October 2021

M75 Gary Patton engineers record-breaking season, wins USATF Masters Athlete of the Year

Last December, Masters Hall of Famer Gary Patton turned 75 and set his eyes on some middle-distance records. First up, in January, was Paul Perry’s 6:10.98 American age-group record in the indoor mile. Gary scorched a Wichita State track in 5:55.26 — a rare sub-6 for a 75-year-old. (The listed WR is 5:41.95 by Canada’s Earl Fee.) But the Kansas meet lacked a USATF sanction, so the mark was rejected. Not to worry. Gary — a retired engineer in Rock Rapids, Iowa (about 50 minutes east of Sioux Falls, South Dakota) — kept cranking. The result: American outdoor records in…