Check-in confusion at Oshkosh? Here’s the latest poop

Several athletes and meet officials have been exchanging email on a simple question: If your running event at Oshkosh goes straight to final, do you have to check in the day before for a phantom prelim? What followed wasn’t so simple. Someone wrote to assistant meet director Jason Fast, and he punted the query to Sandy Pashkin of the Games Committee. Jason wrote: “Sandy told me that they would have to declare on the prelim day in order to participate in the finals. Who has the final say here?” Later, national masters chairman Gary Snyder (also on the Games Committee) wrote: “Athletes are only required to declare at least one hour prior to their event, not the day before.” So that’s where it stands now. Here’s the schedule. 


This mainly affects entrants in Thursday’s 400 and 800 heats. 

The Status of Entries show small fields in some age groups (but be aware that Status of Entries pages don’t show foreign entrants, such as Canadians. So field sizes may be bigger):

1:00 800m   M60  first round
1:10 800m M55 first round
1:20 800m M50 first round
1:30 800m M49 first round (me: not sure what this is about!)
1:40 800m M40 first round
2:15 400m W45 first round
2:20 400m M65 first round
2:30 400m M60 first round
2:40 400m M55 first round
2:50 400m M50 first round
3:00 400m M45 first round
3:10 400m M40 first round
3:20 400m M35 first round
It would be nice if heat sheets (and the whole meet program) were posted ASAP — giving athletes a clearer idea on when their event is. Landover nationals did it in March.

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June 30, 2009

19 Responses

  1. simpson - June 30, 2009

    kind of off topic..
    but there always seems to be a Canadian ringer or two that show up out of nowhere that aren’t listed on the status of entries site which messes up my thinking of how many heats there will be…
    not that it actually really matters but I like to know ahead of time in my mind…I know..another quirky sprinter : )

  2. peter taylor - July 1, 2009

    Good point, John. We have had outstanding Canadian performers every year in this meet, and yet they are not listed as entrants on the Internet. This year, among others, we have The Great Earl Fee and the brilliant Karla DelGrande. I only know this from my sources, not from the Internet, of course.
    For different reasons from yours as a competitor I would like to know who is coming from Canada, Mexico, Antigua, Uruguay, etc. And the larger question must be raised: Are athletes such as The Great Earl, Karla, etc., actually in the meet? They don’t win our championships, and in 2008 (for the first time) they were not listed in National Masters News in the results. In many ways they are phantoms (and yet they are great people, they are real people, and, personally, I have enjoyed knowing them).
    When I see these Canadians out in front I always call them the leaders, and I even go so far as to say that they won the race (both Earl and Karla win almost all their races). But are they really only mirages? If they are not “regular entrants” and they don’t make the results in NMN, were they even there? This has been a tough issue for me as an announcer. My solution has been to say something like “And Earl Fee wins it, and now Edward Rockefeller takes first U.S..”

  3. simpson - July 1, 2009

    Peter…every competitor I’ve met from other countries have been nothing but class….even the 3rd World Canadians…LOL..just a joke..bring ’em all on!! see you next week!

  4. peter taylor - July 1, 2009

    Predicted weather for the first two days of our meet in Oshkosh:
    Thursday: 67 to 83, sunny.
    Friday: 68 to 81, sunny.
    Not too bad. I would like it a little cooler, but I think I can tolerate it. Remember, also, that in Florida (Clermont), where we were supposed to go, even when the temperature is only 90 you suffer terribly, as the semitropical sun is so hot and the humidity is high. After two hours in the sun down there you’re crying for your mother (I’m speaking for myself).

  5. Kenneth Effler - July 1, 2009

    In past years the non USA competitors seem to get added to the entry list at the last possible moment (if at all), so you never know until a day or two before the meet, how many folks are in your event. I’d think they’d have to follow the same entry deadlines as USA competitors.

