Richard Askwith reveals secrets of masters in ‘The Race Against Time’: Why, how we still run

Maybe the mountains had grown. Maybe the Earth’s gravitational pull was stronger than before. Or perhaps there was something wrong with my legs. My muscles felt not just weak but empty. Richard Askwith is obsessed with hills and mountains — real and metaphorical. (The word “Obsession” even appears in the subtitle of his 2004 book “Feet in the Clouds,” about trail running.) But the Englishman’s fourth tome, “The Race Against Time,” is stunning for his climb through the clouds to seek the wisdom of true-life gurus — elite masters runners, trainers and scientists. Instead of asking the Secret of Life,…

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Vax wristbands lead ace photographers Dave Albo, Rob Jerome to bail out of shooting Ames masters nationals

Dave Albo is one of the great track photographers of our day — not just a nifty M65 shooter of geezers at masters nationals who runs a mean 400. On Saturday, he asked my opinion of whether he should bow out of shooting Ames nationals this coming week on account of its recently posted COVID-19 protocols — which include mandatory wristbands. Athletes must show their vaccination status — wearing green bands for having gotten their shots and red for not. (Ames picked up the baton after sizzling Sacramento, the original 2021 nationals site, got cold feet over COVID spreading potential.)…