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Karen Swisher had a spectacular year in just her third year as a racewalker, garnering awards that had not previously been earned by women in our club. She started out the year by competing in the USATF National Masters Indoor Championships in Albuquerque in March, the first national USATF meet that she had ever entered. The first event was the one-mile walk, a rarely held distance (usually 1500 meters) and Karen not only took first place, she beat the former Racewalker of the Year, Marian Martino, nipping her at the last stride by 0.5 sec AND she set a new national indoor record for her age group (65-69). Adding to her Gold Medal, the next day she took Silver in the 3000 meter walk.

Next on Karen’s 2017 walking victory march was the National Senior Games in Birmingham, AL in June. At this location, she took Gold in the 5K race while it was raining and beat 32 of the 34 other women in the 50-69 divisions except two who were 10 years younger. Her time was good enough to earn an All-American Award (81.7%). She followed this up two days later by taking another Gold in the 1500 meter walk, beating the other 8 women in the 65-69 division and all 10 walkers in the 60-64 age division. She again attained an age-graded finish greater than 80%.

The next national competition, the USATF National Masters Outdoor Championships, was even further south, Baton Rouge, and in July. That means HOT and HUMID, and it was. But Karen was really hot, taking two more Golds (5000 meters on the track and 10K on the road) in really brutal conditions. Her time in the 5K, 30:28, was good enough for 86.2% and she came in ahead of all of the 8 other women who dared to race under the glaring sun for over one hour.

Finally, just to keep her winning form going strong, she entered the Kansas Senior Games in September and took Golds in the 1500 meter and 5000 meter walks, beating all of the men and women in both events.

As a result of her performance in the USATF races, Karen earned the USATF Masters Racewalker of the Year in the 65-69 age division, which was a spectacular result in this just her third year of racewalking. Because of this record that had never been achieved by women in the Heartland Racewalkers in its 29 years, Karen was given a special trophy by her fellow competitor, Alan Poisner, a founding member of Heartand Racewalkers, who has 32 years experience in competing in national races, and can’t keep up with Karen any more. But neither can many others around the country. Congratulations, Karen.