Report from David Greenberg of the 40+:
Great comebacks are often long slogs, fighting race by race or game by game to catch up. That’s not what happened to the CPTC 40+ men. We had the kind of comeback that happens in one cataclysmic moment when everything was one way before…then everything was different the next.
The minute before Team Champs, we were tied for third and far behind leaders Urban Athletics. The minute after, we were tied with Urban for the lead.
Yes, if we drop each team’s two worst results, after our victory at Team Champs we are tied for the lead and still looking forward to what are typically our two best races of the year: Fifth Avenue Mile and the New York City Marathon. The big switch comes because Urban is forced to drop two wins (30 points) while we only have to drop 18 points, added to our ten-point gap at TCs because of double points. It’s a new day.
Unoffical Standings:
All in:
Urban Athletics: 80
CPTC: 68
NBR: 62
West Side: 60
Two races dropped:
CPTC: 50
Urban Athletics: 50
NBR: 46
West Side: 40
Our scorers were:
Peter Brady 27:07/85.29%/1st 40-44
Brad Kelley 28:08/86.24%/2nd 50-54
Cary Segall 28:52/78.86%/10th 40-44
Alexandre Tilmant 28:56/81.22%/4th 45-49
Gerry O’Hara 29:07/84.72%/3rd 50-54
You may remember that the pattern this year has been us consistently running faster than last year but being leapfrogged by other teams that improved even more. At Team Champs we played through half that syndrome – we made our improvement, running almost a minute faster than last year – but at TCs we managed to stay out front and we broke the tape. Double satisfaction: improvement and the victory.
I can’t do all the data I usually do because of the NYRR’s new results website, but I was able to pick out some good efforts.
The 50s reached down and won the race for us – both Brad and Gerry double dipped and won both divisions. All attention should be given to Brad’s 86.24% age graded score. Extraordinary to run your best AG score ever in 97% humidity.
Brad:
I was not sure it was possible to be more humid than the queens 10k but today may have been. I got in 2 Tony track workouts the last 2 weeks (my first 2 team track workouts in over a year) and they were pretty consistent but I had no idea if it would translate to a decent road race. I was pleasantly surprised. my 86.24 age graded percent was (I think) the best I have scored and I don’t consider this loop easy even without the Harlem hill due to cat hill at the wrong place/time. My age graded time of 24:43 seems like what I might have been happy with 25 years ago had I been spending more time running to the track and less time running to the bar. So overall a great day and a day to be proud of the club and the NYC running scene overall. My only downer was going to the wrong boat house. oh well next year 🙂
Peter Brady stepped up in distance a very large amount after winning the national championship in the 45-49 800 last month.
Peter:
Great to see that our masters team finally got back to the top of the podium. It seems like our main competitors were missing many of their top runners (Paul Thompson was at the European Masters Championships and I noticed that Matt Chaston also didn’t run for Urban). But we also haven’t had all of our top runners in many of the races this year, so that’s part of the competition. Given the fact that I injured my calf and DNF’d last year, my primary goal was simply to finish the race injury free. This race is always an interesting challenge for me since it comes shortly after I finish my track season where I am cutting back my mileage (which isn’t very high to begin with) and focusing on short fast intervals in order to run a good 800. But aside from last year, I’ve been able to run reasonably well in this race and I was happy I ran fairly well again this year. I ran near Phil Falk and Greg Cass for a lot of the race. I know that both of them are smart runners so it’s helpful to try to benefit from their pacing. It’s always great hearing lots of teammates cheering on the sidelines…although one thing I find amusing is that several people said something about “using my 800 speed” towards the end of the race. While it’s true that I probably have more leg speed than many of the distance runners, I rarely have a good kick at the end of a hilly 5 mile race – that’s all about strength. I’m usually just hanging on for dear life hoping I don’t completely fall apart at the end of the race!
Cary Segall
Photo: Andy Kiss
Cary Segall has been fighting off a foot injury all year so seeing him out on the roads running well was particularly gratifying.
Alex Tilmant spends most of his running currency on the trails running for dozens of miles rather than just five. We should all be glad he came back to the roads for Team Champs – he was #4 man, running a five mile PR for NYRR database.
