Top local over-50 Masters Runner Mark Malander ran a strong race at the USA Cross Country Championships. And he brought his own cheering section ! Triathlon TrialLawyer Doug Landau heard Malander’s wife Loretta at the crest of one of the hills of the challenging Derwood, Maryland race course. Finishing 4th in the Masters race in 29:08, Malander (50) was competing for the Potomac Valley Track Club. In this tough cross country race, Malander averaged better than 5:50 per mile pace. Both Mark and Loretta are accomplished Oak Hill, Virginia runners.

USA Track & Field announced that the nation’s premier cross country event will feature $47,000 in prize money. The championships will be hosted by the Montgomery Country Road Runners Club at Agricultural History Farm Park. In addition to the national titles on the line in Derwood, open and junior men and women will qualify to represent Team USA at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships March 28 in Amman, Jordan. Highlights of the 2009 USA Cross Country Championships will be televised on February 15 during ESPN coverage of the Tyson Invitational. The championships will consist of six cross country championship races for men’s and women’s categories with national titles on the line for junior, masters and open divisions.