Archive for April, 2007

L.A. Daily News eyes masters sports, quotes moi

Tom Hoffarth of the Los Angeles Daily News queried me last week about the geezerjock phenomenon — both the prospects for the magazine and the athletes it covers. I replied expeditiously, and the result was published Sunday. I hope I did y’all justice with my pseudo-sophisticated remarks. Tom also mentions M45 record-holder Willie Gault and […]

April 15, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Happy birthday to Ethel Yagoda, W100 today

Ethel Yagoda was born Ethel Schugar on April 15, 1907, in Rovna, Russia. By age 10, she had taught herself English by reading a translated Tolstoy side-by-side with the Russian. Her family moved to Detroit amid the major migration of the times. She married and had two daughters. Despite losing her father and husband on […]

April 15, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Sorensen’s come-from-behind race is on video

Jim Sorenson’s 3:52 1500 at Mt. SAC is on video. And wow — the guy has a kick! Go to the Flocast coverage of the meet and click on the second heat of Friday’s men’s 1500. Jim, wearing gray top and dark shorts, passes about 10 kidlets in the last 250 meters to take fourth […]

April 14, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Sprinter McDonnough stands tall in the M50 ranks

Remember Jean-Louis Ravelomanantsoa? Short world-class sprinter of the late ’60s, early ’70s? Excelled indoors? Well, he’s not making a comeback (that I know of). But he has an American doppelganger. Meet Kaestner McDonnough of Virginia. He’s an M50 sprinter — 5-4 tall — who’s been active in masters for a decade. But he’s finally gotten […]

April 14, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Sorensen at 39.9 runs a fab 1500 at Mt. SAC Relays

Jim Sorensen, who turns 40 next month, showed great fitness in the men’s 1500 at today’s Mt. SAC Relays, clocking 3:52.46 in taking fourth. That’s equivalent to a 4:11 mile. Jim finished less than two seconds behind race winner Edwin Sang of Texas Tech. So Jim was in high school when Edwin was a toddler. […]

April 13, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Time left to run with Rono, Young, Shaheed, Magill

Dave Clingan sends word that slots are still open in his Fountain of Youth Masters Invitational Mile on May 12 in Canby, Oregon. Yes, you can be in a four-lap race with record-chasers Tony Young, Pete Magill, Henry Rono and Nolan Shaheed. Dave writes: “The race will feature many of America’s top milers aged 30 […]

April 12, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Nadine O’Connor talks up masters track in local paper

The Oceanside-based North County Times profiled W65 star Nadine O’Connor today. It errs on her event Sunday at Mt. SAC (saying she’ll run the 200; it’s the 100). But the rest is nice — once you get past the cliche headline. She did her masters-promotion part, saying: “I wish more people knew about (masters track). […]

April 12, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Masters women’s 800 exhibition dropped at Mt. SAC

Mark Cleary, organizer of the masters 800 exhibitions at Sunday’s Mt. SAC Relays, writes: “We got only five entries for the women’s race — (but) two women that were at indoor nationals sustained injuries there that have not cleared up yet and (one) athlete had some family situation that prevented her from being there. So […]

April 12, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

USATF officials updated on changes in masters throws

USATF’s rule book ain’t right. At least when it comes to some masters throws. So says a note to USATF officials. I mentioned this before. But the following missive goes into greater detail. It begins: “The Superweight table in the 2007 USATF Rule book Rule 332.3g on page 189 was not updated.â€

April 12, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Masters mile mania! Historic year seen for many ages

Pick an age group. Any age group. Starting in May, when Jim Sorensen turns 40, masters mile records in many groups will be under assault. A preview comes Friday, when Jim runs a 1500 at Mt. SAC. But the big record attempts — in at least two age groups — will be May 12 at […]

April 11, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment