Archive for May, 2006

Onetime softball player throws herself into the javelin

Linda Cohn of Northridge, California, will fly under my radar no more. Saturday at Long Beach State, she raised her own W50 American Record in the javelin to 39.06 meters (128-2), beating the 500-gram jav best of 37.95/124-6 she set back in April 2004. After reporting Saturday that four world age-group records were set at […]

May 22, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

If you say jump to this tour guide, he’ll ask ‘How high?’

Bruce McBarnette, the jumper-lawyer-teacher-actor-realtyguy, etc., is adding another gig to his bio: tour operator. He writes: “Bruce McBarnette, Masters World Champion, high jump 45-49 age group, has arranged hotel discounts and tours in the Charlotte area.” Since I’m planning to take the cheapo route at the masters nationals this August (staying in the dorms), I […]

May 21, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Four WRs at Striders Meet of Champions

The annual Southern California Striders Meet of Champions certainly lived up to its name this year. In perfect conditions (low 70s, mostly sunny skies) at Long Beach State University, two men and two women today set world age-group records — Willie Gault in the M45 200, Bud Held in the M75 pole vault, Kathy Bergen […]

May 20, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Who’s the fastest masters sprinter in the world?

Aaron Thigpen? Willie Gault? Nope. This is a trick question. Think younger. The over-40 studs listed in mastersrankings.com aren’t the fastest. Masters are now defined by World Masters Athletics as age 35 and up. On that basis, the top masters sprinter in the world is American Jeff Laynes. According to the 2006 outdoor IAAF top […]

May 19, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Hurdler brews simple Age-Graded Tables utility

Jess Brewer, the cancer-conquering physicist in Vancouver, spends his weekdays studying muons and other quantum cuties. The rest of the time, he trains for M60 hurdles (in which he recently set a Canadian record in the 100 hurdles). He took a break from both this week by posting his own version of the 2006 Age-Graded […]

May 18, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Western Regionals in limbo after Carson bonks

Yes, we are chopped liver. How else to explain this latest indignity? Today, while checking on a meet date, I learned that the USATF Western Regional Masters Championships set for July 22-23 have no home. The venue is TBD — to be determined. For the past two years, the Western Regionals have been held on […]

May 18, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Charlotte aims to avoid lap-count debacle in long races

I’ve been corresponding with the meet director and chief official for this summer’s Charlotte masters nationals, and they seem to be on the ball when it comes to conduct of distance races on the track. Most important, they’re aware that some are worried about hydration and lap counts. (North Carolina is rumored to be hot […]

May 17, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Anyone need a roommate for Charlotte nationals?

I’m planning to compete in the Charlotte masters nationals in August, and I found a PDF detailing cheap on-campus housing. The options are two-bedroom suites ($35 per person per night) or four-bedroom apartments ($39 per person). (All rooms are air-conditioned, BTW.) Would anyone be willing to have me for a roommate? I don’t smoke or […]

May 16, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Linz 3000 records tossed out for W65 and older

Ivar Söderlind of Sweden, records guru for the Eurovets, is the decider when it comes to European masters age-group records. And he’s decided not to ratify any of the European records that came out of the Linz world indoor championships in the 3,000-meter run for women 65 and older. Why? Uh, nobody knows for sure […]

May 15, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Head geezerfish weighs in on masters secession

Rob Copeland is president of U.S. Masters Swimming, a stand-alone group that runs masters swimming without being part of USA Swimming. In reply to an email query, Rob tells me that USATF Masters Track & Field, if it split off from USATF, could still be recognized by World Masters Athletics as a national governing body. […]

May 15, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed