Sports: Group goals in Boston

Running

Group goals in Boston

Forerunners Club bypasses individual glory for shot at team record.

By DAVE THEALL

Don't expect any one of the estimated 140 runners from the Florida Suncoast area to challenge the individual records at today's 107th Boston Marathon.

They are held by Kenyans Cosmas Ndeti (2 hours, 7 minutes, 15 seconds in 1994) and last year's women's winner, Margaret Okayo (2:20.43).

But a realistic goal for the 40-and-older women's team of St. Petersburg's Forerunners Club is to capture the title in record time.

Last year, the three scoring members of the team finished second behind the Whirlaway Racing Team of Massachusetts. That team's top three ran a cumulative 9:30.21, averaging 3:10.07.

But last year, the Forerunners had its best marathoners, masters Lisa Valentine and Christy Phillips, on the women's open (age 18-plus) team hoping to regain that title, which it won twice, including 2000.

Valentine, winner of February's Gulf Beaches Marathon in 3:09, will run on the masters team as will 2003 Hops Marathon winner (3:01) Kim Donaldson. Donaldson also won February's Ocala Marathon (3:04).

Mary Ann Protz, 3:07 at Boston last year, Denise Skinner with a 3:10 personal record and Boston veteran Mary Hanlon (2:54 best in mid '90s) also are on the team.

Coach Joe Burgasser is optimistic.

"Christy Phillips won't be there this year (injured), but Lisa and Mary Ann will be back, plus Kim, who has won more marathons than any other Florida woman. They've all been training hard and are ready to race. Summary: This team is going to be hard to beat."

Donaldson, who had a cold last week, hopes to be ready for the noon start when she runs toward Heartbreak Hill in Newton for the first time.

"My real race begins after the marathon," she said, joking. "I've got to catch a 6:10 p.m. Delta flight back to Tampa."

The Forerunners open men's team consists of 2:47 marathoners Steve Wilcox and Jim Duncan, plus Ian Payne of Tierra Verde.

Burgasser, winner of the 60-69 title at Boston in '01 and second last year in 2:55, has a lingering hamstring injury. He said he doesn't expect to be able to match the 2:54 he ran at the California International in December.

This will be Burgasser's 23rd Boston, 18th in a row.

Tampa's Emery Jewell, 77, a member of the Forerunners, qualified in his age group again this year. Under Burgasser's guidance, Jewell cut back on his local racing schedule to preserve his energy level while maintaining his short-distance speed.

Rosalyn Randall, 53, track veterinarian at Tampa Bay Downs, will run her 20th consecutive Boston. She won the Tampa Bay Marathon at MacDill Air Force Base in 1987. Her best time in an estimated 80 marathons since 1980 is 3:07.

"I'm excited about seeing all my friends from New England again," said Randall, a summer resident of Portland, Maine. "I've gone out too fast in the past at Boston and paid for it. This year I'll be happy to hit the halfway point, Wellesley College, in 2 hours. However, I just don't expect to finish in 4:05, the qualifying standard for my age division."