Records Fall at 2021 USATF Masters 12 Km Championships

HIGHLANDS, New Jersey – A near perfect day for racing dawned on the Jersey Shore for the USATF Masters 12 km Championships. The first Masters LDR Championship in almost two years entertained the highest number of entries ever for a Masters LDR Road Race, 326. The field was large and fast, and three 12 km American Records were broken. Nora Cary, who ran 51:09, broke the Women’s 65-69 record by well over two minutes, and earned the highest age grade score at 97.53%. Ken Youngers clocked 45:05 to lower the Men’s 65-69 record by almost two minutes, earning the highest men’s age grade of 91.62%. Lisa Veneziano broke Joan Samuelson’s 55-59 Women’s record by 14 seconds; her 46:13 earned an age grade of 95.92%.
 
The Overall Women’s Champion was Roberta Groner, the top American woman in the Marathon at the 2019 World Championships in Doha. Groner won by two minutes in 42:14, leading her Shore Athletic Club team to the women’s 40 and up Championship. Maggie Shearer of the Cal Coast Track Club took 2^nd in 44:34. In the final mile, Brock Butler pulled away from his teammate, Chris Naimoli, to win the men’s race in 39:52. Butler led a 1-2-3 sweep of the Overall Men’s race for his Greater Philadelphia Track Club to earn the 40 and up team title in the process.
 
Age-Grading symbolizes the top performance relative to age across all age divisions. In addition to the top performances turned in by Cary and Veneziano, Nancy Simmons, 62, ran 51:14 for a 92.24 age grade. The Men’s Age Grading podium consisted of Youngers; Brian Pilcher, 65, running 45:20 for a 91.12; and Nat Larson, 59, who clocked 43:14 for a 90.26. Prizes went 5 deep. Stella Gibbs, 62, and Suzanne LaBurt, 58, were 4^th and 5^th in Women’s age grading with 52:11 and and 49:38 for 90.56 and 90.43, respectively. Brian Crowley, 56, and Craig Godwin, 54, took 4^th and 5^th in Men’s age grading, with 42:07 and 41:24 for 90.16 and 90.10, respectively.
 
Age Division National 12 Km Champions
Women
40-44 Roberta Groner, 42.14
45-49 Karen Dunn, 47:04
50-54 Perry Shoemaker, 46:09
55-59 Lisa Veneziano, 46:13
60-64 Nancy Simmons, 51:14
65-69 Nora Cary, 51:09
70-74 Jo Anne Rowland, 1:03:59
75-79 Kathleen Davies, 2:02:21
80-84 Heide Moebius, 1:17:38
 
Men
40-44 Brock Butler, 39:52
45-49 Christopher Shaw, 40:34
50-54 Craig Godwin, 41:24
55-59 Brian Crowley, 42:07
60-64 Rick Lee, 44:16 
65-69 Ken Youngers, 45:05
70-74 Don Morrison, 54:48
75-79 Dave Glass, 56:16
80-84 Roland Cormier, 1:17:11
90 and up Everett Luoma, 1:56:44.
 
Luoma, 90 years of age, was the oldest competitor.
 
Team Championships (average time of first 3 finishers on each team)
Women
40 and up The Shore Athletic Club 46:16 per runner
50+ Shore Athletic Club 51:48
60+ Impala Racing Team 52:13
70+ Impala Racing Team 1:10:34.
 
Men
40 and up Greater Philadelphia Track Club 40:14 per runner
50+ Freedom-Garmin Runners 42:40
60+ Shore Athletic Club 47:44
70+ Atlanta Track Club 59:44
80+ Clifton Roadrunners 1:23:11
 
The 2021 USATF Masters Grand Prix series concludes on October 17 with the USATF Masters 5 km Championships on the historic cross-country course in Franklin Park, Boston MA. Register here.
 
Submitted by
Paul Carlin
USATF Masters LDR/Media Coordinator
Running Professor LLC/runningprof.com