By Clay Shaw
Photography by Clay Shaw and Karen Mitchell

Mechanicsville, VA, January 21, 2023, USATF Cross Country Championships—Ten minutes prior to the start of the men’s master 8K race at Pole Green Park, Ben Bruce was a proud dad watching sons Riley and Hudson compete in the kid’s fun run. Bruce, from Flagstaff, AZ and part of the well-known Hoka NAZ Elite team, won in 24.59.8. For editorial purposes, the master’s times were rounded up to the full second. Bruce later watched along with his sons as his wife Stephanie ran in the USATF open 10K; she finished thirteenth in 33:50.

Neal McDonaugh of Colorado Springs, CO and the Square State Striders, was second in 25:26. Christopher Pruitt of Sandy Spring, MD and the Colonial Road Runners, was third in 25:58. Adam Otstot of Williamsburg, VA was fourth in 26:34. Scott Burns of West Chester, PA was fifth in 26:40 and led the Greater Philadelphia Track Club to the 40-49 team championship. The Colonial Road Runners, with two runners in the top five, was second. The Blacksburg Striders were third.

Age group firsts were also earned. Jacques Sallberg of Pasadena, CA, won the 45-49 in 26:44; Ahrlin Bauman of Lake Oswego, OR earned the 50-54 award in 27:28; Michael Nahom of New Milford, CT was tops in the 55-59 age group. Nat Larson of Amherst, MA was tops in the 60-64 in 28:33 and David Westenberg of Wellesley, MA won the 65-69 age group in 31:27. Robert Qualls of Reno, NV won the 70-74 age group in 34:08. Gary Ostwald of Denver, CO won the 75-59 group in 38:05. Ed Bligh of Alpharetta, GA won the 80-84 group in 47:25. 173 finished the men’s master 8K.

Top Finishers

1. 25:00 Benjamin Bruce, 40, Flagstaff, AZ
2. 25:26 Neil McDonagh, 41, Colorado Springs, CO
3. 25:58 Christopher Pruitt, 40, Sandy Springs, MD
4. 26:34 Adam Otstot, 40, Williamsburg, VA
5. 26:40 Scott Burns, 42, West Chester, PA
6. 26:44 Jacques Sallberg, 48, Pasadena, CA
7. 26:58 David Angell, 46, Blue Ridge, VA
8. 27:08 Charlie Ban, 40, Washington, DC
9. 2710 Jason Holroyd, 46, Wayne, PA
10. 27:17 Michael Harlow, 41, Richmond, VA
11. 27:28 Ahrlin Bauman, 50, Lake Oswego, OR
12. 27:29 Michael Wardian, 48, Arlington, VA
13. 27:29 Philippe Rolly, 50, McLean, VA
14. 27:32 Matthew Wagoner, 45, New Cumberland, PA
15. 27:40 Brock Butler, 45, West Chester, PA
16. 27:54 Derek Reinhold, 43, Philadelphia, PA
17. 28:01 Ryan Carroll, 40, Portsmouth, VA
18. 28:03 Marc Jeulad, 43, Durham, NC
19. 28:07 Tim Harte, 54, Coatesville, PA
20. 28:07 Christopher Naimoli, 43, Philadelphia, PA

Categories: Race Coverage

Tags: 2023, featured, USATF, USATF Masters, USATFXC, World Athletics, World Cross Country 2023, WorldXC