A month ago, I wrote about an American set to compete in the Asian Masters Athletics WMA regional meet in Japan. M65 steeplechaser Dennis Scott lives in the Philippines. [But I linked to the wrong Dennis Scott in mastersrankings.com. Sorry.] Also contrary to my posts, Dennis competed after all — albeit hobbled by injury. Dennis posted a detailed comment, saying: “The reason you didn’t see the steeple results is that you were looking at the page listing only the Japanese runners. What was supposed to be the 18th AMA was changed by Japan into a joint venue to include the Japanese masters national championships. They created a huge delay in event start times because they brought in 1,944 athletes (every city team and track club), and not just in masters age 35+, but starting from 25+. Whereas you might normally expect 3 athletes from one country in an event, the Japanese flooded almost everything with their people. In one of my events, the M65 1500m, there were 31 Japanese.” But his biggest revelation was about the atrocious officiating at the Japan meet, where one of his teammates (a long jumper and two-time Olympian) was injured after not being given a chance for warmup. See below.

Dennis continued, and added more details via email:

So about me. To answer the first question about how an American can compete in the AMA, it’s simple. I’m a permanent resident immigrant for almost 9 years in the Philippines. In Aug 10-11, 2013, I competed in a Masters Invitational Championships as a member of Team Cebu, taking 4 golds (5000m, 10,000m, 4×100 and 4×400 relays) and 1 silver medal (1500m). At that time their national association president invited me to run as a member of Team Philippines for 2014.

Dennis, shown at the AMA meet in Japan, has a 4:17 all-time best in the mile.

As for the 18th AMA held Sep 19-23, in Kitakami, Japan, I was entered in what was to be my main event, the 2000m steeplechase to be held on the 20th. I didn’t want to sit around and watch everyone else running for the remaining 3 days, and so I entered the 1500m for the 21st, and the 300m hurdles for the 22nd. First, let me say that I was never a 400m hurdler, but I figured that since at age groups 60+ they become the 300m hurdles 30 inches high (the same as the steeplechase) why not try it out?

To get to the result: On the 19th I was warming up on the practice track on grass and then did a few hurdles. On the last one, I was distracted by someone, stopped too quickly after clearing the hurdle, and rather than keeping my feet aligned, I stupidly turned my left foot out. It instantly pulled, strained, damaged or whatever. My left calf muscle rendering me virtually incapacitated and limping badly.

One of my teammates, who has the skills, worked on the leg into the night, and again the next morning. Then he oversaw and directed my warmup for me to try to compete. It was terrible and I was in pain for every step pushing off on the left leg. I did survive the steeplechase and took a disappointing 11th in 10:57.80, rather than a hoped for 9:00, or minimum 9:30. Then it was off to the medical treatment room for them to work on my leg more.

On the 21st, I was scheduled for the 1500m. When I put on my Brooks PR MD spikes and tried to jog 10m, it was obvious that it would be impossible for me to run with spikes, so I put my Nike Pegasus 29 trainers back on to run with those. It was the only way.

The left calf is still in the same pain and it takes some doing just to get some momentum going when they fire the starting gun. Everyone just runs away from me at the starting line and there is nothing I can do about it. But, I did manage to stay within about 30-40m of one runner once I had built up a little speed. I had gradually closed that to about 20m with 200m to go, and pushed as best I could ignoring the hurt and kicked it… beating the Japanese runner by 2 seconds. After, I learned that my time also beat 2 more of the Japanese in another heat. All heat times were final, and my meager result… only 7:02.64. Then it was back to the doctors and more taping and wrapping of my left leg.

Dennis, a retired Army investigator, moved to the Philippines nine years ago.

On the 22nd I was scheduled for the 300m hurdles. I’m thinking there is no way I can do this. I know I don’t want to try the hurdles without spikes and decide to go for it with the Brooks, whatever may happen. Obviously there is no way I can use starting blocks, and so I start in the allowed upright position.

I did try to take the first hurdle, almost crashed, miraculously kept my balance, and headed for the next one. I had already learned my lesson, and so, ran up to the second hurdle, stepped over without touching it (thankful for my long legs), and continued on in that fashion to the finish line. It was a ridiculously slow time of 1:36.44, but I weathered the storm, I gutted through the pain, and I finished all 3 of my events. AND I had a terrific experience cheering and supporting my teammates, making new friends, and much much more. Surprisingly, athleticsrankings.net lists me as #28 in the steeplechase, although top 5-10 would have been likely if healthy.

You can view my steeplechase photo at this link which is also the profile picture of my Facebook page. Since I mentioned other shoes, those in the SC pic are Adidas Arriba 4’s.

Where did I come from? you might ask. Livingston, NJ, High School track and cross country teams, graduating in 1966. Campbell College (now university), NC, track and cross country teams (team captain my junior and senior years) and competed in the NAIA national championships my senior year.

I also ran for the Winston-Salem Track Club training on the Wake Forest University track during the summers with a highlight of taking the gold medal in the Highland Games 2 mile in 1970. The club also got me into the steeplechase when the coaches saw me running high school high hurdles for fun.

