World Indoor Record breaking W40-49 4 x 400 meter team from left to right, Kathleen Shook, Charmaine Roberts, Terri Cassel, Terri Rath.

Running in the USA Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston, MA on Sunday, March 30 Athena Track Club lowered their own Indoor 4 x 400 meter Record in the W40-49 age group with a time of 4:17.10, knocking over two seconds of the existing mark.

Athena Track Club is a nationwide masters women's track team with several members living in the D.C. metropolitan area. Running the third leg, Terri Rath (44) of Ashburn, VA, received the baton in second place behind a strong USA combined team. She maintained this position with a 1:06 split handing off to 40 year old Charmaine Roberts from Beltsville, MD. Roberts ran a superb 60 second anchor leg storming past Rebecca Connolly, winner of the W40 200 meters, to bring Athena home as clear winners with almost a four second margin. For Roberts it was a fitting close to a fine indoor season. A month earlier she dominated the field in the Masters Exhibition 400 meters in the USA Track and Field Championship at the same location. In the Masters Championship, Roberts stamped her authority on the event by winning the W40-44 age group with an indoor masters personal record of 59.9. Roberts also ran an indoor masters PR, finishing second American and third overall in the W40-44 800 meters in a time of 2:23.87.

For Terri Rath, the meet signaled a return to form from a calf injury in April 2007. Rath finished second in the W40-44 200 meters in 30.48, and third in the 400 meters in 1:06.84. She was also a member of Athena's winning W40-49 4 x 800 meter team. Training partner, Julie Hayden (48), also of Ashburn, won gold with the Athena 4 x 800 meter team and took an individual bronze medal in the W45-49 800 meters, behind two Athena teammates for a clean sweep in the event.

With the close of the indoor season Athena move outdoors, and look to defend their 2006 and 2007 titles in the Masters 4 x 400 Meters race at the Penn Relays on Friday, April 25. They are the current holders of the American Club Record of 4:12.64. Rath and Roberts share that record with Joan Hunter (Purcellville, VA) and Lorraine Jasper (Birchrunville, PA).

Other notable area runners:

3000M
Pl    Name                 Age Club           Hometown        Time
3 118 Chantry, Stephen     M53 Colonial       Williamsburg   9:32.32
4 518 Poulos, Ted          M46 Potomac Valley McLean         9:56.09

400M
Pl    Name                 Age Club           Hometown        Time
2 631 Suckling, Alison     W52                Arnold, MD     1:10.34
1 570 Schley, Helen        W80 Potomac Valley Myersville     2:22.10
Mile
Pl    Name                 Age Club           Hometown        Time
8 518 Poulos, Ted          M46 Potomac Valley McLean, VA     5:01.30
2 118 Chantry, Stephen     M53 Colonial       Williamsburg   4:45.89
800M
Pl    Name                 Age Club           Hometown        Time
2 118 Chantry, Stephen     M53 Colonial       Williamsburg   2:08.12  
6 111 Caudle, Kyle         M42                Annapolis      2:08.13  
2 631 Suckling, Alison     W52                Arnold         2:41.64  
1 570 Schley, Helen        W80 Potomac Valley Myersville     5:39.49  



Colonial Road Runners (Williamsburg, VA) set an American record 
in the men's 50-59 4x800 meter relay with 9:06.90. 
     1) Samaha, Richard          50              
     2) Schlickenmeyer, Daniel   51
     3) Goggin, Jim              54                  
     4) Chantry, Stephen         53

(left to right: Rick Samaha, Steve Chantry, Danny Schlickenmeyer, Jim Goggin, all from Williamsburg, VA.)

2008 USA Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships