Rants

Gunnar Linde could be the subject of another FAT photo Sunday when he runs the 2,000-meter steeplechase at age 90.

Rants June 6, 2019

Gunnar Linde eyes M90 steeple WR, but could use help making Los Angeles race ‘legal’

Hurdlers over 90 are rare. Steeplechasers over 90 are rarer still. In fact, according to mastersrankings.com, only two M90 men — Americans Dixon Hemphill and George Roudebush — have run the 2000-meter steeple since Charles Ross set the listed world record of 18:54.10 in 2013. (But Charles also has a nonratified 18:27.44 from 2013.) At the time, I reported that Charles was the world’s first M90 steepler. So it should be something to celebrate that M90 Gunnar Linde is entered in the 2K steeple this Sunday at West Los Angeles College. He’ll run in the USATF-sanctioned Southern California Association USATF…

Here's moi videotaping Carl Lewis at the Mt. SAC Relays, where he said nyet to entering masters meets.

Rants April 22, 2019

Masters exhibitions vanish at Mt. SAC Relays, but resurrection possible if Willie Gault commits

Last weekend’s Mt. SAC Relays were the first in more than 20 years not to feature masters. In the late 1990s, when I first started covering geezer exhibitions at Walnut, we had an age-graded 100, flat 200 and age-graded 800s — with National Masters News publisher Al Sheahen calculating distances and starting times (for the 800s). Masters also ran 110 hurdles some years and threw the hammer. But in recent years, especially in the men’s and women’s 800s, few runners showed up. Some races had only two or three entrants. Scratches weren’t a problem for the sprints. But the writing…

Vin Lananna connects with San Diego USATF official Tina Breen during a 2017 visit.

Rants February 13, 2019

President Lananna deserves USATF job back, chance to Make Track Great Again™

When it comes to Vin Lananna and why he was shown the door as USATF president (at least “temporarily”), I have no theories. All I know is that lots of people were outraged — especially the people who gave him a four-year term by acclamation. A couple nights ago, I learned that Vin was gearing up to file a grievance with the Mother Ship — Indy HQ. His aim: To be restored to the presidency. Then he can do his magic and Make Track Great Again.™ So I contacted some people and put together a story. (Read it on Times…

A month after sharing Malaga survey results with affiliates (or selected folks), WMA shared a censored version for public consumption.

Rants January 30, 2019

WMA responds to questions about differing Malaga athletes surveys

A week ago, I made a stink about WMA posting results of a Malaga athlete survey that differed from one leaked to me. On Wednesday, former WMA Secretary Winston Thomas of Britain sent me a statement that doesn’t address all my concerns. But as coordinator of the Marketing and Communications Committee (chaired by ex-Prez Stan Perkins), Winston at least tackles some issues. Winston writes: I will not comment on your differences of the surveys as I do not know where the initial one you had came from, for the document had not been completed. Let me say that as the…

A month after sharing Malaga survey results with affiliates (or selected folks), WMA shared a censored version for public consumption.

Rants January 22, 2019

Why is WMA hiding responses to Malaga survey? Page of critical comments left out

Nearly a month ago, I posted results of a WMA survey taken after Malaga worlds. (I got it from Masters Mole 3443b.) In my summary, I estimated that 115 people took part, which I called an “atrocious” 1.4 percent participation rate. But WMA revealed Tuesday that “over 500” answered the survey. So it’s only a pathetic 6.2 percent response rate. My apologies. (Yet a new page 2 of the survey response says 14.6 percent of 8,191 athletes “responded the survey.” That equates to close to 1,200. Go figure.) Anyway: WMA cherrypicks — and bats away — two complaints: locations and…

Charlie Allie, the M70 supersprinter, says he'll apply for travel grant. He and others say inducements will raise Team USA medal count.

Rants January 1, 2019

USATF racing clock to inform world-classers of potential $2,000 Toruń travel grants, prize money

It’s only taken 50 years, but USA masters athletes are finally getting serious financial help from their governing body. As told in my deep-dive story for Times of San Diego, more than 300 eligible Americans as old as 103 can claim up to $1,000 for travel to Toruń worlds this March, and they can bring home up to an additional $1,000 for medals — $400 for gold, $200 for silver and $100 for bronze. Relay team members, too. The overall budget is $125,000, including $25,000 pledged by a mystery donor. I contacted masters national chair Rex Harvey and a dozen…

Back in the day, Edgardo Guilbe Alomar was a stud long sprinter. Now his teenage son is running fast 200s and 400s.

Rants December 30, 2018

52-year-old Puerto Rican wrongly credited with major WRs — sub-50 for 400 meters, sub-22 for 200

A few days ago, I was alerted to previously unnoticed world records in the M50 200 and 400. At least that’s what IAAF and mastersrankings.com suggested. Both sites had 52-year-old Puerto Rico Olympian Edgardo Guilbe running incredible times in 2018 — a 200 in 21.95 and a 400 in 49.68. (Plus a sizzling 11.10 for the 100.) The listed WRs are Willie Gault’s 22.44 and Roland Gröger’s 50.73. So I started poking around — posting to the Track & Field News message board and writing the Puerto Rican athletics governing body. Soon the truth emerged. Edgardo’s son was the sub-50…

M55 webmaster John Seto was a weight throw specialist,

Rants December 8, 2018

Special Report: John Seto’s mastersrankings.com raised $244,000 in 3 years, still got USATF grants

An argument can be made that John Seto has done more to turbocharge masters track than anyone since David Pain ran his Johnny Appleseed track tours of Europe and Oceania in the 1970s and Al Sheahen spotlighted the sport via National Masters News. After growing his site, mastersrankings.com, for a decade, John won our highest honor a year ago — induction into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame. John wasn’t coy about his commitment, saying he worked 10-12 hours a day. He wasn’t shy about asking for donations, either. And in July 2015, he won nonprofit OK from the IRS….

Rants December 3, 2018

Malaga relay mess yields new Team USA selection procedures (but Net savvy is mandatory)

At the Columbus annual meeting, members of the Masters Track & Field Committee debated the relay selection process — an effort to avoid another Malaga mess. The result is a wag-the-dog statement that justifies the use of M70 Charles Allie in the M65 4×100 in defiance of then rules. For the first time, USATF masters’ relay goal is “is to win as many relays as possible. The secondary goal is to involve as many Team USATF Masters athlete applicants as possible in the relays.” Hoookay. The old rules suggested that staying in your age group was Job One: “The TSC…

Rants October 16, 2018

National Masters Chair Rex Harvey: Medals were goal of Malaga relay selections

It goes without saying that the goal of USATF masters is winning as many medals at possible at worlds. But was a decision to move Charlie Allie down from the M70 4×100 to the M65 team in Malaga the most efficient course? I’ll let others debate that. For now, I’ll pass along the first response I’ve gotten from USATF National Masters Chair Rex Harvey since posting the Roger Pierce complaint nearly a week ago. Rex graciously writes: Please make it known to your readers that, while he does more work than any of the rest of us, volunteer Phil Greenwald…