Archive for February, 2006

Alisa ‘quite happy’ about her latest American indoor record

“Thank you,” began Alisa Harvey’s note. The new W40 indoor mile American record holder was replying to my latest congratulatory email. “I am quite happy,” she said. She resolved the mystery of her DNF in the 800 at the Lynchburg meet where she ran a 4:50.95 mile: “I was pace-setting the 800m race for a […]

February 19, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Alisa Harvey adds indoor mile record to legend

Four indoor records in one season. Not bad. After setting W40 American indoor bests in the 800 (twice) and 1500, Alisa Harvey today added the mile mark by topping a field of collegians half her age at Lynchburg University’s Last Chance Meet (for NCAA qualifiers). Alisa ran the mile in 4:50.95 to crush the listed […]

February 18, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Obituary for Andrew Crook in Rocky Mountain News

Andrew Crook died Saturday. That we knew. His cause of death? We aren’t told by a long obituary in the Rocky Mountain News. That lends credence to hints at letsrun.com that he committed suicide. At least when national-class racewalker Al Heppner threw himself off a bridge near San Diego, the local paper told the full […]

February 17, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

The spikes are back in Reno! The spikes are back in Reno!

Doesn’t quite have the ring of “The Giants win the pennant!” But it’ll do. The powers-that-be in Reno have backed off their plan to ban spikes at the Sierra Nevada Senior Games, writes M55 sprinter Bill Oberding, who first reported the issue. He writes: “I heard from the officials at the City of Reno today […]

February 17, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Death of M45 distance runner Andrew Crook reported

A message board on letsrun.com carries the sad news of the death of M45 distance runner Andrew Crook. The home-page headline said: “Boulder Masters Runner Andrew Cook Commits Suicide,” but I haven’t confirmed that. An Australian living in Boulder, Colorado, Andrew competed at the 1999 Gateshead WAVA world championships, taking seventh in the M40 5000 […]

February 16, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

French Olympian grabs share of indoor M40 hurdles record

Karl Smith of the United States, via Jamaica, is a legend of masters hurdling — the first under 14 seconds for the M40 highs. But he lost that record to David Ashford. Now he’s apparently sharing another — to a Frenchman. The Koops’ Web site reports that Vincent Clarico ran the 60-meter indoor hurdles in […]

February 15, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

What if they gave a meet with no spikes allowed?

Huh? Banning spiked shoes at a track meet? What are you smoking, brother! But that’s what officials of the Sierra Nevada Senior Games have in mind in May — outlawing spikes for sprinters and jumpers and requiring athletes to run in flats. So reports a Reno athlete who said he contacted meet officials to challenge […]

February 14, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Spearchucker Zelezny quitting this summer — at age 40

Three-time Olympic champ Jan Zelezny has announced his retirement from the javelin game after this season, which features the European Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden, in August. On June 16, he turns 40, giving him a good shot at the M40 age-group record of 84.08 (275-10) by Germany’s Peter Blank in June 2003. Jan, of course, […]

February 13, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Bye-bye, Bruce. Big WR for M45 Dennis Lewis

Paul Babits wasn’t the only vertically gifted geezer over the weekend. At the same meet at Eastern Michigan, M45 Dennis Lewis made one of his rare appearances and high jumped an incredible 2.04 (6-8 1/4) at age 46 — crushing the recent world indoor record by Bruce McBarnette.

February 13, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Babco adds to M45 world record for indoor vault

Becca Gillespy of polevaultpower.com reports: “Paul Babits jumped 4.85 (15-11) at Eastern Michigan yesterday, according to the results posted on their website. That should be a new WR.” In late January, Paul set his first M45 record at the Reno summit. (Babco, by the way, is Paul’s polevaultpower handle, or nickname.)

February 12, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed