2021 USATF Club Cross Country-Preview of Age Division Races : Women, Men 60+ and Men 40-44 and 45-49

 October 9, 2021 Who will be the newest Age Division Champions at Club Cross? It is the biggest gathering of nationally competitive Masters runners each year. For athletes focused on Cross Country, this is the one they want! Many of the top runners are also on very strong teams that will compete for titles. To win a team championship at Club Cross is the pinnacle...and an age division title is icing on the cake. The forecast is still for a clouds, 60's, humid, with a bit of wind. Good news--the threat of showers has moved off from afternoon to evening. And still no rainfall predicted between now and then. Footing should be good. I preview in the order of the races; the three names under each division are my picks for the podium, listed in alphabetical order.

Three Hundred Meters Into the 2017 Masters Women's Race at the Club Cross Championships in Lexington KY

WOMEN

40-44 As always, the top women in this age division are contending for the Overall win. In the Overall preview I wrote, "I look for Heineck, Knowles and Shearer to battle for the top three spots." That sentence applies equally to this division. Carre Joyce Heineck Team Red Lizard, Laurie Knowles Atlanta Track Club, and Maggie Shearer Cal Coast TC are my picks for this division as well. Knowles comes in with the top credentials, but Shearer is a gamer who always seems to show up in the race. Heineck is new to Masters national competition. She was at Spokane as an Open runner. Had she run in the Masters race, she would have finished 5th, so she needs to up her game here to make the podium. Others will try to hang with and break up that trio. If we focus on just the athletes wearing F40 back bibs, as they run across the field and down to the right of the Finish Line, and then up the rise to the first turn, who will be striving in the lead pack, with the fitness to stay there? Jill Braley Atlanta TC, Heather Cappello Boston Athletic Association, Izzy Gladstone Garden State Track Club-New Balance, Vivien Hyman Janes Elite Racing, Laura Osman Cal Coast TC, and Cambria Wu Janes Elite Racing all belong there. Braley knows this course and has done well here. Capello ran two 10K's at right around or below 37:30 in 2019. She was slower at Lone Gull, but that was three months ago. Maybe her fitness has improved? Gladstone has been a steady 18 and change 5K, 38 and change 10K runner in her late 30's, but with little evidence of Cross Country prowess. It will be interesting to see how she handles the turf. Hyman finished 16th in this division at Lehigh, but with more welcoming conditions for a So Cal runner and a smaller field, top ten seems within her grasp. She ran a 19:24 Turkey Trot a couple of weeks ago. Osman is a trail runner who does not run much on the road or the turf. It will be interesting to see if her trails background, where she runs strong, will serve her well here. Kasie Enman, who won the 5 km XC at Boston, won the Loom Mountain Run earlier this year. Trail and Mountain runners have often done well. Wu finished three spots ahead of Hyman at Lehigh. She ran an 18:53 5K this year and prepped for this race with a 19:31 at the UCR Cross Country race. From this preview we can already see that Atlanta, Cal Coast, and the Janes will have a big say in the 40+ team contest.

Carre Joyce Heineck Team Red Lizard     Laurie Knowles Atlanta Track Club    Maggie Shearer Cal Coast TC

45-49 Three athletes stand out: Carla McAlister Cal Coast, Holly McIlvaine Club Northwest, and Gwendolen Twist Janes. McAlister finished 6th overall and 3rd in 40-44 when she ran at XC Nats on this course in 2018, finishing just 30 seconds back from Shearer; she ran upper 39's to low 40's in 10K's last year. I just learned that she turned in a 3:07:47 in the California International Marathon this past Sunday. That makes me a little less confident in this pick; six days is not much time to recover from a tough Marathon effort. McIlvaine ran 23:55 in the WWU Bill Roe Classic in early October, a solid 6K XC effort. In 2017 she ran a 37:49 10K and a 1:21:47 HM. Twist finished 10th in the 40-44 division at Lehigh, finished 3rd at the 12K national Championships with a 48:50, and clocked 1:28:59 at the OC Half Marathon. Others with a good shot at the podium include Euleen Josiah-Tanner T.H.E. Track Team, Michelle Richards unattached, and Kathy Wiegand Atlanta. Holly Sanford Gulf Winds TC would also be in the list, but I understand from a teammate that she will not be running. Josiah-Tanner had a good outing on the track at Ames this year, taking the title in the 5000 meters with a 19:13; her 50:14 effort at the 12K in New Jersey is roughly equivalent to a 41:30 10K. Richardsif I have the right Michelle Richards, appears to have a 1:38:04 HM to her credit and a 3:18:27 in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon. Wiegand is a steady performer for Atlanta. She ran a 20:23 5K this summer and took W45 3rd in 22:18 at the 5 km XC Championships in Boston. Any of those three could capture a podium finish with a good outing.

Carla McAlister Cal Coast   Holly McIlvaine Club Northwest   Gwendolen Twist Janes

50-54 Several women stand out in this division: Karolyn Bowley B.A.A., Abby Dean unattached, Deborah Fletcher Club Northwest, Rachel Hopkins Sirius Athletics, Gwen Lapham Club Northwest, Wendy Terris Team Red Lizard, and Ingrid Walters Janes Elite. Bowley was mentioned as possibly factoring into the Overall race. She has a 57:44 15K. a 1:21:09 Half Marathon and won the W50 division in 19:23 at the 5 km XC Championships. Dean also had a good 15K outing with a 57:46 and ran 1:01:30 at the Broad Street 10 Mile. At XC Nats on this course in 2018, Dean took 4th in W45 in 24:18. Fletcher finished 12th W45 at Lehigh in 2019, running 25:37. She ran 25:56 at the Pacific Northwest XC Championships this fall. Hopkins ran a 1:31:56 HM this year and took 6th in this division at Lehigh. Lapham ran 22:28 at the San Francisco Club race at Golden Gate Park in 2015, taking 6th overall and 2nd in 45-49. But I can find nothing recent for  her. She did not compete in the PNTF District XC Championships. Not much has been heard of Terris recently. In 2011 she finished 10th overall and 6th W40 at Club Cross in Seattle. But in May she ran a 1:25:31 at the Portland RnR HM, roughly equivalent to a 53:23 15K.  Walters, as noted in the Overall preview, has been battling Breast Cancer successfully. A medalist at the 2017 National Masters Half Marathon Championships, she has worked her way back into competitive fitness, with a 19:11 5K and a 1:30:50 HM in September and July respectively. She has had months to improve her fitness.

Amy Fakterowitz Checkers AC, Deborah Fletcher Club Northwest, and Melissa Landers-Potts Sirius Athletics are solid performers on the turf who will need to be reckoned with. It would take a really good day for them to break onto the podium with this strong field. I see Bowley, Terris and Walters vying for the top 3 spots, with a very strong contingent pushing all the way.

