more of those being chalked up this year, that for male 70 year olds, but more on that below. The fastest men's times on the course can be observed here: http://www.festivalofraces.com/agegroupmen.html.

Today I will preview the Men's races and the Women's later this week. Here's a pic of Andrea Darmad, overeall winner of the race last year in 15:21; he beat the overall masters winner, Chad Newton, from Pisgah Forest, NC representing the Atlanta TC, by a mere 4 seconds.

Andrea Darmad, overall winner 2013 FoR 5K in 15:21

First the course: It starts by the parking lots for the Syracuse University athletic complex. Pretty flat at the start, it soons turns left with a slight downgrade. Then around the 1K mark there is a gentle turn to the right as runners start to run along a parkway. Eventually you wind along to the half way point where runners swing around to the other side of the road (180 degrees but not a tight 180) to head back along the way they came. At about 4.5 K you are going back up the only slight upgrade turning right. Once you crest the grade there it is about a quarter mile slightly downhill to the finish line.

Overall: First for the overall Masters race in 2014. The top three last year were Chad Newton (Atlanta TC) [15:25], Scott Weeks [15:27] (NY), and Kristian Blaich (Atlanta TC) [15:29] (GA). It should be another barn-burner this year as Newton and Blaich are entered already along with a newcomer to Syracuse, Greg Mitchell (Adidas), who has been tearing up the roads this year at USATF championships from 8K to the Half Marathon. His 25:07 on the tough 8K course at Brea, CA shows that, although stepping down in distance, he is likely to be a serious contender for the top spot.

Chad Newton, establishing a lead on a XC course

Greg Mitchell from National Masters Club Cross Country

Now the age groups:
M40: As with the overall, this should be a battle between Newton and Mitchell, along with Weeks, if he enters between now and race day. Last year only 12 seconds separated first from third and it may be even tighter this year.

M45: Based on entries as of this date, Sep 16 2014, it appears that Kristian Blaich (Atlanta TC) should run away with the age group award. Last year he beat Kent Lemme MA) by 12 seconds but Lemme has not yet entered. If Lemme stays away there are a number of runners entered who should compete tightly for the next two podium positions including: Francis Burdett (Greater Springfield Harriers), Brian Crowley (Garmin Runners), and Matthew Whitis (Atlanta TC).

Kristian Blaich on the track

M50: Last year Kevin Miller (KS), dominated this race, winning by 40 seconds in 15:51. Alan Evans (NY) had a fairly comfortable 16 second spread over Gary Droze (Fl) for 2nd place. As of today, only Droze is entered, suggesting that unless Miller and Evans show up between now and race day, he should be the favorite. Apart from late entries, other runners such as Troy Holland, Carl Nordheilm (Atlanta TC) and Nathan Skipper (Atlanta TC) should be competitive for the podium with recent sub-18 performances.

M55: It is a little tough to handicap this race right now because none of the podium crowd from last year are yet entered. Brian Pilcher (CA) dominated the race last year, winning by 40 seconds in 16:21 and had such a great set of 2013 races that he was voted Male Masters Runner of the Year. But Pilcher has had a very different year in 2014, leaving us uncertain what to expect. Injured toward the very end of 2013, Pilcher did not compete in the first few months of 2014. But he did eventually show up on nationally posted results including a 17:21 5K on May 10th and a 16:54 on May 17th so it appeared he was in pretty good form. But the most recent entry I can find is a 7:01 pace 7.5 mile trail run which could either indicate a re-injury or running for fun. So as of this date I cannot guess at his fitness; others may know more.

Brian Pilcher, leading the pack

Should Pilcher be off his game or not enter for any other reason, the early favorite should be Ken Youngers (Atlanta TC) who took 2nd in 17:02 last year.Charlie Andrews (NY) who battled Youngers most of the way only to finish 5 seconds back, is not yet entered. Others in the hunt include Jeffery Dundas (Atlanta TC) and newcomer to the M55 group, Dominic Wyzomirski (Steel City TC--PA), both of whom should finish well under 18:00.

