The Running Professor Home About Me Masters Running Midwest Running Odds & Ends Race Recaps Training Tips Upcoming Races Monday, May 13, 2019 Competitive Races and Fast Times mark the 7th running of the USATF Masters 10 Km Champiionships hosted by the James Joyce Ramble May 13, 2019. On Sunday, April 28th, the James Joyce Ramble welcomed Masters athletes back for the 7th consecutive year they have hosted the Masters 10 Km National Championships. The day before the race, runners were worried about the 20+ mph winds and the threat of rain. After race day dawned, the winds dropped to 9-10 mph, the showers held off, and with low 50’s temperatures, race conditions were about as good as it gets. A record crowd had entered—273 online and with onsite registrations the number swelled to over 290. The runners toed the line, the gun sounded, and the races were on! Kevin Castille sprint to the front, with David Angell next, with the BAA runners, Donal O'Sullivan, Brendan Prindiville, and Matthew Carter behind him. Jen St. Jean and Karolyn Bowley are on the far right. OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP. Kevin Castille, the 2017 Men’s Masters Road Runner of the Year, sprinted off to his usual early lead, with a gap developing back to the main chase group. David Angell, the defending Champion, and the B.A.A.'s Donal O'Sullivan took on the main pace-setting duties for the Chase Pack. Once they passed under Route 1 and raced through Dedham's downtown area, Eric Blake came up onto Angell’s shoulder and the race for 2nd place was on. O'Sullivan tucked in behind, but soon had to let the pair go. After they crested the first steep hill and turned into the leafy neighborhoods, they were pleased to see that Castille was still in sight, even though they were not closing on him. Brendan Prindiville passed his teammate, O'Sullivan just before the 5K mark, and pulled away. O'Sullivan would later castigate himself for going out too fast, a common occurrence on this course with its tempting rolling downhill start and its competitive field. Angell and Blake tested each other over the next few miles; Angell would typically gain a few steps on the downhills, but Blake would quickly close the gap. Castille held his pace, building his lead to the finish as he took the win in 30:47, a very fast time on this rolling hills course. It was the first time any Masters athlete on this course has broken 32 minutes! Kevin Castille takes the tape in 32:47, fastest winning time since the USATF 10 Km Masters Championships have been hosted by the James Joyce Ramble Angell and Blake strived shoulder to shoulder until they were on the final rolling hill to the finish line. With 400 meters to go, Blake, fresh off a 2nd place finish at the UA NYC Half Marathon (behind only Abdi Abdirahman), had some pep left in his legs and surged away from Angell. Despite his best efforts, Angell could not match the acceleration at that stage of the race. Eric Blake captures 2nd place at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship When the dust settled, Blake took 2nd in 32:17, with Angell 5 seconds back. He could not have been too disappointed when he saw the time, 6-10 seconds faster than his winning efforts the last two years. David Angell closes out the podium taking 3rd in 32:22 at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship In fact, the 2nd and 3rd place times were the fastest, other than Castille’s, in the 7 years the Championship has been hosted by the Ramble on this course. Prindiville took 4th in 33:14, followed in short order by T.J. Unger and David Bedoya. Kevin Castille 30:47 Eric Blake 32:17 David Angell 32:22 Women. The primary contenders on the Women’s side were Karolyn Bowley who finished 2nd last year; Kelly Couch, who finished 5th in the 2017 National Club XC Championships; Melissa Hardesty, a 2016 Olympic Trials Marathoner; Jennifer St. Jean who finished third last year and had a strong Indoor Track season this past winter; and Marisa Sutera Strange, who won the race in 2017. Kaela O’Neill, expected to be one of the contenders, did not race. When the gun sounded, St. Jean led the way on the left of the road, with Bowley a half step back. Hardesty, on the right, with Strange a couple of steps back, started a bit more conservatively, but quickly joined the other three. Those three worked in a tight pack, challenging each other to keep pace. Hardesty noted that she had been prepared to run between 5:55 and 6:00 per mile, but if someone went out faster, she would let them go. By the time they crossed over the Charles River on the way back into the town center, Hardesty found herself running alone for the first time. In the end, Hardesty had too much for the others, as she maintained her sub-6 minute pace to the finish, pulling away for an 11 second victory in 37:06. An exuberant Melissa Hardesty takes the tape and the win in 37:06 at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Bowley maintained her 2nd position to the finish line, finishing in 37:17, 45 seconds faster than