Aussie hot on the heels of Rich Burns and his M55 mile WR
Rich Burns is a runner who comes around once in a generation. Or maybe not. When Rich ran his 4:36.94 mile in June, he crushed a 33-year-old world record for M55. Good for another 33 years? Try six months. On July 31, about six weeks after Rich did a number on the WR, Sydney’s Keith Bateman clocked 4:37.30 at the masters mile at the Illawong Winter Series meet, an Australian record. See this club report. Our thanks to Simon Butler-White of New South Wales Masters Athletics, who shared the photos below taken by Andrew Atkinson-Howatt.
Keith Bateman gets set to start his watch at masters mile WR attempt July 31.
Rich’s reaction to Keith’s M55 mile shocker down under?
“I’m sure he will run faster in December when he takes his next shot,” Rich writes. “Keith seems like a real good guy.”
In fact, Keith and Rich have been corresponding by email, updating each other on their efforts — the top two M55 milers in history.
Keith, leading pack in July mile, will shoot again for a WR in December.
Now a quickie poll:
One Response
Ron Robertson’s 4:12.5 1500 is about 714 points on the IAAF scoring tables 4:32.37-.47 Mile equivalent.
This shows 4:32.7 http://www.cs.uml.edu/~phoffman/ex1old.html
In a few years the 1500 mens 50 1500 WR should fall a couple of seconds, and a runner who can go say 4:02 at age 50 may go 4:10 (4:29-30 mile)or faster at age 55.
The next 12 years will see that record reset a few times at least by a few 55+ runners. It is not hard to imagine a Pete Magill running 4:29 in about 5 years, or a Tony Young going even faster a couple of years later, perhaps in a dozen years from now a 4:26 by talented runners such as Sorensen or even other foreign athletes. 4:25.15 is currently 100% on age graded calculator.
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