Boulder Colorado. Saturday October 22, 2022. Temperatures climbed and the sun blazed forth at Harlow Platts Community Park. It was a great day for spectators. The cross-country course was an honest one, with your classic sharp, short up- and downhills, technical sections, and some cross-slope running. Lee Troop and his T.E.A.M. Boulder crew provided great organization, including presentations by some of the many Olympic athletes who make the Boulder area their home.
The Women’s race went off first. Ann Kirkpatrick, who finished 27th in the Women’s Open Championships at Tallahassee last December, celebrated her new status as a Masters athlete with a thrilling win. Kirkpatrick led from wire to wire. Jessica Hruska, who took the 5K Masters Championship on the roads last February, gamely hung on with her in the first loop. Kirkpatrick pulled away to claim the title in 19:21. Hruska not only claimed the Silver medal in 19:52, she also celebrated wrapping up the 2022 Masters National Grand Prix title for her age division. Melody Fairchild, who competed for Team USA in the World Mountain Running Championships in 2012, is now focusing more on coaching than competing. Fairchild was delighted to stay close to Hruska, finishing just ten seconds back in third.
In the Men’s Overall Championships, it was a trail runner, Chris Gomez, vs. a Marathoner, Anthony Bruns, vs. a smoking fast 5K road specialist, Adam Rich. Gomez was the overall winner of the 2021 Soulstice Jackie Weintraub Memorial 11 mile Trail Run in his hometown, Flagstaff AZ. This year, on October 8th, he won it outright again, but covered it 11 minutes faster! That must have been a sign of fitness and/or confidence. Rich took it out hard, holding the lead for the first loop. Gomez and Bruns were able to pass Rich and pull away on the last loop. Gomez had just a little more in the tank over the finishing half mile, pulling away for a three second victory over Bruns in 16:35! Rich claimed 3rd in 16:48.
The Age-Grading Championships went to Trina Painter, who, at age 56, clocked 20:45 for an 85.06%. On the Men’s side the title went to 67-year old Jacob Nur, whose 19:13 earned an 87.92 percent score.
In addition to Fairchild, 45-49, and Gomez and Kirkpatrick, 40-44, fifteen other national champions were crowned: Brantley Lutz, Chris Grauch, Craig Godwin, Dan King, Jacob Nur, Jeffery Barros, Robert Qualls, Dave Glass, Richard Zerbe; Rochelle Persson, Trina Painter, Suzanne Cordes, Abbier Wade, Sabra Harvey, and Irene Terronez. In the Team races, the hometown Boulder Road Runners claimed three national titles: Men’s 60+ and 70+, and Women’s 50. Team Run Flagstaff took home the Men’s and Women’s 40+ crowns. Other team national titles went to: West Valley Track Club Men’s 50+, Impala Racing team Women’s 60+, and Team Red Lizard Women’s 70+.
This event concludes the 2022 USATF Masters National Grand Prix; Club and Individual Champions will be honored at an Awards Ceremony at the Club Cross Country National Championships in San Francisco on December 10th.
Submitted By
Paul Carlin
Masters LDR Coordinator
Blog: www.runningprof.com
