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Written by Jack Crook, Kansas State Statistician YEAR 2006 - AGE GRADED BEST PERFORMANCES (A 100% grade means an age-graded performance that is approximately equivalent to the world record for that distance.)
Male Masters: It was hard to single out any one individual as the top male masters in 2006. On average, the No. 1 and No. 2 grades were way below par, and a full percentage lower than last year's mediocre marks. The top grade this year was by Oklahoman Pete Orban in the Half-Marathon at 86.9%, and this is the poorest top grade in the 11 years that we have been making this yearly analysis. You may also note that in three distances we had top grades below 80%, which has never happened before.
Mike Shyrock of Augusta was the only runner to top more than one distance, leading the 8KM and 15KM, but none of his grades ranked in the top ten for the year. Paul Heitzman of Eudora, usually a leader in past year's grades, had marks much lower than in past years, but he still led the 5KM and was runner-up in the 2-Mile and 8KM, with two grades in the top ten. Equaling Paul's trio was Steve Riley of Lawrence, leading the 4-Mile event, with 2nds in the 10KM and 10-Mile, and with two grades in the top ten.
Joining Paul and Steve was J.P. Worchester of Lindsborg, topping the tough Marathon event and with 2nds in the 4-Mile and Half-Marathon. However, the second best overall grading was by Manhattan resident Dan Boyle at 85.0% and 3rd best was Bob McAnany of Hays at 84.1%.
Female Masters: It doesn't happen very often, but the top masters grading for 2006 was by a lady runner. Mary Greene of Andover graded 89.5% in the 2-Mile at the River Run. To my knowledge this is the 2nd best ever in Kansas, topped only by the great Jane Hutchinson in 1995. But Deb Torneden of Wichita was not far behind with 88.5% in the 2-Mile and 88.4% in the 10 KM. And on balance, Deb was better, topping two events and with 2nds in two other distances. Cindy Cameron of Westwood also ranked well on balance, topping two events and racking up three 2nds as well; but her best grade ranked only 8th overall. Mary Greene actually had four of the top 8 grades for the year, but only two are in the standings below.
Submasters: For Submasters runners, by far the best grade was by Australian Andrew Letherby at the Atwood 10 Mile at 91.9%, as he wiped out the Kansas overall record for this event, clocking a 48:36. On the distaff side, WSU standout from Lyndon, Desiraye Osburn, in her only 5K road race of the year, graded 87.6%, as she tied the overall state record of 16:26.
The kids are the ones who really did well this year, led by Iowan Rebekah Topham, who was only ten years old at the "Just for Kids" run in Wichita, but her 5K time of 19:04 graded a phenomenal 88.3%. Earlier in the year at age 9, Rebekah had run the River Run 10K time in 43:40, grading an excellent 85.1%. In the River Run 2 Mile, Wichitan Kaelyn Balch broke the 12 and under state record with a 12:04 clocking, which graded a top flight 83.9%.
On the guy's side, 19 year old Alex Umberger of Wichita had several grades in the 80 to 84.5 range, with his 3rd place finish in the River Run 10K at 32:10, resulting in his best grading. And right behind Alex at the River Run was yet another 19 year old, Brock Phillips and his 32:38 clocking graded 83.3%.
YOUTH GRADINGS - (Best only for each runner)
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