Masters milers club emerges in New York City: déjà vu of origins

Conor O’Driscoll graciously shares this neat news: “Neil FitzGerald, world masters champion, has established a milers club in New York with the support of Jerry Macari’s Urban Athletics organization, and has organized three wonderful nights of miling at Van Cortlandt park track in New York City. Masters were all over the most recent meet, from inspirational advice offered at the meet commencement to newcomers by Sid Howard to gritty performances by regular masters competitors.” See the club’s website. Results from Friday are here. A Facebook page also has blossomed. BTW, this is a throwback to the origins of masters track in the mid 1960s, when David Pain organized “masters miles” in elite indoor events. It’s a wonder we haven’t seen milers clubs pop up all over. Good on you, Neil!

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September 12, 2011

3 Responses

  1. peter taylor - September 12, 2011

    Congratulations to Conor O’Driscoll (age 50) for turning in a very nice 4:43.72.

    Good to see Sid Howard’s wife, Asteria, checking in with a 7:27.16. Likewise for Sue Pearsall (age 45) for running 5:52.10.

    As for the man himself, Sid Howard, at least he managed to break 7:00 (6:59.85). As for his age, the results show Sid to be 75, but he was only 70 in 2009 when he set the US indoor mark in the 800 of 2:33.36. Howzat?

    Speaking of Sid, I will never forget the time many years ago at Haverford College (indoors) when he ran the mile in 4:53 and the timer tried to tell him that he had run 5:23 (virtually no FAT then). Sid wasn’t buying it, especially after going through 3/4 of a mile in 3:38.

    I don’t think Sid will buy the idea that he is 75 already. Otherwise, a nice report (I don’t know the other runners).

  2. peter taylor - September 12, 2011

    And I forgot to say that we gave Sid his money back at Haverford. He left the arena shortly after the mile, as the timer laughed at Sid and insisted he had run 5:23.

    Don’t ever laugh at masters milers after you have given them a time 30 seconds slower than their real time.

  3. Scott - September 12, 2011

    Nice concept, but might be the best kept secret in NY state. I ran WMA and Nats, talked to some of the NYC runners, live a few hours away, and would have loved to have competed in at least one of the meets. But this is the first I’ve heard of it. I’ll bookmark the web page in hopes they have the series again next year.

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