M60: Last year Richard Larsen (MA), Peter Mullin (TX), and Dale Campbell (CA) duked it out over the 5K course, finishing in 17:47, 17:49 and 17:59 respectively. None of those fellows are yet entered but a relative newcomer, Tom McCormack (Atlanta TC-TN), is. He showed up at the USATF Masters 5K Cross Country

Tom McCormack, featured in Runners World

championship last year and ran away with the first place medal in 17:17, winning by over a minute. Since that time he has added national championships in the USATF 12K (national championship road race), the 10K at Dedham , the 5K and 10K on the Wake-Forest University track, and most recently at the one mile run as part of Michigan's CRIM races. None of those races were close. Even the great masters runner, Peter Mullin, who has been tearing up the roads for the last few years seems unable to stay with McCormack at least for races 12K and under. Should any of last year's podium finishers not show up, a newcomer to the M60 group, Reno Stirrat (Shore AC), should finish well under 19:00 and be a potential competitor for the podium.

Peter Mullin, from one of his many outstanding road races

M65: Based on current entrants, the great Masters runner, Terry McCluskey (Ann Arbor TC--OH) is the clear favorite. He ran the USATF Marathon championship last year but the year before ran 18:07 at Syracuse. But it is not clear whether McCluskey is in that kind of form this year. His Boston

Terry McCluskey, Senior Grand Masters winner at the Half Marathon at Parkersburg, WVA

Marathon in April may have taken something out of him. In any case, the fastest 5K I can find listed this year is a 19:22 in August, but it is hard to say much based on one race. He was a very comfortable age group winnerin that race so may not have felt the need to push. My best guess is he'll come in under 19:00 and that should be fast enough to beat anyone currently entered. None of the top 3 from last year are currently entered. Last year Bill Dixon (VT) and Lloyd Hansen (Ann Arbor TC--UT/MI) battled it out for the top spot, finishing in 18:24 and 18:28. They have both been running well this year, Lloyd with a number of PR's, so if either enters, I would make that one a slight favorite over McCluskey. If Dixon and Hansen stay away, Jerry Learned (Atlanta TC) should have a good shot at making the podium. I edged out Learned last year for 3rd by 9 seconds, and had a strong set of races in the first two-thirds of the year. But I have been battling a hamstring injury since August 11th and it seems unlikely I will be race fit on the 5th.

M70: This is the one that Dave Oja has been waiting for. Two of the grand lions of Masters distance running are set to go at it. Doug Goodhue (Ann Arbor TC), another of the great Masters distance runners for the past decade at least, has ruled the M70 group since entering a couple of years ago. He won it last year in 19:35 even though he was still coming back from an injury.

Doug Goodhue, pushing the limits, at the National Road Race Championships in Alexandria, VA in 2013

Jan Frisby (Boulder Road Runners) will challenge Goodhue for the first time in the M70 group although they did battle often enough in the past. Now Frisby is coming back from an injury that kept him off the roads for a full year. Two years ago he won the M65 group in 18:58. He needs to finish in 19:35 or better to give Dave Oja a world class time for the 70 year old category. What we do not know is whether Frisby is race fit. I have found no results for him posted online this year. But if Frisby is race fit and Goodhue can run as well or faster than last year there seems a good chance of

Jan Frisby winning his age group at Syracuse a few years back

him pushing or pulling Frisby enough so he can give Dave the record he desires. No one else in the group seems poised to break 20. Przemyslaw Nowicki (Shore AC) and Rick Stetson (Gate City Striders) appear capable of running low 21's or better so may battle each other for a podium position.

M75: Last year Fay Bradley (KS) and Thom Weddle (MN) battled it out with Bradley winning by a

Thom Weddle on the track

half minute at the end in 23:13. And Harry Carter (MA) finished a minute behind Weddle. As of today, none of the three are entered so this group is wide open. John Elliott (Potomac Valley TC) was not in the race last year but has recently run 23:05 and 24:48. If the faster of those two times is indicative of what he will bring to Syracuse, he would have a heck of a battle with Bradley if he enters. Without Bradley in, it would appear Elliott is the current favorite. James Leitz (Clifton Roadrunners), with recent times in the mid-23's to low 25's, could also factor into the race for the podium.

M80: Eric Seif (NY) won this group handily last year in 28:34 with Wally McRae (Syracuse Chargers TC) a strong second in 31:05 and Fritz Schlereth (Syracuse Chargers TC) in third at 32:25. McRae and Schlereth are already entered and there is a new guy in the M80 group, Jon Desenberg (Ann Arbor TC) who has some recent outings in the 29 to 30 minute range. If Seif enters, he and Desenberg could have quite a contest for first.

M85: Willis Moses (NY) is back to defend his title in this group. Last year he defeated the lone contender by a country mile, winning in 32:38. So far no one has signed up to try to give him some competition this year.