in 2018. Karolyn Bowley grimaces with the effort as she closes out the race in 2nd place, running 37:17 at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship St. Jean claimed third in 37:27. Running a minute faster than last year and claiming the final podium spot with a 40 second margin, St. Jean was pleased with her effort. On a Facebook post she wrote, "The three of us worked together throughout the entire race pushing each other to run our best...I wish I had more at the end but they were just stronger. My splits were pretty consistent ...That was all I had today and I am grateful for everything. So happy & proud of so many of my running friends who showed up today." Jen St. Jean finishes 3rd in 37:27 at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Couch took 4th in 38:07, followed 28 seconds later by Strange in 5th and Couch's Impala teammate, Hronn Gudmundsdottir, in 6th. Strange was very pleased with her 5th place finish as she had had back spasms heading into the race and was not sure if she could run. Those problems subsided for most of the race but did assert themselves after mile 4. Hardesty had been looking forward to competing in a National Championship and had "...a very positive experience. It was fun when the runners and teams showed up and everyone was talking about the race and how their training had been going. Everyone was so focused and so committed." Melissa Hardesty 37:06 Karolyn Bowley 37:17 Jennifer St. Jean 37:27 AGE GRADING CHAMPIONSHIP. On the Women’s side, all of the top Age Graders from last year were back. Jan Holmquist, Marisa Sutera Strange, Karen Durante, Jeanette Groesz, and Patrice Combs were the top 5 last year so they knew the primary competition. And, of course, new challengers always surface at these big events. Holmquist, 74, ran 22 seconds faster than last year; her 50:01 age-graded at 95.81, to take the win. Jan Holmquist, beaming as she approaches the finish line, defending her Age-Grading Championship at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Strange, 55, also ran faster than last year, winding up in 2nd place again; her 38:35 merited a 94.44 score. Marisa Sutera Strange typically starts conservatively and gathers momentum. She took the Silver Medal in the Overall Age-Grading Championship. Melissa Hardesty is just off picture ahead and to Strange's left. A few hundred meters into the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Nora Cary, 64, does not often run in our Championships but when she does, watch out! Her 43:40 earned a 94.13 to bring her home in 3rd. Nora Cary finishes off strong and lands on the Overall Age-Grading podium at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship In this Championship, Age-Grading prize money goes 7 deep for both Men and Women. Rounding out the top 7 were: Sharon Gerl, 71, 48:58 time and 93.22 score; Karen Durante, 68, 47:24, 91.95; Kim Ionta, 55, 39:38, 91.93; Hronn Gudmundsdottir, 53, 38:51, 91.48. As luck would have it, Strange was selected for drug testing, perhaps because she is one of the top Overall runners or because of her age-grading proficiency. Unfortunately it meant she missed most of the post-race celebration and camaraderie. Jan Holmquist 50:01 95.81 Marisa Sutera Strange 38:35 94.44 Nora Cary 43:40 94.13 This race turned out as expected on the Men's side. Kevin Castille won the Overall race and took the top age-grading finish among the men. I am not aware of any Masters National Championship that Castille, 47, has entered where he has not taken both titles. His 30:47 age graded at 95.19%. Kevin Castille approaching the finish line where he adds the Overall Age-Grading Godl Medal to his first place Overall at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Ken Youngers, 62, has completely recovered from his back surgery a couple of years ago and is now clicking on all cylinders. His 36:19 graded at 92.02. Ken Youngers approaching the finish line and his Silver Medal in the Overall Age-Grading Contest at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship The final podium spot went to the B.A.A.'s Andy Gardiner, 53, who finished 4th overall in 2016, ran 33:44 for a 91.36. Andy Gardiner 168 claims his Bronze Medal in the Overall Age-Grading Contest at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship The other 4 prize winners were: Norm Larson, 63, 37:13, 90.63; John Barbour, 65, 38:39, 88.95%; Mark Reeder, 59, 36:46, 88.40; John Sullivan, 58, 36:28, 88.32. Barbour has also come back from an injury sustained in the run up to the 2017 Club Cross Country Championships in Lexington KY, and aggravated in that race. Barbour lost essentially all of 2018; he was able to compete sporadically but could not train at his usual level. This spring his results showed signs that his fitness had markedly improved. His 31:00 at Doyle's 5 Mile Run suggested he might be able to run under 39 minutes for a 10K. It was nice to see that realized in the form of an age grade score close to the 90% typically used to define a 'World Class' performance. Kevin