10/24/2021 DEDHAM MA–The James Joyce Ramble will host the USATF Masters 10 Km Championships for the 8th time! Over 280 of the fastest Masters distance runners in the country will head to Dedham MA this weekend to race over the rolling hills of this quiet, historic suburb outside of Boston. The weather forecast for Sunday morning looks very favorable with partly sunny skies, 50 degrees and moderate winds forecast for the start of the race at 11 am.
Hoosier runner, Jesse Davis, 5th place finisher for Team USA at the 2015 World 50 Mile Championships, goes for his third overall victory in 4 tries this Grand Prix season. Victorious at the Club Cross Country Championships and the Masters Half Marathon Championships, Davis was edged by his teammate, Bryan Lindsay at the 5 K Championships. Chris Garvin, John Poray,b and T.J. Unger went 1-2-3 at the Masters 5 Km Championships in Boston last fall and look to be the strongest challengers. Jessica Hruska, another Midwesterner, from Iowa, who took the win at the 5 km in Atlanta and the Bronze Medal at the Half Marathon Championships, looks to land on the podium again. Jessica Smith, who ran a blazing fast sub-36-minute 10K at the Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Half Marathon in February, comes in with some West Coast speed. New Englanders Brett Ely and Erin Genova will try to repel the interlopers. Jennifer Mortimer, from New Hampshire, may have the best shot at the win. She clocked a sub 1:20 Half Marathon last August and an early-season 38-minute 10K earlier this month.
In the divisional and age grading contests, fleet runners like Ken Youngers who broke the American 65-69 12 km record last September, are in attendance. He is joined by Rick Lee who set the 60-64 American 50 km record last year and has a recent win at the national Masters half marathon championships and a divisional win at the Boston Marathon earlier this week. Other likely Age Division runners and top age-grading contenders on the Men’s side include Brian Crowley, Dave Glass, Richard Larsen, and Nat Larson. Crowley took an impressive 55-59 12 Km Championship win; Glass goes for his third straight national win in 75-79 after Half Marathon and 10 Mile wins. Larsen took an impressive 70-74 5 Km win in Atlanta but is testing his speed at a greater distance. Larson has returned to the top of his form with victories recently at the Half Marathon and Ten Mile national championships. Glass will be challenged by Masters Hall of Fame Track specialist, Gary Patton, who is moving up in distance. Patton took the 75-59 5 Km win in Atlanta. Just as intense are the Women’s races. Teammates and friendly rivals, Lorraine Jasper and Doreen McCoubrie go for the 60-64 win. McCoubrie has had the recent edge at 12 km and above; Jasper at distances 8 km and below. The 10 km is a perfect distance for them to meet. Suzanne La Burt who took the 55-59 silver medal at the 12 km Championships last year and the Half Marathon this year, goes for her first win in 2022. Abby Dean, who finished 4th overall and 1st 50-54 in the 5 km in Atlanta will add some spark to the field.
The Boston Athletic Association won the Men’s 40 and up Team prize the last time this championship was held in 2019. The Indiana Elite, coming in with three victories in as many tries this season, will try to wrest the title from them. Top teams from the West Coast, the Mountain West, the Southeast, and Middle Atlantic will test the top teams from New England in other divisions.
Contributed by
Paul Carlin
Masters LDR/Media Coordinator
The Running Professor, LLC/www.runningprof.com
