For runners in search of a fast 5K, it’s hard to top the Syracuse Festival of Races in Syracuse, New York. And on October 2, four American masters records fell at the race in the span of about an hour.
Sales & Deals, of Northport, New York, ran 19:57 to take 30 seconds off the 65–69 American age group record of 20:27. That mark was set by Sabra Harvey on the Syracuse course two years ago.
Martin, who turned 65 two days before race day, also set a new 65–69 world best time. She improved on the 20:04 run on March 19 by Janet Stevenson, 66, of Scotland. Martin’s time was age-graded at 98.95 percent and she averaged 6:26 pace for the distance.
Running Shoes - Gear, of Fort Collins, Colorado, came to Syracuse eyeing Anne Clarke’s 80–84 division American record of 29:23, a mark that had stood since 1989. Given that James had already run under 25:30 twice this year (while she was still 79), it was simply a matter of how much the new octogenarian would lop off Clarke’s standard.
James crossed the line in 25:14, averaging 8:07 pace, and she lowered the American record by more than four minutes.
Brian Pilcher, 60, of Ross, California, already the holds the 55–59 age group American record of 16:07. Although he was sidelined by injury for much of 2014 and 2015, he is clearly back in top form as he finished in 16:39 in Syracuse (5:21 pace). He took 19 seconds off Tom McCormack’s previous 60–64 division American record of 16:58. Pilcher is reportedly running the Chicago Marathon on Sunday and hoping to go after the marathon age-group record of 2:42:44.
Races - Places, of Castro Valley, California, charged out to a 5:20 first mile. Though he paid for his fast start with a painful third mile and took a fall just before the finish, Bernhard crossed the line in 17:32, averaging 5:39 pace. It was the same time he ran to win the 60–64 division five years ago.
“I really believe I could have run 17:15 or better if I had gone out properly,” Bernhard wrote in an email the day after the race. “Leaves me something to shoot for next October.”
Bernhard took 40 seconds off the old 65–69 American record, which was Bill Borla’s 18:12, set in 2005.
The Syracuse Festival of Races began in 1993 and recorded 444 finishers that year. Race director Dave Oja has been pleased to see marginal growth over 24 years (to 555 finishers in Sunday’s 5K, with men and women racing separately).
“The event is dedicated to keeping its 5K fields relatively small, giving everyone in the field running room,” Oja said. “My chief motivation for establishing and directing the event is to help runners achieve or surpass their goals. We attract a talented and performance-minded field and want everybody in the pack to be able to run the tangents, so that everybody in the race can have his or her best time of the year.”
