Was Rono’s payday at Landover a good deal for masters?

Henry Rono says meet organizers paid all his expenses to compete at indoor nationals.

Everyone knows that Henry Rono had a bad meet at Landover, running with a terrible cold and taking last in the 800 and mile (in times too shocking to mention on a family blog). Not well-known is that his trip to Maryland was comped. The meet organizers flew him out. Steve Nearman, writing in The Washington Times, let that cat out of the bag the weekend before nationals. So after the meet, I wrote a couple dozen elite masters entrants at Landover to see what they thought. The result is this article for Masters Athlete magazine, which was posted yesterday. (It was intended for the print edition originally, but editor Sean Callahan liked it enough to put it online.) After I shipped the story to Sean, I sent him a new ending, which gave Henry’s reaction to the consensus that it wasn’t fair for him to have his expenses paid and other masters not. So I added it to the version below.

Here’s my article for Masters Athlete magazine, plus a new conclusion: 

Nobody respects Henry Rono more than fellow Masters athletes. Many recall Rono’s historic 81-day stretch in 1978 when he set four world distance records. His courageous comeback from obesity and alcoholism is well-known.

But here he was in late March, at age 57, being lapped twice in the mile and taking last in his age group at the USA Track & Field Masters Indoor Championships in Landover, Md.

“I personally don’t find much pleasure in watching a former Olympic-caliber athlete shuffle around the track at an illogical pace,” said Alisa Harvey of Virginia, herself a record-setting miler. “Not only is it a poor representation of the true fitness of most of the Masters athletes at their given ages, it conjures up feelings of sympathy in me.

“Sympathetic spectators can’t be good for the Masters movement.”

Rono’s reply? His 800-meter run in 3 minutes, 13.38 seconds and mile in 7:11.84 were pedestrian because “I got a cold, and my immune system was way down as dead meat.”

He said he’d been training at home in Albuquerque for his first Masters track meet and was ready to run a 5:20 mile, but instead “I was coughing like a wild horse.”

Rono didn’t lose a dime, though. Unlike most of the 980 other athletes at the 35th edition of the indoor nationals, he didn’t have to pay his way there. Meet organizers, led by the Potomac Valley Track Club, “flew me in and out and took care of my expenses,” Rono said in an email interview.

And therein lay the rub.

At least 20 world and American records were set at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Center in Landover in the three-day meet, including two by 80-year-old Sumi Onodera-Leonard of Huntington Beach, Calif., netting her USATF Athlete of the Week honors, and three by 95-year-old Leland McPhie of San Diego.

But only Rono admitted being comped for expenses.
 
A survey of 15 entrants, most of them age-group world record holders, found most against the idea of flying in a former superstar, even if it meant more publicity for the meet and movement.

“There are many very competent Masters runners that have trained very hard and competed on their own dollar for years, and our sport is built upon those athletes, not the occasional Olympic runner asking for a subsidy on an occasional whim to compete,” said Courtland Gray, 65, of Plano, Texas.

M65 sprint champion Stephen Robbins of Cleveland said fairness wasn’t the issue as much as “it’s a waste of money.” Instead, he called for a fund to support U.S. Masters athletes going to world championships.

Agreeing was M60 throws champion George Mathews of Idaho, a former national Masters chairman, who called Rono’s subsidy “a poor expenditure of funds.” He said former superstars “may add to the interest level by the media and make some people feel good, but I frankly feel this distracts attention from those who haven’t been in the elite ranks and causes people that see the articles in the media to perceive our organization as an elite Masters organization.”

Another weight throw record holder, W50 Neni Lewis of Oakland Gardens, N.Y., noted: “As the economy is sinking, some top-ranked Master athletes may find themselves not able to participate any longer in the bigger meets; a little assistance with expenses would certainly help. . . . If (organizers) want to pay for athletes’ expenses, let it be those who have proven their abilities as a Master athlete.”

