In a November 2011 column for Running Times, Mike Tymn profiled Boston marathoner Barbara Broad, then 61, writing: “Barb Broad believes that her best times are still in front of her.” Barb said: “I just don’t think I have peaked yet; I really don’t.” On Day 2 of Boston nationals, we got another hint of her boundless potential. The Ohioan beat Marie Michelsohn’s listed W60 world record in the mile by 3 seconds, clocking the second sub-6 in history for her age group indoors. Wait. Second sub-6? Oh yeah. Kathy Martin won gold Saturday at the Reggie, setting yet another WR. But Kathy telegraphed her fitness for an indoor mile WR a half-dozen times in the past few years. (Duh! Kathy is the listed W60 WR holder in the outdoor mile with her 5:42.65.) But Barb is the revelation of Boston. And her presence made Kathy that much faster. Barb is well-known to the LDR set, but she appears less often on the track. In fact, Kathy and Barb were 1-2 in the USA 800 rankings last year, but didn’t meet — until Saturday. About time. Lots of other amazing records at nationals. Each deserves its own writeup, especially Texan Inocencio Cantu, whose M80 mile of 6:42.10 beat the listed WR of 6:48.02 by John Keston. Inocencio was an All-American at the University of Texas — in 1954.

Here’s the USATF release on Day 2 of Boston nationals:

BOSTON, Mass. – Twelve American records and three world records were broken on the second day of the USA Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center on the campus of Roxbury Community College.

Kathy Martin (Northport, N.Y.) was impressive as always, etching her name in the masters record books for her fourth world record and eighth American record. Martin won the W60 mile in 5:47.25, easily surpassing Marie Michelsohn’s previous world record of 6:02.49, set in 2003.

The runner-up in the W60 mile, Barbara Broad (Pepper Pike, Ohio), also transcended the existing world mark, crossing in 5:59.56.

The men’s mile was equally entertaining, as Inocencio Cantu (Richmond, Texas) broke the existing world record in the M80 mile, winning the national title in 6:42.10 and besting the previous time by more than six seconds.

In the women’s 4×800-meter relay for the W50-54 age group, the quartet of Kathleen Shook, Julie Hayden, Claudette Gronendaal and Lorraine Jasper shattered the existing world mark with a time of 10:24.90. The previous record of 10:32.67 was set by the Canadians in 2013.

Along with the world marks set Saturday, national records were set in nine additional events at the Reggie Lewis Center:

W35 60 Meters: Brandi Bernert (7.76)
W60 4×200-Meter Relay (Non-Club): Kathy Bergen, Jane Barnes, Jeanne Bowman, Brenda Matthews (2:18.09)
W65-74 Shot Put: Cindy Wyatt (9.20m/30-2.25)
W70 60 Meters: Kathy Bergen (9.74)
W75-84 Shot Put: Gloria Krug (7.58m/24-10.50) and Irene Obera (6.76m/22-2.25)
W80 60 Meters: Irene Obera (10.37)
M40 Super Weight: Mark Landa (11.52m/37-9/50)
M50-54 Long Jump: Howard Lindsay (6.35m/20-10)
M80 4×200-Meter Relay (Non-Club): William Jankovich, Charles Wimberley, Robert Culling, Alan Smith (2:49.39)

The meet concludes Sunday with action beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. A facility-record 920 competitors are competing in Boston, including many local stars. The meet, open to the public and free of charge, is at the Reggie Lewis Track, 1350 Tremont Street.

47 reigning world champions are competing in Boston, as well as in Hungary for the World Masters Indoor Championships. 140 athletes will represent the U.S. in Budapest, Hungary beginning Monday, March 24.

The Boston meet shows that age is no boundary to fitness and skill, and acts as a means of achieving lifetime fitness and health.

A detailed meet schedule may be found here and live results are available on USATF.org.

MEDIA: For questions or onsite athlete track interviews, contact Bob Weiner, National Masters Media Chair, cell 202-306-1200 or weinerpublic@comcast.net. Media should wear press organization credential and may obtain meet credential onsite from Bob.

Records Set at 2014 USA Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships
W35 60 Meters: Brandi Bernert (7.76)%
W40-44 Pentathlon: Erika Pierce (3,258 points)%
W50-54 4×800-Meter Relay: Kathleen Shook, Julie Hayden, Claudette Gronendaal, Lorraine Jasper (10:24.90)$%
W60 Mile: Kathy Martin (5:47.25)$% and Barbara Broad (5:59.56)$%
W60 4×200-Meter Relay (Non-Club): Kathy Bergen, Jane Barnes, Jeanne Bowman, Brenda Matthews (2:18.09)%
W65-74 Shot Put: Cindy Wyatt (9.20m/30-2.25)%
W70 60 Meters: Kathy Bergen (9.74)%
W75-84 Shot Put: Gloria Krug (7.58m/24-10.50)% and Irene Obera (6.76m/22-2.25)%
W80 60 Meters: Irene Obera (10.37)%
W80 400 Meters: Irene Obera (1:34.25)$%
M40 Super Weight: Mark Landa (11.52m/37-9/50)%
M50-54 Long Jump: Howard Lindsay (6.35m/20-10)%
M70-74 Weight Throw: Ed Burke (20.93m/68-8)$%
M80 Mile: Inocencio Cantu (6:42.10)$%
M80 Super Weight Throw: Wayne Sabin (9.01m/29-6.75)%
M80 4×200-Meter Relay (Non-Club): William Jankovich, Charles Wimberley, Robert Culling, Alan Smith (2:49.39)%
M80 Pentathlon: Robert Hewitt (4,349 points)$%