Archive for April, 2007

Sprinter Jeff Laynes at 36 shoots for Osaka, not Orono

Jeff Laynes, the fastest masters sprinter in the world (35 and over), isn’t ready to utter the M-word. Profiled by a San Francisco Bay Area sportswriter, Jeff says: “I’m not retired,” alluding to the typical status of masters runners. “I train myself mentally and physically to be able to run against anyone.” (Jeff doesn’t realize […]

April 11, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Olympian Williams faces challenge in Mt. SAC deuce

Atlanta Olympian Jeff Williams is 41 now — and ready for some masters competition. He’ll get it Sunday at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California. Even though his 200 PR from 1996 is 19.87 (and he’s still in the Top 15 of the all-time USA list), Jeff (pictured here) will be tested by some […]

April 11, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Lad Pataki obituary: latest sign of masters acceptance

Elliott Almond of the San Jose Mercury-News has written an obituary of Lad Pataki that gives masters their due. Amazing. The M-word appears no fewer than four times in the online version of the obit. (Tomorrow’s print version may be shorter.) This is yet another milestone in our journey into the public vernacular. It shows […]

April 10, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

WMA vs. WMA? 100K champs conflict with Riccione

Sprinters and fieldfolk, stop reading now. This one is for long-distance runners who thought they might want to compete at Riccione worlds as well as the WMA 100-kilometer championships. Think again. They’re being held at the same time! Annette’s Seite in Germany points out that the 100K (64-mile) event is September 8 in Winschoten, The […]

April 10, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

TV guy in his 30s is flatfooted against M70 sprinter

Wearing street shoes, Mike Castellucci of Channel 8 News in Arlington, Texas, huffs and puffs but can’t keep up with M70 sprinter Wayne Bennett on the University of Texas-Arlington track in a cutesy clip that lasts almost 2 minutes. It originally aired on the 5 o’clock news April 4. Wayne keeps his dignity. Mike does […]

April 10, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Hinton nearly cracks 15 for 5000 meters at age 44

John Hinton of North Carolina ran 15:00.39 to win a munchkin-laden 5000 meters Friday at the Duke Invitational at Durham, N.C. Track photographer Cheryl Treworgy, a witness, writes: “With three laps to go, John was 10 seconds behind the leader with a pack hanging on to him.With two laps, he was still 10 seconds back […]

April 9, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Michelsohn ices another world record: W65 10,000

Marie-Louise Michelsohn shattered the listed world outdoor record for 10,000 meters Saturday by more than 30 seconds at the freezing USATF Tennessee Assn. Masters Championships. Marie-Louise ran 43:06.12 — 6:56 mile pace — to beat the old record of 43:37.20 by Germany’s Rona Frederiks in 2005. It’s Marie-Louise’s fourth WR of the season. Her first […]

April 9, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Zacharias takes M60 world record to new heights

German high jumper Thomas Zacharias, who retired and then came back a few years ago, is closing in on an incredible feat — 6 feet at age 60. In recent weeks, he’s cleared 1.77 (5-9 3/4) and 1.78 (5-10) for M60 world outdoor records, beating the listed WMA record of 1.72 (5-7 3/4) by American […]

April 9, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Jeff Mann wins Mathis Masters Mile in year’s best

On a pea-soup foggy morning at San Francisco State University, 43-year-old Jeff Mann of Reno, Nevada, ran like a red-hot chili pepper to win the masters mile Saturday, reports Michael Fanelli, event maestro. Mike writes: “Some of 2007’s top 40+ outdoor performances to date were born out by great competition. . . .Jeff Mann set […]

April 8, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

George Mathews proposes award in Pataki’s honor

A couple weeks ago, as Lad Pataki was struggling with brain cancer, thrower and former USATF Masters T&F Chairman George Mathews sent a note to Lad via Lad’s close friend, Ed Burke. George wrote: “I have just returned from the Indoor Championships in Boston. I need to tell you that your presence was sorely missed. […]

April 7, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments