July 2018

Becky Bowman, with a 14.15 windy 100, gets all-arms reception from W50 runner-up Amanda Scotti.

General July 31, 2018

Spokane nationals dazzle: Shuttle hurdles, Kay’s kit, Becky Bowman’s shock

If track meets are three-ring circuses, what are masters nationals? A ballet buffet? After four sizzling days in The Inferno (what they call the Eastern Washington University football stadium), I’m overheated with memories. Some are personal — like getting season bests in the high jump and 200. Others were communal — as when 93-year-old George Roudebush helped an M80 team become the oldest to record a shuttle hurdle time. Witnesses to his gingerly slow-mo step-over of the 27-inch hurdles will never forget it. Thankfully, on Day 2, I had finished my events and focused my Nikons on that event. The…

Sue McDonald recovers on infield after setting a W55 American record in the 800.

Records July 27, 2018

M95 Roy Englert erases 800 WR; W55 Sue McDonald lowers own AR at Spokane

Roy Englert of Springfield, Virginia, shattered a 27-year-old world record in the M95 800 to kick off Spokane nationals at Eastern Washington University. (See results here.) He became the oldest man to go sub-6 when he clocked 5:18.15, taking 45 (!!!) seconds off the listed outdoor WR of 6:02.94 by fellow Yank Herb Kirk at 1991 Turku worlds. (Roy set the indoor WR of 6:03.84 at this year’s Landover nationals.) Sue McDonald of Santa Barbara lowered her own W55 AR in the 800 by clocking 2:27.00 — a few ticks ahead of her recent 2:28.88. Three-time race walk Olympian Michelle…

Douglas Thompson (in all red) led a field several years ago at Paradise Valley Community College.

Guest Essay July 24, 2018

Douglas Thompson: Why am I having a sprints breakthrough after 800 focus?

By Douglas Thompson Athletic performance breakthroughs are rare. For masters athletes, they may be even less common, since the athlete has already tried many approaches to improve their performance, and because time is constantly eroding what is possible. I seem to be experiencing one of these rare breakthroughs. It’s exciting, but I’m still not sure it’s going to last, and that makes me nervous. I am sharing my story in the hopes that some of you will share your own, and give me some perspective and insight into what may be happening. Since I began running track at age 44,…

Gothenburg and Tampere will have strong bids, too. but L’Aquila has a head start in video publicity

International July 23, 2018

Italian candidate for 2022 WMA worlds shares video: L’Aquila has tourism chops

L’Aquila, Italy, apparently is first out of the blocks with a promotional video intended to win the 2022 WMA outdoor world meet. Other candidates mentioned are Tampere (Finland) and Gothenburg (Sweden). Gianni Lolli, general director and manager of LOC L’Aquila 2022, sent the clip and details. “L’Aquila stands at 721 meters above sea level in the heart of Region Abruzzo, which is its capital,” Gianni says. “It is 100K from Rome and 100K from Pescara on the Adriatic Sea. There will be three tracks and one stadium in which all the throwing events shall take place.” He continued: The track…

Tom LeGan, trailing some kiddie teammates last year, has targeted Nolan Shaheed's M50 WR mile of 4:25.04.

General July 22, 2018

Injuries block world-record mile attempts by M50 Tom LeGan, W80 Eve Pell

Tom LeGan’s attempt to break Nolan Shaheed’s M50 WR in the mile – telegraphed here recently — didn’t go down. Tom’s calf did. According to a posting by a Northern California track club, “The Tamalpa Runners had the Tamalpa July Track Meet sanctioned by the USATF in anticipation of 52-year-old Tom LeGan and 81-year-old Eve Pell attempting to break the American and World Age Group Records for the M50-54 and F80-84 Age Groups for the One Mile. “Unfortunately, Eve strained her groin and Tom injured his calf and neither runner was able to run in the Tamalpa July Track Meet….

Results are being posted expeditiously, so at least we know who's doing what. Americans swept M65 shot.

General July 21, 2018

No USATF money for Malaga-goers: Sponsors are no-shows for 2018 prizes

It’s a false start. Eight months after announcing hopes to hand out money to elite masters headed for Malaga worlds and reward them for medals, national chair Rex Harvey says the plan is a DNS for this year. “We have not been able to find a sponsor, but still working on this for future years,” Rex told me this week. As you may recall from my post on Rex’s report at the Ohio annual meeting, the plan had three parts — “Championships Facilitators, financial support for those ranking in the top six in the world in an event, and awards…

Paul Merca is humble about his masters knowledge but is world-class on elite level track and field.

General July 20, 2018

Track guru Paul Merca boning up for Spokane as 12-hour-a-day meet announcer

M55 track writer Paul Merca of Seattle is one gracious guy. He let me win the inaugural TAFWA blogging award in 2009 before swooping in for the honor in 2010 via his site. Now he’s onto another task – announcing Spokane masters nationals (actually Cheney, but whatever). Over the past few days, we’ve chatted about the challenge. He’s well aware he’s filling the superstar shoes of Peter Taylor (rehabbing from a near-stroke experience). But Paul aims to do justice to our niche, cramming daily with the help of Pete, spreadsheets of entries and reviewing this blog. On Facebook this week,…

Roald Bradstock rarely lacks something to throw. But here's his portrait from a timeout.com profile two years ago.

International July 16, 2018

Got uniform? Team USA members reminded about Malaga worlds outfits

With 443 entrants, Team USA will send the fourth-largest national contingent to Malaga worlds in September — after host Spain (1,792), UK (704) and Germany (611). According to WMA, the all-comers meet also known at the World Masters Athletics Championships – Stadia will have almost 8,200 athletes. Yowza. Already we’re hearing worries about field events: How will so many people with so many tries get to finish before Christmas? British Olympian and masters WR man Roald Bradstock, a last-minute entry for UK — although he lives in Florida and threw in the U.S. Olympic Trials (duel citizenship) — wrote on…

Lesley Hinz (with teammate Sue McDonald) shows off her latest mile world record.

Records July 15, 2018

Lesley Hinz adds W60 WR in mile, AR in 800 at USATF West Regionals

Despite sprints run into winds, at least two world records and two American records were set over the weekend at the USATF West Regional Masters Championships at West Los Angeles College. (See results here.) Traveling from Georgia, W60 Lesley Hinz ran the mile in 5:39.84 to beat the listed WR of 5:42.65 by Kathy Martin in 2013. So Lesley has a complete set, having set the indoor mile WR (5:43.75) at North Carolina nationals in March. That was Saturday. On Sunday, she ran the 800 in 2:34.60 — just missing the listed WR of 2:33.09 by Germany’s Lidia Zentner in…

Diane plays with a cane at start of a workout as she makes comeback from knee surgery.

General July 9, 2018

Conquering knee woes, Diane Tedford Pierce aims to revive speed, world-class status

World sprint champ Roger Pierce is well-known to readers of this blog. He’s been a Masters Hall of Famer for 10 years. But lately I’ve been more intrigued by his W50 wife of three years — Diane Tedford Pierce. On Facebook, I followed her progress in coming back from knee surgery. When someone suggested I interview her, I jumped into action. Her backstory is impressive, too. Diane — who bought a house with Roger and moved to Rowley, about 10 miles north of Essex in 2015 — graciously responded. Masterstrack.com: Where were you born, and where did you grow up?…