Be nice to Becca: Attend USATF regional open meet in Seattle
Becca Peter, the polevaultpower.com guru, writes: Hi Ken, I can’t speak for the other Regional Championships, but I was hoping you could spread the word that masters athletes are welcome at the Northwest Region Open Championships with a few exceptions: Throws – No problems. Just register as normal and we will sort out the various implements on the day of the meet. Sprints – No problems. 5k/10k/Steeple – See the website, you must be able to complete the event within the time stated on the website. Hurdles – Sorry, we will run open hurdle specs only. Horizontal Jumps – No problems. Vertical Jumps – Go ahead and register, we’ll run multiple sections if needed.” Just FYI: All USATF regional open meets accept masters. Just check the usatf.org calendar.
New M50 Tony Young tops Portland Masters Mile field June 9
How tough is the field in the Portland Masters Mile on June 9? In an email to running pals, event organizer Dave Clingan writes: “Any sub-5 minute milers are welcome to compete.” Folks who can’t break 5 are shitouttaluck. The field as of May 10 includes many record-holders, including Tony Young, Nolan Shaheed and Pete Magill. Tony is a newby 50, so watch out. The listed M50 world record is 4:27.9 by Nolan.
Tony, in Northwest orange, is a front-runner. He turned 50 in mid-April.
Happy Mother’s Day to all this applies to (and their supporters)
Track and field, like mother’s work, is an individual activity. But all moms have support teams, and so do we in masters track. So here’s a big hooray for the moms in masters track, and all their backup systems. I’m especially grateful to my wife (mom of Bobby, 23), who joins me at big news events as a primo photographer. Here we are at the Junior Seau Celebration of Life event Friday night at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego — which resulted in the posting of 150 photos to all Patch sites in San Diego County. Chris held her own against shooters from The Associated Press, Getty Images and the best photogs of U-T San Diego. Check out some of her best shots below. Freelancer Richard Alan Eaton took this picture of us uploading photos before the gates even opened at the Q.
Chris and Ken at Qualcomm Stadium for Junior Seau tribute. (Killed himself May 2.)
Guest rant on records: Pete Magill tells why he won’t apply for 5K
Pete Magill went on record against our obscene and obtuse record-ratification process eight months ago. He hasn’t softened in his M50 dotage. He writes about his American record 5K: “You know what I did after running my 15:11? I jogged two miles with a friend, stopped by the timer’s tent to get a copy of the FAT photo as a memento, then went to nearby Tommy’s burgers with my girlfriend to scarf chili-cheeseburgers. It may be the first time I’ve enjoyed myself post-record beating race as a masters athlete! My race finished at 11 p.m., and this is what I didn’t do: Spend the next couple hours frantically badgering harried and confused officials for signatures, when all those officials want to do is clean up and go home — and when some of the officials have inevitably already done just that — followed by the joy of trying to get the paperwork actually processed and ratified over the next few months (just ask Tony Young, Nolan Shaheed, Liz Palmer, Kathryn Martin and countless others how that sometimes works out). In other words, I celebrated a great race, instead of beginning to wish I’d never run it. The end.”
Pete hangs with the kiddies during his Oxy race; photo by Diana Hernandez.
Bail and number of counts reduced against Kettrell Berry
M45 sprinter Kettrell Berry faces 11 years in prison if convicted of the charges against him, but the case has been reduced by the District Attorney’s Office. Originally, his bail was $1.1 million. Now it’s $150,000, which means he might get out if he raises about 10 percent of that. He pleaded not guilty today to 14 felony counts involving one girl. The original charges numbered 25. One story said “about a dozen people stood up in the courtroom during the arraignment to show their support for the defendant. They declined to speak to reporters afterward.” The U-T San Diego report also noted: “The defense attorney submitted a stack of awards, certificates and letters to the court, many of which described Berry as a devoted father and a dedicated and disciplined mentor.”
John Gastaldo photo of Kettrell at his arraignment on child-molest charges.
Mike McNees follows ex-CEO friend Logan out door at USATF
Not a surprise. Three years after USATF CEO Doug Logan brought him on board as chief operating officer, Mike McNees is exiting USA Track & Field, says this announcement. Until recently, Mike was acting CEO, since Doug got fired by the board. The wording of USATF release is ambiguous. But that means he probably got laid off by Max Siegel, the new CEO. That’s par for the course. The new coach gets to bring in his own assistants. But Mike deserves credit for keeping the organization together after the Logan drama. Hope Mike can resume his masters sprint career!
Mike (right) watched action at Olympic Trials in 50K racewalk in January with USATF board member Willie Banks, another masters athlete.
Pete Magill reclaims title of King of the 5K with American record
Pete is red hot.
Dick Camp puts faith in track as well as M-Infinity Guy Upstairs
Dick Camp, a world-class M75 sprinter, has Parkinson’s disease, he informs. “I am not taking medications for PD,” he says. ”My wife is filling me with brain food like kale, cabbage, etc., and good supplements. I also believe that wind sprints and sprinting produce dopamine in the brain, giving me reason to train more vociferously for health reasons.” But he still runs — even amid miseries beyond Parkinson’s. He shared a note with friends after racing at Penn. He graciously allowed me to reprint it here. You’ll see why his other name is the Rev. Dr. Richard P. Camp Jr.
Dick is second from the left in this M70 100 final at 2008 Spokane nationals.
M45 long sprinter Kettrell Berry facing child-molestation charges
Kettrell at 2005 Hawaii nationals.
A cautionary tale: Sacramento lost $300,000 on hosting worlds
In 2007, Sacramento won the right to host 2011 worlds. All was right in the world (except for a war here and there). Then in 2008, the economy collapsed, and with it a lot of retiree investments. That’s why 6,000 athletes didn’t show for the WMA championships as hoped. And that’s why the LOC took a bath. Only 4,100 athletes competed. Now we’re finally learning details of the Sacramento losses. Said the Sacramento Biz Journal: “The World Masters event lost $300,000. … The Sacramento Region Sports Education Foundation is in default and can’t repay a $400,000 loan to the city for the World Masters event, according to a staff report for Tuesday’s council meeting. The loan was supposed to be repaid last October. The organization also couldn’t repay a $150,000 loan Sacramento County supplied for the same event.”
John McCasey of the Sacramento Sports Commission got slammed by economy.
