In my first year of eligibility, I entered the NJSG. At the last minute, the meet was moved from one high-school track (which was being re-surfaced and not ready in time) to another that was in an adjacent town. The track on which we competed had a running surface that was blacktop. Not only that but the track had numerous cracks. Some cracks were big enough that weeds protruded from them and were quite visible. No lie. You just hoped that your lane assignment didn’t have too many “obstacles” that you had to negotiate. Moreover, it was hand-timed by high-school kids. The results weren’t posted on-line for at least several months. And even then, results from only a few events were given. All that for a 25-dollar entry fee.

I competed again the next year, attributing much of the nonsense from the previous year to the last-minute change in venue. Although the track was new, the other issues were more of the same. Once again, the timing was done by high-school kids with stopwatches. There were other logistical issues, too, that I won’t get into. I sent an e-mail to the person in charge to voice my concerns about meet organization/management. Never heard back. I sent a follow-up e-mail. Never heard back. (Note: That meet was held on Sep 13, 2008 and the results weren’t posted on-line until Jul 14, 2009 – a full 10 months later! – at around the same time the announcement was posted for the 2009 SG.)

In contrast, the meets in which I’ve competed that are run by the USATF-NJ have been very well organized/managed. The entry fee has been 17 bucks and you get about half of that back on arrival by way of a tote bag or mug. It’s always electronic timing and the results are usually posted on-line within a matter of days.

Here in New Jersey, the difference between the SG and USATF-NJ meets is night and day.

gd

Still no hurdles though.

The limitation of qualifying on one particular day completely prevented me from considering competing last year. 2009 I was marginally healthy, but I would have had to qualify in 2008. I made it to the meet, but spent most of the meet sitting in a chair playing meet announcer because that was all I could do. Qualifying for a meet 14 or more months in advance of the big meet makes almost as much sense as having to register for a meet a month in advance, so I guess USATF wins on that logic.

M5-54 javelin is decent, the “minimum” would only have been 9th at Wisconsin….and shotput is very low, 11.43m, which any 50-54 showing up at a National event should be able to exceed.

What about the other events- how are the standards- easy or tough?