I graduated, and then into the U.S. Army, where I also competed in Army track and field, and ran road races. Here in the Philippines, I also do road racing from 3k to 42k. My next is Oct. 19, for a 21k qualifying race (with required age group finishing times) to be allowed to compete in the national final in Manila on Dec 7. I already have my plane ticket to Manila for Dec 5

You mentioned about the 100-year-old from India [who claims to be 116]. I understand that he didn’t make it, but I did meet 80-year-old Bunji Sato who ran 23:54.33 in the 5000m, now world ranked #2 for the year only behind Ed Whitlock. There were a number of 95-year-olds such as the 8:07.09 in the 1500m; the 4.59m in the triple jump; and more.

[In answer to your questions], the biggest thing I had issue with was the negligence of meet officials for athlete safety, causing our two-time Olympian and national multirecord-holder with 15 SEA Games gold medals, Elma Muros Posadas, to rupture her Achilles at the long jump.  Her first attempt in her first event while I stood just 10 feet away worried, and then dismayed, that they made her jump with no warning that the W50 were finished and that the W45 were to start in the cold night air (11 Celsius) which is freezing for a Filipino from this tropical climate.  

She had asked officials to please alert the W45 so they could warm up before the W50 ended.  The officials just told her to “sit down.”  

Then later, some lady makes a jump, and they suddenly announce W45 and call Elma’s number.  Elma is pulling off her warmups and just throwing them across the other LJ runway to her carry bag. They called her number again to jump, and Elma only has time to bounce on her feet a couple of times and charge down the runway.  I’m at the takeoff board to watch her foot strike and realize something is wrong right away in her last strides and loss of speed as she goes into the pit without a “jump.”  She limps to us, in great pain, cuts away the tape on her right ankle, and it’s obvious something serious is wrong.  

I ask the officials for any medical attendant. There is none. I ask where (and understand that we are not at the main stadium, but at the practice track, outside and a short distance away), and they direct us to go to the main stadium to seek assistance. I ask for one of their little golf carts that they are riding around all the time, but they say there is none available. So only we can support and assist Elma the best we can while she hobbles over 500m to get medical help… and where they say she had ruptured her Achilles.  

I was so angry, but Elma is a stalwart and took it in stride as part of the risk in athletics, and even was able to smile while I knew she was in pain and surely had to be disappointed. Elma is a legend and sports icon in the Philippines, about whom they even made a movie. Such a tragedy for an athlete who was expected to take multiple gold medals. The reason the women had to do their long jump at night was because the JMA included their own national masters meet with the 18th AMA as I pointed out in my previous comment to your website, and that they included age groups starting at 25-29.

This all created more and more delay as the day went on, and finally requiring athletes such as the women’s long jump to be held at night.

It was also remarkable to us that it’s the rare Japanese who can speak English. They have people floating around wearing jackets emblazoned on the back with VOLUNTEER INTERPRETER, and that was who we had to deal with when Elma’s injury occurred as the officials ignored the whole matter.  

But throughout the days of competition, it became obvious that even a number of the English “Interpreters” had minimal English skills and frequently had difficulty understanding the simplest of queries.  Having said that: How do you think all the athletes from all the other countries communicated with each other?  Simple… in English, and if an athlete from a country couldn’t speak English, it was not a problem as his buddy would be able to do so.

I asked Dennis about his all-time track bests and how he came to live in the Philippines. His reply:

So where to start?  You mentioned about the 2014 USATF masters at Wake Forest. I saw the schedule, but I already had expenses incurred and more to spend for the trip to Japan, so there was no possibility to consider it for this year.  And yes, I saw the M65 2000m steeple results and thought how easy it might have been to take the silver if I was running healthy.  

The stadium with running track is still under construction in my city, and so I usually travel to another of two cities 3-5 hours away to train on the best available every month for 3-10 days at a time, staying at a hotel, and doing both morning and after workouts (one of which will be more difficult that they other).

You asked about my work and how I ended up in the Philippines. I mentioned before that I was retired U.S. Army, but to elaborate, I’m a retired supervisory special agent with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (what’s known as a CID agent if you’ve seen any of the movies with Army investigators such as John Travolta).
 
After retirement, I started my own company developing software for criminal justice and law enforcement agencies, and grew that into an investigative firm providing global services. When the top floor of the AmSouth bank building (housing my main offices encompassing the entire 6th floor) had a serious fire, damaged the elevator system beyond repair, caused the older building to be condemned, and resulted in all tenets being evicted — I decided it was time to retire for good at age 55 and enjoy my life.  

I had already seen all of the United States (48 of them anyway including Alaska and Hawaii), and looked about where else in the world I would enjoy.  I took my daughter on a two-week vacation to the Crimean Peninsula in southern Ukraine to check that out as I really love Kiev, the capital. Decided maybe not, and then started researching the Philippines although I had never been here.  

Fortunately all their laws are in English and so between studying for over a year, learning about the different parts of the country, economy, weather, real estate, and lots more, decided to come check it out. That was almost nine years ago and I’m still loving it.

As for current work: I run. That’s my work  🙂 and swim in the ocean, snorkeling, spearfishing, mountain climbing, and enjoying every day.

That and doing things with my wife and family. I will include a pic (with the mayor and police chief) from when we were the male and female champions in a 5k race last year. Some 300 participants, and who would have known that the elite university runners from either city 90 minutes in both directions wouldn’t show up. After the first 100m I was wondering “how can I be in the lead” and realized that the best didn’t come.  

In May 2013, Dennis encourages his rookie runner wife, Cha, at a 5K in Surigao City, about three hours from their home. “I registered to run next to her and pace her for it. She was 4th place for the women in 32:25 as I took her out slowly, but remarkably, her last 2Ks were 5:38 and 5:35. We had just passed the 2 men behind us with 100m to go and they were trying to pass us back to no avail,” he writes.

That made me more inspired, to include passing the race leading police vehicle and not looking back and going on to win the point A to point B straight flat highway race.  My wife is young, and I met her and all her family on a boat trip while here in the country.  

She has the understanding and skill in dealing with relationships like a 50-year-old psychologist. We have the occasional disagreement that is usually settled within 5-10 minutes, but never a fight, and she never raises her voice. A fantastic partner most men could only dream of ever finding. In the pic it shows her time as simply 26, but it was 26:21.  Not bad for a female runner with only 2 months training who had no prior running experience.  Her coaching helps too… haha 🙂

All-time bests? So very very far in the past and sometimes it’s a danger for me to imagine them as it will make me want to run harder/faster and risk a training injury, and I’ve had my share in the last 2 years including both Achilles on Dec 27, 2012, that took well over a year to properly heal during which time my sports medicine doc told me to keep training, and racing.  

Then the ITB micro tear (not ITBS) on the right knee on Jul 7, 2014. I thought my AMA, Japan, would be a wash, but my Doc told me I could get it healed in time, and he was right… and after all that, only to suffer the left calf injury the day before my steeplechase. LOL… such is life 🙂

So back to bests:

I never did a 1500m when I was younger, so that one is inconsequential.
1-mile:   4:17
2-mile:   9:3x  can’t remember exactly.
3000m SC:   10:03  (based on some of my flat track running, I should have been able to go sub-10, but never made it).  I think it might have been easier with a knowledgeable coach and the training techniques of today.
3-mile:   14:31
5-mile:   25:29
6-mile:   Can’t remember, but it was a little over 31:xx as I recall.  In some Army track meets, I ran the 3000m SC one night and then the 6-mile the next night.
10k:       31:47
10-mile: 53:xx as I recall.  I did a few of these and enjoyed the distance.
21k:      1:08:xx  on an easy route that I think would not meet current standards due to some elevation drop.
42k:      2:30:xx

We never had any “Race Predictor” software back in the late ’60s and ’70s, but it’s interesting to compare some of my bests from one distance to another. My 10k says I should be able to run 4:28 for a mile (too easy), as I still remember running interval miles on the track with only some minutes rest between each one and doing a 4:30, 4:31, and 4:35… and dreaming of the 13:36 three-mile if I could put that all together 🙂

Other items: Earlier in the year I wore a Kenya Olympic singlet in five races in five different cities.  Only one had a 60+ category and I did the other four in open competition, taking four top 10 finishes.  LOL. They started calling me the “White Kenyan.”  But since I became officially registered for Team Philippines in the 18th AMA in July this year, I have stopped wearing it for competition.

Most exciting race of the year: The Camiguin 64k relay with partner Arbelle Betia, a 37-year-old cancer survivor.  The race goes around the complete 64k circumference of the island province starting at 10pm, so obviously it’s running through the night.  

Arbelle led off the first 32k with me waiting at the midpoint along with the rest of the relay runners, and many fast and much younger than me. There are also solo 64k runners, and so many solo and relay runners come and go while I’m still waiting. Arbelle had some difficulties and finally arrives.  

I grab our relay team bracelet and take off into the dark, chasing down flashing lights runners have affixed to their running shoes.  When I would catch one, I would push until I could find more lights, sometimes singles, sometimes a few runners together, pass strongly and then look for the next target.  

We had a hired motorcycle with driver and 2 support members in case Arbelle or I needed water, etc.  We (and I) tried to keep track of how many runners I passed.  We lost count, but it was somewhere between 75-80 runners that I passed, and no one caught or passed me, and passing my last opponent 400m from the finish.  The result, 2nd place couples team, and 7th overall.  

The other five teams ahead were all with two men, and none of the female teams finished in the top 10.  

Even in my training runs, I love to chase down and pass other runners when I see someone 100m-200m up ahead. That love of catching runners left me excited to do it in the night, with the flashing feet or bobbing headlamps of runners up ahead to chase for 32k, which actually became 34.5k for the #2 runners as they changed the finish location on us. But the never ending race is another story. 🙂