Top Masters Performances of 2013

Celebrating masters runners, we present the top 10 age-graded times for 2013 for runners from age 40 (Deena Kastor) to 88 (Hugh Campbell) at four common distances (5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon). A handful of names dominate the list, but, unlike last year, we had no athlete who ranked in all four distances. Libby James, 77, topped the females with seven overall marks including three No. 1s, while 41-year-old Kevin Castille (six overall marks, two at No. 1) was the top male.

James' 1:45:52 half marathon was not only the best masters mark, but, according to the age-grading tables, the best race by anyone, any age, in 2013. That mark scored a 103.75 percent, making it a better performance than Priscah Jeptoo's world-leading mark of 1:05:45 this year.

James was not the only woman to run better than the world's best, as several marks exceeded 100 percent. On the men's side, only Hugh Campbell, 88, cleared the 100 percent threshold. While the super-elite women score higher than their male counterparts, approximately twice as many men as women have averaged over 85 percent age-graded in their results, qualifying them as elite masters on our list.

The performances are calculated using World Masters Association age-grading tables, and include only results attained on USATF-certified, non-aided courses. Don and Marian Lein continue to collect results and calculate masters rankings that appear on runningtimes.com/masters-rankings.

5K

10K

Half Marathon

Marathon

[Photo credits for opening image: (in order of appearance) Libby James courtesy of Marathonphoto.com; Hugh Campbell courtesy of the Philadelphia Marathon; Christine Kennedy by Victor Sailor/PhotoRun; Mbarak Hussein by Andrew McClanahan/PhotoRun; Rae Baymiller by Victor Sailor/PhotoRun]