| March 2003 Newsletter |
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Records are broken during meet at Cornell
It was Super Oval Saturday in the men's and women's elite invitational races at the 36th annual Hartshorne Memorial Masters Mile at Cornell University.
Anselm LeBourne of Maplewood, N.J., proved worthy of his world-class track titles, and Patty Blanchard of Dieppe, New Brunswick, Canada set a world record (pending ratification) for women ages 45 to 49 in the women's elite mile.
The 43-year-old LeBourne, a world champion in the 800 and 1,500 meters for men ages 40 to 44, defended his Hartshorne elite men's title in 4 minutes, 24.46 seconds. LeBourne, who was ranked the No. 1 masters miler in the U.S. in 2001, won $300 for the victory and another $400 for breaking the 4:26 mark.
Schnectady's Tom Dalton, 44, placed second among elite milers in 4:25.35. The 2002 national masters indoor champion in the 3,000 meters (8:38.89) among men ages 40 to 44, Dalton was recently named masters cross country runner of the year by USA Track & Field. Bob Carroll, 46, of Orchard Park finished third in 4:39.02.
Designated pace-setter Scott Weeks, the Groton High track and cross country coach, led LeBourne and Dalton through the half-mile split in 2:06. Carroll, racing in no-man's land, followed in 2:16, with the second-tier pack another three to five seconds back.
Dalton, who lived in Elmira until 1972, attacked from the gun and closely shadowed LeBourne for the entire eight laps. The duo was running so fast and in such perfect synchronization that it appeared they were racing on a tandem bicycle.
With 400 meters to go, Dalton passed LeBourne on the back stretch. But LeBourne, who has run 800 meters in 1:54, regained his lead by launching a lethal kick to the finish.
"I knew Dalton was close," said LeBourne, an analyst in the New York Stock Exchange. "The race was a little harder than expected, but this is my first race (of the season). I felt OK until we passed through 800 meters, so I slacked off the pace a bit to get ready for my kick. When Tom passed me, I thought, 'Let me just tuck in behind him.' I know I can kick, and that's what I was going to do," he said.
Dalton, the reigning national masters 5K and 8K cross country champion, knew exactly whom he was up against for the title.
"I love running the mile and indoor races, but I'm really a longer distance runner," said Dalton, employed by New York State Higher Education in Albany.
"Anselm is an 800, 1,000 and mile (track specialist). He's coming up; I'm coming down. But I'm glad I gave him a race."
Carroll said he saw LeBourne fall down during an 800-meter race at nationals, get back up and win. Also a cross country specialist, Carroll needed to concentrate on his own race for third.
"When I heard my first 200-meter split in 32 seconds, I knew that was way too fast," said Carroll, who like most of the elite field will be going to nationals in late March. "I had to settle back so I'd come through the half on pace. But it was depressing to look ahead and see Tom and Anselm almost into the curve ahead of me. I also had to wonder who was behind me, so I had to keep my composure and think about finishing my race."
Blanchard, who also owns the indoor mile world record (4:57) for women ages 40 to 44, was primarily concentrating on the clock in her elite race. The
5-foot-8 Canadian, who moves like a gazelle, crossed the finish line in 5:08.55, shattering the existing women's 45-to-49 age group world record of 5:18.10, held by Patti Ford of Lafayette, N.Y.
Gillian Sharp, 41, of Ithaca placed second among masters in 5:19.55, and 44-year-old Karen Kennedy of Portland, Ontario (near Toronto), was third in 5:24.36. An unprecedented total of six masters and one sub-masters (ages 30 to 39) women broke the 5:30 mark.
Sharp, a lieutenant in the Ithaca Fire Department, ran a personal best and passed Kennedy with three laps to go.
"I was worried our times were beginning to go slow down, and I wanted to keep that 5:20 pace," said Sharp, a world-class summer and winter biathlete (run or ski/shoot). "Then I was worried if I could hang onto the end, but I was very pleased with my race."
"I knew going in that Patty was going to be here, and there would be a front field, and a second field," added Kennedy, a high school physical education teacher. "I had never raced Gillian, and I was hoping not to lead. I wanted to get a feel for the others and follow a pack. But I'm the kind of runner where if no one takes the initiative to lead, I'll jump out and do it.
"When Gillian jumped ahead after four laps, I tried to hang onto her, but she showed tremendous strength with a lap and a half to go," she said. "It was enough to shake me, and I had to dig deep to finish."
Blanchard, who holds most Canadian provincial masters records in distances from 800 to 10,000 meters, won $300 for the victory, a $400 bonus for the world record and $200 for breaking the existing meet record of 5:15.86.
As in the men's race, a pace-setter was enlisted to aid the lead women. Sub-masters Becky Heuer, 38, of Orchard Park served as Blanchard's rabbit and finished in second behind her in 5:17.08. Sub-masters aren't eligible for masters prize money.
"I was happy to contribute to Patty coming through," said Heuer, an 800 and 1,500-meter age-group gold medalist at the 2002 outdoor masters nationals. "It's hard, because I want to do well, and I want Patty to do well. But I'm not running my own race. I'm running Patty's race, which is a different style than I would run."
Blanchard, who is setting her sights on breaking the record again in March at nationals, appreciates the sacrifice.
"Becky came to me, and said, 'Patty, I am here for you. I'll try to go around 2:30 or so for the half,' and we were almost right on," said Blanchard, who teaches French to junior high students. "Then she said, 'Let me know if you want to go faster or slower.' At that point, I figured I wanted to go faster, so I just went on the fifth lap. My plan was to run a really good final 400 meters, and when it came time to go it was quite comfortable. My ultimate goals were to come and break the records, and I did."
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