USATF 2016 National Club Cross Country Championships Tallahassee, FL

The Central Mass Striders traveled to Tallahassee Florida for the USATF 2016 National Club Cross Country Championships. A rolling course, home to FSU, within Apalachee Regional awaited teams from all over the country. It felt like home for CMS. Several teams from the USATF New England Association were in attendance: Greater Springfield Harriers, Liberty Athletic Club, Greater Lowell Road Runners, Boston Athletic Association, Greater Boston Track Club, HFC Striders, Battle Road Track Club, NE Distance, SISU Project, The Heartbreakers. 

Also from the North came freezing temperatures on the morning of the race. Temperatures warmed up to the 50’s by the late morning. The Central Mass Striders men’s masters team, led by Tim Van Orden, finished 7^th out of 16 40+ teams.  Tim ran 34:23. He was followed by Gregory Putnam who paced the course in 34:56. Todd Callaghan ran 35:11. Joe Shairs clocked the course in 35:23 while Arthur Besse capped the scoring with a time of 35:50. James Pawlicki ran 36:28. 

Nate Jenkins ran a solid race, passing runners throughout the five loop course, placing 119^th in a field of 307 starting runners in the Men’s Open 10K race. He ran a time of 32:10, 5:11 pace per mile. Nate’s wife, Melissa Donais, ran 24:24 to place 165^th out of 188 runners. 

Place TmPl Name                  Age  Club                                    Time  Pace

26   24 Tim Van Orden         48   Central Mass Striders   34:23  5:32

34   32 Greg Putnam           47   Central Mass Striders    34:56  5:38

38   35 Todd Callaghan        47   Central Mass Striders   35:11  5:40

41   38 Joe Shairs                 48   Central Mass Striders    35:23  5:42

45   41 Arthur Besse          44   Central Mass Striders      35:50  5:46

53   49 James Pawlicki        42   Central Mass Striders     36:28  5:53

OPEN MEN'S 10K OVERALL

119      Nathaniel Jenkins     36   Central Mass Striders     32:10  5:11

OPEN WOMEN'S 6K OVERALL

165      Melissa Donais        32   Central Mass Striders       24:24  6:33

USATF 2016 National Club Cross Country Championships Tallahassee, FL results

CMS 40+ team: Todd, Jim, Tim, Joe, Arthur, & Greg

Todd, Greg, Joe waiting for open 10K results

Nate Jenkins on his way to a 32:10 in the Men's Open 10K