  6. Gary Dixon - July 1, 2009

    Here’s a Florida weather update Peter: torrents of rain this week and probably next week as well.Extremely high humidity, so spectators (if the meet was in Cleremont) would be sitting in feels like temps of over 105, with a high expectation of getting moldy and or sunburned. (Cleremont still has no shade) This Floridian is looking forward to cool competition temps in the land of cheese.I’m delighted the site was changed.
    G Dixon
    M51 penthlon/jav
    Sarasota, Fl

  7. simpson - July 1, 2009

    sitting? they’d be fighting for 20 yards of bleachers 3 row high…

  8. Ken Stone - July 1, 2009

    Jason Fast writes:
    Declarations will only have to be made for the following events: 800m, 400m, 200m, 100m, 100m hurdles, 110m Hurdles, 80m Hurdles, 200m Hurdles, 300m Hurdles and 400m Hurdles. These declarations must be made no later than 2 hours before the first event of that race is scheduled to begin.(ie The Men’s 60-64 800 meter run goes at 1pm so ALL 800 meter athletes must declare by 11am.) After an athlete declares they must then check in with the clerk no sooner than 1 hour before there event is scheduled to compete. If your event doesnt require you to declare then all you have to do is check in at the clerks tent located on the Oshkosh B’ Gosh Warm up track at the time previously mentioned. All athletes must be checked in by 10 minutes before the start of their event as that is the time they will be ushered to their start line.

  9. Scott Meier - July 1, 2009

    OK. This will be my first National meet, and after reading this, now I’m confused. What exactly does “declare” mean? I’m running the 100 & 200, so apparently this affects me. What is it that I am supposed to be doing prior to my races at this meet? Thanks for the help!
    Scott

  10. peter taylor - July 1, 2009

    Well, Scott, “declare” is shorthand for “declare your intention to run,” or something similar. It is frequently done with a pencil — you would put a check next to or circle the name Scott Meier on a list (or a clerk would make a notation next to your name).
    I’m much more concerned about the use of “ALL” with reference to the 800. Most of the women are not going to have trials in the 800, and thus I assume they can wait until Saturday to declare. Someone tell me if I am wrong, as this is a key issue.

  11. Rick Riddle - July 1, 2009

    I don’t dislike Florida. Fact of the matter, I like it for a plethora of reasons. But when I learned Clermont would host nationals I couldn’t believe it. I have raced there several times and have summer experience with that facility.
    It is not in any manner a suitable host for a summer national championships, and I appreciate that they conceded the point. I also appreciate UW-Oshkosh picking up the dropped baton.
    It is a blessing to be our chronological age, while married to a younger spirit age, that causes us to show up in Wisconsin, converging upon our own ‘field of dreams’ with Peter Taylor holding a microphone and elite athletes showing an obese older American culture what is possible with a correct attitude about aging. I appreciate the young of America, represented by Jason Fast, honing their organizational expertise by working a meet designed to honor the athleticism of the masters representative. This is the legacy we pass on to a younger generation, experience combined with appreciation for their sincere effort. Courtland Gray once told me that showing up at the start line is a victory for any of us, and I have since that time accepted the wisdom of my elder.
    We have a purpose as masters athletes, to pass on an an attitude of willingness to accept our circumstance with grace, and improve the same circumstance at every opportunity. On to our ‘field of dreams’ in Oshkosh, with smiles and appreciation for everyone that has helped make it possible.

  12. Mellow Johnny - July 1, 2009

    81 on Friday sounds like a day in the arctic relative to what Clermont would have been. Beggers can’t be choosers and I’m good with it. Can’t ask for much better in Wisconsin in mid-July. If that holds true, will be much nicer than Spokane last year…90 or above and humid for the steeple wasn’t fun.

  13. simpson - July 1, 2009

    so if we have to declare no later than two hours before scheduled event then that means the folks who are to run at 7:30 am have to be there at 5:30 am? WOW

  14. Jason - July 1, 2009

    scratch that last post by Ken. ALL events will have to declare at least an hour out. Field events declare at their event area. I talked to Jim Flanik and this is how it is done at Worlds so I believe this is what will be best for the athletes. Especially those competing at worlds. That being said we will have a short declaration period Wed July 8th at the stadium for the 5k runners only to give them an option if they dont want to be there and declare by 6:30am the next day. Times to come soon. stay tuned to the USATF Masters website and this blog for corrections.

  15. simpson - July 1, 2009

    Scott:
    In the past we’ve been able to declare the night or day before the scheduled event. Don’t sweat it, you’ll catch on real quick…just don’t miss declaration or check in..

  16. simpson - July 1, 2009

    dangit Ken!!…JK…LOL

  17. Scott Meier - July 1, 2009

    Thanks everyone for the help in clarifying. And keep up the good work, Jason. I’ll keep checking the USATF web site. I’m looking forward to the meet.

  18. G Dixon - July 1, 2009

    Anything different about the pentathlon check-ins?

  19. Ken Stone - July 2, 2009

    Latest info:
    http://masterstrack.com/blog/005745.html

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