May 13, 2017
Rothrock State Forest

It was cool, and a periodic light rain came and went in the early morning, then held off by 9:30 a.m. when the yellow school buses from Fullington Trailways took runners from Whipple Dam State Park 6.2 miles into the forest to the start line.

This race is unique in central PA for using age and gender grading for its results. How does it work? WMA Finish Order is what counts for awards. The World Masters Athletics (WMA) percentage is an age- and gender-graded scoring system based on data. The WMA percentage tells how your age- and gender-graded time compares to the gender world record for a given distance. If your WMA score is 100%, you would have run a gender world record time in your prime. If it's 50%, then the world record holder would have come in in half your time. By the way, 80% is considered National Class level. Today's top 5 age and gender graded finishers were all pretty close to that! See below for how the results of this race are calculated, and how you can use the system to score yourself for other events.

Patrick Singletary took first place overall but was very nearly edged out by Carole Dudukovich, the lone female in the top five, via the race’s age and gender grading. The top five finishers, by adjusted times, receive trophies.

Henry Jacobs, 8, was the youngest participant on this tough, rolling course, and also admitted he is training for a half marathon. Go, Henry!

Three runners doubled up, doing a 10K warmup from Whipple Dam to the starting line, and were ready for the return jaunt when the buses arrived at the start: Dean Capone, Carol Dudukovich, and Tia Dudokovich. Dean and Carole had also done this in 2016.

Several runners improved their times over last year. These included: Pat Singletary (31 seconds), Carole Dudukovich (20 seconds), Jerry Harrington (55 seconds), Michael Goldfine (35 seconds), Dean Capone (1:33), Steve Baird (2:18), David Lloyd (17 seconds), Gar Hong (2:20), and Robert Narehood (5:38).

Special thanks to Marvin Hall and Jim Sellmer for Subway sub pickup, registration help and pop-up tent; Carole and Tia Dudukovich and Gar Hong for assistance at the finish line and award drawings. Proceeds from this series and the Tussey Mountainback race on Oct. 8 support the Jana Marie Foundation.

Thanks to Tom Cali, of CaliKline – RE/MAX Centre Realty, Subway Restaurants, and Appalachian Outdoors for series support. Drawing prizes away came from Doan’s Bones, Meyer Dairy, Webster’s Bookstore and Café, and Road ID.

Dave Eggler of the NVRC provided WMA conversion of the results. Here’s an explanation of the formula:

WORLD MASTERS ATHLETICS (WMA) Percentage Calculation:
AGST = age-gender standard time
OGST = open-gender standard time
AGT = age-graded time
WMA factor = OGST / AGST
WMA factor * actual time = AGT
WMA% (age-performance %) = OGST / AGT (or = AGST / time)

Simplified, your World Masters Athletics percentage is the ratio of the approximate world-record time for your age and gender divided by your actual time.
 
Example for a 45-year old woman running a road 10 km in 40:00
AGST = 32:33 (AGST if she were a 45-year old male = 29:51)
OGST = 30:20 (OGST if she were a 45-year old male = 26:51)
WMA factor = 30:20 / 32:33 = 0.932
AGT = 0.932 * 40:00 = 37:17
WMA % = 30:20 / 37:17 (or = 32:33 / 40:00) = 81.4%

The next Tussey Teaser is June 4, the Treaster Kettle Test-Your-Mettle 10.6 Miler, with an earlier start, 8:30 a.m.

Runners bolt from the starting line

Runners head down the serpentine curves of Beidleheimer Road

Patrick Singletary finishes first - and betters his time from last year’s race

Carole Dudukovich (first woman) and Terry Reid cruise into the finish on the Whipple Dam beach road

Heidi Desmond smiles at her victory over the course’s scenic rolling hills

 

Timing by the Nittany Valley Running Club

WMA Adjusted Order of Finish *(See above explanation)

WMA%         CLOCK    
 PLACE           FINISHER                                          TIME
 —————           ————————                             ————         —————
    1  Patrick Singletary, 51, State College, PA     83.01%        37:17  
    2  Carole Dudukovich, 50*, Port Matilda, PA      81.92%        41:57  
    3  Terry Reid, 58, Bellefonte, PA                78.16%        41:58  
    4  Jerry Harrington, 48, Port Matilda, PA        75.35%        40:06  
    5  George Lesieutre, 58, State College, PA       74.10%        44:16  
    6  Michael Goldfine, 61, Lemont, PA              73.57%        45:47  
    7  Matt Smith, 51, State College, PA             70.82%        43:42  
    8  Dean Capone, 53, State College, PA            70.70%        44:29  
    9  Alyssa Pagano, 24*, Carrolltown, PA           68.94%        44:00  
   10  Jim Sellmer, 56, Port Matilda, PA             67.33%        47:54  
   11  Susan Forester, 58*, Port Matilda, PA         66.96%        56:57  
   12  Keith Henderson, 52, State College, PA        66.15%        47:10  
   13  Steve Pagano, 52, Carrolltown, PA             65.55%        47:36  
   14  Evan Bresler, 33, Pa Furnace, PA              63.30%        42:55  
   15  Jim Maras, 55, State College, PA              63.27%        50:33  
   16  Kevin Ermol, 45, Bellefonte, PA               62.91%        46:55  
   17  Tia Dudukovich, 26*, Port Matilda, PA         62.41%        48:36  
   18  Steve Baird, 39, State College, PA            60.71%        46:27  
   19  Emma Maras, 15*, State College, PA            60.61%        50:03  
   20  Lorella Thomas, 53*, Boalsburg, PA            59.11%      1:00:22  
   21  Samantha Weaver, 44*, Jersey Shore, PA        58.19%        55:27  
   22  Cedric Detry, 35, Port Matilda, PA            57.49%        47:43  
   23  Carolyn Triozzi, 41*, State College, PA       56.26%        56:03  
   24  Nichol Sheridan, 46*, State College, PA       55.46%        59:14  
   25  Robert Klasen, 43, Marienville, PA            55.05%        52:48  
   26  Marvin Hall, 62, State College, PA            54.34%      1:02:32  
   27  Julie Lambert, 32*, State College, PA         54.33%        55:57  
   28  Bill Bown, 52, State College, PA              54.17%        57:36  
   29  Gar Hong, 38, Boalsburg, PA                   53.42%        52:25  
   30  Robert Narehood, 50, Mill hall, PA            52.98%        57:57  
   31  Marcy Milhomme, 40*, State College, PA        52.44%        59:47  
   32  Timothy Peters, 31, Somerset, PA              52.09%        51:48  
   33  Deborah Ray, 27*, Pine Grove Mills, PA        51.35%        59:04  
   34  David Lloyd, 46, State College, PA            50.71%        58:38  
   35  Heidi Desmond, 26*, State College, PA         50.14%      1:00:30  
   36  Henry Jacobs, 8, Port Matilda, PA             47.87%      1:13:51  
   37  Amanda Jacobs, 41*, Port Matilda, PA          42.05%      1:14:59  
   38  Naomi Cahill, 24*, State College, PA          41.68%      1:12:47  
   39  Derek Nye, 28, State College, PA              41.44%      1:04:48
* indicates females
24 finishers among Open Men
15 finishers among Open Women
24 male finishers
15 female finishers
39 total finishers