Jerry Levasseur has over 900 racing victories as a master's runner for the past 30 years. He has won national master's championships in cross-country (8K), steeplechase (2K), and the triple jump. He was part of a 70-79 year old world record setting 4x800 relay team.
"Jerry will be a terrific running camp director," said long-time Bowdoin College track and cross-country coach Peter Slovenski. "He has competed in over 1,500 races during his career. I've been associated with distance running for over forty years, and I've never met anyone who has such a love for racing. Jerry will be a great camp coach and mentor for runners who want to learn how get faster, stay healthy, and have more fun running."
started racing at age 42 with best times at 48 of 17:07 in the 5K and 35:27 in the 10k. After age 50 ran his personal records are: 2 mile of 10:50, 3 mile 17:01, 5K 17:21, 5 mile 29:11, 10K 36:49, 10 mile 60:45 on the Guilford course, 20K 1:17,41, 15K 57:15 on Block Island, and Half Marathon 1:21.10. After age 60 he ran a 19:25 5K, 39:13 10K, 32:41 for 5 miles, and 5:37 for the mile. After age 65 Jerry ran a 20:57 5K, 36:43 5-mile, a 46:09 10K and a 6:13 mile. After age 70 he ran a 6:41 mile, and a 23:19 5K.
At age 57 he competed in the International Senior Games in Bermuda where he won 5 gold and 2 silver medals. From age 60 -69 in the World Masters Games which gets 25,000 competitors in various sports, he won 1 gold and 3 bronze medals. In National Masters cross country and track and field Jerry won 16 individual and 34 team or relay medals as well as many other place ribbons. In summer and winter Senior Games he has won 7 medals and many placing ribbons. He was part of a world record setting team in the indoor 4X1600 for age 60-69. Jerry has averaged 41 age group wins per year with a high of 65 wins at age 62.
At age 70 he won 9 National medals including the National championship in the triple jump. His relay team set a national and world record in the indoor 4X800 and he set 7 Corporate Track age group records from the long jump to the 5K. That year he had 75 age group wins.
Jerry has been on the Boards of Connecticut and Maine Senior Games establishing 5 and 10K qualifying venues as well as getting certified officials and automatic timing for the track & field competitions. A member of USATF for 20 years, he helped with the Connecticut Grand Prix and helped establish an individual awards program. He has been the LDR chairman for Maine establishing and overseeing the longest running Grand Prix in the state with awards for teams, individuals and age graded. Established the State USATF championship cross country 5K. Jerry has also been a certified track & field official since 2000 officiating at high school, college and national master meets.
Jerry put together club and relay teams for 20 years. He was in charge of the 50-59 club team for the CTUSATF Grand Prix for the Mohegan striders who won several club titles. He put together multiple winning and record setting Lake Winnipesaukee relay teams for 12 years. He put together a club cross country Wolfpit RR club that went on to win 6 National Championships.
Jerry has been a Volunteer, asssistant, and junior varsity coach at Bowdoin College since 2004 helping athletes obtain goals and school records in triple jump and steeplechase.
National Masters track and field rankings 6th or below.
1998 2nd 5K, 3rd 10K
, 1999 1st 10K, 2003
mile 3rd, steeplechase 2nd,
2004 3k 3rd, 10k 2nd, steeplechase 3rd
, 2005 Indoor 1500 3rd,
3k 3rd Outdoor
steeplechase 5th , 2006
steeplechase 4th, 2007 indoor
mile 5th, 1500 3rd, 3K 5th
outdoor 3k 5th, 2008
Indoor mile 6th, 3K 5th, triple jump 3rd,
Outdoor 1500 6th,3K 2nd, 5K 4th. 10K 3rd,
steeplechase 2nd
For more information,
read "Turning 70"
by Jerry LeVasseur
Peter Slovenski has been the head coach of men’s and women’s cross-country and track & field at Bowdoin College since 1987. His teams have won six New England Small College Athletic Conference championships, an ECAC championship, and a New England championship. Bowdoin teams have placed in the top 10 at the NCAA Division III cross-country or track & field championship four times.
Slovenski has coached over twenty All-Americans in cross-country and track distance races. Bowdoin All-American runners include Thompson Ogilvie and Annie Monjar who were named to the college All-American cross-country team in 2008.
The graduation rate for Bowdoin runners is higher than 95%. Many Bowdoin runners continue to excel in running after college.
“I’m proud of the way the Bowdoin running program complements a college education,” said Slovenski. “We emphasize high level training that is also healthy and sustainable. We spend a lot of time connecting our running to education, character, recreation, and lifestyle. Athletes train and race better when they appreciate and enjoy the ways in which running strengthens the body, mind and spirit.”
Coach Slovenski was the founder and director of the Bates College Track & Field Camp from 1989 through 2004. He is the founder and has been co-director of the Dick Fosbury Track & Field Camp since 2005.
Coach Slovenski graduated from Lewiston High school in 1974. He earned a B.A. in English from Dartmouth College in 1979, and a master’s degree in educational administration from Stanford University in 1980. He was a decathlete and pole vaulter in college, and was selected to the All-Ivy League track & field team as a pole vaulter in 1977.
Peter Slovenski is also the author of Old School America. For more information, click here