Tom Dalton of Rotterdam was named USA Track and Field’s Masters Runner of the Year for the second consecutive time.
The award is based on age-graded times, meaning an older runner posting a fast time is given more credit than a younger runner finishing in the same time. Runners have to be nominated for the award.
Dalton won two national cross country titles, at 8 kilometers (Nov. 4 in Rochester) and 5 kilometers (Nov. 18 in Deland, Fla.).
“For the race in Florida, the course had taken six inches of rain the day before,” Dalton said. “(The mud and water) was shin-deep in some places.”
Dalton won that race by 58 seconds in 15 minutes, 42 seconds. He won by 1:23 in Rochester in 25:15.
Dalton is ranked No. 1 in the world at 5,000 meters, second at 3,000, fifth at a mile, and sixth at 1,500 meters.