Castille 30:47 95.19 Ken Youngers 36:19 92.02 Andy Gardiner 33:44 91.36 AGE DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS 40-44 Eric Blake, David Angell, and Brendan Prindiville went 2-3-4 in the overall Championship race and took 1-2-3 in this division. Blake and Angell battled up front in the first Chase Pack as detailed above. Prindiville, despite some cramping on the long hill after the Noble and Greenough School portion, held to a 5:20 pace all the way to take bronze in the division. avid Angell leads the Chase Pack a Kilometer into the race, with Donal O'Sullivan, Brendan Prindiville and David Bedoya of the B.A.A. in hot pursuit. Eric Blake 127 is moving toward the front, with T.J. Unger on his elbow at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship [Photo posted by D. Angell on Facebook] He had 8 seconds on TJ Unger in 4th and another 6 seconds on his teammate, David Bedoya in 5th. Eric Blake 32:17 David Angell 32:22 Brendan Prindiville 33:14 Melissa Hardesty, Jennifer St. Jean, and Kelly Couch finished 1-3-4 in the Overall Race, taking 1-2-3 in this division. The battle between Hardesty and St. Jean is covered in the Overall section. Couch couldn't hang with the leaders all Kelly Cough takes 3rd place in 40-44 and 4th Overall at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship the way, but built a two-minute margin over Perla Rodriguez. Rodriguez had recently run a 1:04:14 at the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Miler. Melissa Hardesty 37:06 Jennifer St. Jean 37:27 Kelly Couch 38:07 45-49 Kevin Castille, who took the Overall win, collected the division title at the same time. It appeared that Brian Sydow and Greg Putnam would battle for 2nd and 3rd. They had finished 1-3 in the division contest at the 8K Championships a month before. But Jonathan Frieder, who split them in finishing 2nd, did not make these championships. Two B.A.A. athletes, Chris Georgules and Donal O’Sullivan appeared on paper to be behind Sydow and Putnam. But when the gun sounded, O’Sullivan took off with Angell in the lead chase pack after Castille. Sydow, Georgules and Putnam slid in behind. Eventually Sydow pulled away to take 2nd in 33:37, Brian Sydow takes 2nd in the 45-49 Division and 8th Overall at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship with Georgules passing O’Sullivan for third in 33:49. O’Sullivan held on for 4th in 33:58, with Putnam two seconds back. Kevin Castille 30:47 Brian Sydow 33:37 Chris Georgules 33:49 Karolyn Bowley and Heather Webster went 1-2 last year; Webster's GVH teammates, Caroline Bucci and Murphee Hayes, would battle Alexandra Newman for the final podium spot. Newman took the division 3rd at the 15K Championship last October and 3rd at th 8K Championship in March. Would this be her third Road Bronze Medal in a row? Or would Bucci or Hayes derail that effort? Bowley took 2nd overall and won the division in 37:17, with Webster taking the Division Silver medal again in 40:57. Heather Webster kicking for the finish line and 2nd place in the 45-49 Division and 10th Overall at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Newman finished 3rd in 43:21, with Bucci and Hayes in 4th and 5th two minutes back. Karolyn Bowley 37:17 Heather Webster 40:57 Alexandra Newman 43:21 50-54 Last year Kent Lemme dominated the division but this year his primary focus was running the Boston Marathon with his daughter. The last time Tim Van Orden, Lemme, and Joe Shairs met in Dedham was 2016 when they were in 45-49 and finished in that order. That is also the last time Andy Gardiner ran. He took the 50-54 division with a faster time than any of those three. Gardiner came out on top this year as well, claiming the title in 33:44. Van Orden could not stay with Gardiner but was able to gain a 5 second edge on Shairs in the first mile, adding another 20 in the 2nd mile on his way to a 2nd place finish in 34:01. Shairs took 3rd in 35:22, 6 seconds ahead of Lemme. Joe Shairs captures 3rd place in the 50-54 Division at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship It was a terrific victory for Gardiner. After a tough Marathon this year, Lemme posted that he would refocus his energies on the part of running he loves best, in his sweet spot on the track and at the shorter road distances. Let's look forward to his returning to the top of his form at races later this year and in the future. Andy Gardiner 33:44 Tim Van Orden 34:01 Joe Shairs 35:22 The top returning athlete was Mimi Fallon who had run 40:48 but had faster times later in the year. Amy Fakterowitz won the division at the 8K Championships in 32:02 and was going for two division titles in a row. That time suggested a 10K time under 41 minutes would be within reach. Lori Kingsley finished 3rd in the 2017 5K Masters Championships in a fast 18:58. Hronn Gudmundsdottir had a 40:46 10K in March 2017 and then did not race over the summer and raced a 3.4 mile run at 6:51 pace in August. It was the same story for 2018. Whether injury or something else, it was