Karolyn Bowley B.A.A    Wendy Terris Team Red Lizard   Ingrid Walters Janes Elite

Lead Pack in the Masters Women's Race, Loop 2, at the 2018 Club Cross Championships in Spokane WA Photo courtesy of Mike Scott

 

55-59 Two runners stand out and they are teammates, Michelle Rohl and Marisa Sutera Strange, both of Greater Philadelphia Track Club. Rohl set American records on the track this summer at Ames with a 4:55 1500, and a 2:24 800 meter effort. She has a 42:10 10K and a 19:11 5k, topping it off with a 4th place Overall finish at the 5 km Masters Championships in Boston. Strange is a 3-time Harrier of the Year, with an Overall win at XC Nats in Tallahassee in 2019. She took the W55 title at Lehigh and finished 2nd behind Rohl in W55 at the Masters 5 km in Boston. Suzanne La Burt Shore AC pushed Rohl and Strange all the way, taking 3rd at Boston in 21:04. She also took 2nd in W55  at Highlands NJ in 49:38, equivalent to a 40:59 10K. Kirsten Leetch Janes could provide their toughest competition if she brings the same fitness she had three years ago. At Spokane, she won W50 with a 24:07 effort. but her recent 5K efforts on the road are not that strong. She may not have the same relative fitness she had in 2018. Mary Lynch clocked 3:07:38 at the C.I.M. last Sunday. That is a 2-edged sword. It shows she has good fitness but she is likely to still have tired legs, especially quads, from that effort. Tania Fischer and Kathleen Cushing-Murray, the 1-2 punch of the Janes 50+ team, could also factor in. They are likely focused more on the team race, but they have both been running 5K's in 20 minutes and change, and they excel on the turf.

It does not look like anyone can challenge Rohl and Strange. LaBurt appears to be the strongest runner otherwise.

Suzanne La Burt Shore AC   Michelle Rohl  Greater Philadelphia Track Club   Marisa Sutera Strange  Greater Philadelphia Track Club

60-64 Gail Hall Club Northwest, Lesley Hinz  T.H.E. Track Team, Lorraine Jasper Greater Philadelphia TC, Nancy Simmons Impala Racing,  and Mary Swan Greater Philadelphia TC appear to be the top 5. Hall finished 8th W55 at Spokane when she was 59 in 26:36. She has run similar times this fall on the turf, clocking 27:23 and 26:52. Hinz was breaking American records on the track  a couple of years ago. She won the W60 race at Ames in 5:40.3 and has a 20:09 5K on the fast Macon Labor Day course. Jasper finished 4th at Lehigh in W55, clocking 26:20 and finished 1st W60 in Boston on the turf this year with a 21:38. Simmons won this division at 2020 XC Nats in San Diego with a 29:20. She also took national W60 crowns at the Flint MI Road Mile in 2019 in 5:54, and at the 12 km Championships in September in 51:14, roughly equivalent to a 20:37 5K. Swan was a half minute to a minute behind her teammate, Jasper at both Lehigh and Boston. Hall, Jasper and Simmons should be the three to watch for the podium. They had better keep an eye on Hinz though; they are in her part of the country.

Gail Hall Club Northwest    Lorraine Jasper Greater Philadelphia TC   Nancy Simmons Impala Racing

65-69 This will be a highly competitive divisions. Cynthia Williams Atlanta is probably the strongest XC runner in an evenly matched field. She finished 14th W65 at Lehigh in 30:15, and finished 3rd W65 in October in Boston in 26:38. Her closest competition should come from Sharon Moore Genesee Valley Harriers, who was on the XC Nats podium in W60 on this course in 2018. She ran 27:14 on a 5 km XC course at the Pete Glavin 1 Championships this fall. Elizabeth Unislawski Atlanta could also factor in. She has a 27:06 road 5K effort this year. In 2018 she finished 19th W60 in 32:51. She is likely to find the weather more favorable in Tallahassee this weekend compared to the freezing temperatures in Spokane. Susan Stirrat Shore AC finished a minute behind Williams in Boston but it is a new day in Tallahassee. All of these runners are more interested in the team competitons, but look for Moore, Stirat and Williams to wind up on the podium.

Sharon Moore Genesee Valley Harriers    Susan Stirrat Shore AC   Cynthia Williams Atlanta

70-74 Kathleen Allen Atlanta took the W70 crown at Lehigh in 36:27. Sharon Gerl Team Red Lizard won the W70 race at the 2019 USATF Masters 10K Championships in 48:55 and won the W70 division at Tallahassee in 2019 in 30:04. Her teammate, Jeanette Groesz, who is also now in W70, finished 2nd in W65 in 29:32. She has many other podium finishes at National Championships. Their teammate, Cande Olsen has a 28:06 5K effort on the books this year. Carolyn Smith-Hanna GVH ran 34:16 at the Pete Glavin XC race over 5 km. Groesz, Gerl, and Olsen may go for a Red Lizard sweep of he podium. It will be up to Allen and Smith-Hanna to break up the trio.

Sharon Gerl Team Red Lizard   Jeanette Groesz Team Red Lizard   Cande Olsen Team Red Lizard

75-79 Atlanta teammates Myrna Barnett  and Catherine Radle appear evenly matched. In 2019, Barnett won M70 at the Wingfoot XC over 5 km in 35:03. Radle won the W75 division at Tallahassee the same year in 42:18. Given the difficulty of comparing XC courses, tht looks like a toss-up. With my new format, I pick them both to be on the podium. No worries! 

Myrna Barnett Atlanta TC    Catherine Radle Atlanta TC

80-84 Hall of Famer Madeline Bost takes this title unchallenged.

Madeline Bost Morris County Striders

Start of the Men's 60+ Race at the 2017 USATF Club Cross Championships in Lexington KY

 

 

MEN  60 +

60-64 This division is well covered in the Overall preview for the Men's 60 and up race. I concluded, "The battle for first should come down to Sheeran, King and Tatum, probably in that order. But Sayre or Lee could upset that apple cart." Consult that preview for details. 

Dan King Athletics Boulder   Joe Sheeran Club Northwest   Mark Tatum Boulder Road Runners

65-69  George Braun would have been theonly runner in this division's podium in 2019 to return; he finished 2nd in 31:46, but he has some family-related duties that will keep him away. The top runners this year were either in 60-64 at Lehigh or did not complete or start the race. The best place to start is the 5 km XC Championships in Boston. Brian Cummins Syracuse TC, Kevin Dollard Shore AC, and Reno Stirrat Shore AC finished 2-3-4 behind Ken Youngers in 20:59, 21:17, and 21:27; Youngers is not entered here. Considering all the ups and downs Stirrat has endured over the past 18 months, including starting, but not finishing at Lehigh, it would be remarkable if he were to wind up on the Club Cross podium this year. It is hard to see who can keep him off. Tomas Rodriguez might have the best chance. He finished 3rd in this age division at Spokane in 33:52. But it is hard to glean any information about current fitness as the most recent result I can find is a 1:45:59 Half Marathon at altitude. Walter Newcomer F & M TC  ran 3:20:48 at the Boston Marathon this year and clocked 32:50 at the Rothman 8K, roughly equivalent to a 20:09 5K, on a fast out and back course.

