Marla Runyan, the legally blind Olympian, on Saturday ran her first race since giving birth to her daughter, Anna, in September 2005. Now 37, Marla clocked 32:11.92 for 10,000 meters at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. That’s not far off the listed American W35 record of 31:28.92 by Francie Larrieu in 1991. The listed world best is 31:20.28 by Norway’s Ingrid Kristiansen in 1991.
The Eugene paper reported:
“Runyan’s husband and coach, Matt Lonergan, said Runyan’s next race will probably be a 5,000 in the Oregon Twilight Meet, and that will probably be her event in the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis in June, although Friday’s time was well under the “A” standard qualifying time for the 10,000, 33:50.”
In 2004, at age 35, Marla ran a 5000 on the track in 14:59.20 — which by all rights should be the W35 world and American record. But nope — the listed AR is 15:15.2 by Larrieu in 1988. At the very least, Marla’s time in the 2004 Olympic Trials should be kosher enough for a masters age-group record. She ran 15:07.41 at the Trials. (Guess she forgot to fill out the masters record paperwork.)
Marla’s time also beats the listed W35 world record for 5000 of 15:11.28 by American Lynn Jennings in 1995. So that’s another embarrassment for USA masters records — dueling American bests.
Marla doesn’t have time to straighten out this nonsense, but someone in USATF Masters officialdom should right this injustice. A complete review of all M35 and W35 American records is overdue.
Rant over, man.
