Archive for January, 2010

2010 USATF bylaws posted: No limit on masters transfers

Late Friday night, after renewing my USATF membership online, I got this note from USATF’s Andy Martin: “Your member profile has been updated to reflect your Association as Southern California and your club affiliation with Southern California Striders.” Finally! After years of fighting for freedom of movement, masters tracksters finally can choose the association (and […]

January 11, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Kamloops announces deadline extension for regular entry

Judy Armstrong, a top organizer of Kamloops indoor world masters meet in March, has sent an announcement saying the “early bird” entry deadline has been pushed back to January 23. That’s two weeks later than the original date. Not sure how this plays out for Americans, who were given a regular entry deadline of  January 4 and were […]

January 11, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  14 Comments

Stunning world records: 6.97 for M45 60, 5:09 for M70 1500

German blogger Robert Koop reports two incredible marks over the weekend: “Westphalian Karl-Walter Truemper (M70) and Italian Mario Longo (M45)” with world indoor records in different meets. Competing in the West German Championships in Dusseldorf, Karl-Walter clocked 5:09.62 for the 1500, beating the listed world mark of 5:12.22 by Canada’s Ed Whitlock in 2004. In […]

January 10, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  7 Comments

Shuttle hurdle relay coming to 2010 Sacramento nationals

Jeff Davison, who single-handedly is reviving one of our favorite events, reports: “The 2010 Shuttle Hurdle Relay has been approved. I will have more details later. It will be the last running event of the 2010 Masters National Outdoor Championships as an exhibition event.” Jeff is getting some help this year in organizing the relay […]

January 10, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Anyone want a census of USA Track & Field? Count us in!

It’s good enough for the United States of America, so why not the United States of Track & Field? Every 10 years, our nation does a census. Why not our federation? Seriously. How do we know where we’re going if we don’t know where we stand? Anyone certain how many USATF members compete in masters […]

January 9, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

M40 Shabunin shatters 3,000 indoor world record: 8:04.34

Vyacheslav Shabunin Pete Magill discovered an amazing masters indoor record, set yesterday in Russia. The European Athletics site reports: “Second in the men’s 3000m, the ever-young Vyacheslav Shabunin posted a world masters record (40+) of 8:04.34. The current mark listed by world-masters-athletics.org is 8:09.13 set by Ireland’s Marcus O’Sullivan in 2002.” Last year, just before turning […]

January 8, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  9 Comments

USATF uniform chief explains procedures for WMA entrants

Jed Cornforth, director of merchandise and operations for USATF, has sent some information in response to comments at this blog entry. Jed writes: “We have received a few questions pertaining to the WMA uniforms (and subsequent ordering process), so I would like to clarify uniform purchase issues for the Kamloops competitors, and Ken has graciously granted […]

January 8, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Newspaper writers do justice by Daprano and GPTC relay

Andrew Wagaman of The Morning Call in Pennsylvania and Trey Alverson of the Fayette County News in Georgia get our latest gold medals for MSM writers telling masters track stories right. (I just invented the award.) No feigned amazement over middle-agers running track. No cliches about over-the-hill athletes. Just mature reporting, with great quotes and […]

January 8, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

USATF Foundation expels masters from mission statement

Two days ago, the USATF Foundation trumpeted plans to hand out $385,000 in “grant funding” this year. The loot, said director Amory Rowe, would go to “constituents ranging from the earliest beginners to the most elite veterans.” So where does that leave us geezers? Don’t ask. I shot an email to Tom Jackovic, the group’s executive director, and […]

January 7, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  13 Comments

Americans may outnumber Europeans 3-1 at Kamloops

With three weeks before the drop-dead deadline of February 1, it appears from the USATF Status of Entries page that about 210 Americans will vie for medals in Kamloops this March. Team USA at indoor worlds will be a powerhouse — with W60 Phil Raschker entered in her usual gazillion events, W55 Rita Hanscom looking […]

January 6, 2010   Posted in: Uncategorized  42 Comments