3/20/22 – SYRACUSE NY
Rain held off, with low 40’s temperatures, and 12 mph winds with some gusts over the last few miles. The fit Masters athletes lined up for the race shrugged off the weather and the 457 feet of elevation gain. In the women’s race, Jennifer Bigham Pittsburgh PA charged up the James Street Hill and by the time they hit the 5 km mark she had 45 seconds on the field. She never looked back and took the title in 1:18:04.
Silvia Baage Rockville MD ran 1:21:03 for 2nd, with Jessica Hruska Dubuque IA, the reigning Masters 5 km national champion, third in 1:22:05. On the Men’s side, it was Jesse Davis Indianapolis IN driving the train, but Eric Blake West Hartford CT stayed with him for the first 5k and was still just 7 seconds back at the 15K mark. But then Davis pulled away for his second Overall victory on the 2022 Masters National Grand Prix circuit, clocking a fine 1:09:45. Blake, the 2019 Masters 10 km national Champion, took 2nd in 1:10:10 with John Poray Fishers IN third in 1:12:04.
The Overall Age Grading awards, determined by chip time, recognize the athletes across all age divisions with the most outstanding performance for their age. Jeannie Rice Concord Township OH 73, the 2019 USATF Masters Athlete of the Year, won with a 1:42:16 time that graded at 99.61%. Lisa Veneziano Fenton MI 55 1:27:00 93.06, the 12 km American 55-59 record holder, 2nd and Fiona Bayly New York, NY 54 1:24:05 92.72, the 2019 Masters national 15K Champion, rounding out the podium. Nat Larson Amherst, MA 59, three-time USATF Masters Harrier of the Year, returned to the top of the Men’s age grading podium, with a 1:16:30 for 92.24%. Roger Sayre Golden CO 64 1:21:42 finished 2nd with Rick Lee Bayville NJ 61 1:19:39, the 50 km American 60-64 record holder in 3rd.
Age Division National Champions, determined by gun time, included M/W: 40-44 Davis/Bigham; 45-49 Jeff Tomaszewski 1:16:56/Sara Girotto 1:25:21; 50-54 Mark Callon 1:15:46/Bayly 1:24:08; 55-59 Larson 1:16:31/Veneziano 1:27:01; 60-64 Lee 1:19:40/Doreen McCoubrie 1:33:28; 65-69 Norm Larson 1:28:30/Suzanne Ray 1:49:32 70-74 Gene Dykes 1:32:48/Rice 1:42:18 75-79 Dave Glass 1:41:54.
The Indiana Elite AC 1:11:30 average time made it three for three in Men’s 40 and up. With Davis and Poray leading the way, they added another victory to their Club Cross Country and 5 km Championships. This win was their most dominant; they had three runners in the top 5 and four in the top 7 overall. Their average time was 1:11:30. The Garden State Track Club 1:17:24 had a strong win in M 50+; all four of their runners crossed the line before any of their rivals. In 60+ the Boulder Road Runners 1:25:58 led the way. The hometown Syracuse Track Club 1:49:11 took the M70+ crown. The Genesee Valley Harriers 1:36:00 claimed 1st place in W40+, while Shore AC 1:34:39 claimed the highly competitive W50+ contest. The Greater Philadelphia Track Club 1:35:57 went home with the W60+ gold medals.
All agreed that the Syracuse Half Marathon was a well-organized race that did a terrific job of hosting the Masters national Championships! Next up on the Masters National Grand Prix circuit is the USATF Masters 10 Mile Run in Sacramento CA on Sunday, April 3rd, hosted by the Sactown 10.
Submitted by
Paul Carlin
Masters LDR/Media Coordinator
Running Professor, LLC/www.runningprof.com
