James Joyce Ramble USATF 10K Masters Championship Ruminations

David Angell, 40, of the Blue Ridge Roanoke Valley Elite, broke from the USATF 10K Masters Championship pack early and decisively.

 

Angell’s affiliation was in tiny type on his singlet, so not easy to make out the Virginian’s club ties. The same goes for Derrick Jones, 45, of Henrietta, NY, and as he doesn’t have a club affiliation in the results we’ll assume he’s an independent contractor.

 

Regardless, by 800m Jones had come charging up to challenge Angell. Their styles couldn’t have been more different. Angell ran smooth and easy. Jones was more a a fireplug with pumping arms and a lot of movement.

 

The pair hit the mile in 5-flat, then exchanged leads back and forth for the next mile, run in 5:07. Jones took the lead again but when Angell passed him it would be for the final time.

 

Angell hit the entrance to the rolling Noble & Greenough section of the course with a 7-second lead. He would extend that to 18 seconds when he arrived back at the Endicott Estate in 32:27…only it would be over the BAA’s Ryan McCalmon, 41, part of the chase pack.

 

Placing third was the overall Masters winner from a few years ago, 50-year-old Kristian Blaich of the Atlanta TC in 32:58. Jones would place 5th after losing three positions in the last mile.

 

The women’s race would go to 2015 NER Pub Series Queen Ginger Reiner, 40, of Craft Concept Racing. Reiner also had early challenges from both the Atlanta TC’s Holly Ortlund and two-time defending national champion Marisa Sutera Strange, 53, of Pleasant Valley, NY and the Athena TC.

 

Reiner’s time of 37:11 gave her an 18-second cushion over Ortlund with Strange pulling in 3rd at 37:55 and NH’s Christin Doneski, 46, of Whirlaway placing 5th in 38:32.

 

There was a record set on the day as the M80 record of 53:51 set by NH’s Bill Spencer last year was eclipsed by NE-65+ ace Bill Riley, 80, in 53:04 and the BAA’s Harry Carter, 80, in 53:18.

In the OPEN race, defending champion Brian Harvey didn’t want a repeat of the 2016 last mile slugfest with teammate Eric Ashe and looked to break the race open at the 2,5-mile mark. The gambit worked and Harvey won handily in 30:51 with Ashe arriving in 31:30. Both had run Boston 13 days earlier.

 

“Its really a pretty course,” said Harvey. “So getting away early with a lot less to worry about, I was able to take it in and enjoy it.

 

The women’s race went to Somerville’s Holly Rees, 23, in 34:45 over Cambridge’s Margo Malone, 23, in 35:48.

 

The day was perfect for racing, mid-50s with a cloud cover. Per usual, the vast grounds of the Endicott Estate were the post-race rallying point for food, music, awards and brew proffered by beer sponsor Jack’s Abbey. Ramble Results