Thomas Cushman HOKA Aggies has a 44:02 10K; Neil Feather Atlanta has 5K's in the 21:28-22:46 range; and  George Mason has a 44:37 10K but those are on roads, not turf. It looks like Cummins, Dollard and Stirrat may fight it out again for the top spots, with the outside possibility that either Rodriguez or Newcomer can break up that trio.

Brian Cummins Syracuse TC    Kevin Dollard Shore that Harvey, Pfeiffer or Wien could AC   Reno Stirrat  Shore AC

 

Over the Humps in the Men's 60+ Race at the 2018 USATF Club Cross Championships in Spokane WA Photo courtesy of Mike Scott

 

70-74 James Foster Syracuse TC has aged up from 65-69 and that may be the story. He ran 33:05 at Lehigh when he was in 65-69. The fastest other guys who were at Lehigh and are entered here are David Dunbar Jamul Toads 35:53, and Rick Katz Boulder Road Runners 34:56. And their fitness is uncertain in any case. Dunbar has no recent results I can find; Katz had an injury of s9jme sort but is on the recovery road now. He ran the 7.5 mile Dynafit Vail Hill Climb in 1:17:46. It is hard to knowhow good that is without knowing more details about the course, but I would expect to see other results if Katz is close to his usual competitive self. Kirk Larson Atlanta TC, Doug Bell Boulder Road Runners, and Jerry Learned Atlanta TC finished 1-2-3 at Boston in 22:32, 22:37, and 22:57. Those three could get scrambled this time, especially since Larson tweaked one of his quads recently. But none look to hve fitness close to Foster's, who ran 21:43 on the same course in the 65-69 group. Scott Harvey Club Northwest will mix it up with those three. he has a 21:27 5K to his credit this year and ran 35:57 over 8K of turf at the Pacific Northwest XC Championships. Rick Pfeiffer San Diego Striders appears to be competitive as well with 5K's in the 21:12 to 21:51 range. I put Mike Wien Boulder Road Runners in that same category. He won M70 at the Boston Marathon this year in 3:29:34 but his time was not as fast as winning times in past years, whcih were anywhere from just under 3 to just over 3 hours, although that is partly a Gene Dykes effect. By age grade equivalence, it is similar to a 45:22 10K. I will put Foster, Bell, and Learned on the predicted podium, allowing for the strong possibility that Harvey, Larson, Pfeiffer and/or Wien could crash the party.

75-79 Waych out, M75 division, Gary Patton So Cal TC, the Track and Field Hall of Famer,  looks like he may be gearing up for an M75 Grand Prix win to go with his M70. Five years ago, Patton laid out a plan that would allow him to fit in 5 MLDR events, all 10K or shorter, that would allow him to win the GP. It worked perfectly as he took wins at XC Nats over 8K, and the Brea 8K, Flint 1 Mile, and Syracuse 5K Road Championships. He had to accept a 2nd place finish to me at the 10K, but that did not slow him down much. He can get 5 events this coming year without even risking a 10K. There are 3 XC events at 8K or less. Add to that the 1 Mile and the 5K and you have 5! I have not spoken with Patton about this, but it seems likely he has something like that in mind. It will be good to see him on our circuit again. And the added competition is always a good thing! He broke the M75 Road Mile record in Lincoln NB this year with a 5:56 effort. We will see this weekend what kind of an 8K he can run over turf. If history is a guide, it will be pretty quick, and with a strong finish! Ron Wells San Diego Striders is back in action. He took the M70 title at Club Cross in Tallahassee in 2016 with a 34:04. He has now run a bunch of 5K's in the 21:47 to 22:51 range. Those two will be battling Dave Glass Atlanta, Ezequiel Garcia Shore AC, and Jan Frisby Boulder Road Runners, who went 1-2-3 at Boston in 23:41, 24:17, and 24:30. Glass also won M75 at the 12 km National Championships so he has a string going. Those times were on the turf, of course, and would have been faster on roads. I will put Glass, Patton, and Wells on the predicted podium and let Garcia and Frisby prove me wrong if they can.  

Dave Glass Atlanta   Gary Patton So Cal TC   Ron Wells San Diego Striders 

80-84 John Elliott Potomac Valley TC and Andrew Sherwood Atlanta TC went 1-2 at Lehigh Club Cross in 2019, with times of 50:08 and 51:35 respectively. But Sherwood's teammate, David Turner, who wound up with a time of 1:05:11, would likely have won had not a well-meaning but ill-informed course marshall not directed him to take an extra loop. He ran a 27:12 and a 28:35 5K this winter but I can find no recdent results. Roland Cormier Shore AC did not run at Lehigh but he won the M80 XC Nats race at San Diego in early 2020 with a 48:42. I suspect Cormier and Turner are vying for the win, with Elliott likely next. But Sherwood is a very solid runner and was not far behind Elliott in Bethlehem so one can never count him out.

Roland Cormier Shore AC   John Elliott Potomac Valley TC   David Turner Atlanta TC

85-89

In 2019, finished 8th in the M80 800 Meter run at the USATF Masters Indoor Championships, in 4:39. finished 2nd at Lehigh in M85 with a time of 1:24:10. Those are frather different accomplishments; I will let the Tallahassee XC course sort out which is the faster over 8 km of turf with some rises and falls.Adrian CravenAtlanta TCSid Davis Atlanta TC

Adrian Craven Atlanta TC   Sid Davis Atlanta TC

 

Men's 40-59 Strung Out Behind Lead Pack midway throug the first Loop at the 2017 USATF Club Cross Championships in Lexington KY

 MEN 40+

40-44 As withe other youngest age divisions in the race, the Overall preview suffices for this division, with one exeption. I put Jacques Sallberg on the predicted podium and he is from M45. One never knows, but if the goal is to rplace experience with experience, substituting Peter Gilmore makes sense. As noted in the earlier preview, Gilmore finished 2nd to Sallberg at the 2019 Lehigh Club Cross Championships For the details on why Davis and Taylr are in there, see the Overall previews.

Jesse Davis Indiana Elite AC   Peter Gilmore West Valley TC    Alexander Taylor B.A.A.