clear she could not race at the level she was hoping for. Finally she had a break-through in November of last year when she averaged 6:15 per mile in a Pacific Association 5K event. Gudmundsdottir continued her improvement, taking the win in 38:51, maintaining that same 6:15 pace for 6.2 miles. Hronn Gudmundsdottir strides t the finish line, taking the Gold Medal in 50-54 and 6th Overall at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Kingsley took 2nd in 40:12, only 8 seconds ahead of Fallon. It was a good day for Fallon, running 40:20 for 3rd place. Fakterowitz was a minute back in 4th. Hronn Gudmundsdottir 38:51 Lori Kingsley 40:12 Mimi Fallon 40:20 55-59 Mark Reeder and John Sullivan finished 2-3 last year behind Nat Larson. Larson had a conflict and could not make the Championship this year. There was some doubt about Reeder’s fitness as he had not participated in any of the usual New England Grand Prix events running up to the 10 Km Championship. Sullivan, on the other hand, had a 1:20:50 in the New Bedford Half Marathon to his credit. That suggested a low 37 or better should be possible for Sullivan. It seemed that Alan Evans, who won the 5 Km Masters Cross Country Championship last fall and finished 3rd M50 in the 2018 Masters Half Marathon in 1:21:37, would be a factor. Not just a factor, Evans took the victory in 35:51 with Sullivan 2nd in 36:28. Alan Evans shows once again that he is not only a Marathoner as he heads towards the finish line and a Gold Medal in the 55-59 Division at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Reeder was 18 seconds back, still on the podium and happy to contribute to his team’s efforts in the 50 and up race. Theodor Schnaufer finished 4th. Alan Evans 35:51 John Sullivan 36:28 Mark Reeder 36:46 Marisa Sutera Strange won the 50-54 division last year in 38:53 and was the strongest returning runner. But she would not have it easy; Kim Ionta ran a 31:03 Five Miler earlier in the spring , suggesting she might well crack 40 minutes also. Despite suffering from back spasms leading up to the race, Strange was able to run, and improved her time by 10 seconds, winning in 38:35. Ionta was able to beat 40 minutes, taking 2nd in 39:38, a great run on a challenging rolling hills course. Kim Ionta cruises to the finish line and a Silver Medal in the 55-59 Division and a 7th place overall at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Mary Swan outlasted Ailing Wang and Kris Huff to take 3rd in 43:09. Wang was a half minute back in 4th, followed by Huff another half minute later. Marisa Sutera Strange 38:35 Kim Ionta 39:38 Mary Swan 43:09 60-64 Last year Charlie Muse upset Ken Youngers, who had an off day, taking the title by 8 seconds in 37:51. Norm Larson who finished 3rd last year and Jeffery Dundas who finished 2nd in 55-59 back in 2014, would also contest the outcome. Jim Howard finished 7th last year in 39:28, but his fine 15K this spring of 58:41 suggested he was in better condition this year. Youngers bounced back to take the win in 36:19, followed a minute later by Larson. Larson ran a minute faster than his time last year! Norm Larson cap finishes right behind Francis Burdett, 50-54. Larson took the Silver Medal in 60-64 and 4th Overall in Age-Grading at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Howard took 3rd in 37:44, a mere 3 seconds ahead of Dundas! Russell Blatt was another 6 seconds back. Those three must have been battling up East Street, approaching the finish. Muse only ran 20 seconds slower this year but instead of wearing the winner’s medal, he saw 5 athletes finish in front of him. That's the way it goes in Masters LDR, sometimes up and sometimes down, but keep on keeping on! Ken Youngers 36:19 Norm Larson 37:13 Jim Howard 37:44 Patrice Combs was the defending Champion; she won in 43:09 last year. Combs was off to a good start this year with a division win at Virginia Beach in 34:29. But the competition would be tough. Jennifer Teppo took the division title at the 15K last October in Tulsa and also got the win at the Club Cross Country Championships in Spokane. Nora Cary won the 5 Km Masters division championship two years ago in Syracuse in 20:32, and had a 43:06 to her credit earlier in the spring. Cary, Combs and Teppo battled over the first 8 kilometers but in the end Teppo had just a little bit more strength, pulling away to win in 43:13. Jennifer Teppo, fully invested in getting it done, heads to the finish line and a Gold Medal in the 65-69 Division at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Fifteen seconds later Combs took 2nd, followed 12 seconds later by Cary in 3rd. Liane Pancoast had a great day, considering most of her recent 5K's were in the 22 to 24 minute range; she finished 4th in 44:56. Jennifer Teppo 43:13 Patrice Combs 43:28 Nora Cary 43:40 65-69 John Barbour won the 2017 60-64 division title in 37:43. Later that year, Barbour sustained an injury which sidelined him for much of 2018. This spring he started competing at a high level again; his 31:00 time at the