Masters Age lowering to 35

That works out GREAT.....

I will be 35 on Jan. 21st 2011

Paul Tergat was 34 when he set his world record, and 36 when he won new York last fall.

35 year old guys do not need a special category!

In Canada they added sub 40 but it is because in masters only races it changes the entire complexion of the race in a bad way. I always pointed to the US and said, " they do it right; masters is over 40"

they are adding it probably to add to membership to the detriment of the current members.

Mandingo, are you Canadian? You touched on something I was wondering about, since I'll be running the half marathon in Toronto next weekend. Just curious if I have any chance of placing as a master (if the age is 35+, the answer is most certainly "no").

To the original poster - there was a lot of discussion of this issue on the master's thread about a year ago.

Yes, it really is ridiculous lowering Masters age to 35. Colleen DeReuck is still among the top few distance women in the U.S. at 42, and beats all but a handful of masters *men* in her races.

Not that it really matters to me -- I am not fast enough to win any race where there is nontrivial Masters money on the line, and the NYRR gives out awards in all the five-year age groups in all races.

Humbled wrote:

Mandingo, are you Canadian? You touched on something I was wondering about, since I'll be running the half marathon in Toronto next weekend. Just curious if I have any chance of placing as a master (if the age is 35+, the answer is most certainly "no").

To the original poster - there was a lot of discussion of this issue on the master's thread about a year ago.

I am Canadian; which is the tag line of a beer commercial here a while ago!

Actually, for the purposes of road races in Canada, master is still over 40. The sub-masters really only applies to cross country and track.

For the T.O. half for which "prizes are to be determined" the times for masters men last year were 1:14:49, 1:16:04, and 1:21:22. Two factors, there is a pretty big 10km the day before in T.O. that may draw some of the masters and there is a half marathon in Niagara Falls the following weekend. THe Toronto half has a fairly fast net downhill course although it has a couple uphills in it. THe niagara falls one is pancake flat but has rained in the past. Placing there last year 68:47, 1:16:51 and 1:17:01.

I'm going to watch the Toronto half and cheer for some friends running.

this is dumb.

I think it should actually be raised to about 42. This is based entirely on personal experience and anecdotal evidence from others but I think for the first couple of years after turning 40 you can run very comparably to how you ran at younger ages. I didn't feel like I just couldn't run as fast anymore until this year, at age 42.

I will turn 40 that year and have been looking forward to racing the masters division as there are some quality runners in that group. I will end up racing 35 year olds what a crock. I think they should have just kept it like it was.

bob spelled backwards wrote:

I will turn 40 that year and have been looking forward to racing the masters division as there are some quality runners in that group. I will end up racing 35 year olds what a crock. I think they should have just kept it like it was.

that matches me exactly. damn. that really sucks. luckily, i bet most road races will stay at 40+

yeah this is dumb if for no other reason than that 40 is an obvious milestone for everyone- its a great dividing point. 35 obviously doesnt have the same ring to it. Im thinking of the 1500/mile comparisons that people always make for the possible lack of interest in track. Plus like plenty of people said 35 is still not even remotely old.

Anyway this is why running in college meets is more fun- it doesnt matter how old you are just how fast you run.

Hey Mandingo and the other Canadian cat. I'll be winning my age group in the 5k at the T.O. Marathon this Sunday!!

What a small world this internet makes!

check it out.

i repeat, this is ridiculous. 35 is young. OK so it's not college young but it sure as hell ain't "middle age"

OUTKICK wrote:

Hey Mandingo and the other Canadian cat. I'll be winning my age group in the 5k at the T.O. Marathon this Sunday!!

What a small world this internet makes!

Very nice! Make sure you bring some warm clothes; it's supposed to be chilly. The 5km course is down and back on University Avenue; very scenic, fair course.

Where are you from OUTKICK?

Humbled wrote:I'll be running the half marathon in Toronto next weekend.

Humbled,

I'll be running that one alongside my wife. You're probably looking for - what - maybe 1:30ish if I remember your marathon goal time right? We'll be well back, aiming for sub-1:50. Have a great race, eh?

Mandingo,

you running the 10k the day before like last year? I'm planning to jump into a local XC race with the university kids that day, if I can swing the logistics. Biggest problem at the moment is figuring out how to pick up my wife's race kit if she comes home Friday noon, I race Saturday afternoon, then we drive back for 7ish Saturday evening. She's trying to work something out, but failing that, I'll not be racing this weekend, just jogging along in a sea of people Sunday. Let's all pray for some good weather, what?

Ed Whitlock places in the top few % of the races he runs; we should move masters to 70, so that we have something to look forward to.

Any official links?

Pete wrote:

I'll be running that one alongside my wife. You're probably looking for - what - maybe 1:30ish if I remember your marathon goal time right? We'll be well back, aiming for sub-1:50. Have a great race, eh?

Thanks! I'm looking forward to it - and yes, you're exactly right about my goal time. 1:30:xx would be a PR for me. Have fun jogging the course...I think it's great, the way you put in your easy miles with your wife and son.

Mandingo, don't know what time the friends you're cheering for are looking to run, but if you're still at the finish when the 1:30ish runners come through, please give a cheer for any dazed-looking, 40-something females. One of them is likely to be me.

Outkick, good luck in the 5k!

(Apologies for turning this into a Toronto marathon/half/5k thread, but it's always interesting to know which letsrunners are running the same race as you.)

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