More forgiving was W60 throws victor Myrle Mensey of St. Louis, who said: “If underwriting ex-superstars helps get more sponsors — not just publicity for the event so it benefits all the athletes — I guess I’m OK with that. (But) if the publicity doesn’t spread to all the outstanding Masters athletes, where’s the benefit?”

The Kenyan-born Rono couldn’t compete in the 1976 and 1980 Olympics because of his nation’s boycotts of those Games. One who did (at Montreal) was James Barrineau, now 53, and a high-jumper at Landover.

“(Paying for) one or two stars a meet is probably worth it,” said Barrineau of Burke, Va.  “It could not be more than $1,000 in airfare, hotel and expenses each.  Let them compete, sign autographs, have pictures taken, put on a clinic or whatever.  . . . .  I don’t think the meet director will be getting calls from irate ex-superstars who feel slighted.  I just don’t think the interest is there.” 

Perhaps the biggest advocate of bringing in name athletes may be Bob Weiner of Accokeek, Md., publicity chairman for USATF Masters track. In 2003, he cut checks for marathon legends Joan Benoit-Samuelson and Bill Rodgers to run at the national indoor meet in Boston, according to Steve Vaitones, that meet’s director.

Benoit-Samuelson returned for the Landover meet — and set an American record for 3,000 meters in her W50 age group, clocking 10:22.68. The news was circulated worldwide via The Associated Press, a coup for Weiner.

“The excitement and crowd pull during Benoit’s record run was palpable,” Weiner said, “especially since everyone could see the effort she was putting into it — driving hard when a second off record pace with a lap to go to get under it, and succeeding.”

Given her status as the debut gold medalist in the women’s marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Benoit-Samuelson “made the press for the (Landover) meet,” Weiner said. That included a Washington Post story with photo, “and that’s how Masters can see our mission is as real and significant as we feel it is.  Many have told me they joined MTF because they first saw it in the press.”

But Gray, a 60-meter hurdle champion at Landover, said: “Personally, I doubt that there were five extra people that came to the meet to see either Joan Benoit or Henry Rono compete. . . . There was no admission fee for any additional spectators, so where was the benefit?  Was this a gimmick possibly to get the Washington Post to honor us with their presence? And is that really the publicity that we should try to get — former Olympians who are not really part of the Masters cadre?”

Pasadena, Calif., trumpet player Nolan Shaheed, 58, a two-time USATF Masters Athlete of the Year, said, “I don’t mind at all if ex-superstars get subsidized — if they commit to the Masters program. We have a lot of meets, races and functions, and if they only participate once or twice a year, it ain’t doing us no good!”

Shaheed won the mile that included Rono, taking gold in 4:49.0. And he saluted his M55 rival: “Although he was very, very sick,  . . . he still participated knowing that he would run poorly,” Shaheed said.

But it was Kay Glynn, a 56-year-old pole vault record holder from Hastings, Iowa, who focused on the biggest scandal at Landover nationals.

“Right now, I don’t think I’ll remember this meet as the one where the athlete got paid,” Glynn said.  “I’ll remember it as the one where we competed for three days with a malfunctioning timing system.”

Scores of errors  threatened to rob a dozen athletes of world and America records, forcing  national chairman Gary Snyder to promise to repost results.

Rono’s paid-to-play deal was the least of Snyder’s concerns.

For Rono’s part,  apologies for paid-to-play aren’t in order.

“I understand what other Masters athletes might have (felt) about me being there . . . with my poor performances and being treated special,” Rono wrote. “I can say it is too bad, but I can‘t help it. Jealousy has been there in most of my life. I have lived through it and I will still live with it. It is God–given talent. I would say, Get over it and live as a matured one, and make sure you buy Olympic Dream by Henry Rono.” 

I never was able to learn whether Joan Benoit-Samuelson cut a similar deal with Landover organizers. She hasn’t replied to my email inquiry.

Also: I had a 1,200-word limit on the article (and I went over that a bit), so I wasn’t able to quote folks as extensively as I’d like.

