May 2018

Hilmer Lodge Stadium at Mt. SAC was going to be 2020 Trials venue

General May 19, 2018

2020 Olympic Trials masters exhibitions where? USATF not sure

USATF is sweating bullets over whether anyone will bid for the 2020 Olympic Trials — important for masters because we get some exhibitions and major attention. As I reported a couple week ago, Mt. SAC lost the Trials gig because of a lawsuit cloud over it stadium project. But I also learned that Mt. SAC and USATF both had reason to be red-faced — the Walnut school for not informing Indy about pending lawsuits until two months after it won the meet and USATF for not checking court records. As my Times of San Diego story noted, USATF Deputy General…

Doug says doctor told him he has heart of an 18-year-old

International May 18, 2018

Toronto’s Doug Smith shares great news: He’s the picture of health

Doug “Shaggy” Smith of Ontario – the dreadlocked vegan photographer and steeplechasing M65 meet director of 2020 Toronto worlds — gave his 1,400 Facebook friends a mighty scare on April 6. He wrote: “Not feeling well lately — many of the symptoms of a slow-burn heart attack.” He refused an ambulance but got to the ER. Initial tests were OK, except for high blood pressure. Over the next five weeks, Doug shared updates on various tests, all with his trademark sense of humor. On Thursday, we finally got a chance to exhale. He posted: “Great news from the cardiologist today…….

Barrie Kernaghan (left) and Norm Richards are longtime rivals and teammates.

International May 17, 2018

4 decades as friends and rivals: Aussie sprinters Kernaghan and Richards

I tell newcomers to our niche that a major joy is joining a traveling tribe. The High Jump Tribe. The Throwers Tribe. The Hurdles Tribe. We hold reunions at nationals and worlds. Now comes a story Down Under by Laura Pond of Stirling Times — a tale of the Sprint Tribe. “Masters athletes Norm Richards (80) and Barrie Kernaghan (78) have enjoyed a friendly rivalry for nearly 40 years,” Laura writes. “Mr. Richards, of Woodlands, and Karrinyup resident Mr. Kernaghan competed at the recent Australian Masters Athletics Championships at the WA Athletics Stadium, achieving 12 medals between them.” Barrie says:…

Rants May 16, 2018

WMA posts survey, opens Pandora’s box of giving athletes a voice

Dang! World Masters Athletics went and done it! On Tuesday it posted a survey! Perhaps its first. The 25 questions are basically demographic and commercial — aimed at learning about attendance at WMA world and regional meets, indoors and out. You get a hint of marketing, since one question asks what athletic brands you wear. We’re asked for suggestions on how to improve the experience. Good for WMA. But now a precedent is set (asking our thoughts), and there’s no way back to the days of pretending athletes/officials have no views. I don’t know who will be privy to results,…

M85 legend Earl Fee overcomes all kind of hurdles, including a botched surgery.

General May 15, 2018

Earl Fee’s great scare — items dropped into his eye during cataract surgery

Our Ontario friend Earl Fee — the scholar and poet with countless world titles and dozens of world records — will compete at Malaga worlds this fall at 89. He’ll be the favorite to win most events he enters, usually including hurdles, sprints and perhaps the 800. But even Earl has challenges (besides age). He described his latest in a scary Facebook post eight days ago. He told of a cataract operation gone horribly wrong — “two dropped items at bottom inside [of] my eye — a very rare problem.” He says: an “urgent second operation two days later to…

Guys young enough to be her son fight to hold off Aeron Arlin Genet at a mid-April mee

General May 14, 2018

Aeron Arlin Genet creeping up on 1500 American record as 50-year-old

In Section 4 of the women’s 1500 at Saturday’s Occidental Invitational in Los Angeles, Aeron Arlin Genet of California’s Central Coast ran 4:54.74. Not that impressive until you know she turned 50 last June. That puts her 3 seconds behind the listed American age-group record of 4:51.86 by Marisa Sutera Strange in 2015. With the season still young, Aeron could snag the AR yet. (The W50 WR is a stretch, though — 4:36.79 by Britain’s Clare Elms in 2014.) According to mastersrankings.com, the best 50-plus woman in the world this year is Sally Gibbs of New Zealand, who clocked 4:48.49…

Colleen Milliman, shown at last year's Hayward Masters Classic, added to her middle-distance legend.

Records May 13, 2018

Ninetysomethings Milliman, Platts, W70 Gerl highlight Hayward Classic with WRs

Three months ago, KVAL-TV in Eugene, Oregon, did a story Whether you’re running a survey, collecting registrations, or conducting market research, our ambien forms will make the process a breeze. Start saving time and making informed decisions effortlessly. on Tracktown Fitness, a free program that trains at Hayward Field. It noted W90 mile record-holder Colleen Milliman, who told of her goal to set a WR in the 800 at the Hayward Classic. Well, there she goes again. Last weekend, at 91, she crushed the listed WR of 6:57.56 by fellow Yank Betty Lindberg in 2016. Colleen clocked an amazing 5:44.50…

WMA President Stan Perkins (left)

International May 11, 2018

Masters nationals in India are all over the map — and calendar

Last month, the 38th National Masters Athletics Championships of India were held at Mangala Stadium in Mangaluru. On Wednesday, it was reported that the 40th National Masters Athletics Championships 2019 will be held in Manipur “per a statement issued by Masters Athletics Federation of India (MAFI).” Say what? How did a year get skipped? Don’t ask. And don’t tell WMA that the 39th National Masters Athletics Championships were held at Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bengaluru, in late February. The mess of competing national governing bodies continues unabated in 1.3 Billion Land. Even though a year ago I reported how India’s version…

Bershawn Jackson, who always runs with a Nike headband, may be (at 5-8) the shortest world-class long hurdler.

General May 9, 2018

Bershawn Jackson turns 35, threatens American record in 400 hurdles

TV likes to call Bershawn Jackson “Batman.” Today we call him Birthday Boy. The 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in the 400 hurdles is 35. And despite his April 2017 announcement that he was retiring, he’s already competed at least five times this season. His most recent mark was a second-place finish Friday at the IAAF Diamond League meet in Doha, Qatar. He clocked 49.08, which isn’t far off the listed M35 American record of 48.93 by Nat Page in 1992. He’s not likely to challenge the listed WR of 48.13 by Jamaica’s Danny McFarlane in 2009. (The last time he…

Snazzy graphics for a cool idea. But watch out for the Suicide Run.

General May 8, 2018

Discount on Pete Magill’s ‘Combine’ meets; $50 prize for Trojan Masters mile

Missed your chance at professional track stardom? Not so fast. A series of Southern California meets is offering modest prizes and creative competition this summer. Pete (Mr. 5K) Magill reminds of his SpeedRunner Combine — where age-graded marks will be scored for the best combined efforts in the 40-yard Dash, 20-yard Shuttle, 3-Cone Drill, Vertical Leap, Standing Long Jump and Suicide Run. Details at speedrunnercombine.com. Meets are June 16 in Pasadena, July 14 in Santa Monica and Aug. 5 in Yorba Linda (where I lived as a young teen). Pete writes: “Medals will be awarded in 10 age groups (M/F),…