45-49 The Overall preview covers the most competitive of the M45 athletes as well. Sallberg, picked for the Overall podium goes in here as well. The cew with prior Overall podium performances at the two major Cross Country National Championships includes David Angell, John Gardiner, John Howell, and Gregory Mitchell. Angell finished 4th at Lexington and 3rd at Spokane, but then had an off year at Lehigh. Gardiner was consistently in the top 10 at Club Cross, no mean achievement. After his 3rd place at Tallahassee in 2016 Club Cross, he finished 7th Overall but 2nd in M45 at Lexington, 10th overall and 4th M45; and, like Angell, had an off year at Lehigh. Howell, as noted earier, finished 6th Overall at Tallahassee, 2nd Overall at Lexington, 5th Overall at Spokane and 1st M45; and, like the other two an off year at Lehigh.  Note, however that Angell and Gardiner were still in the top 25 and Howell just one position out. As far as recent performance goes, Angell had fine runs this year at Gate River and Peachtree, but then finished 6th at the 12 km Chamionships and reluctantly pulled out of Boston. Gardiner ran a 58:51 raw time at Dipsea but that is hard to interpret for a Club Cross prediction. Howell has been running Spartan and Beast events which apparently involve either obstacles or weight activities of some sort. So there are doubts about all three. Mitchell seems like he is back; he took the 10,000 meter title in 33:56, the fastest time over all the age divisions, at the Outdoor Masters Championships in Ames IA. Given his prowess from 2013 to 2016 when he finished 1st or 2nd at all major USATF XC Championships, it seems prudent to add Mitchell.  Who else? It seems safer to add in Mike Cole Indiana Elite AC who finished 2nd to Angell overall at the 2019 8K Championships in Virginia Beach and ran 1:12:18 at the Carmel Half  Marathon in April; or Jason Holroyd B.A.A. who took the M45 title at Boston in 16:58; or Aaron Price B.A.A., who finished 9 seconds behind his teammate, Holroyd, at Boston. Cole's half marathon is imressive, but it's not XC. In the absence of important XC racs in recent years, I will go, instead, with Holroyd. All of hese guys are amazing runners and terrific competitors. I will not be at all surprised if one or more prove me wrong.

Jason Holroyd B.A.A.   Gregory Mitchell Bowerman TC   Jason Holroyd B.A.A

Up and Over and Down We Go in the Men's 40+ Race at the 2018 USATF Club Cross Championships in Spokane WA

Photo courtesy of Mike Scott

 

That's all I have time for before packing and traveling. After I arrive in Tallahassee the evening of December 10th, I will finish off the M50 and M55 sections and add at least a sketch of what to look for in the Team Competitons. 

Club Cross 2021-Tallahassee-A First Look at Overall Races

 December 8, 2021 Runners will pour in from across the country into Tallahassee, Florida for the big showdown in Cross Country. The USATF Club Cross Country Championships, known far and wide as Club Cross, draws the biggest crowd of Masters runners each year. Club Cross returns to Tallahassee's Apalachee Regional Park, with its groomed Cross Country course, Warmup Loop, the Jumbotron near the finish line displaying the lead runners at key points, along with splits and team scores.  Apalachee Regional Park also hosted the 2018-2019 Cross Country Nationals. Runners have enjoyed the experience all three years and it should be even better this year. As always, the extreme competition makes this these championships the highlight of the year for many runners.

Runners who thrive on the toughest cross country courses with lots of steep up and downhill stretches, and often miserable weather, will be disappointed. The course itself, despite one segment referred to as 'The Wall', that you have to surmount to get through any early loops and then to the finish, is only hard if you are being pushed to the limits by stiff competition. You can bet it feels pretty hard on the final loop if you are running out of gas! But it is not overly steep or long by cross country standards. The weather is not guaranteed to be good; it is December in north Florida after all. Still, in the three prior outings, there has not been a challenging day of weather. If the forecast holds up, this could be the warmest, most humid weather we have seen. 

There are three Masters Races. The Women go off at 9 am, followed by 60+ Men at 10AM and the 40-59 Men's race at 11. The forecast calls for mostly cloudy skies and 68 degrees at the start of the Women's race, with winds at 8 mph, The humidity is forecast for near 100%; the dew point at 70. As the morning unfolds, the temps rise slightly to 71 at 10 and then 74 at 11. Relative humidity drops accordingly, but the dew point, most important for runners, rises to 73 at 10 am and then to 76 for the 40-59 Men's race. Winds are forecast to pick up slightly. Make sure you have your warm weather racing gear and be ready for humid conditions. Isolated thunderstorms are forecast for afternoon but should not affect Masters runners. If the forecast holds, showers and thunderstorms are forecast for Wednesday, which may keep the course a little soft. There is no rain in the forecast from late afternoon Wednesday through race time on Saturday. As always with the weather though, stay tuned. The last time we were here, there was an unexpected shower the night before the race, which pushed some folks from flats back to spikes.

For all of us, this will be the first Club Cross Country Meet without Bill Roe present, helping to organize things and announcing the race. Bill passed  unexpectedly in early 2020. It won't be the same without him.

Below are my previews for each of the three races. As always I rely heavily on Athlinks and on my archives of past USATF National Championships over the past 7 years. Strava is also sometimes helpful. The trick with Cross Country is that road performances ar enot always good predictors for Cross Country. While there are some runners who excel on both the roads and the turf, there are others who cannot be beat on the roads, but struggle on the turf, and vice versa. I try to find recent Cross Country performances and supplement that with information about past Cross Country performance and recent road outings. 

All of the runners mentioned in this article are terrific Masters athletes. Otherwise they would not get mentioned. Keep that in mind. Sometimes I have to refer to past performances or caveats to make relevant comparisons. That is only to distinguish between or among truly outstanding runners. I cover the races below in the order they are run.

OVERALL RACES--INDIVIDUALS

Women In 2016, 94 women toed the line at Club Cross in Tallahassee; 127 are entered for Tallahassee this year. The top 5 at the end of the 2016 race were, in finishing order, Sonja Friend-Uhl, Janet McDevitt, Heather Webster, Marisa Sutera Strange, and Camille Shiflett. Of those top 5, only Strange returns. Strange, three-time Masters Harrier of the Year is a superb runner, but at 58 it would be truly amazing if she factored into the Women's Overall Race. Top contenders this year include: Karolyn Bowley Boston Athletic Association, Jill Braley Atlanta Track Club, Megan Heuer Club Northwest, Carre Joyce Heineck Team Red Lizard, Laurie Knowles Atlanta Track Club, Michelle Rohl Greater Philadelphia Track Club, and Maggie Shearer Cal Coast Track Club. 

Start of Women's Masters Race at the 2019 USATF Club Cross Country Championships on the Lehigh University Cross Country course in Bethlehem PA Credit fot this picture and all others is Michael Scott unless otherwise specified.

 

Bowley has finished 2nd in the last two USATF Masters 10 km Championships in Dedham, MA, running 37:57 in 2018, and 37:17 in 2019. The only Masters entrant in the 2019 Boston Mayor's Cup 5 km XC race, she finished 40th of 63 in 19:24. This fall Bowley ran 57:44 in the Frank Nealon 15K Tune-Up and followed that with a 1:21:09 at the Eversource Hartford Marathon. Her 6th place finish at the Boston 5 km Masters XC was only two seconds behind Braley and Rohl.

Karolyn Bowley wins the Women's 50-54 Championship at the 2021 USATF Masters 5 km National Championships in Boston

Braley has plenty of Cross Country 'cred'. She came to national attention with a 2nd place finish at the 2018 5 km Masters XC Championships in Buffalo NY; she finished 2nd to her teammate, Friend-Uhl, in 19:42. Five months later she ran 23:14 over 6k to claim 2nd at XC Nationals in Tallahassee. Her 24:04 at Lehigh had her a bit further back at 18th overall. Her most recent effort was  at the National Masters 5 km XC Championships in Boston where her 19:21 landed her in 5th place overall. No slouch on the roads, she also owns top ten overall finishes at the 1 Mile and 5 km national road championships.

Michelle Rohl left Jill Braley right sprint for the Finish Line at the 2021 USATF Masters 5 km XC Championships at Franklin Park in Boston MA

  

Heuer has run some 5K's in the low to mid-18 minute range this year. perhaps more importantly, she was the first Masters woman, finishing 12th overall at the 6 km PNTF Cross Country Championships a month ago in Seattle. Her time over the 6 km course was 22:42, very fast for a 6K course.

In early October, Heineck ran 1:20:23 at the RnR San Jose Half Marathon. She ran as an Open 37-year old runner in the  2018 Club Cross Championships at Spokane. Her 22:40 time would have landed her in 5th place Overall Masters had she run  in the Masters race. In 2014 in the Open race at the XC National Championships at Boulder, she finished 31st of 72. Heineck knows Cross Country! Those outings, coupled with a recent HM close to 1:20 suggests she has the fitness and the know-how to contend for a win.

Knowles, on the other hand, is known mostly as a road runner. If she has Cross Country experience, it is from a long time ago. But Marathoners have done well on the turf at some of our recent championships. Kate Landau, a Marathoner, won at Spokane, and at the same race, Marathoners, Jorge Maravilla, and Eric Loeffler, went 1-2 in the Men's race. Knowles hopes to emulate them.  She has a mid-November 1:18:21 Half Marathon to her credit and a 2:44:53 at the Boston Marathon in early October this year. Her 17:33 at the 2019 USATF Masters 5 km Championships in Atlanta gave her the Overall win, making her the reigning 5K National Masters Champion.

Laurie Knowles wins the first of her two consecutive USATF Masters 5 km Championships on the streets of Atlanta GA in 2018 Photo byJason Getz

Rohl, at 55, is almost as long a shot as is Strange, but she has recent Track and Cross Country credentials to back her up. She set W55 American Records on the track at Ames this year, clocking 4:54.16 and 2:23.26 for the 1500 and 800 meter runs respectively. At the USATF Masters 5 km Championships in Boston this October, her first Cross Country event, she finished 4th overall in 19:21; she had to hold off Braley, who received the same time.  

Shearer broke onto the national Masters scene with a 2nd place finish at the 2018 XC Nationals in Tallahassee, finishing just 4 seconds back from the overall winner, Jennifer Bayliss. She followed that with a 3rd place finish over Spokane's 6K course in 22:10. Between January 2019 and January 2020, Shearer ran three sub 2:50 marathons. She emerged from Covid this past fall, running 44:32 to take 2nd overall behind Roberta Groner at the 12 km Masters National 12 km Championship, and finishing 3rd at the 5 km Masters XC Championships in Boston in 18:37.

Maggie Shearer claims 2nd Overall in the Women's Masters race at the 2018 Cross Country National Championships in Tallahassee FL

 

A number of other runners could contend as well; there are lots of uncertainties, as always. I already mentioned Strange, who won the 2019 XC Nationals, coming in ten seconds ahead of Braley. She knows this course and is a competitor! But she finished a minute behind Rohl at Boston in October. Heather Capello B.A.A. ran 37:21 in the B.A.A. 10K in 2019, and had another 10K within 14 seconds of that. Her most recent 10K outing, however, was a 42:42 at the Lone Gull 10K. That raises doubts about her fitness although there could be other explanations. And it has been three months since that outing, time enough to recover from a minor injury. Three teammates on the Janes Elite Racing had times right around Braley at Lehigh, with Gwendolen Twist a few seconds ahead and Cambria Wu and Vivian Hyman a few seconds back. Braley should be able to do better on a course she knows and has run well at many times. The humidity might be another advantage for Braley. One of the Janes' teammates, Ingrid Walters, took 2nd W45 at the 2017 USATF HM Championships in Newport CA with a 1:24:55, and ran 2:48:03 at the LA Marathon in 2019. Since then she has been battling Breast Cancer, but is on the comeback trail; she ran a 1:30:50 HM in July and a 19:11 5k in September. Laura Osman is, perhaps, more of  a Trail Runner than a cross country runner, but Trail and Mountain runners have often done well at Cross Country. She has a 19:14 flat 5K to her credit this year and a 42:13 in 2020 on the Tough Topanga 10K Trail Run. This fall, Holly McIlvaine ran a fine 23:55 over 6K to finish 41st of 93 entered at the Western Washington University Bill Roe Classic. It would be fitting if someone from a race named after Bill Roe could do well at this event, which was so closely associated with him over the years. She also won the Pacific Association Cross Country Championship in 2016.

I look for Heineck, Knowles and Shearer to battle for the top three spots.

Of course that assumes they all show up healthy and injury free and get their negative Covid tests approved through CrowdPass--just one more hurdle on the road to glory, right?! 

Men 60 and Up One cannot write about this age division and start with someone other than 2020 Masters Harrier of the Year Joe Sheeran Club Northwest. Since turning 60 he has won this division at the Lexington, Spokane, and Lehigh Club Cross events and at the 2019 XC Nats in Tallahassee. 

Start of the Men's 60+ race at the 2019 Club Cross Championships at Lehigh- Joe Sheeran #1334 pushed the pace right from the start; Daniel Johnson #1753 elected to go with him but may have paid the price later. Dan King #1166 settles in behind, but would move up later to take 3rd overall behind Sheeran's win

 

There is no reason to think it will end this weekend but there is a cast of outstanding athletes who will try to bring the Sheeran dominance to a close, at least temporarily. Dan King Athletics Boulder has been chasing Sheeran the last few years, coming up just a bit short whenever they have met on the turf. King has had an outstanding 18 months, mostly on the track where he has broken World and American Records at the 1500 and Mile. He shared the Dipsea Podium (adjusted times) with Mark Tatum, the winner, and Brian Pilcher (not entered in M65 here). He won the Masters 5 km XC Championships in Boston in 18:57, running conservatively. 

Dan King right allowed Robert McCormack left to set the pace for the first two miles of the USATF Masters 5 km Championships in Boston. King moved into first and kicked away in the last mile for the win.

 

 

 

Mark Tatum Boulder Road Runners has been tearing up the trails as usual. His win at Dipsea was symbolic of how well his running has been going. But trails are not Cross Country, and this course is probably less suited to trail runners than many. They call a portion of the course 'The Wall' but to guys who revel in the Dipsea and other mountain running, that is barely a rise. Tatum is familiar with the course. He ran on it in 2019 at XC Nats, finishing 3rd in M55 in 29:50 behind Nat Larson and Mike Blackmore, who have yet to age up into M60. He also ran a 38:38 in the Bolder Boulder 10K. That is a tough course and at altitude, so it is an impressive time. Roger Sayre Boulder Road Runners has pretty much recovered from an injury that popped up at the end of 2019. He ran a 38:47 at the FORTitude 10K in Ft Collins and a 1:23:05 HM in October, also at altitude. Sayre has beaten Sheeran on the roads, but not on the turf. On this course in 2019, he was a half minute back from Sheeran. It is worth mentioning that Sayre finished 3 seconds ahead of Tatum, although in different divisions, that day.
 

Roger Sayre #316 lds off Joseph Mora far right to hold onto 2nd place M60 at the 2021 USATF Masters 12 km Championships in Highlands NJ Photo by Jason Timochko

When King was chasing Sheeran to the finish line, Mark Reeder was in between them. But Reeder has had injury problems recently, as have some of his Greater Lowell teammates; neither he nor they made the trip. But Daniel Johnson TC Running Company is making the trip down from the North Woods of Minnesota. At Lehigh he finished in 4th, just 5 seconds back from King. He appears to be fit. In October he ran 1:03:14 at the Medtronic TC 10 Mile course, with that long pull up from the Mississippi. In 2018, he ran 1:02:42 in that same 10 Miler and then ran 30:17 at Spokane to finish 6th in M60. It looks like he is ready to battle for a top 5 spot! Rick Lee Shore AC is a newcomer to Masters running. He runs everything from roads to cross country to trails and ultras, He set the American 50K record for M60 at the USATF Championships on Long Island earlier this year and then took the M60 title at the 12 km Championships in New Jersey with a 44:16. He is one of these guys who rarely takes a break. He ran 2:49:29 at the Boston Marathon and 6 days later took 4th in M60 at the 5 km Championships in Boston in 19:19. It seems like he might have run faster had he not had a Marathon still in his legs.

Rick Lee claims 4th place M60 at the 2021 USATF Masters 5 km XC Championships on the Franklin Park course in Boston MA

 

There is a long list of talented runners who might factor into the top 10 or even top 5 on the right day: Paul Abdalla, Sheeran's Club Northwest teammate, who was only 12 seconds behind Sheeran at their PNTF XC Championships last month; Timothy Conheady Greater Philadelphia TC, who finished 8th at Lehigh in 30:35; William 'Hugh' Enicks So Cal TC, who ran a 37:21 10K this past January and an 18:03 in August & at Lexington in 2017 finished 20th in M55; and  Joseph Mora Genesee Valley Harriers and Robert McCormack HFC Striders, who were within ten seconds of King at Boston.

The battle for first should come down to Sheeran, King and Tatum, probably in that order. But Sayre or Lee could upset that applecart. I cannot wait to see! 

Men 40 and Up This is a tough race to pick, given the adage, sometimes proven wrong in XC, that the fresh legs tend to win, there are always new faces, and new legs, without a Masters National Championships track record, to mix in with the old. Jacques Sallberg Cal Coast TC has been almost as dominant in this division as Sheeran in M60+. Starting with XC Nats at Boulder in 2015, he then won both XC Nats Championships in Bend for 2016 and 2017. He did not make the XC Nats in Tallahassee in 2018, but took the title in 2019. He has been a little less successful at Club Cross but is the defending Champion from Lehigh; he pulled away from Peter Gilmore West Valley TC to win by 5 seconds in 32:55. 

On a cold day, racing through some muddy turns, Jacques Sallberg wins the Men's 40-59 Championship at the 2019 Club Cross Championships in Bethlehem PA

He finished 4th in San Francisco in 31:57, At Spokane he finished 6th in 33:42, but bounced back at Lehigh in 2019 to prove that 3rd time's the charm as he won at Lehigh in Bethlehem PA. His experience on the Tallahassee course from 2019 will help, but there are new challengers, as well as old. Gilmore is back for another try. He had some injuries during 2020 but is recovered now. He ran 1:08:09 at the Clarksburg Country Run HM a couple of weeks ago. He does not appear to have competed in any XC races this year yet. David Angell Roanoke Valley Elite and John Gardiner Cal Coast TC finished 2nd and 3rd behind Sallberg at the 2019 XC Nats,. Both have had an up and down period over the last year. It appears they are currently both reasonably healthy and both are entered. Angell has been more successful on the roads, where he has multiple Overall National Championships at the 5K, 8K, and 10K. Major Cross Country Championships have eluded him, although he does have a Masters 5 km XC Championship at Buffalo NY in his wins list. 

David Angell far left, Jorge Maravilla center, and Eric Loeffler far right created a gap back to a chase pack led by Jacques Sallberg. Those three ran together until the last 2 km when Maravilla pulled away from Loeffler and Leoffler pulled away from Angell. They finished 1-2-3 in the Men's 40 and up race at the 2018 Club Cross Championships in Spokane WA

 

Angell was on the podium at Spokane and at the 2019 XC Nats at Tallahassee. Gardiner, at one point, had 7 consecutive top ten finishes at Club Cross, showing remarkable consistency. He was on the Club Cross podium in 2016 in Tallahassee, and again at 2019 XC Nats on the same course;  like Angell, he knows this course and has run well on it. John Howell Bowerman TC has finished as high as 2nd overall at Club Cross; when he ran 33:03 at Lexington, Neville Davey, not entered this year, was the only runner ahead. In Spokane next year, Howell finished 5th in 33:41. 

John Howell claims 2nd place ahead of Jorge Maravilla in the Men's 40 and up race at the 2017 Club Cross Championships in Lexington KY

 

Lehigh was an off year for him. Will Howell break back into the top 5? Howell was not in top shape in November 2020 when he finished 4th Masters at the Stumptown XC #5. It is hard to gauge current fitness as Howell seems to compete primarily in  Beast, Savage, and Spartan races, which rely on a broader range of fitness than XC does. 

Howell's teammate, Gregory Mitchell has had even greater success. From his first Club Cross Championships in Bend OR in 2013, through the Tallahassee Club Cross Championships in Tallahassee in 2016, he finished first or second at Club Cross and XC Nats every time, and two of the 2nd places were behind a runner who is currently suspended for a USADA sanction. 

Gregory Mitchell #1259 leads John Gardiner #1275 and Neville Davey midway through the 2016 Club Cross Championships at Tallahassee in 2016. They would eventually finish in that order, Mitchell-Gardiner-Davey.

 

Despite some niggling injuries, Mitchell was able to finish 6th at Lexington and 7th at Spokane. Lehigh was an off year, but he bounced back this spring with a fine 33:56 10,000 Meter win on the track at the USATF Masters Outdoor Championships. What about new blood? The 5 km Masters XC Championships in Boston had Chris Garvin HFC Striders, John Poray Indiana Elite, and TJ Unger HFC Striders going 1-2-3. Garvin has some fine efforts on the roads, from a 27:21 5 Miler to a 57:39 10 Miler, but nothing that prepared us, or him, if his comments after the race are taken as gospel, for his first big XC victory. 

Chris Garvin wins the 40 and up Men's race at the 2021 USATF masters 5 km Championships in Boston MA

 

Tallahassee will be his first foray to one of the big national XC meets, as he leads his HFC Strider team into the fray. Poray had the early lead in that Boston race and looked headed for the win until Garvin caught him in the final mile. 

John Poray far right takes the field out hard in the Men's 50 and Up race at the 2021 USATF Masters 5 km XC Championships in Boston MA. Chris Garvin, who eventually came from behind to win the race is in about 10th place on the far side of the bearded runner in the bright blue singlet

 

Poray comes into Tallahassee as part of a strong Indiana Elite AC team, on which he is probably the #2 runner. He also has a 32:08 10K and a sub 1:10 HM to his credit this year. Unger has done well in Greater Boston XC competitions but did not have much luck at Lehigh in 2019. This could be another story as the course conditions are likely to be more favorable, namely less muddy. Poray's strongest teammate is Jesse Davis who, among other accomplishments nailed an Olympic Marathon Trials qualifying time at the 2019 Indiana Monumntal Marathon when he clocked 2:24:15. Davis has a 1:07:38 HM and a 51:21 15K under his belt this year. He appears to be coming in fit. The strongest of these new Masters runners, at least on the roads, appears to be Alexander Taylor B.A.A. He finished 2nd Masters to Abdi Abdirahman in 2:22:35 at the Boston Marathon in October and had a 49:17 winning Masters effort at the Frank Nealon 15K Tune Up, also this fall. He took the Masters win at the 2020 Mayor's Cup XC race in Boston, finishing 15th overall and 1st Masters, his 16:20 time a minute ahead of Unger.  

Eric Blake is not exactly a newcomer; he took 1st at the 2019 10 km Championships in Dedham in 32:17 and finished 2nd to Sallberg at the 2020 XC Nats in San Diego. 

 

Eric Blake establishing a gap back to David Angell in th eMen's 40 and up race at the 2020 USATF Cross Country Championships at the Mission Bay course in San Diego

Blake burnished his resume with a 2:30:17 effort at the Boston Marathon this fall. Others who migh factor in include Greter Philadelphia TC teammates, Brock Butler, Chris Naimoli, and Matthew Waggoner. They went 1-2-3 overall at the 2021 12 km National Championships in New Jersey with times from 39:52 to 40:29. Butler and Naimoli have been fighting off minor injuries since then, but both appear healthy coming into Tallahassee. Waggoner finished 4th at the XC Championships in Boston. None had the race they hoped for at Lehigh in 2019; this year might be different. Sallberg's teammate, Roosevelt Cook finished 6th Overall at Lehigh and hopes to move up at this race. In that Championship, he was in 'no man's land' for much of the race; look for him to stick with the leaders this time. 

Roosevelt Cook left leads Adam Dailey right midway through the 2019 USATF Masters 5 km Championships in San Diego. Jacques Sallberg lime singlet and Neville Davey are in the background, Photo courtesy of Cal Coast Track Club

 

He has two sub 1:08:30 Half Marathons to his credit this year and a 32:18 10K from 2020. Geoffrey Njonjo Club Northwest, who won the PNTF Masters Cross Country Championships in Seatlle this year, and Julian Marsh West Valley TC, who finished 11th  at Lehigh in 2019 might hang in the lead pack as well.

Jacques Sallberg sprints for the finishing line and the win at the 2019 USATF Masters 5 km Championships on the Mission Bay course at San Diego CA Photo courtesy of Cal Coast Track Club

 

Given Sallberg's record, it is easy to pick him for the group challenging for 1st. The last time he finished off a XC podium was in Spokane where he fell to two Marathoners in Jorge Maravilla and Eric Loeffler, and Angell, although he got his revenge at Lehigh, coming in ahead of all 3. Maravilla and Loeffler are not here, but Angell is. Despite some struggles this year he has some high points as well; his 2nd place to Abdi at the AJC Peachtree Road Race in 33:06 stands out. Will the two newcomers, Taylor and Davis, with their fast Marathons, be Sallberg's undoing again? He won at Lehigh at he age of 45. Can he win at 47? He is a Maser strategist; he knows how and when to make a decisive move. Unless some of the newcomers can inflict a punishing pace and drop Sallberg, he is still a threat to win!

My guess is that Sallberg can handle all his old rivals. I look for one or two newcomers to be in the hunt for the win along with him, most likely Davis and Taylor. 

The competiton will be fierce and several others could wind up on the podium. As always, it will be a treat to watch and see who emerges, if anyone,  to prove me wrong! I love it when soeone comes up after the race and tells me you left me off the podium and I guess I showed you!

That's my preview for Overall competition in the three races. Next up will be Age Divisions, and then Teams.

Premier Road Races Return-Two In September—Faxon Law 20K and Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run

 November 12, 2021. After March of 2020 all the big, prestigious road races were cancelled. They started returning in Spring 2021, but many opted to switch from a spring to a fall race to ensure they could be held safely and with hopes of a better turnout. As a result, the fall calendar of road races was very full. I cover two of the early ones, the Faxon Law 20K in New Haven CT and the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler, just 6 days apart this year. The 20K was, as usual, on Labor Day. A prestigious race, but not a large one, with typically between 550 and 650 finishers, there were only 378 this year. The Pandemic continues to cast a shadow on participation in road races. There were no cherry trees blooming six days later when the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler sounded its gun. That race had the same challenges as New Haven.  A much larger race, they saw their finishers drop from 17,448 in 2019 to 5,893 in 2021. If the pandemic fades, as we all hope, these races look forward to much larger fields in 2022. Both are USATF Open Championships and so attract not only top open athletes but many elite Masters athletes, both national and regional, to test their fitness. Except for the Oldest athletes, I restrict coverage to those achieving national class times, as judged by 2020 age grading standards, Performance Level Percentage PLP 80% or above.

Faxon Law 20K

Monday, September 6 was a typical New Haven Labor Day. Race time was 8:30 AM and the temperatures were already in the low 70’s, under cloudy skies with humidity at 87% and a dew point of 68, with winds moderate at 3-5 mph. With that much humidity, anyone who set a PR or a record, could be proud of a fine effort. 

 The course itself is mostly flat with a rise in the 2^nd mile and then some rolling hills about ten miles into the race, along English Drive through East Rock Park. When the runners come out of the park, there is a long, gradual downhill for the final mile and a half of the race. 

Ben True wins the 20 km National Open Championship with a well-timed kick at the 2021 Faxon Law 20K Championships, with Biya Simbassa 2nd Photo from https://www.fox61.com/article/news/local/faxon-law-new-haven-road-race-2021/520-644c22a9-ce2a-463c-8e4c-535595deacce

 

The standout performance from this race belonged to Brian Pilcher 65 Kentfield. CA. Pilcher is already in the Masters Hall of Fame and is, arguably, the top male Masters runner of this era. On October 2, 2016, Pilcher set the M60 5K record and one week later took down records from the Half Marathon to the Marathon at the BOA Chicago Marathon. 