Doyle's Necklace 5 Miler signaled he was ready to break 39 and would be a threat for the title in his new division. Reno Stirrat finished 5th in 60-64 last year in 39:44; he would definitely be in the mix for his first national championship race as a 65 year old. Joseph Reda took 3rd in the division at the 8 Km Championship in Virginia Beach; he was half a minute slower than Stirrat in that race. This was the first national championship race for both Barbour and Stirrat in their new age division; both were eager to make it count. The two sped off at high speed, with Reda, Kirk Larson, and George Braun laying off the pace. Photo of Start shows the two rivals, John Barbour 121 and Reno Stirrat 252 keeping each other in sight as they blast off the line. Barbour and Stirrat finished 1-3 in the 65-69 Division at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Stirrat noted later that he had gone out too strong, caught up in the competition for the top spot. He got a stitch late in the race and Reda passed him on the final rolling uphill to the finish. Barbour took the win in 38:39 with Reda just under a minute back in 2nd place. Stirrat hung tough to take 3rd in 40:05, with Kirk Larson following a minute later in 4th ; Braun was another 20 seconds back. John Barbour 38:39 Joseph Reda 39:30 Reno Stirrat 40:05 Last year Karen Durante, Jeanette Groesz, and Suzanne Ray finished 1-2-3 in 46:30, 48:02, and 48:39. It takes nothing away from the others to say that was an unusually bad race for Ray. In three other Championships last year, Ray came in well ahead of her teammate, Groesz. But it would have taken a very strong race from Ray to derail Durante, who was on fire last year! This year Durante's tune-up races ere slower. The New Bedford HM in mid-March was 9 minutes slower, the 15k in late March four minutes slower this year. Whatever had been slowing her down was less evident at Doyle's Necklace5 Miler as her time was only 25 seconds slower than the previous year. It looked like she might be ready to roll to another title. Durante did prove strong enough to take the win, this year in 47:24. Karen Durante has it under control as she successfully defends her 65-69 title at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Ray ran a half minute faster than last year and moved up to 2nd this year, in 47:58. Groesz took 3rd in 48:40 in one of her last races in the division; she moves up to the 70-74 division in the fall. Fresh off a victory at the Essex County Cherry Blossom 10K in 49:47, and a day before the race entry for her North Jersey team, Erika Campbell took 4th in 49:59. Karen Durante 47:24 Suzanne Ray 47:58 Jeanette Groesz 48:40 70-74 Last year it was a battle royal between Gene Dykes and Bill Dixon, both of whom broke the existing American Record. Neither competed this year. Lloyd Hansen won the division at the 8K Championship in 32:36, with Jerry Learned 2nd in 35:11. Dave Glass, who finished 3rd last year in 43:49 had been struggling with a niggling injury for several months and was well off the pace in Virginia Beach. Allan Bates had run 45:47 in last year’s 10 Km when he was in 65-69. Hansen, coming off a division victory at the prestigious Carlsbad 5000 in 20:01, had no trouble; he took the win in 42:13, Lloyd Hansen driving for the finish line and the Gold Medal in 70-74 at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship with Glass a surprise 2nd place finisher 44:54. Glass's Southwest tour of Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon in mid-April apparently agreed with him. Bates took 3rd in 45:39, followed a half minute later by Learned in 4th. Although he did not factor into the race for the podium, all were glad to see Amby Burfoot, Amby Burfoot #136 enjoying his 10K race at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship of Runners World fame and a Boston Marathon winner in his day, competing in the event. Lloyd Hansen 42:13 Dave Glass 44:54 Allan Bates 45:39 Except for 2017 when she did not contest this championship, Jan Holmquist has taken the win every year since she turned 70 in 2015. Last year she took the title in her slowest time, 50:23. She would face stern competition in her last year in the age division. Sharon Gerl, a crossover Tri-athlete in her first year in the division, took first at the USTF Cross Country Nationals in 30:04. That suggests a low 50’s or below 10K was within her reach. This would be her first try at a road race national championship. Patty Foltz who ran 50:24 in the Reebok 10 K last year could also be a factor. Holmquist ran 22 seconds faster than last year. As noted above, that was good enough to take the Age Grading Championship overall, but not good enough for her 4th division win. Gerl ran strong, taking the win in 48:58. Sharon Gerl captures the Gold Medal in the 70-74 Division at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Holmquist finished 2nd in 50:01, 22 seconds faster than she ran last year, with Foltz third in 56:55. Linda Zavalick took 4th. Sharon Gerl 48:58 Jan Holmquist 50:01 