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Matt Helm Dominates Final 8K
Shalisa Keyes Joins Hall of
Fame
Lyn Walker Sets Remarkable Age Record
Mary Ryczek Lowers Age Record Again
Matt Helm returned
from a summer in Indiana (he assures us, the weather was just as hot
as Western Mass) and picked up where he left off on May 19th…1st
place. In fact, the Hoosier Harrier dominated the final 8K road race
of the season, a wire to wire 26:05 clocking to win by over five
minutes. Earning his fourth lifetime Summer Sizzler crown, the
speedy Bay Path College grad student appears to preparing well for
the fall racing season, including the Bay State Marathon on October
17th, the final race in this years USATF New England
Grand Prix series.
In a furious sprint to
the finish, Jack Toner (31:33) held off a game Spencer Beaver
(31:36) for runner-up honors. Taking advantage of the cooler,
overcast weather, GSHers captured all the age division titles save
junior (under 20) which went to William Sterritt in 32:52 (yes, he’s
a direct descendant of Tim Sterritt). Harrier Brian McCarthy won
his fourth master (over 50) title in a row with a 32:15 effort,
Harrier Seth Roberts was first senior (over 50) in a quick 33:55,
Harrier George Walker traveled up from Simsbury, Connecticut to
finish 1st veteran (over 60) in 40:37, and Harrier Dick
Osgood capturing the over 70 title in 48:33.
Springfield resident
Shalisa Keyes may have waited until the end of the season to run a
Summer Sizzler, but her 2010 debut was a success as the Cathedral
High/St. Anslem’s College grad took the women’s lead for good at the
5 kilometer mark, and thus joined the Sizzler Hall of Fame with
a steady 39:48 effort.
Harrier Lyn Walker was
2nd in 40:17. That’s a new age record. In fact, it
would have been seven other age records (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, and
69 year old) were it not for the fact that Lyn is now 70. Naturally
she won all the age divisions. Here’s a safe prediction: it could
be a very long time before that remarkable age record is broken
again.
Speaking of age
records. For the third time this season Mary Ryczek set the record
for 64 year old women, lowering the mark to 45:48. The Longmeadow
local running legend holds a record 18 different age records on the
8 kilometer course.
Next week is the
final Summer Sizzler of the 2010 season, a grand finale tour over
the famous Harrier 5K cross country course. After which there will
be our usual Pizza Party at the Red Rose Pizzeria. As an extra
special treat, the all time women’s course record holder will be
present at the race to sign autographed pictured.
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