Archive for February, 2012

USADA offers webinar on what to expect from drug-testing (as if)

You have a better chance of being molested by a Marilyn Monroe impersonator than being drug-tested on the USATF masters circuit, but for what it’s worth: “Did you know that you could be drug tested at any USATF sanctioned event? Are you clear about what to expect during the drug testing process? Do you have […]

February 29, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

Earth to WMA: What universe is your record books operating in?

Masters Mole 3321 writes: “The world masters records have finally been updated. Last March 6, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, our own Joy Upshaw absolutely blasted the 200 meters, showing her classic form and power to hit the line in 26.24 FAT, demolishing the world indoor W50 record of 26.52 (Phil Raschker). A few minutes earlier, […]

February 28, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  20 Comments

Never again should a masters trackster have to sleep in stairwell

On the previous post about Nolan Shaheed’s night-before-meet ordeal in Baton Rouge, Gary wrote: “How about this novel idea: Why don’t we set up a masters network around the country to support his kind of thing? If I lived in Baton Rouge, I would have easily put you up and driven you to the meet. […]

February 27, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

How Nolan Shaheed set his latest WR: no fanfare or motel room

Coach and meet director Byron Turner of US Express Track Club shares the official news: Nolan Shaheed set his latest world record Saturday. But wait for the rest … of the story from Nolan himself (meeting my usual shameless demands that he spare no detail). Byron writes: “Just wanted to share that a World and […]

February 27, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  47 Comments

O Christa Bortignon! Canadian claims five W75 indoor world records

Make some room at the top, Olga Kotelko. We have another Canadian superstar in western Canada. Meet jump specialist and Sacramento world champion Christa Bortignon, a newby W75. She set five indoor world records earlier this month at Kamloops, site of masters worlds two years ago. She set WRs in the 60, 60 hurdles, 200, […]

February 26, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  10 Comments

Kathy Martin crushes W60 world indoor record for 1500 meters

Thursday Night at the Races at the Armory in New York yielded a stunning time this week: a 5:12.2 world record for W60 Kathy Martin in the indoor 1500, chopping 10 seconds off the listed WR of 5:22.50 by Britain’s Pat Gallagher in 2006. When I heard about this, I wrote Kathy. She replied from […]

February 25, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments

Diamond in the rough: Indoor championships beckon Ozarkites

World-class M50 hurdler Eugene Anton is used to obstacles, but a tall one looms in March: making a success of his USATF Ozark Association Masters/Open Indoor Championships at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois — less than an hour north of St. Louis. Eugene writes: “This next weekend, March 4, we have our open/masters association championship […]

February 24, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Sarasota, Florida, newspaper features masters track in senior story

I had a nice chat yesterday with a reporter in Florida, who produced this nice summary of masters sports. Thomas Becnel writes: “In Englewood, 80-year-old David Rider has set records in everything from the high jump to the 5,000-meter. To match his rivals, the former track coach runs four days a week and lifts weights […]

February 24, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

M60 long jump superstar emerges at SoCal Indoor … Outdoor meet

Andy Hecker, director of the annual Southern California Indoor Meet Held Outdoors, has posted results. See them here. Besides the Nolan Shaheed M60 American record for 3,000, the meet saw M60 Jim Stevens long jump 5.85 meters (19-2 1/2). How good is that? The listed WR is 6.07 (19-11) by Southern California’s Tom Patsalis way […]

February 22, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  10 Comments

Marie-Louise and Nolan on fire! More American records for legends

Running a little outside their comfort zones, milers Marie-Louise Michelsohn and Nolan Shaheed notched a pair of American records over the weekend: W70 Marie-Louise clocked a 3:04.69 for 800 (indoors) and Nolan a 9:57.46 for 3000 meters (outdoors). MLM ran the 800 at the Armory on Monday night in a USATF association championships, and Nolan […]

February 21, 2012   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments