If you have ever wondered about the value of a coach, this story is for you: Winter, 2007. Marie-Louise Michelsohn and her husband were driving through a snowstorm somewhere in the mid-Atlantic. Marie-Louise had been running for over ten years but wanted to talk to Coach Devon about her plans for the new year. 

Marie-Louise had reached a new age group and wanted to test herself, but the what and the how and the where was not sharply enough drawn for her. She had just aged up to 65 and she knew just what she wanted to accomplish – she had, as usual, made her goal list for the year – and it had the letters WR on it – but she was nervous about the coming season. While she had been getting faster each year up until the last, that previous year had had some frustrations and disappointments.   

Marie-Louise was looking for a training partner and wondered if anyone in the club would be appropriate. Coach Devon indeed had an idea: Devon herself would run along with Marie-Louise at whatever pace was needed, side by side.

A few months later MLM had climbed the podium at the 2007 World Masters Championships three times, champion in the W 65 800, 1500 and steeple, and ranked #1 in the world in every distance from the 400 to the 10000, including the steeple. 

Five years later MLM arrived at her next age group, and with Devon put together a plan for the fall and winter of 2011-2012 to see what she could do. The goal was to reach for the stars, but not to overrace, since Marie-Louise only wanted to go to the well a limited amount in one season. She picked out one race at each distance and set out to see just how high she could climb. On a night at Icahn Stadium she cut through 18 mile-per-hour wind to break the world outdoor records in the W 70 3000 (12:58) and 5,000 (21:59.9). Then with the snow’s arrival, she went indoors and like clockwork broke the American records in the 1500 (6:14.56), 3000 (13:15.88), mile (6:45.8 – also a WR) and 800 (3:04.69). 

Setting up a series of record attempts and knocking them out one by one is a tough, high-pressure approach to racing. But after talking to MLM for an hour, I could understand why that approach appealed to her. Setting high goals and achieving them are a way of life for her. When she was a teenager in New York she became fascinated by nuclear physics and running – two areas in 1950s New York that were not welcoming to girls. Yet she managed to train – if in secret one summer – and more importantly, she tested into the Bronx High School of Science, which led to the mathematics department of the University of Chicago and eventually to traveling the world as a mathematician and Professor of Mathematics at SUNY Stony Brook, where she serves to this day. 

After hitting their marks in the middle distances, most distance runners start looking to longer events. MLM is now looking the other way, at the sprints as a new challenge. “I love every side of the sport. The way to get variety is to go after the 400.” Look for a record attempt on March 23rd at the Front Runners meet at the Armory. She has been working hard on he starts with Coach Lesleigh Hogg and, while sore, is grateful for his help. 

Marie-Louise would also like to go after a brace of newly set world records at the middle distances. A Russian rival has recently rewritten the record books, and MLM is motivated to get them before the pixels solidify. 

Marie-Louise attributes much of her success to staying healthy for so many years. She has not had a serious running injury for years, so she has been able to link together seasons. She feels the key to her solidity has been listening to her body and not letting a niggle become a major incident. 

Most days you can find her running through the woods in Stony Brook, taking advantage of the soft surface, but she spends half her time in New York City. Twice per week she will run some form of speedwork on a track. To get ready for the sprints, she has been hammering out 200s, 300s and 500s with long rest. She will also do regular steady state runs and hill repeats as part of her routine. She will normally run seven days per week, taking a day off only when she needs it.

We should step back and think about how unusual it is for one team to have so many world-class women in the 40+. On an age-graded basis, Marie-Louise runs regularly in the high 90s and low 100s, Rae Baymiller also right around 100, Lisa Daley is a world champion, and Sylvie Kimche and Yumi Ogita have broken into the 90s recently. It is an honor to run with these women, and we should be glad that CPTC is a magnet for runners at the very top level. 

At the very top of Manhattan was a little 5k called Coogans, where five thousand spring-loaded runners lined up.  Five thousand people ready for a go at the hills of Washington Heights, and many CPTCers had their rust bustin’, lactate surgin’, hill climbin’ first race of the year. 

The orange spread around N Manhattan like pumpkins in a late October New York supermarket – 79 CPTCers came out for the race, and team wins were had in the W 40+, W 60+ and M 50+.  Sylvie Kimche won the 65-69. 

