Old records stay for another year

Course records still out there:

My 04/07/2001 course record at the Chicago Lakefront 50k held up for another year, with the race being cancelled for 2020 like so many other races this year. Now at 19 years and with no prize money it is unlikely that any of the fast guys will go to Chicago.  Maybe it’ll be a US championship some year and that will get someone in under my 2:57:36 (5:43 pace).

My CR from the Red’s Shoe Barn 5m reached the 24 year mark (04-14-1996) this year, again with the race cancelled for 2020. On that day back in 1996 I ran a 24:12.01 over the rolling course. I got out well in a pack with Dan Verrington, Mike O’Brien, Eric Morse, and Byrne Decker. Dan stuck the longest and I didn’t get clear of him until the final mile. I got my win with Dan running a solid 24:37 followed by O’Brien (24:47), Morse (24:57) and Decker (25:09). I’m not sure what the old CR was at the time but the race was already in its 15^th year so there were probably some sub- 25 times run prior to my time. In the last 14 years there have only been four runners under 26 minutes. There must have been some decent prize money back in the day since there have been some quick times run.

Here are the top times since 1996:

1996 Dave Dunham       24:12.01

1997 Craig Fram            24:13

2006 Patrick Moulton      24:17

1999 Chris Teague         24:26

1998 Mike O’Brien          24:28

1997 Mike O’Brien          24:33

1997 Eric Morse             24:36

1996 Dan Verrington      24:37

1999 Dave Dunham       24:41

1996 Mike O’Brien          24:47

2002 David Hinga          24:48

1997 Byrne Decker        24:51

1999 Mike O’Brien          24:52

1996 Eric Morse 24:57

1999 Tom Anderson       24:59