And I couldn’t squeeze in all the athletes who responded. I might post their replies separately if I have time.

Thanks to all who took part in this research.

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March 28, 2009

13 Responses

  1. Mike Walker - March 28, 2009

    Personally, I feel that it is unlikely that Masters track can attract enough interest to support a Professional side. The average fan [& corporate marketing person] will not get excited over a 5:30 mile or a 5′ 0″ high jump but if someone wants to pay Rono’s expenses, in the long run, who cares?
    Let’s concentrate on the things that may help our sport. Road running gets a lot of support and lets face it, the majority of the entrants are joggers and walkers [slow walkers not race walkers] – maybe we can learn from them?

  2. al cestero - March 28, 2009

    i think it was a great thing that rono was comped for landover. given the achievements, albeit 30 + years ago, that henry rono brought to the track world, i feel it’s the least that could be done to help this man with his turn around in life. so he ran poorly…big deal. at least he ran. i didn’t do as well as i would have liked to. i had a swollen right knee..still do. but it was more important for me to be there than not.i paid my own way, and was glad i was able to . unless someone puts themselves in the position that henry put himself into and “walks a mile in his shoes ” ,they have no idea how low the standards go. i’m sure there are those that say “well how did he get that way…no one made him hit the skids”. to those i can’t explain. i just know that if we ( usatf masters community ) are able to lend a hand to a fallen comrade, in the hopes of recovery, then we have a moral obligation to do so.i pray that henry will continue his “comeback ” whether it is on the track, or in life in general. maybe the future holds better things for him, but for now him being a part of that meet made it a little more special for me, not because of him being henry rono, ex world record holder, but henry rono ex homeless man. albert

  3. Anonymous - March 28, 2009

    What has ‘a good deal for masters’ got to do with this story?
    Did other entrants pay for Henry Rono or was it funded in another way?

  4. wain b. - March 28, 2009

    whole meet was great but I attended on Friday to see JOAN BENOIT who is my favorite female athlete in any sport .She was the star and gave a great performance . Some day I hope CARL LEWIS comes and he should have his expenses paid.

  5. Anonoymous - March 28, 2009

    Someone started a program early this year centered around helping masters but was attacked by this website. It has since made required changes and is still up and running trying to get participants.

  6. Sid Howard - March 29, 2009

    I spoke to Henry Rono and told Him how proud I’m of what He have accomplished as a athlete and a Man. I told Him he don’t have to ever run again to prove anything to anyone. I just hope you continue to support the masters program with your name. I also spoke to Joanie Samuelson and thank Her for coming and giving our meet a lot of publicity.

  7. Tom Hartshorne - March 31, 2009

    There are many ways to get publicity for Masters Track and Field. It simply requires a sympathetic journalist and a publication that is truly interested in health and human endeavors to lead a better life. Why not a feature on the great Earl Fee – his performances placed on an age-graded scale and highlighting some of his concepts for cross training and maintaining muscle mass and flexibility with age.
    Paying to bring in a featured athlete is not such a big issue. Promotion brings much needed attention to the sport and draws other would be masters athletes into the forum. All good. But paying to bring in past olympians is a focus that is toward the past. I would rather see a focus on the present and reward athletes at these meets who excell in the age-graded standards. There could be monetary awards or gift certificates 1st – 3rd, male and female, for best age-graded sprint performance followed in the subsequent nationals by awards for best age-graded field event performance followed by best age-graded middle distance race performance. Another year the awards could be given in the club relays. I think this use of cash would bring a lot of excitement among masters “regulars” who support theses meets by their participation year after year.

  8. David U - March 31, 2009

    Is Henry still proclaiming his assault on the world record for the mile?
    Looks like he’s have better luck at the world hot dog eating contest.

