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Freihofer's Run for Women
USA Track & Field National Championship
USA T&F Certified. Registration No. NY96008WN
Empire State Plaza Albany, New York May 30, 1998 10:00
Division Results
Division / story
USATF Association TEAM Results / Masters age graded
Places 1-999
Places 1000-1999
Places 2000-3043
Jennings Takes Eighth Freihofer's Title
Freihofer's Run for Women, Albany, NY. Saturday, May 30th
Contact: George Regan, 518-273-5552
On a day when temperatures soared into the 80s, Lynn Jennings, 37 years old from Newmarket, NH, scored her eighth victory in the Freihofer's Run for Women in Albany, NY, the race that also doubles as the USA Track and Field national championship.
After defending champion, Elva Dryer from Albuquerque, NM, was forced to withdraw following an ankle injury incurred during a photo shoot, Jennings once again became a marginal favorite in a race that included almost all of the leading female road racers in the USA. Also among those on the starting line were last year's third place finisher, Cheri Goddard-Kenah from Arlington, VA, Libbie Hickman from Fort Collins, CO, Anne Marie Lauck from Hamptonn, NJ, Melody Fairchild from Boulder, CO and Gina Procaccio from Boston, MA.
As the largest field in the 20 year history of the Freihofer's Run for Women got underway, it was Joan Nesbit from Chapel Hill, NC who was most aggressive. She forced her way to the front of the field of 3400 runners allowing Jennings, Goddard, Hickman, Lauck, Kathy Franey from Wellesley, MA and Jennifer Rhines from Haverford, PA to sit in behind and take advantage of the leader's pace-making. The lure of a $1000 premium for the first person to reach the one mile mark in five minutes or faster began to play a part close to three quarters of a mile, when Lauck surged into a three meter lead to which the rest of the field barely responded. Once Lauck realized that the pace was too slow to take the incentive bonus, she eased the pace once again and cruised through the one mile mark in 5:11 with Nesbit, Jennings, Rhines, Goddard and Hickman all hard on her heels.
At the half way mark, Lauck still held the lead with five runners holding close formation behind her - Jennings, Hickman, Nesbit, Rhines and Goddard. Through two miles (10:28), things remained largely unchanged. Nesbit and Hickman exchanged the lead briefly, but with the main contenders identified, it was evident that all of the top finishers were preparing themselves for the inevitable blistering charge along the final three quarter mile to the finish line. Exiting Washington Park and making the left hand turn onto Madison Avenue, it was Hickman who was the first to make a decisive charge for victory. She injected a surge that immediately jettisoned Nesbit, Rhines and Lauck and which ensured that the winner would be decided amongst herself, Jennings and Goddard.
Characteristically, it was Jennings who responded most readily. She increased the pace and sat in behind Hickman ready to unleash her renowned kick. Goddard, too, showed remarkable speed. She hung on behind the two leaders and, as Hickman faded with 300m remaining, moved to within striking distance of Jennings. With the finish line so close, however, there was little Goddard could do, and Jennings hammered across the line with a time of 15:46 on the clock to claim her eighth Freihofer's victory and $7000 in prize money. Goddard-Kenah finished second in 15:47 ($5000), with Hickman third in 15:50 ($4000).
" I knew I was going to win," commented Jennings shortly after the race. "I was really confident. I felt I was very relaxed all spring and was very confident. I feel on top of the world. Number eight was really gratifying."
The masters' race for runners 40 years of age and older was expected to be dominated by Ruth Wysocki who, in 1997, had set a world record of 16:06. This year, however, Wysocki had to settle for a third place finish as 1984 Olympic marathon champion, Joan Benoit-Samuelson, surged into the lead after the half way mark and raced to the finish line in a time of 16:33 good for prize money in the amount of $1500. Second place went past champion Jane Welzel from Fort Collins, CO in a time of 16:43 with Wysocki third in 16:51.
"It was a great race," commented Benoit-Samuelson. "I made my masters' debut here last year and placed third and was a little disappointed. I wanted it this year."
"This was one of the greatest races we've seen in the 20 year history of this race," said race director, George Regan. "It was truly a classic. The weather, the record field and the competition made this a race I will never forget. It was a great day for Albany."
