Due to the Olympic year, this 50K was held in February in combination with the 50K OTT (men only). Both served as National Championships, but number of entrants was problematic. The women had six registered, two of whom are world record holders in open and age-group, but only started five. The men are featured in a companion photo story (link).
The 20K was a USATF San Diego open/Santee invitational event for women/men for nine starters six/three, respectively. Most are from California, but New York, Oregon, Colorado and Mexico were represented.
Coverage of both events will be chronological, as the events unfolded. The 20K started 30 minutes after the 50K OTT." P2217113.JPG "Favorite Erin Taylor-Talcott headlines the field (left to right), Katherine Grimes, Loretta Schuellein-McGovern, Carmen Jackinsky and a reinvigorated Susan Armenta." P2217115.JPG "WR holder, Taylor-Talcott got off fast and left the four others to fend for themselves. This would be mostly solo efforts today. Grimes and Jackinsky finished in the November nationals. Schuellein-McGovern is in a debut 50K and Armenta is returning to the sport that she dominated in the U.S. a generation ago." P2217270.JPG Loretta and Susan paired up for the initial laps. P2210259.JPG Katie was next? P2217290.JPG and the ever-smiling Carmen trailed. P2217324.JPG Erin started smooth and determined. P2217358.JPG Loretta and Susan continued together. P2210274.JPG "More than 30 minutes after the 50K OTT started, the 20K was ready to begin." P2217386.JPG Trevor Barron led the way in the 20K with Emmanuel (Natos) Covera following closely. Note Rachel Seaman (right in green) is content to follow in the back. P2217427.JPG "Just over 30 minutes into the W-50K, John Nunn and Nick Christie, holding a two-minute head start, passed Erin." P2217449.JPG "This trio of women -- Molly Josephs, Rachel Seaman and Miranda Melville -- seemed more interested in socializing and chatting than racing. This was but a workout for them." P2217485.JPG "Miranda (right) participated in the Millrose Games in New York the day before. After posting a disappointing (to her) 6:35.25 mile less than 24 hours ago, she hopped a cross country flight to reach San Diego for this workout. Rachel (left) has already qualified for the Canadian Olympic team in the 20K, while Miranda has high hopes of reaching the Olympic Games qualifying standard of 1:36:00 during the June 30th U.S. Olympic Team Trials for this event in Salem, Oregon." P2217489.JPG "Hmm, is Miranda asking if she is going slow enough?" P2217498.JPG "Here is quite a quintet showing future stars (Corvera, Christie), current star/Olympian (Nunn), past star (Armenta) and retired star/Olympian (coach Tim Seaman)." P2217505.JPG "Less than an hour into the 20K, Katie Burnett and Erin Gray are pacing well." P2217513.JPG Late entry Robyn Stevens is leading the women in the open 20K. P2217519.JPG "As early as 5 km, the 50K had solo walkers, and now at 7.25 km, Loretta had separated from Susan significantly." P2217526.JPG Erin smoothly laps hubby Dave less than an hour into the 50K. NEWPAGE "The W-50K and 20K have sorted out the finishing order and now enters the phase of who will finish and who will not. The temperatures started in the mid 40s, but have rapidly increased to the 50s, 60s and heading into the 70s. For the W-50k, temperature will be a decider, more for speed than abilty to finish, whereas the 20k participants will not have to contend with the the temps or, more critically, the radiant heat from the black asphalt roadway that sits without any shade trees along the 1.25 km loop.
