Published by the DAILY RECORD of Morris County, New Jersey
On Sunday, December 06, 2015
GETTING FASTER WITH AGE
Like wine, Nora Cary keeps getting better with age. Cary who lives in Morristown was a fast 59
year old in 2014 but she is burning up the roads in 2015. Despite her protestations that it is maybe
the age grading that is enhancing her performances, she is one fast woman.
To put her protestations to rest – in 2015 she broke 21
minutes for a 5K at the Fitzgerald’s Lager Run, something she had not done in
the several years of racing. At the
President’s Cup Night Race in Millburn at age 57 she was timed in 21:03 and at
the Jimmy D 5K in New Brunswick she was 21 flat. But 20:39 at the Lager run at age 60? That’s what I call getting faster. In fact that may have been her highest PLP
age graded performance at 89.66%.
At most of her races this season she has been at the top of
the age grading. For instance she hit
88.33% this year at the Giralda Farms 10K for her 44:01. It is one of her favorite races and runs it
every year.
“I really like the race and it is close to where I live,”
she said.
The 10K may be a favorite race, but her favorite distance is
the half marathon. She posted a 1:38:43
at the Newport half in Jersey City in September.
So where did this speedy girl come from? Well she has been running for most of her
life, first as Nora Gibbons, and after meeting her future husband at the Hash
House Harriers in Summit and taking his name, as Nora Cary. Her husband Dave was once an ultra runner but
now is on the sidelines due to knee issues.
He is an enthusiastic supporter of his wife and their three kids who all
ran track and cross country with a lot of success for Morristown High
School. Alex graduated in 2013 and went
on to run for two years at the College of New Jersey, Brian and Emma graduated
this past June.
“They were fortunate because Morristown High School has a
great program and great coaching.” Cary said.
“We really enjoyed watching them compete in High School and continue to
enjoy college running.”
Emma Cary now runs at Sacred Heart University which prompted
Nora to run at the national masters 5km cross country meet in nearby Saratoga
this past October. Up against the best
W60 women in the country Cary placed third and took home a bronze.
“Once my kids were older and I had more time I began running
with a group and racing more,” she said.
Cary met Mark Washburne at one of the cross country races
that are held at Central Park – Greystone in Morris Plains in 2010. Soon she was running with the Do Run Runners
and is a valuable team member – on the W50 team.
“That has definitely made it more enjoyable,” said Cary.
Cary gets in most of her mileage which she says is just over
30 miles per week on the weekends.
Saturday’s she runs with the Do Run group from Freedom Park
in Randolph. When she is not racing on a
Sunday morning she joins with a small group of runners known casually as the
Turtle Runners.
“It is an informal
group with no USATF affiliation but a lot of talent,” she said. “They give me a good workout.”
Cary relies on her races and her group runs to get fit to
race. “I’ve never been on a track,” she
said. “I wouldn’t know what to do.”
On November 22nd, Cary and her fellow Turtle
runners ran the Philadelphia marathon or half marathon to support Massoud
Messkoub of Morris Township who was running - his 70th marathon on
his 70th birthday.
Messkoub finished his marathon in 5:00:25 (chip time was
4:57:46). Cary finished the half marathon in 1:39:11 (chip time was
1:38:05).
Cary seems to be able to handle any distance from 5K to a
marathon. The 2015 racing season will
start in March in New Jersey. How much
faster will she get before the aging factor kicks in? Only time will tell.
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A calendar of USATF sanctioned events can be found at www.usatfnj.org or at www.raceforum.com for running and tri and
biathlon events.
Contact Madeline Bost at madelinebost@verizon.net.
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