M50 sprinter/hurdler/jumper David Ortman would make a great president. Unfortunately, his politics are a little too green for most. A former Friends of the Earth honcho, he ran for public office in 1997, drawing some enthusaistic endorsements and nearly 140,000 votes for a seat on the Seattle Port Commision. But he couldn’t clear the hurdle of an entrenched incumbent, losing 40 percent to 60 percent. No matter. He’s first in masters hearts — and an inspiration to rehabbing souls everywhere. His Carolina experiences would make a great campaign video.

Born in Connecticut, Ortman grew up in South Dakota and attended college in Kansas. His high school bests were unexceptional — 10.6 for 100 yards, 24.2 (220), 52.3 (440), 2:17 (880) and 15.0 (120 highs). He high jumped 5-8 and long jumped 21-7. At Bethel College, his best marks were 50.2 (440), 15.0 (120 HH) and 54.6 (440H).
But as a master, he’s been reborn: 11.76 (100), 23.42 (200), 52.9 (400), 57.2 (400H) and 5-10 in high jump. Between 1992 and 1996, David medaled 28 times in nine different events at regional, national or world regional masters championships.
As I once wrote about him: “David is an inspiration because he violates the webmaster’s First Axiom of Masters Track: If you’re mediocre when you leave track, you’re mediocre when you return. In high school and college, David’s marks were pretty unremarkable. But as a masters athlete, he’s one of the kings.”
A former columnist for National Masters News and one of the first to do world masters rankings online, Ortman weathered tropical storm and his own injury-prone body at worlds.
Dave’s story:
Little did I know that — in addition to battling a groin strain (sorry, no picture), and a few other “hurdles” along the way — I would have to take on Tropical Storm Claudette at the XV World Masters Athletes Championship in
Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Leaving Seattle for San Juan, Puerto Rico, on an overnight flight was just the start of the adventure. A nonemergency seat that did not recline, and with no pillows or blankets, I was forced to cover myself in newspapers to keep warm. But on July 3, I did make it into San Juan, where it was warm enough.

Flying into San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Next stop was the Hotel El Portal, where I was informed that my hotel
reservation had been canceled because I had not shown up two days
previously. I was also told my roommate’s reservation had been canceled as
well (during which time my “nonexistent” roommate made a phone deposit at
the front desk). As a result, it took several hours before this could be
straightened out and I did not get out to the Roberto Clemente Sports
Complex until the next day, July 4. At least I found it. Most athletes
trying to find the main track stadium on their own wound up at the Roberto
Clemente baseball stadium. Or the other Roberto Clemente baseball stadium.
Funny, I didn’t know that Roberto Clemente ran track and field.

Roberto Clemente Sports Complex
I tried to jog a few laps, but it was clear that running the 400m Hurdles
was out of the question. So I watched as my buddy Russell Jacquet Acea from Seattle qualified for the finals in one heat, the day after he took
second in the M50 decathlon.

Russell Jacquet Acea (US) Lane 3 (64.84), Tony Wells (GB) Lane 7 (64.68).
Another heat of the M50 400 hurdles:

Steve Kemp (US) (64.06), Brian Berquist (CAN) (65.53) second.
And yet another heat of the M50 400 hurdles

Albert Meirer (SWI) Lane 4 (62.48), Bill Cheadle (US) Lane 5 (62.61), Robert Stevenson (GB) 62.34 Lane 7.
The next day (July 5), I was still sore as I watched the finals of the M50 400 hurdles. Sigh!

M50 400m Hurdles Finals: Robert Stevenson (GB) Lane 4 (59.81), Steve Kemp (US) Lane 5 (61.13), Bill Cheadle (US) Lane 1 (61.71), Albert Meier (SWI) Lane 6 (62.38), Brian Berquist (CAN) Lane 3 (65.36).
Of course, many athletes did compete while injured, including Stephen
Robbins (US) who later that afternoon run a tough M60 100m with a torn
rotor cuff.

Paul Edens (US) Lane 4 (12.28), Stephen Robbins (US) Lane 5 (12.30), Ernesto Gonzalez (PR) Lane 3 (12.43), Jorma Manninen (FIN) Lane 1 (12.69).
A similar close finish occurred in the M55 100:

Vladimir Vybostok (SLOV) Lane 5 (11.77), Charles Allie (US) Lane 4 (11.81), Wilfredo Picorelli (PR) (12.17), Franz Hohl (AUSTRIA) (12.20), Charles Cilla (FRA) (12.21), Roger Pierce (US) Lane 7 (12.31), Robert Frazer (GB) (12.43)
On Sunday, July 6, I had some choices to make. I could try and high jump
late Sunday afternoon in Sixto Escobar Stadium, home of the world’s first
eight-foot high jump (Javier Sotomayor, Cuba) (and hope my groin didn’t groan). I could wait until Tuesday and try the long jump. Or I could wait until Wednesday and see if I could manage the 100m hurdles and/or the 400.
I decided to take my chances on the high jump and hope that Sotomayor was
good luck. What I had not planned on was Tropical Storm Claudette, which
was at that moment whizzing by Puerto Rico.
I was able to get fairly warmed up without aggravating the old groin strain. The M50 high jump was to begin at 5 pm. Just like clockwork, a nasty squall line whipped through the stadium just as the event was to begin. Stinging wind and lashing vertical rain turned the track and the high jump approach into a swimming pool. Thunder and lightning drove most of us under the stadium.

Sixto Escobar Stadium high jump area during a similar attack by Tropical Storm Claudette on Tuesday, July 8, around 3 p.m. during the finals of the 200 and right before the M50 long jump. Note blown over tent. Scoreboard says “Great time.”
OK. So now, thanks to Tropical Storm Claudette, the high jump area has
enough water for body surfing, it’s been nearly an hour since I warmed up,
and the winds are still gusting like an erratic wind tunnel. Sigh! I squint at the bar and take my first jump. Disaster. My approach is tentative (think squish, squish, squish). My steps are off. I jam my takeoff foot into the surface and attempt to launch. Abort! Abort! I slam into the bar, land in the pit and note with alarm that my left calf muscle has cramped and assumed the dimensions of a softball.

David E. Ortman missing first height and wiping out the rest of the meet. This will probably not make a VIOXX ad. Photo by Dr. Richard Watson.
Yikes! Limp, limp! Sigh! I stretch and rub and manage to eventually get over 1.60m. But the left foot does not want to jump anymore. Sigh! Result: Fourth place in M50 high jump, although first among the U.S. jumpers.
Even after icing, and a day off on Monday, my left calf was too sore to touch. Sigh! So Tuesday I watched the 200 finals in the afternoon when a second major squall came blasting in knocking out the timing devices during the M50.

M50 200 finals: Bill Collins has a comfortable lead over Ed Gonera.
By Wednesday, my calf was little improved. The only event I was capable of
competing in was synchronized stretching.

Mexico’s Mostly Synchronized Stretching Team
So back to Seattle to recover. My roommate Russell Anteronen (M55) from Minneapolis (who came with a sore Achilles and didn’t get further than the
first round of the 100) had the right T-shirt:

Masters Track Motto
Congratulations to all those who participated. Thanks to the officials for putting in those long hours. And boo on Tropical Storm Claudette.