  9. Michael Daniels - April 1, 2009

    Hello Tom
    Have you looked at the concept put out by http://www.masterstrackchallenge.com It addresses the issue by awarding accomplishments for all events. The athletes just have to mail the meet results to the program as listed. Plus a free program call “Top Pro” is also available.

  10. Jay Jacob Wind - April 2, 2009

    In answer to questions, Bob Weiner and I split the cost of Joan Benoit Samuelson’s and Henry Rono’s appearance money — $2500 for Joan and $500 for Henry. Bob covered their hotel and airfares, and he also covered John Tuttle’s and Phillipa Raschker’s hotel and airfares, out of accumulated points on his affinity cards.
    Why whould we do such a thing?
    For the good of the sport, and for the good of the meet. We have our stars. Growing up, I adored Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris. In 1962, my uncle Jack Dempsey (yes, THAT Jack Dempsey) came to Chicago and got box seats for my father and me, right behind the Yankees dugout at Comiskey Park. After batting practice, Mantle and Maris came over to greet Dempsey and signed my program. I was starstruck then, and I am today. I’ve met Michael Johnson multiple times, I directed the mile race at the Mobil Invitational where Steve Scott set the American masters mile record, I ran behind Jim Ryun at one Mobil meet and behind Rod Dixon at another, I sat with Joan Benoit in the back of the auditorium at the Chicago Marathon in 1982 and relived that moment with her last Saturday, and I looked forward eagerly to watch current stars like Kathryn Martin and Earl Fee shine brilliantly at the meet at Landover.
    To get visibility for our niche sport — Masters Track — we need Heroes and American Idols. I reached deep into my pockets, and Bob reach deep into his, to make the 2009 USA Masters Indoor Track and Field Championship a beautiful jewel.
    And a jewel it was, thanks to almost a thousand athletes and hundreds of volunteers and officials.
    I regret that the timing did not achieve the level of excellence we sought for the meet. I deeply apologize for lost data, and I assure you that meet director Craig Chasse and chief timer Jules Lucas are working to recover lost data so that we can certify national and world records.
    Those of you who know me, you know me as a problem solver. During my hours at the meet Friday and Saturday, I moved from station to station, assuring that each station was going smoothly. I personally timed and counted laps for the W50-54 3000m, and thus I was able to sort out a dispute re who ran 15 laps and who ran 16. I learned yesterday that other cases occurred of miscounted laps. I was not aware of those problems during them meet; else I would have positioned myself at the finish line with my personal set of lap counts, which were out in my car. Nor I was not aware of the timing system faults, else I would have gone up to the timing booth and solved whatever problems were occurring.
    As Warren Beatty (another Arlingtonian) said, “I will strive to be better.” The goal was a perfect meet. Correct timing is crucial to a perfect meet. As secretary of the meet, I apologize for our failure to deliver perfect timing.
    There are no mysteries here. If you have any questions, you may contact me at 703-505-3567 or racedirector@att.net, or you may leave a message for meet director Craig Chasse at 703-481-3530.
    Thank you
    Jay Jacob Wind

  11. Ken Stone - April 3, 2009

    Thanks, Jay!
    I’ve added some comments on this matter here:
    http://masterstrack.com/blog/005511.html

  12. an - August 21, 2009

    You must be a young person with no respect for what Rono accomplished.

  13. mark williamson - April 8, 2012

    I think the idea was sound to bring Rono. More importantly masters track is a different animal than open track where lots of athltes are flown to all the meets. There are lots of good athletes who did not go to the Olympics. It does not make a masters athlete any less for what it takes to be an athlete at 50, 60, etc…Most of the young athletes had the right conditions and opportunities. What an olympian does is history and its also the past. To ask past olympians or world record holders is good for the sport. Here is the kicker… make them meet a financial need standard. If they love it they will come. If not the money is thrown away like a field of dreams. I live in the reality thanks. Put people who are doing well on the advertisment. They earned it. How many spectators come? I’m not going to answer that. I have been to enough meets. Finally, give Rono a break he was sick and still ran.

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