" P2217617.JPG "Erin Gray is moving well," P2217620.JPG but Katie Burnett is not and has called it quits less than an hour and a half into the 20K. P2217633.JPG Carmen has a radiant smile. P2217635.JPG "Robyn Stevens at the turn around passes the antenna sensor that detects her B-tag on the back side of her bib. This gives the lap split electronically, though human lap scorers still manually record the lap splits. If you look closely at her trailing shoe, there is a D-tag that is detected by the start/finish mat at the start/finish of the race." P2217637.JPG This is the electronic gear that records the B-tag. P2217645.JPG Trevor Barron is on the edge of the course and is about to make a decision. P2217659.JPG He has stopped. P2217666.JPG Trevor chats with race announcer Tracy Sundlun. P2217699.JPG "Natos is showing speed in an uncontested race. He is the sole remaining male in the invitational 20K. He learned big time after his December 2014 encounter with notoriety where he collapsed at 40K enroute to stretching to a 50K, when he was only supposed to do 30K. Speed is the focus for now, rather than endurance that the 50K animal unforgivingly demands." P2210354.JPG "Emmanuel (Natos) Corvera takes 1st in the invitational 20K with an attention-getting 1:28;58 at 7:10/mile. Coach Tim in blue has been tracking several athletes in the 50K OTT and 20K In four months Natos hopes to meet the OG qualifying time of 1:24:00 at the 20K OTT on June 30 in Salem, Oregon. Nick Christie, who is trying to qualify for the 50K OG standard today, is not even thinking of the 20K." P2210379.JPG "In the open 20K Molly, Rachel and Miranda have two laps to go." P2217714.JPG "Like clockwork, but neither of these, Erin clicks off the laps approaching Lap 15 or one short of 20K. The green clock (left) shows the OTT (men) and the yellow (right) the 20K. Once the 20K has ended, the clock will be reset to the W-50K. Confusing? That is why there are lap scorers tracking each of he participants across all three events and dutifully calling off LAPS TO GO as the race progresses." P2210385.JPG Susan approaches Lap 17. P2210387.JPG "Minutes later Loretta approaches Lap 18 of 40, while Rachel and Miranda will have the bell lap in their chatty workout. Molly decided to call it quits." P2217843.JPG Robyn Stevens finishes an uncontested 1st in open 20K with a time of 1:44:32 at 8:25 min/mile. P2217869.JPG "Laughing and smiling, Miranda (right) and Rachel finish the 20k workout today in last place with times of 1:52:32 NS 1:52:33, respectively. All others had either finished or dropped out." NEWPAGE "By now the W-50K was over half way for the first three women. Unless there is a total collapse, the finishing order should remain unchanged. The only question might be will Katie Grimes, who did a 6:03:34 in the November nationals, be on pace to finish before the 5:51:00 rule of beginning a lap is invoked?" P2217926.JPG "Erin is past 30K. The left clock is 50K OTT, but the right clock is still 20K time. Women started about two minutes after the OTT." P2210506.JPG "Susan has completed 23 laps, or one short of 30K. Temps are rising and cooling towels are available for all." P2210508.JPG Gear choice is individual choice. Some have hats like Dave McGovern and others brave it with intensity like leader Erin. P2210516.JPG Erin is focused nearing Lap 26 around 32K. P2210520.JPG "Her other half, Dave, one lap behind, has his own expressive ways." P2218277.JPG Loretta takes towel and bottle at aid station during Lap 28 or 34K. P2218284.JPG "A bit of a mis-handoff occurred, but of no consequence." P2218334.JPG Smooth handoff for Erin as she approaches 40K. P2210573.JPG Later on Katie is one lap short of 30K. NEWPAGE The Finish is Approaching.
There are still five women on course.
P2218824.JPG Erin has two laps to go. P2218850.JPG Susan has six laps to go just as Matthew Forgues is about to finish fourth in 50K OTT in 4:33:59 at 8:45 min/mile. P2218885.JPG Erin is entering the bell lap. P2218925.JPG Erin Taylor-Talcott finishes 1st in new WR of 4:44:26 at 9:10 min/mile. P2218972.JPG The pause that refreshes. P2219082.JPG Susan has three laps to go. P2219134.JPG Loretta Schuellein-McGovern finishes 2nd in 5:15:55 at10:11 min/mile. Katie has four laps to go. P2219156.JPG Susan Armenta finishes 3rd in 5:27:40 at 10:33 mkn/mile. P2219174.JPG Happiness is finishing and being with friend. Likely age group/women world record for 42-year olds. P2219266.JPG "Well deserved podium for Susan, Erin and Loretta. Results are available here: https://www.usatf.org/usatf/files/29/29807f4b-7df8-4bf8-b051-c645cef692b5.txt" P2210742.JPG Katie is almost there. P2219282.JPG Kathryn Grimes finishes 4th in 5:53:05 at 11:22 min/mile. Likely age group/women world record for 52-year olds. P2219284.JPG "As time expired, Carmen Jackinsky had to step off course, perhaps with some relief, with four laps to go. She received an NT (No Time)." P22192887.JPG D-tag on her ReShod personally branded shoes was not allowed to cross finish line. P2219422.JPG "Some day might there be a 50K Olympic Team Trials for Women? Tokyo is in 2020, and 2024 location is yet to be determined."