05/21/2022 ROCHESTER NY—The thunderstorms held off until later in the evening; the temperatures at
race time were in the low 80s. Nolan Shaheed, the Masters Track and Field legend, decided to step off
the track and onto the roads, coming home with another American Record at age 72, breaking the 70-74
Road Mile record by 5 seconds in 5:38. Michelle Rohl, 56, has been setting 55-59 records on the track
over the last year, dominating her division on the Cross Country turf, and winning the 5 Km 55-59 Road
Championship. She added the Road Mile American Record to her collection with a sparkling 5:12,
enabling her to finish 2 nd overall in the Women’s race. Lorraine Jasper, 60, sped to victory in 5:42,
breaking the American 60-64 Mile Record in the process. Edna Hyer, the oldest competitor at 88,
established a new 85-89 American Record at 12:05. Nat Larson, 59, came close, but clocked 4:50, a
second shy of his own 55-59 American record of 4:49. Gary Patton, 76, came within three seconds of his
American Record with a 5:59.
The course in Rochester is technical, with 9 turns; the final quarter mile begins with a short, sharp uphill
and finishes with a gradual climb to the middle of the Broad Street Bridge over the Genesee River.
Jennifer Bigham navigated it perfectly in the Women’s race, winning in 5:06. Bigham now has a bookend
set, winning the Half Marathon Championship in March, the longest race on the Masters National Grand
Prix circuit, and this 1 Mile Championship, the shortest. The remarkable Rohl took second in 5:12, edging
Amy Armstrong by a single second at the finishing tape.
In the Men’s race, Kevin Shirk led for much of the race, throwing in surges whenever he felt challenged.
His last surge took him along a flat block and up onto the Broad Street Bridge and the Finish line,
clocking 4:31 for the win! Jacques Sallberg was on his heels, two seconds back in 2 nd , with Jaret Herter
3 rd in 4:35.
The Overall Age Grading Championships honor the runners with the fastest time for their age over all
age divisions, with 90% and above considered World Class. Rohl topped the women; her 5:12 at age 56
earned a 97.07. Jeannie Rice, 74, and Lorraine Jasper, 60, finished 2 nd and 3 rd at 93.64 and 92.86
respectively. Larson was atop the Men’s podium; his 4:50 at age 59 earning a 95.55. He was followed by
two Masters track legends who crossed over to the road, Gary Patton and Nolan Shaheed at 93.37 and
93.03.
In addition to those mentioned above, Tim Conheady 65, Adrian Craven 85, Stan Edelson 80, Joe Mora
60, and Scott Weeks 50, for the Men and, for the Women, Abby Dean 50, Andrea McCarter 75, and Kitty
Musante 65 won Age Division National Championships. In the Team Competitions, the Greater
Philadelphia Track Club won both Women’s 50+ and 60+ divisions, while the Atlanta Track Club took the
wins in Women’s 70+, Men’s 70+, and Men’s 80+.
The next stop on the Masters National Grand Prix circuit is Finland, from June 29 to July 10, for the
World Masters Athletics Championships.
Contributed by
Paul Carlin
Masters LDR/Media Coordinator
The Running Professor, LLC/www.runningprof.com