ENDS
********** FEMALE OVERALL RESULTS *******
1 Lynn Jennings 37 Newmarket NH 15:46
2 Cheri Goddard-Kenah 27 Arlington VA 15:47
3 Libbie Hickman 33 Ft. Collins CO 15:50
4 Jennifer Rhines 23 Haverford PA 15:54
5 Anne Marie Lauck 29 Hamptonn NJ 16:00
Record 15:24 by Lynn Jennings in 1995
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 1 - 13
1 134 Ashley Tremblay 13 Albany NY 19:12
2 153 Katie Parafinczuk 12 Delmar NY 19:32
3 212 Katie DeRusso 12 Fairport NY 20:38
4 328 Kelly Savard 13 Watkins Glen NY 22:12
5 338 Meghan Beaver 13 Latham NY 22:20
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 14 - 16
1 68 Abby Miller 16 Henderson NV 17:55
2 75 Jennifer Kramer 16 Loudonville NY 18:03
3 110 Katie Twarog 15 Albany NY 18:39
4 115 Alisa Geiser 15 New Paltz NY 18:44
5 122 Sara Lamback 16 Schenectady NY 18:58
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 17 - 19
1 94 Sara Day 19 Johnsonville NY 18:20
2 151 Meghan Sherman 18 Schoharie NY 19:31
3 155 Laura Kearns 17 Gansevoort NY 19:33
4 211 Jennifer Dott 19 Schenectady NY 20:36
5 234 Emily Schwan 17 Albany NY 20:59
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 20 - 24
1 4 Jennifer Rhines 23 Haverford PA 15:54
2 13 Blake Phillips 22 Chapel Hill NC 16:21
3 14 Cori Knoeller 24 Boise ID 16:22
4 15 Melody Fairchild 24 Boulder CO 16:25
5 33 Susan Yagielski 23 Ballson Lake NY 17:10
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 25 - 29
1 2 Cheri Goddard-Kenah 27 Arlington VA 15:47
2 5 Anne Marie Lauck 29 Hamptonn NJ 16:00
3 9 Vicki Mitchell 28 Cheektowaga NY 16:13
4 16 Natalie Nalepa 29 Austin TX 16:31
5 18 Marty Shue 29 Annapoils MD 16:35
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 30 - 34
1 3 Libbie Hickman 33 Ft. Collins CO 15:50
2 8 Laura LaMena-Coll 31 Eugene OR 16:10
3 11 Jennifer Crain 30 Shorewood WI 16:17
4 12 Kathy Franey-Fleming 30 Wellesley MA 16:20
5 19 Katie Courtwright 33 Dallas TX 16:37
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 35 - 39
1 1 Lynn Jennings 37 Newmarket NH 15:46
2 6 Shelly Steely 35 Albuquerque NM 16:05
3 7 Joan Nesbit 36 Chapel Hill NC 16:07
4 10 Carmen Troncoso 39 Austin TX 16:14
5 20 Lesley Lehane 35 Chestnut Hill MA 16:40
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 40 - 44
1 17 Joan Benoit-Samuelson 41 Freeport ME 16:33*
2 24 Jane Welzel 43 Fort Collins CO 16:43**
3 26 Ruth Wysocki 41 Canyon Lake CA 16:51
4 37 Jeanne Lasee-Johnson 40 Chula Vista CA 17:15
5 38 Regina Joyce 41 Lynnwood WA 17:16
Age Group Record 16:06 Ruth Wysocki in 1997
* New age 41 Record
**New age 43 Record
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 45 - 49
1 52 Victoria Crisp 45 Nashville TN 17:35
2 95 Kathryn Martin 46 Northport NY 18:20
3 171 Debra Brown 46 Ottawa ON 19:52
4 174 Janice Roche 45 Clifton Park NY 19:57
5 187 Peggy Wiltberger 46 Saranac Lake NY 20:09
Age Group Record 17:14 45-49, Barbara Filutze
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 50 - 54
1 132 Joan Ottaway 54 Sonora CA 19:10*
2 149 Gloria Jansen 50 Edina MN 19:30
3 152 Barbara Filutze 51 Erie PA 19:32
4 179 Randon Fritsch 53 Baltimore MD 19:59
5 210 Linda Frisby 51 Grand Jct CO 20:34
Age Group Record 17:28 50-54, Shirley Matson
*New Age 54 record
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 55 - 59
1 307 Nancy Frisillo 55 New Hartford NY 21:51
2 350 Ellen Nitz 57 Milford MI 22:25
3 379 Jayne Zinke 55 Niverville NY 22:44
4 385 Lynne Lauck 58 Pittstown NJ 22:48
5 398 Marilyn Grissom 56 Greenwood IN 22:54
Age Group Record 18:32 55-59, Shirley Matson
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 60 - 64
1 680 Wen-Shi Yu 63 Kew Gardens NY 25:02
2 689 Janice Partyka 60 Chicopee Falls MA 25:07
3 791 Sally Rusby 61 Horseheads NY 25:45
4 1368 Mary Kunz 62 Charlton NY 28:30
5 1951 Luretha Davenport 64 Loudonville NY 31:10
Age Group Record 19:53 60-64, Marion Irvine
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 65 - 69
1 348 June MacHala 67 Spokane WA 22:24*
2 523 Toshiko D'Elia 68 Ridgewood NJ 23:54
3 878 Anny Stockman 65 Rensselaer NY 26:17
4 1737 Patricia Vangalen 66 Albany NY 30:11
5 2408 Janet Pomeranz Mount 68 Glen Cove NY 33:44
Age Group Record 22:07 65-69, June Machala
*New age 67 Record
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 70 - 74
1 1867 Dolores Quinn 70 Whitesboro NY 30:45
2 2385 Ani Rak 71 Wickliffe OH 33:36
Age Group Record 24:38 70-74, Gerry Davidson
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 75 - 79
1 1743 Ellen McCoy 77 St Paul MN 30:15
Age Group Record 27:17 75-79, Anne Clarke
FEMALE AGE GROUP: 80 - 99
1 3013 Althea Jureidini 80 Bronx NY 43:55
Age Group Record 29:23 80-84, Anne Clarke