So Dave Oja has attracted a strong field already and it is likely that some of the stronger runners who

Dave Oja, Race Director, Syracuse Festival of Races

have not yet entered will do so in the next two weeks. As usual it will  be an intriguing set of races on the Men's side. Next up in a few days will be my preview of the Women's races.

What did we learn from the first 2 weekends of Cross Country Races for the top Division 1 Universities in Indiana?

What did we learn from the first weekend of Cross Country Races for the top Division 1 Universities in Indiana? The answer is 'not much.'

When I ran my college cross country in the 1960's the world was much simpler. You had a bunch of dual and tri meets scheduled with other universities that you wanted to defeat.The big meets at the end of the season were just meets with lots of teams; they were not more important than regular season victories over arch rivals. 

Cross Country Meet, Pomona College 1960's

If the coach was confident of an easy victory during the season, he (and there were only 'he's' in those 'bad old days') would schedule a fairly normal training session the day before and instruct the runners to treat the race as a workout day. Otherwise the team took it easy the day before a meet and ran hard to win the race if possible and otherwise to do as well as possible. Coaches did not rest runners to save them for later in the season.

Now the terrain for university cross country appears to be more complex. Most regular season cross country meets involve several teams, sometimes lots of teams, but the early meets especially are like exhibition meets for the most part although some do convey bragging rights. The races that really matter are the ones at the end of the season, the conference championships and then the series of NCAA races from regionals up to the national championship (for the lucky few teams that get that far). Because of that and because runners typically train much harder than we did in my day [I cannot remember any 90 mile weeks in the 1960's], coaches are constantly figuring out which runners to enter in a race and which to rest. Sometimes coaches will split teams up to run certain runners in one meet and others in a different meet depending on which makes sense for the individual runner's development that season. The top runners may only run 3 to 5 times before the big meets toward the end of the season. With this background in mind we perhaps do not expect to learn too much from early meets on the first two weekends.

Only four of the six Indiana universities were active in the first weekend of the season, Saturday, August 29th. Butler hosted its 'Butler Opener', a new meet, at the Northview Cross Country course in Carmel, IN. My guess is that it was scheduled in part to give the runners some familiarity with the course and the basic layout there; Butler will host the Big East Championship there at the end of October. Those races, men's and women's will be over 8K and 6K respectively whereas last Saturday's events were 6K and 5K respectively. 

Men's Teams Off and Running at the Butler Opener-Aug 29 2014

 The other teams were IUPUI and Marian University [NAIA], an up and coming team in their association. We did not learn much from the men's race because both the Butler and IUPUI coaches held their top runners out and used it as a time trial/test for their depth runners and new recruits. And, of course, as a 6K, it is only 3/4ths as long as the typical early to mid-season race [8K].


What we learned is that Butler's depth is better than IUPUI's at least for the first two runners and at this shorter distance. Butler had the first two runners in although it was competitive after that and IUPUI got 7 runners in before Butler's 5th runner. So we do not learn anything to suggest the form book is wrong.

What about the women? IUPUI actually defeated Butler but the story is more complicated because Butler held their first three runners (at least) out of the race while IUPUI held out only one of their top three. Even without those, the Butler women took first and second in the race. After that, the IUPUI depth took over. So what initially looks like a shocker is probably not. No reason at this point to think Butler would not dominate if they and IUPUI both run full strength. We should have a better idea after the Indiana Intercollegiates on the 19th of September.

Butler Women Take the Early Lead at the Butler Opener-Aug 29 2014

 For Indiana State it was a similar story in that they traveled to Carbondale, IL to take on the Southern Illinois Salukis in the Saluki Early Bird run. Southern Illinois is apparently the favorite to take the Missouri Conference title but they kept their top runners out of both the men's and women's races.

ISU's Nicole Lucas, pictured at last year's NCAA Pre-Nationals, Won the Women's Race Aug 29 2014

ISU also kept some runners out and they ran a 4K course. So it was really more of a training workout than a real meet.

The only other top 6 team in action was Purdue who traveled to Nashville, TN to run in the Belmont Opener. The good news for the Purdue men is that they were able to run as a pretty tight pack in this early season 5K race. Unlike Butler and IUPUI, it appears that all of the top Boilermaker runners were in action. Matt McClintock led the way with a third place finish in 15:11 and another four Boilermakers finished within the next 17 seconds.  Purdue won the meet although Middle Tennessee State's top four were formidable, taking 3 of the top 4 spots and their fourth runner coming in before the second Purdue runner...but they had no comparable 5th runner. So good news for the Purdue men's team at this stage. If they can keep a tight pack as they move up in distance over the season, they will be much more formidable than last year.

