By George Banker for Runner’s Gazette
I was on the phone with Yannakakis a week before the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile run (CUCB). His training was not up to ensure a successful finish, and he said, “You know I am a distance runner and I will get up early tomorrow morning and see what I can do.” All of you know how runners are when a special event comes up and your mind is always ready to go.
“Do not write a check that your bank cannot cover.” “Do not commit to a race that your body cannot support.” I was not winning the conversation until his wife, Zoe, got on the phone and the three of us had to reach a middle ground for a solution. We all agreed that it was the right thing to do and to let the 2024 race go on without George Yannakakis on the start line.
I did mention that he should sit this year and give his competition a fair chance in the age group (90-94). Yannakakis has 30 finishes (CUCB) dating back to 1984 (age 52, 1:12:36). His best time was in 1987 (age 55, 1:05:18).
Dr. George Yannakakis graduated from the University of Athens in 1956 (Neurology) and his wife Zoe graduated from the Dalhousie University of Medicine, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1962 (Anesthesiology).
It is an understatement to say that Yannakakis has a passion for the sport, and the Baltimore Road Runners Club (BRRC) inducted him in 2019. He had taken part in the Club races from the track to the marathon distance. At 85 at the Northern Central Trail, he ran a 5:34:40. The other marathons include Athens, 5 Boston Marathons with his best time of 3:15:08 at 56. At 66, he ran 3:42:30 in the 1997 Marine Corps Marathon.
To the runners who know the Annapolis 10 Mile race in Maryland, you can count on three things: heat, hills, and humidity. The conditions did not deter Yannakakis.
2013 81 1:33:58 1st Place
2014 82 1:33:34 2nd Place
2015 83 1:36:01 1st Place
2016 84 1:46:46 2nd Place
The Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile Run is the top event for Yannakakis as noted below.
1992 60 1:09:52 5th Place
1997 65 1:11:16 2nd Place
2002 70 1:16:23 1st Place
2008 76 1:25:11 1st Place
2012 80 1:30:34 1st Place
2017 85 1:44:08 1st Place
2022 90 2:33:04* 1st Place
The 2022 performance earned Yannakakis a new American Age Group record for 90-94. The old record was 2:35:52, held by James Ramsey of Flint, Michigan (August 22, 1998).
On race day, April 3, 2022 I was at the finish line, and we were tracking the performance of Yannakakis and along mile 8 the pace was slowing, and the record was falling from his reach. Yannakakis knew nothing about the record, and it was not a goal. It took a few minutes before we noticed the pace was changing, and he was back on track.
Yannakakis set a mark which was not in his plans.
This article is to acknowledge the performance of a friend and fellow athlete. In all honesty, in 2016 at the Northern Central Trail Marathon in Maryland (BRRC) Yannakakis at 85 ran 5:34:40. I had the occasion to see his back several times at the event and that day I was 5:54:42.
The three words which I can associate with Yannakakis are consistent, insistent, and persistent.
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Runner's Gazette 
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