Old CO Guy wrote:
Maybe Bolder Boulder used to be deep, but not anymore. I’ve twice finished in the top 3 masters there, but never even been in the top 20 at Boston or Club XC.
Maybe it has dropped off in the 40s. In my 40s my best was top 10 OA masters, but there were guys running 31s-32s those years. But check 50s-60s age groups and now 70s for the past 5 or 6 years.
flowrunner wrote:
If not, what races would you find the fastest Masters athletes in the 5k, 10k, 10 mile, and Half?
I’d say the ultramarathons have the greatest athletes in the world. After all, very few people enter so it must be really hard. I mean, how many people do you know who ran 100 miles straight? Rare as Michael Jordan.
CrispyChicken wrote:
Like any contest, they are the best among those who show up.
You had to have been there to win that.
This is what I was thinking. Not everyone shows up to any championship race- injuries, etc.
For us older guys there are other restrictions- for me until recently, it was work. A few years ago my family came first.
USATF Masters 10K 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Jason Holroyd 33:37, 2. Mike Cole 33:56, 3. Aaron Price 34:17
50 to 54 - 1. Mark Carroll 33:38, 2. Richard Falcone 33:39, 3. Gregory Putnam 34:09
55 to 59 - 1. Nat Larson 34:22, 2. Brian Crowley 35:03, 3. Scott Grandfield 36:21
60 to 64 - 1. Tim Degrado 35:59, 2. Rick Lee 36:41, 3. Paul McGovern 36:54
USATF Masters 10 Mile 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Gregory Mitchell 52:57, 2. Jason Troxler 53:49, 3. Jacques Sallberg 54:49
50 to 54 - 1. Jaime Heilpern 55:11, 2. Mark Callon 56:03, 3. Ivan Lieben 56:38
55 to 59 - 1. Nat Larson 57:11, 2. Thomas Tayeri 58:05, 3. Anthony McGrath 58:07
60 to 64 - 1. Tim Degrado 59:47, 2. Iain Mickle 59:57, 3. Paul Hughes 1:03:00
No. It's whoever shows up.
Raddison wrote:
One factor that affects the older masters runners is the possibility of drug testing at national championships. Once you are past 65 the likelihood of being on some doctor prescribed medication gets higher and higher. Some of these will flag a positive if tested. In theory the athlete could apply for a TUE but if you are an independent athlete without the backing of a shoe company or a doctor who is part of the USATF inner circle your chances of getting one are very unlikely.
As a result, a lot of masters self exclude from nationally organised events and just run local events. To be honest, the age group national champion is really just the fastest guy who could afford to travel to the event and is not on any medication.
Then most of these "self-excluded" runners must only be doing unsanctioned, uncertified races in their local area. And by definition really, if they are taking performance-enhancing medication then they aren't really legit, are they?
The USATF masters fields often include a fair number of current and former American record holders and World Masters medalists/champions. For example, at the last championship I entered among the top runners on the age grade list included multi-time world championship medalist/current American age group record holder, recent world masters championship medalist and current American age group record holder, world age group best for marathon and American record holder for several distances, recent podium finisher at Abbott WMM championships, and former medalist from masters world championship.
And as far as affording to travel, that is a factor, but if you have a good day and say you win your age group place top 5 in the age grading or top 3 overall, and maybe be on a team that finishes on the podium you can often pay for your airfare and hotel. Do all of the above and you can bring home some money, even from a cross-country trip.
Any road races with faster Masters athletes than the USATF Championship races?
USATF Masters 5K 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Jacques Sallberg 15:58, 2. Jason Ritter 16:03, 3. John Jackson 16:06
50 to 54 - 1. Christian Cushing 16:45, 2. Mark Andrews 16:54, 3. Brent Fields 17:28
55 to 59 - 1. David Matherne 17:23, 2. Michael Collins 17:26, 3. John McMahon 17:36
60 to 64 - Joseph Mora 18:02, 2. Tim Degrado 18:05, 3. Rick Lee 18:05
USATF Masters 10K 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Jason Holroyd 33:37, 2. Mike Cole 33:56, 3. Aaron Price 34:17
50 to 54 - 1. Mark Carroll 33:38, 2. Richard Falcone 33:39, 3. Gregory Putnam 34:09
55 to 59 - 1. Nat Larson 34:22, 2. Brian Crowley 35:03, 3. Scott Grandfield 36:21
60 to 64 - 1. Tim Degrado 35:59, 2. Rick Lee 36:41, 3. Paul McGovern 36:54
USATF Masters 10 Mile 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Gregory Mitchell 52:57, 2. Jason Troxler 53:49, 3. Jacques Sallberg 54:49
50 to 54 - 1. Jaime Heilpern 55:11, 2. Mark Callon 56:03, 3. Ivan Lieben 56:38
55 to 59 - 1. Nat Larson 57:11, 2. Thomas Tayeri 58:05, 3. Anthony McGrath 58:07
60 to 64 - 1. Tim Degrado 59:47, 2. Iain Mickle 59:57, 3. Paul Hughes 1:03:00
USATF Masters Half 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Jeff Tomaszewski 1:16:51, 2. Harley Johnson 1:17:18, 3. 1:17:51
50 to 54 - 1. Mark Callon 1:15:43, 2. Gregory Putnam 1:15:48, 3. Richard Falcone 1:16:57
55 to 59 - 1. Nat Larson 1:16:30, 2. John McMahon 1:19:58, 3. David Putney 1:19:59
60 to 64 - 1. Rick Lee 1:19:39, 2. Roger Sayre 1:21:42, 3. Lawrence Sak 1:24:15
Cost can be a factor for those with limited budgets. Depending on the location, the event could include an expensive plane flight, a couple of nights at a hotel, and perhaps a car rental. My flight this summer was more than $900 to the outdoor USATF Outdoor National Championship.
flowrunner wrote:
Any road races with faster Masters athletes than the USATF Championship races?