Brian Pilcher on his way to breaking the M60 American 5 km Record at the USATF Masters 5 km Championship, hosted by the Syracuse Festival of Races in October 2016 Photo courtesy of Gavin Liddell

 

Shortly thereafter, Pilcher was injured and, except for brief appearances, had been unable to race at the level he requires. The 2013 Masters Athlete of the Year is now primarily motivated by the challenge of breaking records. Injury free during the latter stage of the Pandemic, it was time for him to make his debut. The 1:20:05 that Doug Goodhue set in 2010 on this same course seemed ripe for picking. Pilcher’s training convinced him that breaking 1:20 was within his grasp. A 20K race is about 12.44 miles long. He would need to average under 6:27 per mile and so hit the 3-mile splits around 19:21 or below. Some might think that means hitting 6:26 consistently, but Pilcher, either by plan or by feel, ran faster than that for the early stages of the race; that way he could give back some in the later stages if he needed to. It is crucial to not go out too fast in the first mile. Pilcher’s natural exuberance carried him to a 6:00, but the hill in Mile 2 helped to slow him down with a 6:16. The next mile was downhill, but he held it to a 6:05. That gave him 18:41 for the first three miles. Feeling good, Pilcher had 40 seconds in the bank for later in the race. The next 3 miles were in 18:49 and the three after that in 19:06. The pace, and the humidity, was taking some toll, but Pilcher hit mile 8 at 50:06. He had 90 seconds in the bank for the toughest two-mile stretch of the race. He did not need it all, but he did need some of it. Mile 9 was 6:30 and Mile 10, with the steepest uphill on the course, was 6:36. He had given back 12 seconds from the bank. That was all that was needed. Mile 11 is, overall, downhill and Pilcher was rolling again with a 6:25, followed by 6:18 in Mile 12. Pilcher was across the finish line with the win and a time of 1:18:26. He had pulverized the record with that 90.35 PLP. Pilcher was back!  

 

Eric Blake 42 West Hartford CT, also ran well. He was the Overall Winner of the 2019 USATF Masters 10 km Championships in Dedham MA and snagged a 2^nd place Overall Masters at the 2020 USATF Cross Country Championships. 

Eric Blake with David Angell in the background, heading for the Finish Line where they would go 1-2 Overall in the 2019 USATF Masters 10 km Championships hosted by the James Joyce Ramble Photo courtesy of Michael Scott

 

At New Haven, Blake took the 40-44 crown in 1:06:59, a PLP of 86.02%. David Guzik 50 Fairfield CT and Andre Bennatan 62 Mansfield CT won their divisions with national class times. Guzik clocked 1:14:58 for an 82.19 PLP and Bennatan a 1:24:27 for an 81.49. Had they run those times at a USATF Masters Championship they would both have walked away with a handsome  Bronze Age-Grading Performance medal. Charles Mozzachi 81 Glastonbury, CT, the oldest male competitor, won his division unopposed in 3:23:30.  Janet Voelpert 74 Shelton CT was not only the oldest competitor on the Women’s side, but she also had the highest PLP, winning her division in 1:50:31 for an 87.69 %. Shannon Siragusa 46 West Simsbury CT and Stephanie Hodge 56 Long Island City, NY claimed their division titles with a 1:18::39 and a 1:32:39 for an 84.72 and 80.82 PLP respectively.

Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Miler This race enjoys an enviable spring slot when the Cherry Trees are typically in bloom in Washington, DC. One of the fastest record eligible 10 Mile courses, many PR’s and records are set here. 

The Elite Women's Start at the 2019 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Race Photo from www.runwashington.com/2021/06/15/running-shorts-81/cherry-blossom-10-miler-2019-8/

 

No cherry blossoms, but weather conditions at race time, 7:30 AM on September 12^th, were good; temperatures were in the upper 60’s with fair skies and dew points in the lower 60’s. Though not ideal, the winds were manageable at 8-9 mph. Though there were no records set, there were many national class performances. Two of the top efforts on the Women’s side were by Cindy Conant 60 Kensington MD winner of W60 at 1:10:47 for an 88.67 PLP, and the 2^nd place finisher in that division, Erica Rubenstein 63 Potomac MD with a 1:14:54 and an 87.25. 

 

The W65 division had the strongest performances beyond the top 2. Amy Subar 65 Potomac MD won the division in 1:18:50 for 85.20%, followed by Geri Clifford 68 Rye NH at 1:20:12 for 87.43% and Lee Catella 69 Oneonta NY in 3^rd, with 1:21:18 for 87.54%. Carol Poenisch came all the way from Northville, Michigan and ran 1:21:56 for an 84.36 PLP; she could not get on the podium—What a strong division! 

Carol Poenisch claimed the W60 Bronze Medal at the 2018 USATF Masters National 1 Mile Championships, hosted by the HAP Crim Festival of Races in Flint MI Photo Courtesy of Crim Festival of Races

 

Judy Phelps 70 Myrtle Beach SC took the W70 division with a 1:24:37 for 85.37%. Jane Serues 73 N. Myrtle Beach SC could not match Phelps’s time, so took 2^nd in 1:28:20. Because of the three-year age difference, Serues edged Phelps in age-grading with an 85.66%.  

Brock Butler 44 West Chester PA claimed the M40 win at 54:15 for an 86.08 PLP. He pulled away from Tom Dichiara 44 Garrett Park MD to claim the win by 18 seconds; Dichiara ran 54:33 for 85.61%. Colin Fishwick 44 Silver Spring MD finished 3^rd in 55:20, good for an 84.40 PLP. In a Strava post after the race, Butler felt he had gone out too fast, the exuberance of feeling good! He did not feel great in the 4th mile. 

Early Morning--Brock Butler with mask and running gear at the 2021 CUCB 10 Pre-race Staging Area near the Washington Monument Photo posted on Strava by Brock Butler

 

That he recovered and still took first Overall Masters was a signof gthe quality of his current fitness. Shane Anthony 53 Palmerton PA and Akintunde Morakinyo 57 Columbia MD took their division titles in impressive fashion, with 57:37 and an 87.50 PLP for Anthony and 1:02:22 and 83.81 for Morakinyo. David Haaga 60 Rockville MD won his division in 1:03:15 for an 84.95 PLP. The division was also marked by the closest race among top finishers. Atlanta Track Club stalwart, Michael Anderson 63 Tucker GA,  had a ten second advantage at the 5k split. But Scott Brown 63 Ashburn VA was able to claw his way back, claiming a 2-second advantage by the 10K mark, and coming in 8 seconds ahead of Anderson for 2^nd with a 1:07:04 and 82.48 PLP to 1:07:12 and 82.32 PLP.  

 

Scott Brown and Mike Anderson matching stride for stride over the final bridge before the last dash to the finish --2021 Credit Union Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run-Photo posted on Facebook by Mike Anderson

Gerald Graf 67 N. Myrtle Beach SC won his division in 1:07:40 for an 85.05 PLP. Who would have guessed there would have been three runners out of Myrtle Beach and N. Myrtle Beach on this list of very strong Masters runners at a race in Washington DC?! Other age division winners with National Class times included: Lindsay Wilkins 43 Arlington VA 1:03:32 81.51; Hassetou Wandaogo 51 Silver Spring MD 1:06:19 84.67; Christina Morganti 56 Severna Park MD 1:14:11 80.39; Mario Cardoso 48 Sayreville NJ 1:00:05 80.36. The oldest finishers were Karen Cox 77 Pagosa Springs CO 1:49:42 and Harold Rosen 78 Potomac MD 1:30:21.  

It was an impressive week, kicking off a unique and crowded fall calendar for national class Masters Long Distance Runners.