Club nationals: Katie and Fitz shine!

Congrats to Marist Running alums Ryan Fitzsimons (Central Park Track Club) and Katie Messina (New Balance Boston) for their excellent races at the USATF National Club Cross Country Championships, held Saturday at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. And thanks to Fitz for sending me this wonderful picture of two great teammates and proud Forever Foxes.

Ryan was the CPTC A team’s third runner and ran a solid PR of 33:38 (5:25 pace) for 10 kilometers, notching an 8km PR of 26:25 en route. CPTC placed 38th out of 59 teams. Katie placed 113th in 22:13 (5:58 pace) and was the lead runner for the NBB B team, which placed 27th out of 41 teams in the field.

Also, a quick shout-out to my friend and local running legend Marisa Sutera Strange, who placed eighth overall in the women’s masters race and won her umpteenth National Championship by capturing the 50-54 division by about a minute in front of her nearest competitor. Marisa ran 22:37 (6:04 pace). It is not a stretch to say she is the most successful runner in Dutchess County history, as her stellar running career just keeps on going and going.