2023 Lynn Parks & Recreation One Hour Run

The Park & Recreation Department of Lynn, Massachusetts and USATF New England have been hosting the 1 Hour Run since 2014. We introduced similar challenges for the 15,000m and 10 mile in 2019. Twenty-one American Age Group Records have been set in the 1 Hour Run and eleven in the 15,000m/10mi. Lynn is the only city that on an annual basis searches for and invites runners to challenge these three events.

In 2022 Nina Caron (Portsmouth, NH), Tina Dowling (Bolton, MA) and Peter Hammer (Needham, MA) combined to set seven age group records.

Some might not be familiar with the event (1 Hour) and have questions. Yes it is different. You are not running for time. You are running for distance. It is much easier to maintain pace as it is a flat course. Water stations every 400m. A cheering support every 400m ( One has an assigned lap counter).

We have a success rate of over 95% of invited runners breaking the American Age Group Record. We began offering record attempts at 15k and 10 mi in 2019.

Several of you have accepted the challenge as indicated in the attached compiled records. You best know your current conditioning and can compare with the attached standards as for your ability to challenge. Ones record breaking performance is ratified quickly as ratification is declared at the USATF annual meeting in December.  We never failed in the ratification process as we have USATF officials present.

The 1 Hour was popular until late 1970’s and early 1980’s.  Many of the current women’s records have been established in Lynn. USATF site for master long distance track records   http://www.usatfldrrecords.org/

Click here to download the entry form

The above information was submitted to us by the Lynn DPW.