Huntsville AL provided perfect conditions for great Cross Country races, a groomed course, with rolling hills, 50’s temperatures, with light winds and sunny skies.
OVERALL MEN Joseph Gray, a two-time winner of World Mountain Running championships during a stellar Open career, showed that he is still without peers in Masters Cross Country. Speeding form the start line, no one could stay with him. Gray cruised to the win in 15:38, a good 150 meters ahead of his closest rival. Richard Bouckaert finished second in 16:10. Peter Reed, despite a valiant effort by John Poray, closed fast, taking third in 16:40, with just four seconds to spare. WOMEN Michele Yates took the bronze medal in the 2024 5 Km Cross Country Championships in Boulder and moved up to silver at the 2025 5 Km Championships in Atlanta. Yates finished that progression with a win at these championships in 19:13. Dana Hayden, the fourth place finisher in Atlanta two weeks ago, made sure she was on the podium this time. She closed to within 30 meters of Yates, finishing second in 19:19. Lorilyn Bloomer, who finished third on the roads in Atlanta, claimed the bronze medal again, in 19:41, well ahead of all rivals.
AGE GRADING The age grade performance level percentage PLP identifies the athletes with the best performance, adjusted for age. WOMEN Suzanne La Burt, 63, took top honors in Atlanta two weeks ago and repeats as Champion over 5 Km on the turf in this championship. Her 21:28 earned an 86.34 PLP. Bloomer, 54, third overall, claimed silver age grading, just 0.26percentage points behind, at 86.08. Hayden, the overall silver medalist, came next at 83.75. MEN Nat Larson, 64, second in Atlanta on the roads, returned to what must be his favorite surface, grass. Larson’s 18:03 earned the top PLP, followed by at 91.09%, almost wo percentage points higher than his closest rival. Brendan Sullivan, 63, ran 18:17 to score 89.12, followed by Rick Lee, 65, in third. Lee’s 18:47 scored at 88.33.
AGE DIVISION: Men’s winners included: M40 Gray; M45 Poray; M50 Reed; M55 Brad Slavens 18:27; M60 Larson; M65 Lee; M70 Ken Youngers 20:17; M75 Doug Bell 22:45; M80 Gary Patton 25:16; M85 Roland Cormier 38:47. Women’s winners included: W40 Yates; W45 Brooke Novak 24:26; W50 Hayden; W55 Rachel Hopkins 21:45; W60 La Burt; W65 Donna Grocki 24:14; W70 Sharon Moore 26:03; W75 Norma Hudnall 29:50; W80 Catherine Radle 39:57; W85 Joyce Hodges-Hite 59:09.
TEAMS: The Atlanta Track Club claimed five team titles: W40+, W70+, W80+, M50+, and M80+. Shore Athletic Club, NJ, won W50+ and W60+.M60+ went to Chattanooga TC, and Genesee Valley Harriers, NY, won M70+.
Submitted by Paul Carlin