USATF Masters 5K 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Jacques Sallberg 15:58, 2. Jason Ritter 16:03, 3. John Jackson 16:06
50 to 54 - 1. Christian Cushing 16:45, 2. Mark Andrews 16:54, 3. Brent Fields 17:28
55 to 59 - 1. David Matherne 17:23, 2. Michael Collins 17:26, 3. John McMahon 17:36
60 to 64 - Joseph Mora 18:02, 2. Tim Degrado 18:05, 3. Rick Lee 18:05
USATF Masters 10K 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Jason Holroyd 33:37, 2. Mike Cole 33:56, 3. Aaron Price 34:17
50 to 54 - 1. Mark Carroll 33:38, 2. Richard Falcone 33:39, 3. Gregory Putnam 34:09
55 to 59 - 1. Nat Larson 34:22, 2. Brian Crowley 35:03, 3. Scott Grandfield 36:21
60 to 64 - 1. Tim Degrado 35:59, 2. Rick Lee 36:41, 3. Paul McGovern 36:54
Over 80, it thins out a lot. At 82, I was second in the USAFT 10K in a hilly 58 minutes in Dedham, and first in the USATF 12K race at Sandy Hook, N.J. in 1:14:54 (flat but near 90 degrees). But there were only around 10 competitors in each race in my age group.
I do Masters road rankings for USATF. For yearly rankings, the Masters LDR Committee uses age-grading as the primary metric to determine the quality of a performance. I check the results of around 150 races per year, and the races in the Masters Road Grand Prix (National Champs) consistently have the highest number of age-grades >85%. You can check out the yearly and all-time age-graded rankings here.
tlbernhard wrote:
I do Masters road rankings for USATF. For yearly rankings, the Masters LDR Committee uses age-grading as the primary metric to determine the quality of a performance. I check the results of around 150 races per year, and the races in the Masters Road Grand Prix (National Champs) consistently have the highest number of age-grades >85%. You can check out the yearly and all-time age-graded rankings here.
Interesting that the Grand Prix races consistently have the highest number of age-grades > 85%.
That list for the year 2021 is pretty cool! Thanks, that gives a good sense for the races that the top Masters athletes are doing. Great way to compile the data based on age-grading and compare the athletes/races!
Coyote Montane wrote:
Then most of these "self-excluded" runners must only be doing unsanctioned, uncertified races in their local area. And by definition really, if they are taking performance-enhancing medication then they aren't really legit, are they?
No but who cares if they are legit. If I'm 45 and taking drugs to make me feel younger then I'm doing it for my quality of life. I would have no qualms testing myself to see if my 45-year old drugged up self could still hang with the 25 year old guys. I think I would do my best not to steal some other masters prize money or glory though, maybe register as 39 or something to stay out of that division. I would need to think it through more since this is hypothetical, but my point is I think there can still be a place for drugged up 45 year olds in po-dunk road races that don't matter. We all run for our own reasons and trying to slow the decline of Father Time - even with the aid of medication - seems like a reasonable one to me.
flowrunner wrote:
Any road races with faster Masters athletes than the USATF Championship races?
USATF Masters 10 Mile 2022 Championship
45 to 49 - 1. Gregory Mitchell 52:57, 2. Jason Troxler 53:49, 3. Jacques Sallberg 54:49
50 to 54 - 1. Jaime Heilpern 55:11, 2. Mark Callon 56:03, 3. Ivan Lieben 56:38
55 to 59 - 1. Nat Larson 57:11, 2. Thomas Tayeri 58:05, 3. Anthony McGrath 58:07
60 to 64 - 1. Tim Degrado 59:47, 2. Iain Mickle 59:57, 3. Paul Hughes 1:03:00
maybe not faster, but cherry blossom 10 mile in DC in April is often pretty fast/deep. In the M60-64 this year for instance the top 4 were 60:23, 61:33, 62:49, 63:02, so not much behind the one listed above.
--Dave
Anyone have information on where and when the 2023 USATF Masters Half Marathons Championships are? thx
The very fastest runners in their early 40's are still pretty darn competitive for the general population. They're at any big race that younger elite athletes are at. For example Lagat, Abdi, Meb, many others would still run your regular open races with good competition. So just show up to any race that has really competitive runners and a lot of them, and you're going to find some stud runners age 40+
are results posted yet
Probably the Syracuse Half in March.
tlbernhard wrote:
Probably the Syracuse Half in March.
@tlbernhard, by any chance, would you have an idea when USATF will post the Championship / Grand Prix schedule for 2023?
The Masters LDR Comm. is still working on the bids. At least a tentative schedule will be announced at the USATF Annual Meeting early Dec.
