SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York — More than 250 Masters athletes, ages 40 to 84, gathered on Sunday, Oct. 18 to race for individual and team glory at the USATF Masters 5 km Cross Country Championships, hosted on the wooded trails of the iconic Spa State Course.
 
The event kicked off on a crisp and sunny Autumn day with spits of snow in the air as Mike McManus (West Linn, Oregon) finished in 15:52 to claim the overall Masters crown. Chad Newton (Pisgah Forest, North Carolina) and Philippe Rolly (McLean, Virginia) were locked in a duel just 9 seconds back. Newton took the silver by a stride, and Rolly earned the bronze with the same official time, 16:01.
 
On the women’s side Janet McDevitt (Bainbridge Island, Washington) made the most of her coast-to-coast trip, claiming a tight victory when she out-kicked Renee Tolan (Clifton Park, New York) for a 3 second victory in 17:44. Not far behind, Marisa Sutera Strange (Pleasant Valley, New York) outlasted Sasha Scott (Hercules, California) to claim the bronze by a single second in 17:54.
 
In the team competition, the home state’s Genesee Valley Harriers, from the Rochester, New York, won the most medals, pulling in two golds (Men 50+ and 60+), two silvers (Women 40+ and 60+), and three bronzes (Women 50+).  The Shore Athletic Club (NJ) claimed one gold (Men 70+) and a silver (Men 60+), and the Atlanta Track Club (GA) collected two silvers (Men 40+ and 70+). The club that traveled the farthest, the Impala Racing team from San Francisco, got their reward, a gold medal in the Women 60+ team competition.
 
Kathy Martin (Northport, New York), 64, had the best age-graded performance at 97.69%. Sutera Strange, 52, aged graded at 94.36% on the women’s side with McManus, 50, at 92.98% and Nat Larson (Amherst, Massachusetts), 53, at 92.15% top among the men.
 
Contributed by: Paul Carlin
National Media Coordinator
USA Track & Field-Masters Long Distance Running
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