The Purdue women brought home a 4th place finish of 12 D1 teams. The good news for the Boilermaker's women's team is that Kiara McIntosh was able to run up with the two I had pegged as Purdue's leaders, Laura Maibuecher and Michelle Potter; they finished 17th, 18th, and 19th respectively. They finished within six seconds of each other but then there was a gap of 20 seconds before their 4th runner crossed the line. So they were not as tight as the Purdue men were. Still having a top 3 rather than a top 2 will be useful for the Boilermakers if that continues over the course of the season.

So we learned a little bit about Purdue and hardly anything new about Butler and IUPUI. We are left to wonder how the season will progress. Typically each year there are runners who unexpectedly move up and make big contributions. And there are disappointments and injuries and strategic decisions to make a year a red shirt year. We will learn of those things as the season unfolds. It should be exciting.

Three teams, IU, IUPUI, and Notre Dame were in action the 2nd weekend of the 5th and 6th of September. IU ran a pretty full contingent of runners at their opener in Bloomington on Saturday,

IU Women's X-Country in the Indiana Opener on Sep 6 2014

September 6th. Although they ran regular season distances of 8K (men) and 5K (women), it was not a tight contest as IU took the top 7 spots in both men's and women's races against Tennessee Tech.

IU Men's X-Country at the Indiana Opener on Sep 6 2014

And Notre Dame and IUPUI met yesterday, September 5th, along with Valparaiso, at the Crusader Open in Valparaiso, IN., also running 4K's (in part because of 90 degree weather)  Notre Dame ran sophomores and freshmen only in the men's contest and won the meet 24 to 32. Valparaiso finished far back with their first runner coming in after both Notre Dame and IUPUI's top 7.

Notre Dame's Dumford (L) and Marco (R) finish 1-2 at Crusader Open on Sep 6 2014

IUPUI's Joey Zielinski, pictured in 2013, is back in top form.

 IUPUI ran a strong contingent of runners and it was a good early test. Joey Zielinski and new Xavier transfer, Tom Ohlman, were at the top of the list for the Jags, showing that Zielinski has fully recovered from the injury that kept him off the track last spring. There was nothing in these results to suggest that the Jaguars are ready to test the Irish when they are at full strength, however.

Notre Dame ran only 3 runners on the women's side so it was mostly a contest between Western Michigan and IUPUI. The Jaguars came close, led by Leah Brooks and Savannah Turner, but the Broncos of Western Michigan edged them by 4 points.

Leah Brooks, pictured at Butler Opener, took 4th place overall at Crusader Open

Savannah Turner, IUPUI sophomore, 5th place overall

So as with the meets on the 29th, good early action but we do not learn very much new. So there's a lot of mystery to the season still and I am eager to see it unfold.

The next major action is the Indiana Intercollegiates at Purdue on Friday, September 19th. Five of the top 6 top teams will be there; Notre Dame hosts the National Catholic Championships on the 19th so we won't get a first full head-to-head look, but almost.

Revision to 'upcoming races'

I am currently rehabbing a hamstring/glutes injury in my right leg. This moved from background pain to severe a couple of days after the Personal Best 5.0 race on August 9th. As a result I had to substantially cease my road training, switching instead to exercising, stretching and pool work.

Running in Pool for Low Impact

I had to skip the USATF 1.0 mile run in Flint on the 22nd of August and the 5K USATF-Indiana state championship on the 23rd. So much for my grand idea of competing in both--'pride cometh before a fall' they say and it may be true. Although it is too early in the rehab process to say for sure, but I hope to keep to the rest of the schedule posted below, at least the part starting October 5th in Syracuse. [Alternatively you can go to the 'Upcoming Races' at the tab above and then scroll down to the first entry underneath this one to view the schedule posted earlier.] If I am running pain free by mid-September I will run a local race but it may not be the Jason Baker race--Stay tuned for updates.

Photos from Butler Opener X-Country Meet, mostly of IUPUI Runners

Women's 5K race first:

View towards runners milling about the starting line in the distance.

Runners doing stride outs before the start of the race

Here they come! About 200 meters into the race just after cresting the initial rise.

Leah Brooks (L) and Valeria Guzman (R) approaching the 2K mark on the course, working as a team.

Meghan McCann (L) and Kelsey Tyler (R) running into the beginning of the 3rd kilometer, pushing each other. Coach Tony McDaniel is off the course to the left, encouraging his new freshmen runners on.

