The Central Mass Striders senior team (50+) of Greg Putnam, Joe Shairs, Steve Brightman, Tim Van Orden and Todd Callaghan placed 2nd overall out of 11 teams in the 2021 USATF National Club Cross Country Championships hosted at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, FL on December 11, 2021. Teams arrived to humid and foggy conditions. The fog lifted by the time the masters men’s 10K started at 11AM.
Greg Putnam would lead the team with a time of 35:56, placing 43rd (3rd 50+) in the masters race comprised of 40 and 50 year old athletes. Joe Shairs placed 93rd (15th 50+) with a time of 37:44 just three seconds ahead of Steve Brightman (37:47, 16th 50+). Tim Van Orden (23rd 50+) and Todd Callaghan (32nd 50+) would run 38:09 and 38:34 to close out the scoring. West Valley Track Club would take the 50+ team win with just 28 points. Garden State Track Club would place 3rd with 95 points.
Meanwhile, Eric Blake would place 3rd overall in the
masters race with a time of 33:14, just 2 seconds behind Peter Gilmore of West
Valley and 19 seconds behind winner, Jesse Davis from Indiana Elite AC. Eric
was in the mix for the lead right up until 6K on the spectator friendly 5 loop
10 course.
PLACE TEAM PLACE
1 West
Valley Track Club 28
2 Central
Mass Striders 89
3 Garden
State Track Club New Balance 95
4 Club
Northwest 117
5 Bowerman
Track Club 117
6 TC
Running Company 149
7 Greater
Springfield Harriers 151
8 Boulder
Road Runners 170
9 Atlanta
Track Club 230
10 Cal Coast
Track Club 290
11 F and M
Track Club 325
Eric Blake
3 33:14.2
Place Time 50+
Gregory Putnam
3 35:56.8
Joseph Shairs
15 37:44.9
Steve Brightman
16 37:47.6
Tim Van Orden
23 38:09.1
Todd Callaghan
32 38:34.7
