Masters LDR Awards

Phiddipides Award  |  XC Masters Harriers  |  Otto Essing Award

Phiddipides Award

The Phidippides Award, inspired by the historic masters runner, is an award available to dedicated members of USATF over the age of forty who earn points through their participation in road races throughout the year. Athletes who earn enough points will be recognized by USATF with a personalized Gold, Silver, or Bronze plaque.

View the Phiddipides Award’s rules, tables, and past winners (.pdf).

Cross Country Masters Harriers of the Year

This award was established to honor the outstanding Masters Male and Female Cross Country Runners.

Year Male Winner Female Winner

2020 Joe Sheeran Marisa Sutera Strange
2019 Nat Larson Marisa Sutera Strange
2018 Rick Becker and Nat Larson Sabra Harvey
2017 John Barbour and Nat Larson Marisa Sutera Strange
2016  Rick Becker  Kathryn Martin
2015 Peter Magill Kathryn Martin
2014 Simon Gutierrez Kathryn Martin
2013 Peter Magill and Ray Pugsley Carmen Ayala-Troncoso
2012 Matt Ebiner Kathryn Martin
2011 Peter Magill  Kathryn Martin
2010 Rick Becker Carmen Ayala-Troncoso
2009 Simon Gutierrez Carmen Ayala-Troncoso
2008 Peter Magill Kathryn Martin
2007 Peter Magill Kathryn Martin
2006 David O’Keeffe Kathryn Martin
2005 David O’Keeffe Carmen Ayala-Troncoso
2004 Tom Dalton Kathryn Martin
2003 Tom Dalton and Robert Winn Kathryn Martin and Shirley Matson
2002 Tom Dalton Kathryn Martin
2001 Tom Dalton Carolyn Smith-Hanna and Joan Ottaway
2000 Tom Dalton Carolyn Smith-Hanna

Masters Harriers of the Year Award contact:
Bill Quinlisk
USATF Masters LDR
Masters Cross Country Rep.
billqxc@verizon.net

Otto Essig Award

Otto Essig (1906-2005)
Otto Essig was a long-distance running participant and for many years a financial contributor to USATF Masters Long Distance Running. His “over and above” financial support enabled Masters LDR to engage in special projects on behalf of our sport. He is immortalized in the most prestigious award given annually by Masters LDR – the Otto Essig Award for meritorious service to Masters Long Distance Running. The award was first given in 1977 to two recipients – Otto Essig and Ruth Anderson. Masters LDR will be reminded of Otto’s generosity and involvement each year at the annual meeting when committee members nominate and vote on recipients of the award in his name.

2020 Bill Roe
2019 Doug Goodhue
2018 Martin Hanley
2017 Colleen Magnussen, Mike Neir & Przemyslaw Nowicki
2016 Marian Lein
2015 Paul Carlin & Lloyd Hansen
2014 Madeline Bost
2013 Tom Bernhard
2012 Bill Quinlisk
2011 Norman Green
2010 Lee Ann Meyer
2009 David Katz & David Oja
2008 Mary Rosado
2007 Don & Marian Lein
2006 Don Lein
2005 Twin Cities Marathon
2004 Alan Jones
2003 George Regan
2002 Jerry Crockett
2001 Jerry Crockett
2000 George Kleeman
1999 John R. Kelley
1998 Indy Life Insurance
1997 Ryan Lamppa
1996 Basil & Linda Honikman
1995 John Boyle
1994 Jerry Crockett
1993 Charles DesJardins
1992 Kirk Randall
1991 Bill Shrader
1990 Rev. Norman Green
1989 George Vernosky
1988 Phil Benson
1987 Charles DesJardins
1986 Ken Young & Jennifer Hesketh-Young
1985 Bob Boal & Nate & Evelyn White
1984 Jack Moran & Carole Langenbach
1983 Tony Diamond
1982 Dick Kendall & Maryanne McBrayer
1981 Bill Shrader
1980 Bob Fine
1979 Tony Diamond
1978 Ed Barron & Pat Bessel
1977 Otto Essig & Ruth Anderson

Paul Spangler Award

The Paul Spangler Award recognizes the Female and Male Athletes who set an example for us all by continuing to compete at a high level in long-distance road races well into their later years. The oldest female and male divisional Road Runners of the Year are honored with this annual award. The award is presented annually by the Masters Long Distance Running Sports Committee.

Year    Male Winner    Female Winner
2020   none   none
2019  Nathaniel Finestone Betty Lindberg
2018  Jerry Johncock Ginette Bedard
2017  Roy Englert Ella Jane Custer
2016  Willis Moses Ella Jane Custer
2015  Jerry Johncock Harriette Thompson
2014  Bill Benson Harriette Thompson
2013  Bill Tribou Harriett Thompson
2012  Albert Booth Rita Pekara
2011  Bill Tribou Evelyn Tripp
2010  Henry Sypniewski Evelyn Tripp
2009  Henry Sefnewsky Evelyn Tripp
2008  Abraham Weintraub Kathryn West
2007  Edmund Devine Kathryn West
2006  Vernon Schaefer Kathryn West
2005  Abraham Weintraub Evelyn Cockerham
2004  Max Springer Edith Allen
2003  Ernest VanLeeuwen Edith Allen
2002  Abraham Weintraub Edith Allen
2001  Abraham Weintraub    Edith Allen
2000  Abraham Weintraub    Hedy Marque
1999  James Ramsey    Anne Clarke

1994 – Dr. Paul E. Spangler, the senior ambassador of masters running, died of heart failure during a seven-mile run near his home in San Luis Obispo, Calif., March 29, 11 days after his 95th birthday. “He died the way he wanted to go before losing his independence,” said Betty Nolen of Belmont, Calif., one of his four surviving children. “You have to rejoice that he touched so many lives.” Spangler, who graduated from the University of Oregon in 1919, set several world and American age-group distance running records after taking up running in 1966. He was a charter member of the Fifty-Plus Fitness Association at Stan-ford and two years ago he received the national Athlete Award for Courage in Sports in Chicago. “He wanted us to host the World Veterans Games when he was 100,” said Barbara Kousky, chairman of the USA Track and Field Committee. “We looked forward to seeing him in August at the nationals. He will be sorely missed. We’ll definitely do something to honor him (during the meet).” Kousky said Spangler was a popular spokesman for the master’s movement and was the oldest and most photographed participant in the 10th World Veterans Games in Miyazaki, Japan, last October. “He got to meet privately with the prince and princess (of Japan) while he was there,” Kousky said. “He was extremely sharp. It was always a highlight to hear him speak.” Spangler was born March 18, 1899, in Mittineague, Mass. The son of a Congregational minister, his family moved to Eugene, Ore., in the early 19005 and he delivered The Register newspaper in Eugene in 1913. His schooling at the University of Oregon was interrupted for service in the Navy during World War I. In 1923, he graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Medical School. He studied flying at the Portland Flying Club, and his family claims he became the first doctor to have a pilot’s license. He was a surgeon at the Navy hospital in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. He retired from the Navy in 1959 and worked on Project Hope, taking a peace-time hospital ship on its first mission to Southeast Asia. Running and barbershop singing became his joys in later life. He founded the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Singing in America and took pride in breaking three hours, in qualifying for the Boston Marathon in 1979. His two wives died, leaving him four children. He had 14 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.