BOSTON, MA — A sunny October morning greeted more than 275 Masters runners set to take on the storied Franklin Park course at the USATF Masters 5 km Championships on Sunday. The first race, Men 60 and over, toed the line at 10:00 a.m., followed by the Men 40-59, with the Women’s race capping the day’s events at 11:20 a.m. Dan King, Athletics Boulder, who has been breaking track records from the 1500 meters through the mile and up to the One Hour and 10 Mile, returned to the Cross Country turf; he went home with the Men’s 60+ Championship. King separated from Joseph Mora (Genesee Valley Harriers) and Robert McCormack (HFC Striders) to win by a ten second margin in 18:57. Chris Garvin and TJ Unger had thoughts of a 1-2 finish for their HFC Strider team, but John Poray (Indiana Elite) was able to finish between them as Garvin won in 16:22. Kasie Enman (Green Mountain) found winning the Loon Mountain race in July, with its 3000 foot elevation gain, as good preparation for the cross country turf; Enman won the women’s race in 18:20. Jessica Smith (Impala Racing) and Maggie Shearer (Cal Coast) took 2nd and 3rd, as Shearer netted her 2nd Masters podium in as many tries this year. Age Grading levels the playing field across age divisions, identifying those who are running closest to the world’s best for their age and gender. The age-grading winners were: M60+ Dan King (85.22%); M40+ Nat Larson, who holds the M55 American Record for 5 km on the roads (89.83%); and W40+ Michelle Rohl, who set American records at the 800 and 1500 meters on the track this summer (90.10%). The most successful team over all age divisions was the Greater Philadelphia Track Club, with wins in Women’s 50+ and 60+ and 3rd place finishes in M40+ and M50+. The Boston Athletic Association claimed the win in Men 40+, with the Central Mass Striders, Athletics Boulder, the Atlanta Track Club, and the New England 65 Plus Runners Club claiming the Men’s 40+, 50+, 60+, 70+, and 80+ wins, respectively. Impala Racing won the Women’s 40+ team race. Two Boulder teams made the trip. Perhaps some of the East Coast teams will head west next year when the Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships are held in Boulder, Colorado. Age Division National Champions were crowned: Women: 40-44, Kasie Enman; 45-49, Lorilynn Bloomer; 50-54, Karolyn Bowley; 55-59, Michelle Rohl; 60-64, Lorraine Jasper; 65-69, Alda Cossi; 70-74, Anne Pelletier; 75-79, Ann Molloy; 80-84, Madeline Bost; 85-89, Tami Graf Men: 40-44, Chris Garvin; 45-49, Jason Holroyd; 50-54, Tim Harte; 55-59, Nat Larson; 60-64, Dan King; 65-69, Ken Youngers; 70-74, Kirk Larson; 75-79, Dave Glass; 80-84, Bill Borla USATF New England Association organized and hosted the championship. The event concludes the 2021 USATF Masters National Grand Prix circuit. Grand Prix winners, both individuals and teams, will be celebrated at the kickoff event for the 2022 Grand Prix season. The first event of the 2022 season is the USATF Club Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on December 11, 2021. Details, including a link to registration, can be found here.