Patty Foltz 56:55 75-79 Jan Frisby has been a top Masters Runner for over 25 years, winning his first Age Division Runner of the Year title in 1994. Since winning the M70 Masters Grand Prix title in 2017, Frisby has had up and down years, depending on injuries. His current rehab has been going well for a few months; he decided to compete as he had a family celebration to attend in Connecticut anyway. Frisby thought that his old rival, Doug Goodhue, the defending Champion in 46:55, would win handily. Goodhue, the Hall of Famer, has won everything in sight the last 12 months, but had an obligation to run in the Glass City Half Marathon. Imagine Frisby’s surprise when he learned he would be competing for the win. Frisby’s lone outing had been a 26:21 5K; John Noyes had a recent 27:04 5K, so it could well be close. David Pember finished 3rd in the division last year in 53:26; Ed Bligh had finished 4th in both the 5K and 15K National Masters Championships last year. It was a close race, but Frisby ran strong up the last hill, taking the victory in 50:21, with Noyes in 2nd place 16 seconds back. Jan Frisby powers his way to the 75-79 Division title at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Pember took 3rd in 53:57, followed a half minute later by Bligh in 4th. If he can stay healthy and keep at his training, Frisby and Goodhue could have quite a battle next year.[footnote: Goodhue took first at Toledo's Glass City HM in 1:37:23.] Jan Frisby 50:21 John Noyes 50:37 David Pember 53:57 Kathleen Scotti won unopposed last year in 1:25:43. This year, unopposed again, she took it a little easier, winning in 1:32:08. Kathleen Scotti 1:32:08 80-84 Bill Riley was first named an age division runner of the year in 1997 when he was 60, and took the title regularly in his 70’s. Harry Carter has never risen to those heights, but has often given Riley a run for his money. Two years ago, Riley bested Carter by a mere 4 seconds, but last year enjoyed a 52 second margin in taking first place with a 53:10. This year Carter had a faster recent 5K, but only by 5 seconds. That turned out to be a good signal though, as Carter beat Riley for the first time in 3 years. Riley was not at his best as Carter won by over three minutes in 56:03. Harry Carter takes the 80-84 title at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Norman Goluskin who had comparable 5K times, split the two to take 2nd place in 59:27, fifteen seconds ahead of Riley. Harry Carter 56:03 Norman Goluskin 59:27 Bill Riley 59:42 Tami Graf, fresh from her Bronze Medal Cross Country performance at the WMA Championships in Poland, took the division win unopposed in 1:22:19. Tami Graf captures the 80-84 Championship at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Tami Graf 1:22:19 85-89 Lawrence Cole moved up from the 80-84 division and found himself unopposed. He took the title in 1:22:03. Lawrence Cole heads to the finish line and a 1st place finish in the 85-89 Division at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Lawrence Cole 1:22:03 Edna Hyer finished 2nd in the 2017 Masters 5K Championships in the 80-84 division in 41:22. She took this title unopposed in 1:29:11. Edna Hyer #55 in the early stages of the race. She took the Gold Medal in the 85-89 Division at the 2019 USATF Masters 10 Km Championship Edna Hyer 1:29:11 90-94 It is becoming a little more common for this division to be contested. Richard Soller took the 90-94 title at Atlanta last year for the 5K and this March for the 8K at Virginia Beach. Soller did not make the trip to Dedham, but Nathan Finestone did, enjoying a fine race, clocking 1:22:31 for the win. Nathan Finestone 1:22:31 Nathan Finestone [left] congratulating Lawrence Cole after the 2019 USATF Masters 10K Championships. Both brought home National Championships. TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS. 40+ Scoring is based on the cumulative times of the first 3 runners on each team to finish. Last year the Genesee Valley Harriers and the Western Mass Distance project went 1-2 with only three minutes separating them. They appeared to be the two strongest returning teams but would have to withstand a new challenge from the San Francisco Bay area, the Impala Racing Team Kelly Couch, Hronn Gudmundsdottir, Alexandra Newman. With Couch and Gudmundsdottir both breaking 39 minutes, there was not doubt for long about which team would take 1st place. When Newman crossed the line a few minutes later, the Impalas had an average of 40:07 per runner and took the crown with over 12 minutes to spare. Western Mass Abby Mahoney, Karen Encarnacion, Nancy Cook, Heidi Besse enjoyed a tight pack without a front-runner to cruise to a 2nd place finish in 2:12:33, reversing the order from last year. Only 1:40 separated the 1st and 3rd runners. GVH Heather Webster, Caroline Bucci, Murphee Hayes, Darlene Saeva finished 3rd at 2:14:03, followed by the Sole Sisters Running Club in 4th. Impala Racing 2:00:21 Western Mass DP 2:12:33 GVH 2:14:03 In 2018, the Central Mass Striders, the Boston Athletic