Separate Awards for Top Men and Women
That was the question on the mind of two-time defending Patch Sprint overall women’s champion Sheila Mulherin upon being presented with the trophy following her first win, in 2007.
Mulherin was being awarded the MacCready Fitness Trophy, which had been handed out to the top female finisher since 2001. “I’m not sure what my running has to do with cheerleaders,” said Mulherin, “but thanks. I guess.”
Patch Sprint officials are no longer so sure either and have thus made a change for the 2009 event. “We have ordered two new beautiful cups. Both will be mounted on a beautiful oak base, hand-crafted by local woodworker Jason Fiegl of Reber, New York. One observer gushed that "they are an elegant sight to behold!”
JANNY TO REMAIN ON DISPLAY
The grandest of all Patch Sprint honors remains “The Janny” (lower, left), named for Pok-O Patch creator, gardener and visionary Jan Burrows, of Yorkshire. “The Janny” will, as it always has been” be awarded to the fastest overall finisher from the 10:00am start, no matter what division and what gender they are entered in.
The perpetual plate will remain on display, year-round, at Pok-O-MacCready Camps, with individual plates recognizing annual winners, starting from 1986, and working right through the defending champion. “We felt it was time to get this sacred trophy out of Kobak and Fiegl’s living rooms, and into possession of the people,” stated one event official.
Last year, there were a lot of heated exchanges amongst racers in the Clydesdale division. Now it seems as if the rancor has been shifted to the bitter old men in the Masters group. Two-time defending division Champion Jerry Ross recently fired off this missive.
“Will he be able to compete with the likes of Tom Lynch, Skip Singer, myself and other veteran masters? Well, that remains to be seen.
“I've noticed that he is still tied to that heart rate monitor. He continues to go for the "zone."
“Time to forget the zone and focus on fiber Jim!!! As he enters the era of higher expectations he cannot afford to fool around anymore. FIBER! FIBER! FIBER!
My doctor told me that once you reach the masters level, any day you get out of bed and the heart is beating is a good day! Drop the monitor!! It's just extra weight.
“And the other thing I've noticed is that I don't think he takes naps... Can you imagine? His age and no naps! I remember a long time ago, Phil Corell telling me 'Jerry, it's all in the details. You can run as hard as you want, but if you're not getting your daily nap you're doomed to burn out before your prime.' He's even got a 'Naptime coefficient table' to correct for speed/distance/age/length of nap." He developed that the last year before he retired.
“Who will win the Masters? If Jim takes some of these valuable lessons to heart he has a shot. I figure I only have to knock 30 minutes off last year’s time to beat him. At 58, thirty minutes is the blink of an eye, it's nothing. And then there's Lynch and Singer. I know those guys are out training smart. They obviously have their eye on Kobak.
“I believe this will be the group to watch.”
- Jerry "Boss of Brutality" Ross: Masters Champion, 2007-2008
Masters Champions since the division's inception:
2002- Lynch
2003- Lynch
2004- Singer
2005- Singer
2006- Lynch
2007- Ross
2008- Ross
2009- ???
Jim Kobak: “I have no comment. That is all.”
Tom Lynch, Three-time division champion: "Not sure how things are going to come out but, I’ll tell you what, this dude Ross is a stud. I hope to be in that kind of shape at 58! "
Ron Proud, 3:21 at the 2009 Boston Marathon: "That’s it. Go ahead and keep ignoring me in the division discussion. I’m more than happy to sneak up on everyone.”
Moscato has course experienced, having been carried (left) and wheeled over the entire loop in past years, as well as having climbed three of the four peaks on her own. "At least two of these kids are gonna bail before the end," says trekking expert Kelly Zimmerman, "so the fight for youngest Patch Sprinter is wide open."
In 2004, 11-year old Ben Resnick successfully covered the entire course, a youth record that still stands.