Alex:
I’ve been running only 20 miles a week for the past 6 weeks since Western States so my plan was kind of a no-plan-plan: start fast the first (uphill) mile, speed up on the second (downhill) mile and then grind my teeth, ultra-style, for the last 5K! The no-plan-plan worked (5:46-5:36-5:46-5:55-5:42) but boy, did it hurt… I kind of hit a wall as planned (!) at mile two but since every other runner around me started to slow down as well I did not get passed which made the pain bearable. I had a slow mile 4 (courtesy of Cat Hill) but managed a decent mile 5 even though I lost a few positions on the last 2-300 yards. At least it made me feel I gave it all, very happy to score for our win!
Stephen Curtis (29:28/75.5%/11th 40-44) also set a five mile PR for races in the NYRR system:
Stephen:
Yes it was a PR. Looking back I had a dubious 5 mile record from 6 years ago which I had never got close to since which suggests it was a short course. Well that one has gone now!
Another typical team champs humid race but despite that I felt I ran a nicely paced race only dropping time through mile 4 up Cat Hill.
Daniel Ifcher (29:50/80.04%/8th 45-49) cleared 80% on a tough course on a humid day as he prepares for a fall marathon.
Daniel:
Overall I’m pretty happy with the results, running sub-30 in the middle of the summer is a win. And it makes it especially nice to win the 40+ division, despite my not scoring, no worries there. It was a rather tight start with a lot of people all around, and we soon smoothed out and I found my rhythm. My first mile clicked by in 6:02 which is a good first mile for me, that said, I was working hard so I was wondering how the rest of the race would turn out. Then my next miles were 5:42 and 5:53 in more favorable terrain so I thought it may feel tough but my mile splits were decent. And by mile 3 I found a few other teammates and just held on. Overall 29:50, which is close to my master’s PR, so I’m happy and my AG was 80.04% and I’m always happy to break 80%. I know there were several team wins and great individual races, congrats to all!
Top 10s:
Peter Brady 1st 45-49
Cary Segall: 10th 40-44
Alexandre Tilmant: 4th 45-49
James McQuade 7th 45-49
Daniel Ifcher 8th 45-49
Mohammed Lahseni 9th 45-49
2017 Scorers
4: Brad Kelley
2: Peter Brady
2: Sean Fortune
2: Mohammed Lahseni
1: Jim McQuade
1: Brian Halusan
1: Stephen Curtis
1: Matt DeAngelis
1: Cary Segall
1: Alex Tilmant
1: Gerry O’Hara
Daniel Ifcher Cup – Most Points Races Run in 2017
5: Daniel Ifcher
4: Brad Kelley
4: Jim McQuade
4: Mohammed Lahseni
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Report from Chris Donnelly of the 50+:
It sure didn’t look promising a mere two and a half hours before Saturday’s NYRR Team Championship five miler. Constant lightning illuminated the predawn sky so you could see thick curtains of rain but little else. Wind howled, thunder boomed, alarm clocks sounded. “You’re not running in that,” suggested the non-runner. Eerie silence from NYRR, until an hour later, suggesting we stay the heck out of Central Park.
Brad Kelley
Photo: Andy Kiss
And yet there we were, after a short delay, pounding the roads as we knew we would be, and for CPTC’s 50+ men, it turned out to be a very good day indeed. A pair of top 10 all-time best CPTC performances by Brad Kelley and Gerry O’Hara carried us to victory in this all-important double-points contest. And with much of our active roster out there competing – it was so gratifying to see this tremendous team spirit – it was the recently turned 60-year-old David Blumel who put the capper on our scoring effort.
Together, Brad (28:08), Gerry (29:07), and David (30:50), put together a 1:28:05 effort that bested points race leader Urban Athletics’ 1:33:41 tally. Beyond the scoring trio, our results were rife with top 10 age group finishes. This squad is deep! We had 15 runners out there on the 5-+ squad, which is insanely awesome.
Brad’s run, good for second place in the 50-54 age bracket, vaults him to third place on CPTC’s all time best list at the five mile distance among men 50-59. Gerry took third in the 50-54 age group, and his performance tied for eighth place on the all time best list. Gerry, of course, was already on the list with a fast 28:20 shortly after turning 50 a couple of years back. For the record, the indefatigable Alan Ruben sits atop the CPTC 5 mile leaderboard with his 27:30 run on in the Fathers’ Day five miler a decade ago.
