Lloyd Hansen, Chair of the USATF Masters Long Distance Running (MLDR) Executive Committee, shares his update on the MLDR program, including the Masters National Grand Prix championship race series:
First, a big shoutout to Sean Wade, who set 4 American 55-59 Records in February! Three of them were set on February 6 at one event in Houston, Texas, where he established new records for the 12K (40:14), 15K (50:22), and 10 Mile (54:06). The 12K and 15K were also World Best marks. Two weeks later, on February 21, he broke the American 8k 55-59 Record by 8 seconds with a 26:11. That works out to 5:16 per mile and tied for World Best!
Second, we appreciate all those who are supporting our Masters LDR Ambassador Calls. There were a record 140 participants from 70 clubs on our February 11 call and another 39 who registered and received the presentation online. They were able to hear directly from two of this year’s race directors, Terry Mullane and Rick Streeter, as well as Amanda Scotti from National Masters News. This is a great opportunity to stay up to date with the very latest information on 2021 and 2022. CLICK HERE to register for the next call.
Third, we have 5 championship events on this year’s schedule and are putting together a very strong schedule in 2022. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with the consequences of the pandemic and the first event on June 12 still has a high risk of cancellation. We are hoping the risk decreases substantially by the second event in September. Our 2021 Calendar looks like this:
- USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships on June 12 as part of the Rochester Mile in downtown Rochester, NY. (High Risk of Cancellation)
- USATF Masters 12k Championships on September 19 as part of By Hook or By Crook 12k in Sandy Hook, NJ.
- USATF Masters 5k XC Championships on October 17 near Boston, MA
- USATF Half Marathon Championships on November 14 as part of the Syracuse Half Marathon in Syracuse, NY.
- USATF Club Cross Country Championships on December 11 in Tallahassee, FL.
Points for the 2020-2021 Grand Prix can be earned in each of the first four events. CLICK HERE for the scoring and rules of this year’s Grand Prix. The Grand Prix individual and team awards will then be awarded at a special award event in Tallahassee on December 11.
For 2022, we are focused on 9-10 geographically-diverse Grand Prix events. We have already identified 7 of those events and are in discussions for the remaining 2-3. Importantly, we are committed to publishing the entire 2022 schedule by October 2021. The 2022 Masters Grand Prix schedule will kick off with the 2021 USATF Club Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee.
Finally, we have assembled a very strong Communications Subcommittee. Led by Bruce Kirschner, the Committee includes Paul Carlin (media-print and web), Todd Straka (web editor), Dawn Grunnagle (social media), and Pam Fales (Constant Contact administration). Also assisting are Morris Williams and Rob Schaltenbrand.
Their mission statement is:
“To enhance the design and delivery of USATF Masters Long Distance Running communications to generate excitement while building camaraderie and community and significantly increase participation in Masters National Grand Prix events.”
They have set some ambitious goals to dramatically improve the quality of our communications, including leveraging existing communication channels, building better websites, establishing a presence on social media, and improved outreach to running clubs and USATF Associations.
Look for Lloyd’s column each month.
