The Syracuse Festival of Races was yesterday. This is not your average 5k. The race includes the USA Masters 5k Championship. It draws the very best age-groupers from around the country.
First, letโs start with the overall leaders. This video is right near 2.5k. Joe Whelan, Gregory Mitchell and Andrew Foxenberg are top three at this point, and that is the order they finish in. Joe hit 2.5k in 7:18 and finished in 14:56.
Joe Whelan Racing to the Finish
photo credit: Kevin Rivoli
As far as the ladies, Syracuse University alum Sarah Pagano took it to Jen Rhines right from the start. She hit the halfway mark in 7:45 and Rhines was three seconds back. Hannah Davidson was another six seconds back in third place. They would also go on to finish in this order. Paganoโs winning time was 15:54.
Sarah Pagano Finishing Strong
photo credit: Kevin Rivoli
Jen ended up running 15:58 and she missed the American masters record by about ten seconds. Iโm sure the three-time Olympian will keep at it. Maybe sheโll even be back in Syracuse next year!
Jen Rhines Catching Her Breath After the Race
photo credit: Kevin Rivoli
While the leaders are always fun to watch, the beauty of this race is not in the front. The real action is in the middle, where age-groupers are going for personal bests, American records and even world records. Hereโs a little sample of the results:
Mark Zamek, 51 โ 16:27
Ken Youngers, 58 โ 16:49
Tom McCormack, 61 โ 16:58 *** top AG performance of the day and an American Record
Lloyd Hansen, 66 โ 18:46
Doug Goodhue, 72 โ 19:43
John Elliott, 76 โ 23:32
John Harper, Jr. 81 โ 26:38
Willis Moses, 88 โ 34:17
Marisa Sutera Strange, 51 โ 18:32
Nancy Stewart, 58 โ 19:38
Coreen Steinbach, 63 โ 21:38
Sabra Harvey, 65 โ 20:27 *** an American Record
Jan Holmquist, 70 โ 22:16 *** an American Record
Libby James, 78 โ 24:00 *** top AG performance of the day
Anny Stockman, 82 โ 35:46
I also have to give a shout-out to one family team. The sister-sister combo of Elizabeth Lucason and Morgan Lucason beat all of the brother-sister, brother-brother, mother-daughter, mother-son, father-daughter, father-son and spouse teams. Fine, no big deal. But it is a big deal when you consider that Elizabeth is only 10 and she ran 18:57 and Morgan is 11 and she ran 20:12. Wow.