But back to the present: David Blumel took first place among men 60-64, and he pulled double duty, scoring in first-place finishes for the 50+ and 60+ teams. Likewise, Brad also scored for the 40+ men in their first place finish.
David Dorsey finished just a couple of footfalls behind Blumel, finishing in sixth place among men 50-54:
I had a great race despite the weather challenges. I got out the gate slow and didn’t cross the 1 mile mark until nearly 6 1/2 minutes later. I quickly regrouped and began a steady pick up of pace after each mile. I knew I was on track for breaking 32:00 but wasn’t sure how much gas or courage I had left. With a final push by Tony and a fellow runner friend Brooklyn rivals! :)), I was able to sprint to the finish line and sneak under 31min, 30:52! This is a PR for a few years for me! I feel my body getting stronger into my 50s!! :))
Following David, we had string of five finishers all within a few seconds of one another. Nice grouping!
Ron Romano took third place among men 55-59:
I was injured last year, so felt great to be part of Team Champs. Ran 90M week leading up to race in Chicago 26.2 buildup, so pleased to run 32:52 (nearly score for team (someday;-) and get 3rd in Age Group. Mikal Christopher Scott and I ran exact same time!! Super fun day watching the women kill it and the post race drinks were memorable.
And indeed, there was Mikal Scott taking fourth place in the 55-59 age bracket with the same 32:52 time. Casey Yamazaki followed at 33:00, good for 12th in the 50-54 age group.
Peter Allen was back in action, finishing at 33:07, finishing fifth in the 55-59 segment, pretty good for a guy that completed a half ironman a couple of weeks before. Peter, too, holds an honored place on that all time best 50+ 5 miler list.
James Siegel
Photo: Andy Kiss
CPTC veteran James Siegel crossed the line a few seconds later, at 33:15, taking 16th place in the 50-54 age group, while John De Csepel came home at 33:54 at 17th place in the same age group. Marc Mizrahi closed out the top 20, at 34:19. And newcomer Charles Parchment, at 34:20, took home tenth place in the 55-59 category.
Charles Parchment
Photo: Andy Kiss
Bob Markinson was next, serving up yet another PR:
Go masters! It was great to see everyone! I had a good race (36:25) beating my previous PR (37:16) from October 2014 Poland Spring 5 miler, and besting last year’s champs run by +/- 1:30. I started pretty much on target (7:18, 7:11) slowed during miles 3 & 4 (7:24, 7:27) before hearing from coach Tony and finishing the final mile @ 7:05. Overall, a satisfying result.
Michael Siegell was next at 36:25, followed by Chris Donnelly at 37:04:
I wasn’t having a good first couple of miles and just shut it down for an easy, limpy tempo. Still i was happy to be out there, and i got to witness Bob Markinson pouring it on during that final mile.
Finally, the mighty Budd Heyman closed it out for CPTC at 41:03.
In closing, congrats to all of the other teams for such amazing results, we took top 3 spots in seven different categories. The Orange always rises to the occasion.
Next up: the Percy Sutton 5K, later this month and beyond that the Fifth Avenue Mile. Both of these races are near capacity, and so is the Bronxn 10 miler. Sign up now if you haven’t already.
That’s it for now. Well done, gentlemen.
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Report from Hank Schiffman of the 60+:
As the saying goes: a door shuts, a window opens. Make that 2 windows.
Our big gun Alan Ruben missed his first Team Championships in a gazillion years, attending the world meet in the UK featuring Usain Bolt and Mo Farrah. Into one window comes David Blumel. Our team softball game was canceled due to wet fields, but David knocks his ball out of the park as our 1st scorer, 30:50, AG 84.98%, which is the 3rd highest among our men. He double dips and scores 3rd for our 1st place 50+ men, and 1st in his age group among the reigning 60-64 bullies by 1:20. What we have here in our midst is a potential sub 40:00 runner.
Hank Schiffman
Photo: Andy Kiss
Although humid, it proved a good day for CPTC’s 60+ men. George Hirsch and Hank Schiffman, along with David, took three 1st in age groups; no mean feat.
Through the 2nd open window flies Yasuhiro Makoshi, 35:08, 6th in the last year in his age group. Yasuhiro has been working his way back from sports injury. Injury and competitive spirit are 2 trains going in different directions. The instinct to give it your all while respecting the time and limitations of injury are at odds. This has been a long road towards running at his potential, he isn’t there yet. This has been a giant step.
Hank Schiffman, our 2nd scorer, by 9 seconds, and Tony’s Tuesday track workouts, 34:59, is now officially a 7:00 minute mile pace for 5 miles. But still good for 1st in age group. Up goes the price of shoddy.
Thus, barring the unforeseen by NYRR, our 60+ men took 1st place, besting Taconic by 27 seconds and Brooklyn by 3:14. I suppose we don’t have to melt down our gold to cast a an idol calf right now towards a podium position come Club Night. I don’t know what you all are having for dinner tonight but I suggest you find out what David Blumel is having before you order.
Awards are wonderful, but the main event is sharing the experience of being part of something greater. 10 CPTC 60+ men ran this race. And I have to question the sanity of each one of them. Weather radar hours before the event looked more like a swim meet rather than a foot race. Obviously they are men of faith.
Victor Osayi, young at 60, and working his way back to competitive running condition, was our 1st back up in 37:30. The lad has speed. He can, and does motor up ahead periodically running intervals in Tony’s Tuesday track workouts. Turning 60 is a wake up call to rise to potential for some; others just go back to sleep. Victor is doing his homework.
Chris Neuhoff, 39:03, has a sense of perspective on competing. A long time CPTC member, Chris is playing the long game by dialing it back, racing those venues he choses. He has made substantial sacrifices by running and scoring for ups time and again.
Kevin McGuire, 39:27, and Phil Vasquez, 42:28, have been dependable team mates for our team, if not scoring, giving us wiggle room to ensure we have a 3rd scorer rather than a goose egg.
Harry Lichtenstein, newly to the 65-69 age group, ran 46:16, to his relief, faster than his training runs. It is always a good thing to play your best hand when the director says action.
1st in AG, George Hirsch, 49:06, cracked the 75% AG by the better part of a half a percentage point. Not easy being an outstanding runner in a rarefied age group. He is the image of dignity, having been among the best overall in his prime. The reward for living well is to be the best of 3 in the age group, knowing he would be the best of 50 should the group swell to that number. The NYRR race results site claims George was the oldest runner in the race yet he still finished
Dave Delano rounds out our group running 54:09. He did not take one of the 3 top places in his age group but he has more, and better hair than the entire cohort. More importantly, he has perspective and a sense of humor to go with it.
Last month, 3 of our 60+ men competed in the 2017 USATF National Masters in Baton Rouge, LA: Track captain Hal Lieberman ran the 800, Robert Spring, the 400 and Noel Haynes the 400, 800 and the 1500.
Robert took 3rd place in his 65-69 age group running 1:07.81
In the 70-74 group Hal ran 1:18.01 for 6th, a mere one second behind former CPTC member Salih Talib. Noel took 1st place running a blazing 1:03.84. He bested the 2nd place finisher by 9 seconds.
Noel also took gold in the 800, running 2:27.81 to Gary Patton‘s 2:33.32. In the 1500 he ran 5:25.73, besting Gary Pa 5:26.08.
Noel:
1500 meters. I let him lead, it was like heal to toe. I had no problem and I knew my two power boosters (two legs) won’t let me down. The last turn in the fourth lap Gary increased his speed that’s when I said to myself deploy the boosters now, lane 2 but Gary stepped in lane 2, my mind said stay in lane 1, otherwise go to lane 3, you have enough time and power to do that before we reach the finish line. Meanwhile two runners from the race before us where still on the track and it seems to me they were in lane1 . Still not a big problem for me. Either way I am going to win, whether I take lane3 or if these two runners in front of me just leave an opening for me to pass through. I saw the small space between them I dropped my hands down my legs, pulled my shoulders in and pointed them forward, lift my left foot and strode through then resumed the pumping of my arms. I have been going through runners for years it’s what I am good at. NYRR surely should have me on film in CP passing through two runners.
Coming soon to a team point race near you, the Percy Sutton 5k, followed by the 5th Avenue Mile and the Bronx 10 miler. Registration for these are filling up, be there or be square.
Hank Schiffman