Looking toward the finish area at the bottom of this hill (a bit steeper than it looks). Runners zoom down a short hill and enter this picture from the left, driving between the two posts at the end of the channel across the field (where they started) and underneath the white timing gate.

Butler runner, Laura Riches, racing toward the finish and first place.

Maddie Westerhoff sprinting down the hill toward a 2nd place finish for Butler

Leah Brooks, racing down for a 3rd place finish to lead the Jaguars who would take 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 8th for a hard-fought victory..

Valeria Guzman finishing strong for a 4th place finish.

Julie Riggins, bringing it in for the Jags in 5th place.

Abby Horn, first freshman in for IUPUI, getting a crucial 7th place finish, leading a pack that broke up Butler's 4th and 5th runners.

Jordan Hanaway, IUPUI's 5th runner in today, trying to chase down Ball State's 2nd runner, Jordan Timmons. Although she did not catch Timmons, Hanaway did finish several places ahead of Butler's 5th runner.

Kelsey Tyler, IUPUI's 6th runner and 2nd freshman zooms down the hill for 11th place, also coming in ahead of Butler's 5th runner and Ball State's 3rd runner.

Summary: It would be a mistake to make too much of this opening meet. Butler kept their top runners out and IUPUI kept at least one of their top runners out. Still you only get to race against the runners in the meet and based on that, IUPUI did well and nailed down the victory. Go Jags!


Now for the Men's 6K Race.

Here they come, cresting the first rise about 200 meters into the race.

Heading out on the downhill slope, Butler on the left, Marian in the center and IUPUI on the far side.

Thundering past! Things change often in the early stages. Max Zmija, who is toward the back for IUPUI, 3rd from the left with the orange shoes, will be in the lead after they take the turn at the 1K mark and run a gritty run overall to finish in the Jags' top 3 today.

Runners in the distance have made the turn after 1K and are heading back up a gradual slope toward the camera at about 1.5K.

Coaches and other helpers and fans scurrying toward the next part of the course after runners emerge from the woods around 3K or so. Might be Ryan Cutter, IUPUI's sub 3:50 1500 meter specialist, who was held out of the meet today because of a minor injury.

Golf cart leading the runners midway through the 2nd loop of the X-Country course.

Butler's lead runner, Matt Lumbar, just crested the hill and is headed downhill around 4 K or so. He's opened a bit of a gap.

Here comes the trailing pack! Not sure who #105 is, probably a runner in there for the workout. Not listed in the results but running pretty well.

Matt Lumbar, heading down the final hill for his first place finish.

Chris O'Brien cruses down the final hill for his 2nd place finish.

Billy Thomas, Butler's 3rd runner, heading on in for 4th place. Peyton Reed, of IUPUI, was flying down the hill so fast trying to close on Butler's O'Brien for 2nd place, that I missed getting a pic.

Damon Pruett, the Jags second runner in, kicking down the hill for his 6th place finish. Pruett ran a tough race but couldn't keep up with the speed merchants over the last portion of this 'short' race. Later in the season when the races are 8K and then 10K, Pruett should be in his element.

Max Zmija, who pushed the pace from the front between 1K and 3K held on for a gritty 8th place finish. He ran well...just like his scintillating footwear suggested he would. Gotta run well when your feet are encased in electric orange and green!  :)

Mitch Huebner, looking in control as he zooms past, on his way to  a 10th place finish; I almost missed him. Finishing just ahead was the Jags' Dakota Dubbs in 9th, whom I completely missed.

 

Sammy Tebeje, finishing strong in 13th place. Tebeje was IUPUI's 7th runner, finishing just ahead of Butler's 5th runner. So Tebeje forced Butler's final score up by a point.

Summary: As with the women's race it is hard to discern much from this opening event. IUPUI kept their top 4 runners out and Butler did more or less the same. If we think of this as a measure of depth, Butler wins because they won the race/meet 26 to 36. On the other hand, IUPUI can pride itself on putting 7 runners in before Butler's 5th runner. But on a day when both teams load their line-up with their top runners, that would be less impressive because Butler's 5th man today would likely be their 9th runner in on such a day. So the day went slightly Butler's way, consistent with pre-season projections of Butler 4th in the region and IUPUI 11th. But both teams will look forward to their next meeting in about 3 weeks at the Indiana Intercollegiates at Purdue. More of the top runners should be running at that event although Butler may rest some of their top runners to save them for the Roy Griak Invitational the following weekend in Minnesota. IUPUI should be close to full strength for that one though.


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