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:
A record turnout of Masters LDR athletes boosted the fields at the recent USATF Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Ames, Iowa.
Across all age divisions, there were a total of 110 registered athletes for the 5,000 meter event and 92 registered for the 10,000! Masters athletes are racing again! There were some terrific, competitive races. Read about them at the Running Professor’s blog: http://www.runningprof.com/.
Join us on our August 12 Masters LDR Ambassador Call
In December of last year, we launched our Masters LDR Ambassador calls. The purpose of these calls is to provide real-time communication about our Masters LDR national championships. The participation so far has been terrific, with over 150 participants from 75 clubs across the nation.
Our next call is scheduled from 7-8:00 pm (EDT) on Thursday, August 12. We will be discussing additional details for the 12k National Masters Championship on September 19, the 5k National Masters Cross Country Championship in Boston on October 17, and the Club Cross Championships in Tallahassee on December 11. We will also discuss the calendar for 2022, including a preview by the race directors for the 5k championship in Atlanta on February 26 and the 10-mile championship in Sacramento on April 3. You can register for the call at our website (usatfmasters.org).
Don’t miss out on these upcoming 2021 races.
- Based on early registrations, it looks like we will have a great turnout at the USATF Masters 12k Championships as part of By Hook or By Crook 12k in Sandy Hook, NJ on September 19. Run along the beach on a lightning-fast course and join the post-race party at Rory’s Pub. This is a great time of year to visit Sandy Hook and you can access New York City by car or ferry in an hour. Click here to register for the event.
- We return to XC racing with the 5k Masters XC Championship at the historic Franklin Park Course in Boston, MA on October 17. Championships have been contested on this turf for over a hundred years! Fall colors should be vibrant and its always a good time to discover the Freedom Trail around Boston, celebrating the birth of America.
- Finally, the Club XC Championships will be held at the world-class Apalachee Regional Park XC course in Tallahassee, FL on December 11. If you have never run this course, you are really missing something. Join your fellow Masters runners at the largest Masters LDR event of the year.
Points for the 2020-2021 Masters National Grand Prix can be earned by running the 12k Championships and the 5k XC and there will be a special Grand Prix award ceremony on December 11 in Tallahassee following the Club Cross Championships. We also reduced the maximum races that individuals and teams can score from the normal five to two for the 2020/2021 Grand Prix because of the number of events. In total, there are four events eligible, including the two upcoming races mentioned above.
For 2022, we have arguably the best schedule of events in our history with 10 Championship Road Race and XC Events. Our 2022 schedule is as follows:
- January 8 USATF XC National Championships San Diego, California
Mission Bay - February 26 USATF Masters 5k Championships Atlanta, Georgia
Publix Atlanta Marathon Weekend - March 20 USATF Masters ½ Marathon Championships Syracuse, New York
Syracuse Half Marathon - April 3 USATF Masters 10 Mile Championships Sacramento, California
SACTOWN 10 - April 24 USATF Masters 10k Championships Dedham, Massachusetts
James Joyce Ramble - Early June USATF Masters 1 Mile Championships Rochester, New York
Rochester Mile - June 29 – XC, 10k, or ½ Marathon Tampere, Finland
July 10 World Masters Athletics Championships - Sept 18 USATF Masters 12k Championships Highlands, New Jersey
By Hook or By Crook 12k - Oct 22 USATF Masters 5k XC Championships Boulder, Colorado
- Dec 10 USATF Club XC Championships San Francisco, California
Our Grand Prix scoring for 2022 will begin at the Club Cross Championships in Tallahassee on December 11, 2021 and conclude with the 5k XC Championships in Boulder, Colorado on October 22, 2022. The Grand Prix awards will then be presented at the Club XC Championships in San Francisco on December 10, 2022. The rules and scoring for the Grand Prix will be posted at usatfmasters.org. You can also learn more about these events by registering for our August 12 Ambassador Call.
Get vaccinated for COVID-19 and you are good to run in USATF National Championship events.
As we emerge from COVID-19, all races have to comply with local state and county guidelines. We are also encouraging our participants to get vaccinated. At present, if you have not been vaccinated 14 days before an event, then you must have a COVID test and test negative within 7 days of the event. Safety is important as we emerge from the pandemic. For the latest guidance from USATF, visit their Covid 19 information page (usatf.org/covid19).
Wanted: Assistant Web Editor for USATF Masters Website (usatfmasters.org).
The USATF Masters Communications Subcommittee is looking for a volunteer who is passionate about masters long distance running to help maintain and develop their website. A basic knowledge of WordPress is helpful, but they can teach you also. The time involved is 8-12 hours a month. Once the racing season begins, we will be updating the website weekly with timely posts before and after each championship. For more information, contact Bruce Kirschner, MLDR Communications Subcommittee Chair, at bhkirsch@comcast.net.
