| Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley | | | | American-record holders, were double winners in the |
| The shining star in the prime running events at the | | | | prime running events at the meet. |
| 2008 USATF National Masters Meet in Spokane (WA) | | | | Stephen Robbins of Seattle won the 65-69 age-group |
| was Kathryn (Kathy) Martin, who won 5 national titles | | | | 100 in 12.56 and set a new American record in the 200 |
| in the 800, 1500, 5000 and 10,000-meter races, and set | | | | in 25.36, breaking Paul Johnson's mark of 25.76 set in |
| an American record in the 2000-meter steeplechase. | | | | 2001. Robbins set the current 100 American record |
| The 56-year-old from Northport (NY) was virtually | | | | (pending) of 12.37 earlier in August. |
| unstoppable in the 55-59 age-group competition. | | | | Nolan Shaheed of Pasadena, CA (55-59) won the |
| The United States Track & Field-sanctioned meet was | | | | 1500 in 4:44.38 and the 5000 in 17:00.60. Shaheed holds |
| held Aug. 7-10 at the Spokane Falls Community | | | | the same age-group American record of 4:20.76 set in |
| College track, one of the finest-if not the | | | | 2004. Nolan Shaheed also holds the world masters |
| finest-dedicated track venues among community | | | | record of 4:27.9 in the mile for the 50-54 age-group, |
| colleges in the nation. Most tracks are built around a | | | | which he set in 2000. |
| more popular sporting venue, such as football. At | | | | Don Coffman of Stamping Ground, KY (65-69) was |
| Spokane Falls Community College it is clear that track | | | | the third double-winner, taking the 5000 in 19:10.26 and |
| and field competition is a prime concern. | | | | the 10,000 in 39:16.00, a full 6+ minutes faster than his |
| Kathy Martin won the 5 titles in 4 days battling | | | | nearest competitor. |
| 90-degree-plus temperatures at Spokane's | | | | Other notable age-group performances included: |
| 2,000-plus-foot elevation with dry heat and no humidity. | | | | Aaron Thigpen of Brentwood, CA (40-44) with a 11.00 |
| Her closest race was the 800 which she won in | | | | in the 100. Renee Henderson of Merchantville, NJ |
| 2:38.56 with runner-up Coreen Steinbach of Pompey | | | | (40-44) with a 12.31 in the 100. Lonnie Hooker of Upper |
| (NY) less than a second behind. Martin's biggest margin | | | | Marlboro, MD (45-49) with a 22.58 in the 200. Jai Black |
| of victory came in the 5000, which she won in 19:09.20, | | | | of San Diego, CA (45-49) with a 1:02.15 in the 400. |
| nearly 2 minutes ahead of her nearest competitor. | | | | Courtney Muhammad of Mesa, AZ (45-49) with a |
| Martin's two signature races-the 1500 and 10,000-left | | | | 51.41 in the 400. Neil Fitzgerald of New York, NY |
| little doubt about who was in charge on the track. She | | | | (40-44) with a 1:59.51 in the 800. |
| won the 10,000 in 41:13.60, slower than her American | | | | James Morton of Springfield, MA (50-54) with a |
| age-group record of 39:37.78 set last year. She also | | | | 2:04.89 in the 800. Lisa Valle of Albuquerque, NM |
| holds the current national record of 37:12.23 set in | | | | (40-44) with a 2:20.35 in the 800. Jim Selby of |
| 2004 in the 50-54 age-group. | | | | Fallbrook, CA (80-84) with a 3:19.10 in the 800. Kevin |
| Martin, who resembles a very fast perpetual motion | | | | Forde of Philadelphia, PA (40-44) with a 4:10.78 in the |
| machine, ran away from her competition in the 1500, | | | | 1500. Christine Olen of Boise, ID (40-44) with a 4:53.50 |
| winning in 5:13.49 by more than 12+ seconds and with | | | | in the 1500. Mike Stickley of Winchester, VA (45-49) |
| a time less than a second slower than her current | | | | with a 16:10.70 in the 5000. Susan Empey of Mercer |
| American record of 5:12.62 set last year. She also | | | | Island, WA (40-44) with an 18:17.47 in the 5000. |
| holds the current national record of 4:52.55 set in 2002 | | | | Richard Becker of Selah, WA (50-54) with a 34:22.94 |
| in the 50-54 age-group. | | | | in the 10,000. Alyssa Tower of Vancouver, WA |
| The icing on her 5-layer cake came in her apparent | | | | (45-49) with a 38:21.83 in the 10,000. Karen Steen of |
| first-time try at the 2000-meter steeplechase as she | | | | Olympia, WA (40-44) with a 7:24.59 in the 2000 |
| set a national record in 8:23.20, demolishing Marie | | | | steeplechase. Ronald Pate of Honolulu, HI (60-64) with |
| Michelsohn's 7-year-old mark of 8:37.7 set in 2001. | | | | an 8:44.84 in the 2000 steeplechase. Essie Faria of |
| Kathy Martin is an inspiring running machine who | | | | Miami, FL (70-74) with a 14:37.24 in the 2000 |
| continues to rank as one of America's top | | | | steeplechase. Kevin Stover of York, PA (40-44) with |
| middle-distance runners in masters competition. | | | | a 10:45.96 in the 3000 steeplechase. |
| Three other competitors, including two | | | | |