Kathy Martin mauls W60 world record in mile with stunning 5:42
Hall of Famer Kathy Martin, 61, has won so many honors she almost ceases to surprise. She took the 10K at Olathe nationals in an American record 41:10.57 — 33 seconds better than the listed W60 best. No sweat. But that was but a warmup for her latest shocker. At Valley Stream North High School in Franklin Square, New York, she ran a mile Wednesday in 5:42.62. That’s the word from USATF Long Island Masters Chairman Rob Lemke. How good is 5:42? The listed W55 American record is 5:46.8. Rob graciously writes: “Kathy Martin beat the listed W60-64 World Record for the mile at a USATF-LI Summer Series meet. … The listed time is 5:48.94 by Gerda Van Kooten of the Netherlands in 1999. The listed American record is 5:57.39 by Marie Michelsohn in 2002. As Kathy is no stranger to record setting, I believe she got all the documentation she needs to have the record approved.”
Kathy enjoyed watching other honorees at the Olathe athletes banquet.
OK, so all Kathy did was average 1:25.65 a quarter-mile, a little bit longer than 400 meters. At Olathe, 1:25 would have won bronze in the 400!
She probably didn’t enter the Olathe 400 because she was busy winning the 800 (2:44.12), 1500 (5:30.68) and 5000 (19:43.53).
On the Age-Graded Tables, 5:42.62 is equivalent to an open (age 20-30) time of 4:08. The actual women’s mile record is Svetlana Masterkova’s 4:12.56.
Rob says full results have not yet been posted, but will provide the link. Here’s where meet results are archived.
Meanwhile, I can’t help but note the winner of the Ironwoman Prize at Olathe — Flo Meiler of Vermont.
Here’s what her local paper said:
Flo Meiler of Shelburne and Barb Jordan of South Burlington competed at the USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Olatha, Kansas July 11-14.
Hot it was, 93 degrees, and so were they. Meiler won 14 medals. Eight gold medals: Pentathlon (five events), long jump, pole vault, discus, 80m short hurdles, 200m long hurdles, 200m run, and 4×100 relay. Five silver medals: hammer throw, 100m run, triple jump, high jump, and weight throw plus a bronze medal in shot put. Jordan won six medals. Three gold: 100m run, triple jump, and 4×100 relay. Two silver medals: 200m run and long jump and a bronze in the high jump.
Barb Jordan (left) and Flo Meiler of Shelburne at a previous masters event.
5 Responses
Ken, thanks for publishing the article on Johnnye,
what a great woman! AND she is responsible to show us
( actually demand!) to stand up tall and point our feet a certain way – to be more photogenic! Point well taken, thanks Johnnye!
See you in Berea!
Amazing!!! Such stellar performances, very inspiring Kathy, Flo, & Barb. Long may you run, jump, & throw.
CNN has long interview with Flo:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/19/health/flo-meiler-senior-games/index.html?hpt=hp_bn13
Good “glam shot” of Kathy Martin. What group is she in again, W40? What, she’s 61? Running has been good to Kathy.
Peter
Agree with you. 61 must be a typo error.