On the personal improvement front, Daniel Gercke wins race of the day honors. A couple years ago, Daniel was a consistent mid 70% runner, but in 2011 and now 2012 he has turned up the speed, culminating in a 17:29/81.1% at Coogan’s.  Beside Daniel, 52 week PRs were set by Lynn Blackstone, Kimihiko Oishi, Dave Delano, Laurence Go and Oscar Garcia. 

Running well at Coogan’s is a sign of toughness – rumor has it that the overall elevation gain in that race is similar to that of a cross country race at Van Cortlandt. 

Another sign of toughness is running NYRR races in January and February. Beyond just showing up, PRing is indeed rare. Unless you are Gregg Lemos-Stein, who ran two consecutive 52-week age-graded PRs at the Joe K and Al Gordon races in Central Park. 

The Joe K 10K was a supercharged ball of orange speed, as no fewer than eight CPTCers set new 52-week PRs, and four won divisions. The PR onslaught was made up of John de Csepel, Robert Haig, Yasuhiro Makoshi, Gregg Lemos-Stein, Daniel Gercke and Arthur Palmer. The winners were Alan Ruben, Arthur Palmer, the great Rae Baymiller and Lynn Blackstone. 

Jill Vollweiler and Lynn Blackstone also won their age groups at Al Gordon. 

Winter being awards season, I want to note the winners of the CPTC and NYRR awards: 

CPTC Masters Awards:

Masters Sprint: Darnell Gatling

Masters Middle Distance: Neil Fitzgerald

M Road 40+: Thom Little

M Road 50+: Alan Ruben

M Road 60+: Hank Schiffman

Consistency Award: Sid Howard

Participation Award: Dan Malloy

W Masters Roads: Sylvie Kimche

W Masters Track: Lisa Daley

Masters Performance: Marie-Louise Michelsohn’s two WRs and 1 AR

Women’s Masters MVP: Jill Vollweiler 

At the NYRR’s annual bash, CPTC women received high level doses of recognition, especially runners of the year Jill Vollweiler, (W 40-44), Yumi Ogita (W 50-54) and Sylvie Kimche (W 60-64). 

In my unofficial measure of running love, Chris Donnelly and Wanda Wang continue to lead the Faster Masters Race to Live/Live to Race award, with 15 and 11 NYRR races respectively over the last 12 months.   

RACE REPORTS FROM COOGANS:

From Jim McQuade of the M 40+:

The Men’s 40+ team got off to a terrific start at Coogan’s this weekend, finishing third among the 40+ teams.  Scoring for the team were Alexandre Tilmant (17:18), Daniel Gercke (17:29), and Michael Ahern (17:36).  The three scorers were followed by Jim McQuade, David Greenberg, David Dorsey, Gael Lledo, Francis Nigel, Oishi Kimihiko, Mickey Hawtrey, Laurence Go, Michael Caggia, and Andy Kiss.  Congratulations to all for an excellent day of racing. 

From Andrew Moore of the M 50+:

Starting off the new season on the right foot! 

Our CPTC 50+ team had a great week to start off the NYRR road race season – starting with the 50+ team champs award for 2011 at NYRR Club Night followed by a win at the Coogan’s 5K on Sunday.  We had a terrific turn out at Coogan’s with 10 finishers for the short race up and down the roller coaster hills of Washington Heights. Our scorers were Alan Ruben (18:17), Peter Allen (18:34), and Andrew Moore (19:03).  The solid back up was provided by Christopher Donnelly, George Bullis, Arthur Palmer, Oscar Garcia, Ralph Ripley, Budd Heyman and Philip Vasquez – a big congrats to all. And a big thank you for those CPTC who ventured uptown to cheer everyone on – it was much appreciated.

From Hank Schiffman of the 60+:

The deck has been shuffled and the dealt cards of Mens 60+ this year bode well for our team. 

