Men's elite field may not challenge meet record 4:17:98 bu Jim Sorensen 10 years ago.

General January 17, 2019

Prize money returns, team competition added at Saturday’s Hartshorne Masters Miles

I love seeing heat sheets for the Hartshorne Masters Miles — the 52nd edition is Saturday at Cornell University in Ithaca, Snow York. That’s where I learn who submitted 4:56 as a seed time. This year, it’s Brian Lazzaro of Ithaca. Why 4:56? That’s my all-time PR — set indoors at Allen Fieldhouse at the University of Kansas as a 20-year-old senior. (The dirt track is gone, subsumed by a museum beneath the basketball arena.) Brian, 44, will wear Hip No. 7 in the men’s elite race, where Stefan Lingmerth, 41, is top seed at 4:25. (Defending champ Mark Williams…

Lesley Hinz (left) hugs her friend Sue McDonald after Sue lowered her own W50 American record for the 800.

International January 16, 2019

7 Americans, led by M70 sprint sensation Charles Allie, among nominees for WMA annual awards

As expected, Charles Allie is being considered for World Masters Athletics Athlete of the Year — both in the overall and sprint-group categories, WMA has announced. His M70 records at Malaga and elsewhere should make him a shoo-in for the top male prize. No American women are up for the overall Athlete of Year honors, but three Yanks have good shots at event awards — W60 middle-distancer Lesley Hinz, W65 distance great Sabra Harvey and W60 throws legend Carol Finsrud. Besides Charlie, American men in the finals for event awards are M50 middle-distancer Charles Novak, M75 thrower George Mathews and…

Joaquín Joyas likes to set records at Sabadell, Spain, with the latest being a sizzling 2:13.87 at age 60.

Records January 15, 2019

Spaniard Joaquín Joyas sets another gem of a WR: M60 800 meters indoors in 2:13.87

In Spanish, joyas means jewelry, gems or treasure. In masters track, Joaquín Joyas means world-record man. So it goes again as Joaquín took down the listed M60 world indoor record for 800 on Jan. 4 at a meet in Sabadell. He also once held the M55 WR. He clocked 2:13.87 — nipping the 2014 mark of 2:14.06 by Joe Gough of Ireland. Interestingly, back in February 2014, I reported: At the start of last weekend, Horace Grant held world indoor 800 records in M55 and M60. Today he has none. Joe Gough of Ireland claimed the M60 Sunday. Now we…

Pete Mundle, a member of the Masters Hall of Fame, was a world-class masters distance runner back in the day.

Records January 13, 2019

Nearly 2 dozen years of Pete Mundle’s single-age masters records online at mastershistory.org

Since at least the early 1970s, when he worked with Track & Field News as master of stats, Peter “Pete” Mundle was an expert on records. He kept single-age bests for all events, starting with sub-kiddies. Eventually, he confined his attention to masters. His hobby led to annual publication of Masters Age Records. They were unofficial but engrossing. Now his last 23 records booklets are online here — at mastershistory.org. L.A. resident Pete, now 90, gave permission for posting of the archive. National Masters News, which published the books until the last one in 2006, also gave its OK. They…

Carl Grove was stripped of his national title after testing positive for the metabolite epitrenbolone, USADA said.

Doping January 9, 2019

Should 90-year-old lose world record for eating tainted meat? USA Cycling loses its marbles

The sport of cycling, like the nation of Germany, is rightfully ashamed of its doping history. But that has led to some crazy superstrict policies. One has gotten a lot of attention: the loss of an M90 world record in the 2-kilometer individual pursuit at the unfortunately named Masters Track National Championships. (My local paper reported the case without mentioning the sport!) Carl Grove of Indiana, the gent who accepted a public warning, apparently ate contaminated meat the night before his July WR. USA Cycling drug-tests everyone who sets a world record. The Guardian newspaper said: “Grove told the Associated…

Peter Crombie has won more world medals than anyone in masters history, according to one account.

International January 7, 2019

Peter Crombie, World Masters Athlete of the Millennium? Champion of champions is 74

Sprinter Peter Crombie, born Christmas Day 1944, is Australia’s gift to masters track. I’ve seen him run for decades (especially at USA masters nationals), and yet didn’t really appreciate his massive dominance. And now The Guardian shares a stat new to me: He’s won a medal in every sprint event in which he’s competed since 1987. “He holds an unparalleled 19 indoor and outdoor track records, and has taken home 20 medals from outdoor world titles,” says the profile. “He has won a remarkable 65 medals in world events – more than anyone in masters history. It’s gotten to the…

Nick Symmonds, who also has a plan to climb mountains around the world, says he's going on a 100 journey.

General January 3, 2019

800 great Nick Symmonds reveals M35 goal: Learn his 100-meter speed for first time

Nick Symmonds, the Run Gum CEO who defied USATF over its wear-Nike edict, turned 35 on Sunday and came out with a video Thursday. He says he’s unretiring. But Nick’s not making a comeback in the 800, where he won a world silver medal and competed in two Olympics. He says he can’t turn left anymore. So he’s challenging himself in a completely new event: the 100-meter dash. He has a 400 PR of 47.45 and figures he once was in 10.5 to 11 shape for the 1. He’s also using his YouTube channel to promote his brand and training…

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…

Based on this chart, about 115 answered the age-group question. So we can assume that's the overall figure.

International December 26, 2018

Few respond to WMA survey on Malaga worlds, but feedback is still eye-opening

In its latest survey, WMA asked Malaga athletes, officials and coaches what they thought. And I’ve obtained a copy of results. No exact data on how many answered. But of 8,000 entrants, roughly 115 took part — based on the “What is your age group?” question. That translates to a participation rate of 1.4 percent. Atrocious. But even if the sample is almost worthless, the 23-page “Masters Athlete Survey Post Malaga” has its moments. At the end, key comments are listed. Some are doozies. The feedback purportedly represents “most discussed topics.” (I suspect it’s almost every comment.) The last one…