Happy birthday to Alisa Harvey — now hot after W45 records
Alisa Harvey is 45 today. From her Virginia base, she’s planning an assault on age-group middle-distance records, especially this coming indoor season. She also reports that “Sacramento (2011 worlds) is in my plans, though I have become concerned with the incidents of heat illness amongst the masters runners at this past US Masters Championships.” She says she’ll check into how the weather might affect her in the 800 and 1500. “Charmaine Roberts gave me a briefing of how she needed to search for shade just to warm up before her 400m and 800m races.” Alisa is sensitive to the heat because she’s had one major episode of heat stroke. “I was told by doctors that I must avoid having the heat-related convulsions ever again,” she says. “Apparently, your brain can only take so much. I must be careful.”
Alisa, at Mt. SAC 2009, is set for some W45 records. (Photo by Ken Stone)
For the record, the W45 American indoor records in the 800, 1500 and mile are:
800: 2:20.99 by Lesley Chaplin Swann (48) Linz, AT 2006-Mar-17
1,500: 4:50.03 by Lesley Chaplin Swann (48) Linz, AUT 2006-Mar-20
Mile: 5:04.73 Joan Nesbit Mabe (45) Chapel Hill, NC 2007-Jan-27
The W45 American outdoor records are:
800: 2:18.72 DeeDee Grafius (48) 1997-Jul-12
1,500: 4:43.21 Joan Nesbit-Mabe (45) Durham, NC 2007-May-06
Mile: 5:07.76 Jeanne Lasee-Johnson (45) SanFrancisco, CA 2002-Sep-14
The listed W45 world indoor records are 2:16.3 for the 800, 4:28.13 for 1500 and 4:54.82 for the mile.
In reply to some queries this week, Alisa graciously wrote:
I am setting my sights on attempting some new age-group record attempts this indoor season. This summer has been a good break-through for me. I was bogged-down with illness and injuries during the last 12 months. I am running healthy and strong now. Last weekend at the Potomac Valley Track Club Championships, I ran 4:59.9 in the mile. I was suffering from a cold. I had hoped to run a few seconds faster. I recovered just in time to race yesterday.
The Market Street Mile was eventful. I was running alongside the second-place finisher at about 600m into the race. We were following a police escort down an extremely congested street market. There were tents, vendors, people, barbecues, police officers in the intersection for about 3/4 of the way down the race course.
Suddenly, I spotted a van parked in the middle of the street. Our police escort sped up and parked briefly next to the van. Meanwhile, the other runner and myself were barreling towards the vehicle barricade. Just after we both slowed to a shuffle, the police cruiser sped away. I regained my momentum and began to run ahead of the other runner.
I was a bit anxious for the remainder of the race fearing that another obstacle might come our way. Though once I spotted the finish I put on a strong kick to the tape. I have a course record and a generous prize for my efforts. I will most certainly go back and run the race again.
5 Responses
The Hartshorne Memorial Masters Mile will be January 22, 2011, in Ithaca, New York, and it will be my pleasure to announce Alisa as she breaks the American indoor mile record for W45 of 5:04.73 by Olympian Joan Nesbit Mabe.
Alisa has been a wonderful addition to the Hartshorne Mile, as she has been to every other masters event she has entered over the last 5 years.
I know how she feels. I had a serious heat-related problem once and now I seem a lot more susceptible to it than my peers are.
It sucks.
@John
Hot in Texas. You must pass out every day living in those type of conditions. Texas heat is no joke.
IAAF BIO http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=H/athcode=132543/index.html
Top 45-49 800 times: She will easily fill the #2 spot of all time.
http://www.mastersathletics.net/fileadmin/html/Rankings/All_Time/800metreswomen.htm
The #2 spot all time in the 1500 will be tougher:
http://www.mastersathletics.net/fileadmin/html/Rankings/All_Time/1500metreswomen.htm
Happy birthday!
Leave a Reply