TULSA — For the 7th consecutive year, the USATF Masters 15 km Championships will be hosted by the Tulsa Federal Credit Union Tulsa Run. The course shows off the sparkling downtown, the vibrant neighborhoods and just a few of the hills of Tulsa. It culminates in a challenging last mile that climbs 60 meters. And just to make it interesting, rain at the start, possibly changing to showers and 47 degrees. Never daunted, a terrific field of long-distance specialists is assembling.
Fiona Bayly, after a 2nd place finish Overall in 2016, is going for the three-peat this year. She won last year in 58:09. Melissa Gacek, who won in 2016 in 58:44, has taken 2nd the last two years. Bayly tuned up with a Masters podium finish at the New Balance Bronx 10-Miler in 1:02:54. Gacek prepped with a Masters podium of her own at the TC Medtronic 10 Miler in 1:03:51. Those times may be closer than they look, as the Twin Cities course is known to be one of the more challenging 10 Milers. These two champions will have quite the duel!
On the Men’s side the favorite is David Angell. The 3-time 10Km and 3-time 5Km Masters Overall Champion, will try to add the 15K to his win column. He has been on the podium three years running, and hopes to finally turn the page to a win. He finished 2nd last year in 50:53. Never an easy task, the primary challengers look to be Christopher Naimoli who took Masters honors at the Great Cow Harbor 10K last month in 32:16. By comparison, Angell’s most recent 10K Championship win was in 32:22. Jason Butler who took 4th in 53:17 in 2017 returns to try for a National Championship win in his home state. Others who could be in the race for a podium spot include: Brian Sydow, Aaron Totten-Lancaster and the Garden State twins, Elliott and Jonathan Frieder who are on the comeback trail after rehabbing injuries.
Age-grading is the top prize awarded for the best performances relative to age across all Masters Age Divisions, with 100 signifying the best possible. Among the men, Roger Sayre and Tom Bernhard are the returning runners with the highest age grading scores and the favorites to go 1-2. Sayre’s 55:59 at age 60 graded at 89.53% while Bernhard’s 1:01:15 at age 67, graded at 87.57%. Craig Godwin, who just turned 50 and ran 1:12:18 at the Eugene Oregon Half Marathon, is also a threat. Fiona Bayly took the Women’s age-grading honors last year. Her winning time at age 51 earned a 90.89. Suzanne Ray, 66 last year, ran 1:11:06 to merit a 90.80% and 2nd place. A few points behind was Andriette Wickstrom who will try to move up this year. Patrice Combs, Jeanette Groesz, and Edie Stevenson all have a shot at the age-grading podium.
Favorites for the Age Division National Championships include: 40-44 David Angell/Melissa Gacek, 45-49 Jason Butler/Samantha Forde, 50-54 Craig Godwin/Fiona Bayly, 55-59 Michael Collins/Kris Huff, 60-64 Roger Sayre/Patrice Combs, 65-69 Thomas Bernhard/Suzanne Ray, 70 Jerry Learned/Jeanette Groesz, 75-79 Jan Frisby/Irene Terronez, 80-84 David Turner. Collins, in 55-59, has a slightly faster recent 15K time, but Zamek has been on the Age Division podium this year at the 8Km, 5Km and 1 Mile Championships; it could go either way. Groesz, in 70-74, will have to repel a challenge from Edie Stevenson, who is returning from injuries this year.
With many of the Club Grand Prix races already decided, there are only three divisions that will be tightly contested, but those will be doozies. In Men’s 40+, the Atlanta Track Club and the Garden State Track Club-New Balance square off for season’s honors. With Atlanta ahead 370 to 365, whoever wins the Championship here gets 100 points and the Grand Prix win to boot. If the Frieder twins had been running races right along, it would be sensible to make Garden State the favorite. Because they are both returning from injuries, it is too close to call. The Men’s 60+ Club Grand Prix is settled already but the Boulder Road Runners want to send a message to this year’s winners, the Atlanta Track Club, about next year by finishing off with a win. With Sayre leading the way, Boulder should enjoy a comparatively easy win over the Shore Athletic Club and Kansas City Smoke. Women’s 60+ is a tight contest between last year’s Club Grand Prix Champions, Team Red Lizard of Oregon, and the Atlanta Track Club. As with the men, the 2019 Women’s 70+ Club Grand Prix goes to Atlanta, but Team Red Lizard is running at full strength in this event to test themselves against the 2019 Grand Prix winners. It should be tight, with the Red Lizard team more balanced across their top 3 runners and Atlanta relying on Combs to lead them to victory.
This event winds up the 2019 Masters Grand Prix season. Grand Prix awards will be presented at the Club Cross Country Championships at Lehigh in Bethlehem, PA. The Masters races at that event kick off the 2020 Grand Prix.
Submitted by Paul Carlin
Masters LDR/Media Coordinator
Running Professor, LLC/runningprof.com