CPTC went big at the Scotland Day 10k – on a perfect day for running, 37 CPTC masters pinned on a number. That is 41% of the women’s team and 28% of the men’s. A sea of sparkling new orange singlets was mixed in with an enormous ocean of runners 8,500 deep.
The team highlight was the domination of the women’s 60+, which won by a big fourteen minutes, including Captain Sylvie’s division win, with Judith Tripp and Deb Barchat close behind in 4th and 6th. I am also very glad to note the resurrection of the men’s 60+ – after having trouble fielding a team in 2010, Cap’n Hank pulled together an ace crew which finished second in the team classification.
The women’s 40+ finished second, the men’s 40+ third, women’s 50+ sixth, and, for the first time in years, the men’s 50+ were defeated, taking second.
Since big is the theme today, I’ll put a giant orange follow spot on two big PRs: Hank Schiffman and Ani Go. Hank has gone wicked grande the past year – after winning his first race in 2009, he has leapt up the standings, winning six of his last eight races and today, breaking through to an all-time age-graded PR of 84.4% vs a previous best of 82.3%. He ran 39:57 at Scotland at age 61, which is faster than he ran in his early 50s. Hank, the rule is that you can always run faster than the last year, not the last decade. Next up for Hank is Boston.
Ani had a similar breakthrough, running 41:54/76.0% for an all-time age-graded best. She took third in her age group. Ani has the kind of steady, long-term improvement coaches love – seven years ago she was racing at 8 minute pace, then 7:30s, then 7:15s, and now 6:45s.
While it is great to see new people emerge at the top of their classes, it is also big to see long-time top-performers improve. Stuart Calderwood, who has been national-class for decades, unleashed a 36:13/86.8% for his best age-graded score ever in Central Park. And he did it with a flyin’ last mile. We should name that stretch of pavement the Stuart mile. Oh wait.
Fellow 50+ power Alan Ruben ran the best men’s CPTC race of 2011: 36:14/87.5%.
The new uniforms spread their magic among us all: fourteen CPTCers set 52-week age-graded PRs. Ready?: Neil Fitzgerald, Stuart Calderwood, John Morris, David Greenberg, Micheal Ahern, Chris Donnelly, Hank Schiffman, Peter Zazzali, Takeshi Yamazaki, Carlos Rodriguez, Laurence Go, Ani Go, Audrey Kingsley, and Maria Luz Caballero.
Sylvie reports: Congrats to the 60+ Women’s team (Deborah Barchat, Judith Tripp & Sylvie Kimche) taking 1st place at the Scotland Run 10K this morning by more than 13 minutes over the 2nd team (Millrose AA). Judith & Sylvie also scored for the 50+ team, with Margot Sheehan completing the 50+ team. Congrats to all, women & men, open & masters who ran so well today!
From Ani, captain of the W 40+: What a fantastic race we all had! the women’s masters 40+ team had a strong 2nd placement in this very competitive and packed race! thanks to Yumi and Audrey for scoring us onto the podium and also big thanks to Wanda and Maria, everyone represented! go orange!
From Hank: CPTC 60+ men came out of hibernation with a vengeance with Chris Neuhoff, Dan Molloy and I scoring, and Paul Saunders backing us up. We came out of the blocks strong, taking second to a most robust Taconic team. I encourage everyone to race. Winning is fun but the process of training, the rituals of race day,and comradeship of the field is good for the body and soul. Father Time is working overtime to turn or men 60. Scoring is not of prime importance. Seizing and enjoying the day is an experience best shared.
Jim McQuade reports from his Boston taper: Congratulations to the men’s 40+ team for its third place finish. The top three finishers for CPTC in the men’s 40+ category were Neil Fitzgerald (35:37), John Morris (36:21), and David Greenberg (36:28). There were a number of other fine performances, and more than a dozen CPTC runners in the men’s 40+ category raced, demonstrating the team’s depth and commitment. The men’s 40+ category is off to a great start, after finishing a close second in the only other scoring race this year. Congratulations and terrific job!
Andy Moore with the update from the M 50s: Congrats to the Men’s 50+ team who finished a close second to the West Side Runners, snapping a long winning streak for CPTC – we will have to use that as our mulligan for the year. Stuart Calderwood and Alan Ruben placed 4th and 5th respectively with Andrew Moore, Doug Labar, Harry Lichtenstein and Giovanni Caracci rounding out the rest of the 50+ team.
Heading backwards in time, even without that weird orange soda they were giving out at the Scotland race, we had success. At the Colon Cancer races we scored four class wins: familiar names Peter Allen, Sylvie Kimche, George Hirsch and Alan Ruben broke the tapes. Sylvie had a remarkable race, running 29:38/89.8%, for the sixth best run by a CPTCer over the past four years.
Spinning out of Central Park to the New York Half Marathon, we should re-highlight Rae Baymiller’s 1:34:28/99.9% – truly a remarkable run. Other 52-week PRs were delivered by Captain Jim McQuade, John Morris, Alexandre Tilmant, Gael Lledo, Andrew Moore, and Alan Piket.
If you can remember all the way back to winter, Coogan’s was an intoxicating –for some – mix of hills and speed. Tempered by cold rain. The men’s 50+ used their depth and waterproofness to win again, while the 40+ men and women dug out an upset 2nd. The W 50+ finished 4th.
On the individual front, only Sylvie won an age group at Coogans, while Michael Ahern, Elgin Thompson, Laurence Go, Susan Pearsall, and Ani Go had their best races of the rolling year.
The NYRR does not have team standings posted – I will add results when they add ‘em up.
In other news, the Thom Little countdown clock is now at three months.