Archive for August, 2009
My miracle medal of Lahti worlds: an M55 bronze in 4×100
I went to Lahti, my second world masters meet, with modest goals: Run the 100 and 200 with no injuries. Make a height in the high jump. Meet my Eurovet email pals and photog friends. (And cover the historic General Assembly.) Mission accomplished! But I also had a fantasy: Run a relay for Team USA. […]
August 11, 2009
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Runner’s Oshkosh critique: ‘USATF violated its own rule’
Robert Nesbit Jr., an Army officer wounded in Iraq, eventually recovered and competed in M45 middle distances a month ago at Oshkosh, running for Club Northwest. When he got home, he dissected the meet as if it were a military exercise. He did an After Action Review of Wisconsin masters nationals. See it here. Among […]
August 11, 2009
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More world and U.S. records! (But not at Lahti world meet)
Cherrie Sherrard, Mike Curry and Don Pellmann are world-class athletes. But when they broke world or American age-group records in recent weeks, they weren’t in Finland but Davis and Palo Alto, California. Here’s my feeble attempt at catching up with some amazing marks. Mary Woo reports that Cherrie, a 1964 Olympic hurdler, broke Edith Mendyka’s […]
August 11, 2009
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USA athletes in Lahti draft resolution on Senior Games ties
Anselm LeBourne, who organized and led a meeting with U.S. athletes in Lahti, has sent the following note to participants: “I want to thank you all for attending the meeting at the World Masters Championships. I want to say a special thank you to Latricia Dendy for doing all the typing of the information and […]
August 11, 2009
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Anselm LeBourne 1500 among first Lahti videos put online
New York’s Anselm LeBourne shadowed Great Britain’s Steven Smith at the Radiomaki (radio mast)  track for all but 210 meters of their M50 1500 final track at Lahti worlds Then he kicked like crazy, winning by about 40 meters. Check out this video, one of dozens likely to appear in places like Flotrack and YouTube in coming […]
August 11, 2009
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David Dreyer has a dream: year-round all-comers meets
Lahti! Sydney! Palo Alto!I like to write about high-profile masters meets — just becuz. But most age-groupers are happy to attend local all-comers meets. In fact, the vast majority of USATF’s 8,000-10,000 masters tracksters will never run, jump or throw at worlds. Local meets, even unsanctioned ones, are fine by them. That’s one reason Andy […]
August 10, 2009
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Day 9: Stunning WRs and USA titles in 400s, hurdles, throws
Where do I start? The USA short hurdles titles by M40 Mike Godbout, M55 Thad Wilson and W55 Rita Hanscom (her fourth gold medal of Lahti worlds)? The USA 400 victories by newly minted M35 Terrance Spann (48.14), W35 Latrica Dendy (55.35), M40 Robert Thomas (49.62, his best of the season) or W40 Charmaine Roberts […]
August 7, 2009
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Leland McPhie chosen for SI’s ‘Faces in the Crowd’ feature
San Diego’s Leland McPhie, who set a slew of M95 world records this year and starred at Oshkosh nationals, is listed in this week’s Faces in the Crowd compilation in Sports Illustrated. Here’s the blurb. The notation says: “McPhie, 95, broke the American men’s shot put record in the 95- to 99-year-old division at the […]
August 7, 2009
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U.S. athletes meet at Lahti to seek more USATF support
At least 30 Americans gathered for an “athletes-only” meeting Wednesday morning at a covered cafe patio across from the Lahti stadium, revisiting an old complaint: Why can’t USATF do more for world-class U.S. masters athletes? Anselm LeBourne, who had taken silver in the M50 800 and later would win gold in the 1500, organized and led […]
August 7, 2009
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Hope for mediocre sprinters: Ken Stone anchoring at worlds
Pigs fly, hell froze over and I’m set to anchor the M55 4Ă—100 relay for Team USA Saturday at Lahti worlds. Yeah, I’m thrilled to tears. This is the miracle of masters track. You gotta show up to have a chance at glory. Only four M55s have declared for the sprint relay at Lahti worlds. […]
August 6, 2009
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