Lloyd Slocum
Truly ‘electrifying’ masters runner

Lloyd Slocum was born in Philadelphia on March 16, 1933. His first running competition came at Cheltenham High School, Wyncote, Pennsylvania, from 1948-51. He was captain of both his track and cross country teams.

His personal best in the mile was 4:35 and his best in the 440 was 49.3.

Based on his running and academic records, he was awarded a track scholarship to the Pennsylvania State University, where he earned his B.S. in 1955 and his Master’s degree in 1957. In the 440 at college, his personal best was 47.1 and, in the 880, he ran a personal best of 1:53. Subsequently he served as assistant cross country coach, 1956-57, at his college.

Following college, Slocum competed in 5- and 10-mile road races winning frequently. He also ran a dog sled team and was the World Sled Dog Racing Champion in 1972, winning all eight of the races he entered.

He joined the North Medford Club in 1973 and was part of the National Masters Cross-Country Championship team race run at Van Cortland Park, N.Y. While with NMC, he set a national age group record in the one-hour run. In 1983, at age 50, Slocum returned to track running and won the National Masters 2-Mile Championship, in 10:09, which still stands as the 50-plus national indoor record. Lloyd was ranked third in the nation at age 50 with his 10-K time of 33:13 and 5-K time of 16:13.

While teaching at the University of Southern Maine, Slocum served as head cross country Coach for two years. At age 55, while working for General Electric, Slocum won the National Corporate Championship in both the 5-K, in 17:20, and 10-K, in 37:48, held at Stanford University.

At age 69 in 2002, Slocum won the National 5-K Outdoor Championship, in the 65-69 age group, by over half a lap, in 19:12. In the same meet, he also broke the national 800 meter age group record with a time of 2:30. Earlier in 2002, Slocum had set a new national and world indoor 2-mile age group (69) record of 12:09 at Bowdoin College. Also at age 69, he broke all of the 60-69 age group records, from 400 meters through 2 miles, in the MECTA (corporate) championship meets.

He won the National Indoor 3-K Championship in 2003, at age 70, setting a new national record of 11:08. In the same meet he also defeated “The Great” Earl Fee to win the National Indoor Mile Championship, for 70-plus competitors, in 5:36.

Slocum was elected “Runner of the Year” by the Maine Track Club in 2002, and has won the annual age group award on three occasions with MTC.

Lloyd Slocum was elected to the New England 65-Plus Runners Club Hall of Fame in 2003, but still claims his “greatest victory” was convincing Susan to marry him.