Boca Raton runner wins two events, finishes second in another at nationals

At 52, Sonja Friend-Uhl is showing no signs of slowing down.

She competed in the United States Track and Field Masters Indoor Nationals at the Norton Sports Center in Louisville, and brought home two golds and a silver medal in the women’s 50-54 age category.

The Boca Raton runner was second in the 400-meters on Friday, and then won the 1,500-meters on Saturday and first in the 800-meters on Sunday.

“No new records set this time, but it was a great event and I enjoyed seeing many of my dear masters track friends,” said Friend-Uhl, who has been a volunteer track and cross country coach at Florida Atlantic University since 2016 and also has a personal training business is a private running coach.

Dianne DeOliveira (Bella N Motion) won the 400 with a time of 1:04.19, which was a little faster than runner-up Friend-Uhl’s 1:06.47, who was representing the Florida Track Club at the meet. She easily cruised to the win in the 1,500-meter with a time of 5:05.96, which was more than a minute ahead of Yuko Whitestone (Potomac Valley Track Club) who ran a 6:08.07.

On the final day of the meet, Friend-Uhl blitzed her opponents again as she won the 800-meter run with a 2:30.56 clocking. Runner-up Jill Vollweiler (So Cal Track Club) was second with a time of 3:13.84.

“National meets are typically multi-events and sometimes prelims and a final on back-to-back days as well,” Friend-Uhl said. “I felt fairly well on my races for the fitness level I am right now. I am not near my peak for the season by any means so there is a lot of work to do, which I’m looking forward to.”

Friend-Uhl has accomplished a lot in the sport of running, as both a competitor and a coach. As a competitor, she’s competed in masters track and field since she turned 40, nearly 12 years ago.

She set the world record in the Indoor Mile (4:44.81), qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the 1,500-meters at age 41, (running 4:16). She was also a member of two world-record relays (4x400 and 4 x 800 non-club) and has held several American records (indoor and outdoor); and 2011 and 2019 WMA World Championship titles in the 1,500-meter and 800-meter runs.

She said she has had several breakout performances over the years with the most recent in March 2021, when she set a new American record in the women’s 1,500 meters (50-54 age group) with a time of 4:41.23.

“I ran 4:41 for the 1,500 meters and placed fourth in a collegiate race at the University of Miami,” she said. “That set a new American record for women 50-plus. I had not run that fast since 2017. It felt amazing.”

In the 2019 World Masters (45-49 age group) Indoor Championships in Poland, she won a gold medal in the 800 meters as well as a silver in the 1,500 meters.

Friend-Uhl began her collegiate running career at The College of William & Mary in Virginia.

Professionally, she has been a member of six United States world teams and competed in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials. She currently holds additional American records in the Women’s (age 40 and above) Masters Indoor Mile with a time of 4:44.84, the Women’s Masters Outdoor 1500m (4:16.9), the Women’s Masters Outdoor Mile (4:45.68) and the Women’s Masters Indoor 3000m (9:48.23).

Friend-Uhl holds a USATF Coaching certification and has certifications in fitness with ACE, the ACSM and AFAA. Friend-Uhl is the lead master trainer at Core Health & Fitness, which manufactures high-end gym equipment.

She also made her debut in the 31st annual Florida Senior Games, presented by Humana for the first time, and had a record-breaking performance on the track as she set new records in the 800 and 1,500-meter runs.

“I think the biggest challenge many Masters athletes share is managing the mental and emotional struggle of getting slower when your focus has always been to improve and get faster,” she said. “I have found focusing on the season (sometimes it’s just the week), that I am in, helps with that. I’ve learned to not look too far ahead or to look back in comparison. The current moment/race/workout is what matters now.”