Association and the Garden State Track Club New Balance went 1-2-3 with less than 90 seconds spanning their team totals. The top two teams were back; Garden State, after taking the team title at the 8K in Virginia Beach, lacked a full complement of healthy runners to contest the 10K. The Atlanta Track Club, GVH, and the HFC Striders would vie for the final podium spot. The BAA Brendan Prindiville, David Bedoya, Andy Gardiner, Donal O’Sullivan, Matthew Carter prevailed as they ran in a tight pack in the early stages of the race and maintained their position through the last two grinding miles of the race. Each of their first three outran their counterpart on the other contenders. With a per runner average of 33:29, they reversed the advantage enjoyed by Central Mass last year. Central Mass Patrick Rich, Greg Putnam, Tim Van Orden, Joshua Perks, Joe Shairs took 2nd in 1:41:36. They couldn't match the prowess of HFC's Unger, but brought three scoring runners I before the 2nd HFC athlete. The HFC Striders TJ Unger, Lee Danforth, Timothy Gavin, Daniel Finkel pulled through to the final podium spot in 1:43:55, enjoying a three-minute margin over Atlanta. 50+ Several loaded teams competed last year for the title but, as usual, the Athena Track Club came out on top, followed by the Willow Street AC, Atlanta TC, Whirlaway Racing, and the HFC Striders. All but Whirlaway were back to lock horns once more. Athena Marisa Sutera Strange, Mary Swan, Julie Pangburn took top honors again, averaging 41:40 per athlete for a 2:05:00. Strange ga ve Athena a nice buffer with her sub-39 performance; when Swan and Pangburn came in within a few seconds of each other ahead of the 2nd scoring runner fo rtheir rivals, that gave them another Championship. The race for 2nd and 3rd was tighter as Willow Street Lori Kingsley, Emily Bryans, Anne Benson, Mary Buck edged Atlanta Mary Shah, Laurie Wharton, Kris Huff, Susan Welch by a half minute per runner, taking 2nd place in 2:09:06 to 2:10:48 for the third place club. Kingsley led the way for Willow Street; her 90 second advantage held up for the team as well. A couple of minutes later the HFC Striders Mimi Fallon, Susannah Landreth, Brenda Egizi, Mary McNulty, Rachel Shanor closed out their scoring at 2:13:16 for 4th place. Last year the Greater Springfield Harriers were riding the crest of their dominance, splitting into an A and B team, taking 1st and 3rd, with the Genesee Valley Harriers in 3rd, the Greater Lowell Road Runners and HFC Striders in 4th and 5th. This year looked different. Springfield lacked one of its top runners in Nat Larson and their other top runner, Kent Lemme, had a different focus to his training, as noted in the age Division section. Francis Burdett was partially recovered from an injury that slowed him down since late last fall, and Alejandro Heuck was focusing more on his track events. It was a very tight contest, but GVH Alan Evans, Mike Nier, Theodor Schnaufer, David Bischoff, David Gardella came out on top with a 36:43 average for 1:50:09. Lemme was only able to give his team a 2 second advantage, despite a gutsy run 13 days after a hard Boston Marathon. Evans, dropping down from the longer distances he prefers, ran a great race, cracking 36 minutes. He and Nier were able to work together during the race; Nier came across the line 13 seconds after Evans. That set them up well. They had to wait for their third scoring runner; Schnaufer did not let them down, closing out the scoring. Jason Cakouras and John Sullivan gave HFC hope as they came in behind Nier, with only 7 seconds between them. Their third runner, Scott Grandfield, came in ahead of Schnaufer, but the 26 second spread was not enough to make the difference. GVH edged the HFC Striders Cakouras, Sullivan, Grandfield, Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kelly by an average of 10 seconds per runner as the Striders clocked 1:50:39. Springfield Lemme, Burdett, Heuck, Peter Fratini was only 4 seconds per runner back from HFC in 3rd at 1:50:49. The Shore AC Ken Ginsburg, Jeff Conston, Brian Bragg claimed 4th in 1:54:26. Genesee Valley Harriers 1:50:09 HFC Striders 1:50:39 Greater Springfield Harriers 1:50:49 60+ Last year the Atlanta Track Club had no trouble running to victory over their Pacific Northwest rivals, Team Red Lizard, and GVH out of upstate NY. Both Atlanta and Red Lizard had stronger teams this year but it looked as if Red Lizard had improved a little more; Jennifer Teppo has run at the front of their pack since joining them before the 15K Championship last year. But it was also unlikely that Suzanne Ray would have as bad a day this year as last. The main change for Atlanta was in Mireille Silva adding stronger depth behind their ace, Patrice Combs. Teppo did come in first but only gained a 14 second advantage for her team as Combs also ran strong. Silva came next, giving her team a 1:46 buffer. When Ray and Groesz were the next two across the line, it looked like the Red Lizards might have reversed last year's outcome. Cindy Williams who was Atlanta's 2nd runner last year, had a slightly off day coming in 30 seconds slower than last year, but Margaret Taylor had a distinctly 'on' day, chopping three minutes off her time last year and coming in just fast enough to deny the Red Lizard Team the win they were hoping for.Last year Atlanta's margin was almost 2 minutes per athlete, this year it was 12 seconds per runner! Atlanta Combs, Silva, Taylor, Williams clocked in at 46:26 per runner for a 2:19:18 total to the Red Lizard’s Teppo, Ray, Groesz, Sharon Gerl, Joanna Harper 46:38 per athlete for 2:19:54. The Whirlaway Racing Team Karen Durante, Julie Haynes, Jan Holmquist finished 3rd in 2:26:53, with Greater Lowell RR Liane Pancoast, Nancy Dorn, Cindy Buhner, Patty Foltz, Jane Zeytoonian 4th. Atlanta Track Club 2:19:18 Team Red Lizard 2:19:54 Whirlaway Racing 2:26:53 Last year it was a very tight contest between the Atlanta Track Club, the Boulder Road Runners, Greater Lowell Road Runners, the Genesee Valley Harriers, and the Shore Athletic Club, who finished in that order. On paper it appeared that Atlanta and Greater Lowell had both improved. Atlanta had added Jeffery Dundas, who aged up from 55-59 and Ken Youngers has been running very well for the past few months. John Barbour had returned to his normal position as a sub-39 minute 10K runner and Matthew Curran, who has run well for Greater Lowell at Club XC, joined them on the pavement. But a new challenger emerged in the Green Mountain Athletic Association. Norm Larson has been close to Youngers on the roads. Their #2, James Miller, finished between Youngers and Boulder's Dan Spale at Club XC last December. Youngers gave Atlanta a nice buffer, coming in a minute ahead of Green Mountain's N. Larson and almost 2 minutes ahead of Lowell's Muse. Lowell had a tight pack but Dundas and Anderson, together, were able to stay within 7 seconds of Curran and Barbour , 1:17:15 to 1:17:08. That tight pack, with only 27 seconds between #1 and #3, was enough to keep Green Mountain at bay though. Atlanta Youngers, Dundas, Mike Anderson, Phil Richey, Kirk Larson ran more than 5 minutes faster than in 2018, taking the title in 1:53:34, with a per runner average of 37:52. They needed those extra minutes as Greater Lowell Charlie Muse, Matthew Curran, John Barbour, Ken Goodin took 2nd in 1:55:22, almost 4 minutes faster than last year’s winning time. And Lowell needed all of that to keep Green Mountain Norm Larson, James Miller, Jack Pilla, Allan Bates at bay; they took 3rd in 1:55:56. The Tri-Valley Front Runners Jim Howard, Donald Palladini, John Brown, Leo Trottier, Ted Tyler finished 4th in 2:02:11. Atlanta Track Club 1:53:34 Greater Lowell Road Runners 1:55:22 Green Mountain Athletic Association 1:55:56 70+ The Ann Arbor Track Club has won the last few events so the other teams may have been surprised to learn Ann Arbor was skipping the 10K Championship. Last year, prior to the ascendance of the Ann Arbor crew, it was the Genesee Valley Harriers, Atlanta Track Club, Ann Arbor, and the New England 65+ Runners Club finishing 1 through 4. GVH, Atlanta, and New England would have to sort it out without Ann Arbor this year. Perhaps not surprisingly, the finishing order was the same as in 2018. Atlanta's Dave Glass and Jerry learned took 1-2, but GVH took the next 3 spots and had just 2:21 between their #1 and #3 runners, Jim May, Keith Yeates, and Doc Rappole; that was enough to take the victory. GVH May, Yeates, Rappole averaged 47:56 per runner to take 1st in 2:23:46. Atlanta Glass, Learned, Ed Bligh, Sam Benedict, Joseph Lenahan finished 2nd in 2:25:33, with New England Paul Lindsay, Stephen Viegas, David Pember, Richard Paulsen 3rd in 2:33:44. Genesee Valley Harriers 2:23:46 Atlanta Track Club 2:25:33 New England 65 Plus Runners Club 2:33:44 80+ Last year the New England 65 Plus RC took 1st unopposed and they succeeded in doing the same this year. New England Bill Riley, Ram Satyaprasad, Joe Cordero, Lawrence Cole, Jerry Levasseur averaged 1:07:15 per runner for a total time of 3:21:43 and 1st place. New England 65 Plus Runners Club 3:21:43 All Photos by Michael Scott, unless otherwise credited. Drug Testing. USADA, consistent with USATF's commitment to drug testing at the Masters level, again tested runners at Dedham. Marisa Sutera Strange had the bad luck to be selected a second time this year. Perhaps it is due to her dominance. She is one of the few to be a consistent top Age-Grader and typically top 5 Overall. Unfortunately it means that Strange missed most of the post-race festivities and camaraderie. Complete results can be found at: http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2019/USATF-Masters-10-km-Championships/Results.aspx Posted by The Running Professor at 8:46 PM Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Share to Pinterest Labels: masters ldr, race recaps 1 comment: DaveMay 14, 2019 at 1:52 AM For not being there in person to either compete or report, you did a hell of a good job, Paul. 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