Masters return to Mission Bay for the 2020 USATF Cross Country Championships

SAN DIEGO CA — Masters athletes return to Mission Bay Park in San Diego this Saturday, January 18^th for the USATF Cross Country Championships. Many raced here in October for the 5 Km Masters Cross Country Championships. Masters races begin at 9:30 a.m. (Women 6 Km) and 10:30 a.m. (Men 8 Km) to kick off a full day of racing with USATF Junior and Open Championships following. Upper 50’s, partly cloudy skies and gentle winds are expected to greet the runners in the morning.
 
Lorilynn Bloomer, who finished third at the 5 Km Championships in October knows the course and enters as the favorite for the overall win. Kimberly Mueller, who finished fifth at that race, will try to reverse the tables. Grace Padilla, who bested Mueller by 2 seconds at the 2018 Club Cross Country Championships in Spokane, could also factor in as could Eva Lozano and Kristen Reyes. An upset favorite would be Marisa Sutera Strange who, despite being in her 50’s, took the crown at the 2019 USATF XC Championships in Tallahassee.
 
Jacques Sallberg and David Angell renew their rivalry in the men’s race. Angell took the overall honors at the 2018 Club XC Championships, while Sallberg won both the Individual and the Club XC competitions this past year in Tallahassee and Bethlehem. Eric Blake, who bested Angell on the roads at the 10 Km Championship in Dedham and finished a close second at the USATF-NE Cross Country Championships, will also challenge. Other likely contenders for the podium include John Gardiner, who finished seventh here in October, Solomon Kandie, and Paul Smith.
 
Age-Grading levels the playing field across Masters competitors of all ages by comparing that athlete’s performance to the projected World’s Best for the runner’s age and gender. Strange, 56, who took the age-grading title last October, and Jane Treleven, 70, who finished second should be at the top again. Jeanette Groesz, 70, who finished fifth last October but was on the podium in Spokane, is a likely podium finisher. On the Men’s side, Nat Larson, 2019 Harrier of the Year, 57, and Joe Sheeran, 62, who aspires to the title in 2020, and outpointed Larson at the Club XC Championships last month, are the co-favorites. Sallberg outpointed Sheeran on this course in October so has a shot at another double, an overall and age-grading win.
 
Age Division National Championships will be contested in 5-year divisions from 40-44 to 90-94. Safe bets include Gunnar Linde, 91, who is unopposed in the latter category for Men, as is Warren Osborn in 85-89. Madeline Bost is in a similar position in 80-84 on the Women’s side. Otherwise there is spirited competition at every division. Favorites for the win include: 40-44 Eric Blake/Kimberly Mueller 45-49 Jacques Sallberg/Lorilynn Bloomer 50-54 Craig Godwin/Nancy Thomas 55-59 Nat Larson/Marisa Sutera Strange 60-64 Joe Sheeran/Nancy Simmons 65-69 Tomas Rodriguez/Deborah Shea 70-74 Ignacio Jimenez/Jane Treleven 75-79 Len Goldman 80-84 Roland Cormier. Exceptional competition is the rule in the following races. In 50-54, Godwin took the honors by a minute over Christian Cushing-Murray at Bethlehem, but the situation was reversed a year earlier in Spokane. And in both years Mark Hixson was sandwiched between them. In the same division for Women, Thomas has run faster than Tania Fischer in their last two cross country outings, but Fischer is a fighter! In 60-64, Dan King was only 11 seconds back from Sheeran last October on this same course; perhaps a 60-64 gold is within reach? Suzanne Cordes should give Simmons a run for the title in 60-64. In 65-69, John Hirschberger and Robert Qualls, who finished a minute behind Rodriguez at Spokane, will give chase, along with Chuck Smead, who edged Qualls last October on this course. In 70-74, Rick Katz who finished second last October, and David Dunbar, who ran 5 seconds faster in 65-69 should give Jimenez all he can handle.
 
There will be strong team competition in 10-year divisions. In W40+ the Janes Elite Racing, who took gold in Bethlehem, will try to repel strong challenges from the San Diego Track Club and the Impala Track Club; San Diego is a slight favorite. The Janes are unopposed in W50+. Simmons should lead a strong Impalas team to victory in W60+; the Boulder Road Runners will make them earn it. Team Red Lizard is favored in W70+ but with a rejuvenated Impalas team opposing them, Red Lizard cannot take anything for granted. In M40+ Sallberg and Gardiner should lead Cal Coast to victory, but it will be no cakewalk. The Sports Warriors Track Club and the SRA Elite should press them all the way. M50+ should be a classic West Coast shootout between the Bowerman and Cal Coast Track Clubs, with the SRA Elite close behind. It’s a Rocky Mountain struggle in M60+! With King leading the way, Athletics Boulder should prevail, but the Boulder Road Runners should be close! It’s the other way around in M70+ where Boulder should take a narrow win over the San Diego Striders. The excitement is building!
 
Submitted by
Paul Carlin
Masters LDR/Media Coordinator
Running Professor, LLC/runningprof.com