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Payne Win's LDAOY...

Tuesday, 04 November 2014 00:10

Minnesota Multisport Awards – The weekend before the MMA presentation it was assumed by all of the Selectors that Matthew Payne would win Long Distance Athlete of the Year award. He was the clear choice.

Then Cathy Yndestad won the Life Time Soma Half in Tempe, Arizona, ripping a 4:32:45, the fastest amateur female 70.3 clocking of the year for a resident Minnesotan.

After much discussion it was determined that Matt would retain the award, albeit by a very slight margin. Here’s how the Committee compared Matt’s and Cathy’s long distance resumes: ...

MATT PAYNE –

1^st @ Liberty Half – 4:02:46 – CR

1^st amateur @ Pigman Half – 4:13:

1^st @ Leadman Epic 125 – Bend – 4:07:57

CATHY YNDESTAD -

1^st @ Leadman Epic 125 – Tempe – 4:55:37

1^st @ HITS-Waconia Half IM – 4:37:00

1^st @ Life Time – Soma Half – 4:32:45

The Committee believed Payne’s CR at Liberty trumped Yndestad’s performance at Soma. Matt’s time was the fastest by an amateur Minnesotan thus far in the 21^st century. Also, his time was 30 minutes faster than Cathy’s. Recent historical comparisions suggest that the advantage goes to amateur men who beat the fastest amateur women by 27-or-more minutes. Had Matt’s time been 4:06 or slower, CY’s effort may have been perceived as one that trumped Payne’s.

The argument for Payne was also strengthened by the fact that Liberty is a relatively difficult course and it was staged on a day with very uncooperative weather conditions. Conditions in Tempe, which is recognized as a “fast” course,” were accommodating.

Few would argue that CY’s effort at Waconia was superior to Pain Train’s unsatisfying 4:13 at Pigman, but the Committee believed that Matt’s CR at Bend was superior to Cathy’s effort at Leadman 125. Payne, therefore, had a 2-1 advantage.

How were the other three nominees eliminated?

SEAN COOLEY – (photo R) Sean’s win at Superior Man was perceived as his best LD effort of the year, yet is was trumped by Payne’s performance at Liberty. Sean’s 2^nd place (amateur) at Chisago was impressive, but not more than Payne’s CR effort at Bend. Neither of Cooley’s other efforts—4:14 at Kansas 70.3 (22^nd overall) or 4:18 at 70.3 Worlds (23^rd in his AG)--were seen as superior to Payne’s Pigman.

SUZIE FOX – Suzie’s best LD effort was at Superior Man. Though she set a CR, her printed splits didn’t add up. Her official time was 4:44:48, but included a 12-plus minute T1 transition. It is very likely that Suzie actually went 4:35, a time which would have been a PR but nevertheless trumpable by Kort’s 4:34 at Chisago and CY’s 4:32 at Soma.

Suzie also did two IMs: Los Cabos and Wisconsin. Her times were good—10:40 and 10:41—but not so good as to wrestle the award away from her fellow nominees.

KORTNEY HAAG – (Top Left photo) Kort won three halves, the first at the ultra-challenging Rev 3-Wisconsin Dells, where her time (5:05) was hard to evaluate and the field quality was negligible; the second was at Chisago, where she PRed in 4:34:24; the third was at Pigman, where her time was 4:42, which was six minutes off her own best on that course. After Payne, Haag received the most LDAOY support by Committee members, until CY won at Soma, that is.