Thanks you all for those who wore the CPTC singlet and the support of the rest of our team. Sid said we mature guys have team spirit; ’nuff said there. Kudos to our guys pouring on the coals up and down this waterfall course. I’ve cycled Broadway to Bennett to Overlook and south on Fort Washington Ave numerous times yet the last hill up to the Pinehurst park caught me blindsided, even though I had just run down it. Staring up that statistically significant grade was like finding a hefty “dealer’s prep” on the final bill of sale. NYRR does not give discount 5ks; the vertical gain is virtually identical to the Van Cortland’s XC 5k where there are no mariachi bands.
First a shout out to the boys of March: Phil Vasquez, 59 as an aspiring 60+, Kevin McGuire, on board at last, Chip Olsen, dependable in the throes of a cold, unflappable Dave Delano, Fred Trilli, pushing the 65 plus envelope, and Paul Saunders, our ultimate backup at 70. Who among us ever thought we would roll such high numbers on age. We all think we are 15 years younger except Sid, who walks that walk.
And our scorers: Dr Sam Mann, coming off a chronic injury of duration, and our national hero Dan Molloy, who proved it never hurts to have a son of the Emerald Island at the starting line for NYRR’s St Patrick’s race.
My apologies to those I missed post race as, along with Julio, my name did not appear in the results. We waited by their truck while the timers sorted it out. Julio did to the 65-69 group what Jack McShane did to the 60-64. They broke the curve. Julio beat me chip time. Jack bested Tim Delaney, the strongest of my group. Gravity is pulling me back to the pack, a motivated bunch of otherwise good guys. It also dropped Taconic RR to second as Julio and his West Side team took first. But today we own 3rd while last year we had a vacant lot.
 
Did we have fun? I certainly did with pre, starting line and post race banter, positive “vibes” and shared experience. 
Next stop the Scotland 10k on April 7th. I’ll have to drive back and forth from Boston. As it sits within the 2 Passover seders.
Cptn Hank
From Ani Go of the W 40+:
Bring it on! in our first points race of the season, the women’s 40+ team rides high in first place!
We had a great group of women racing:  Andrea Ostrowski comes off the track to tackle the hills of the Coogan’s course along with road warriors Wanda Wang, and the ever versatile Sue Pearsall and Jill Vollweiler.  
Despite the crowded course and being boxed in, Jill Vollweiller made like a piranha and chewed her way out, placing 3rd in her age group and scoring big with her time of 19:34.  The great Sue Pearsall, after running the Ekiden last weekend, came to the game grabbing our gold in 21:14 and also placing 3rd in her age group. I threw down 21:10 to round up the scoring team.  
Thanks to all our fantastic ladies who raced, they all represented big!  and thanks to all the orange cheering on the course!
Ladies, the Mini 10k just opened up, another big points race for us.  please sign up asap so we can be assured of another strong (and winning) team!
Scotland 10k is our next scoring race.  It’s starting to fill up, so please sign up asap!
GO ORANGE!
–ani 

From Sylvie Kimche of the W 60+:

After picking up their award for their 2011 first place W60+ team at NYRR Club Night on Thursday evening, the CPTC W60+ started the year with a bang! 

At the Coogan’s 5K this morning, the first NYRR team race of 2012, the team of Lynn Blackstone, Judith Tripp and Sylvie Kimche took first place in 1:20:23, a whole 4 minutes ahead of Mercury Masters (1:24:23) 

Judithfitted the race into her scheduled long run to train for another long race (she just took first place in her age group in a Half Marathon in Myrtle Beach 2 weeks ago!) She came in 2nd in her age group in 25:54. Knowing how much Judith hates crowded starts (and the start of this race is indeed narrow and crowded if there ever was one!), I want to personally thank her for adjusting her schedule to run the race!!! 

Lynnis getting back into racing and finished 5th in her age group in 31:17. This was her 3rd race of the year and her pace was 14 seconds faster per mile (on a slightly shorter race but definitely hillier terrain with more potholes!!!) than in her last race in CP (the Al Gordon Classic 4 miler). So congrats to Lynn, you go girl!    🙂 

Sylvie got first place in her new age group in 23:12 (16 seconds slower than last year’s race in the rain), still good for 1st place women’s age graded results (under 90% though…Will have to try harder next time!) 

A great celebration of running with all the bands lining the course, and a great participation of all the CPTC teams.

Congrats to all. And special congrats to the W60+ team!

 Sylvie  

PS: Judith and Sylvie also scored for the W50+ team (6th W50+ team), rounded out by Jane Kenney in her only race of the year before she starts her soccer season! 

Club Points Standings After Coogans:

1St: W 40+, M 50+, W 60+

3rd: M 40+, M 60+

6th: W 50+

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