Lonnie Hooker isn’t 6.92 fast, but still a force in masters sprints

Lonnie in the lead.

Lonnie is usually in the lead.

Several weeks ago, when a 60-meter time of 6.92 was reported for M50 Lonnie Hooker, people took notice. Yowza, a world record! Crushed Val Barnwell’s WR of 7.13 from Landover (the same site as Lonnie’s run)! Commenters noted this, too. Why no attention? So I wrote Lonnie, and alas: “The 6.92 is hand-timed,” he replied. “The meet posted the time; I did not.” But Lonnie has run 7.20 in recent years. He’s also a 2011 world medalist (bronze in the M45 100) and a Penn Relays M50 champ. So I asked for an interview and he graciously consented. His goal this season: “I plan to go to nationals, and if possible worlds. Would love to run a 4×100 with Allan Tissenbaum and others with the hopes of setting a world record at worlds.”

Lonnie didn't run a 6.92 for 60, but he's certainly among top M50 sprinters.

Lonnie didn’t run a 6.92 for 60, but he’s certainly among top M50 sprinters.

So here’s my quickie Q&A with Laurence “Lonnie” Hooker:

Masterstrack.com: What are your all-time sprint PRs from younger days?
 
Lonnie Hooker: 55M – 6.32 (college)
 
60m – 7.20  
 
100M – 10.5 (high school and college)  10.98 (masters)
 
200m – 20.8 (college)  22.4 (high school)  22.4 (masters)

Where did you compete as a youth — schools, clubs, etc. you represented?
 
I never competed in organized track and field until I was a senior in high school in Mystic, CT. (State champ two years in a row. I purposely repeated the 12th grade in hopes of getting a college scholarship and thanks to God, I did). 

Lonnie stays in fighting shape with son Andrew.

Lonnie stays in fighting shape with son Andrew.

What do you do for a living, and where do you live?
 
I am a Logistics Project Manager at the Pentagon.  I live in Upper Marlboro, MD, just outside Washington, D.C.  I gew up in D.C.

What are your competition plans this year? Nationals or worlds?
 
I plan to go to Nationals, and if possible worlds.  Would love to run a 4×100 with Allan Tissenbaum and others with the hopes of setting a world record at worlds.

What are your training secrets?
 
My training secrets are God, my family, and I.T.S. (Independent Training Specialist) which consists of my GREAT coach George Harris and teammates (Karl Smith, Clifton Quarrie, Lloyd Jeremiah, Adrian Harris, Jeremy Roberts, James Barr, John Brittain, Koura Gibson, Wanda Robinson, Wanda Evans, Ericka Davis, Negasi Gerima , Richard Hill, Rip Brown,  Mary, and Tia, with visits from Oscar Peyton). 

I have to mention all the masters track athletes; the support I get is unbelievable. Special thanks has to go to Tony DiSalvo, Karl Smith and Clifton Quarrie. They took me under their wing before I ever won a race and have supported me in ways you cannot imagine. 

Please know there are many other masters althletes that have gone out of their way to help me. Ken, I am very blessed to have a great indoor and outdoor facility to train, plus a coach, and you can’t help but have success if you have train with Karl Smith, Clifton Quarrie, Adrian Harrison, Lloyd Jeremiah, and others. 

But I must say that all those athletes that train alone and in harsh elements really deserve more credit than I do.

What does USATF need to do to better support masters athletes?
 
USATF can support us by featuring us in major meets.
 
They can up their financial support.
 
More PR and advertising.  It’s estremely hard to do what we do at our age. How many former elite track and field athletes can or do still compete? There is a huge market with considerable income that is not being tapped into.
 
Assist us with getting sponsorships
 
They can even have some elite masters (if there is such a thing) and the true elite stars of USATF partner up in various ways; doing charitable races/relays for breast cancer (and other charities), or elite USATF being a mentor to a master athlete for a season, etc.

Then Lonnie courageously added:
 
Ken,  I would like to mention that I have psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in hopes of bringing awareness to these two causes and hope it inspires others with either of these diseases to compete and get healthy. 

I started competing because when I developed psoriatic arthritis I could barely walk and move. So on New Year’s the following year, I was blessed to be able to move and walk, so that’s when I decided to run track after 20 years from my last college meet.

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February 11, 2015

19 Responses

  1. Ed Winslow - February 12, 2015

    Lonnie is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet in Master’s Track & Field. A true class act.

  2. Peter L. Taylor - February 12, 2015

    Echoing Ed Winslow, Lonnie is a very congenial guy, never says he’s better than you, but is almost always first at the end. He essentially owns the Penn Relays in the masters 100 (I can’t even guess how many times he’s won the gold there).

  3. James Chinn - February 12, 2015

    Could not agree more with Ed & Peter.

  4. Sully - February 12, 2015

    Mr. Hooker …..Always a class act …..beaten by him many times and always kind words. See you at outdoor nationals Lonnie. I still think you could run a great 400 …!!!!
    Sully

  5. Roger Pierce - February 12, 2015

    Lonnie is the ultimate masters sprinter and team mate. Fast, honest and ethical.He is indeed a class act and I sincerely hope he wins the Nationals AND THE WORLDS this year and sets a a WorldRecord with Allen in the Nationals or the Worlds. Gop Lonnie Gooooo.

  6. allan tissenbaum - February 12, 2015

    Lonnie, written words can never express the what a fantastic person you are and what a joy it is to call you my brother, I would like nothing more than running that relay with you this summer, being healthy will be the key.

  7. Don Drummond - February 12, 2015

    CLASS ACT!!!!God Speed my Friend.

  8. Johhny Speed - February 12, 2015

    Nicest person on and off the track, Class Act!!!

  9. Marcus battle - February 13, 2015

    Lonnie is 6.90 fast,Watch

  10. Craig Davis - February 13, 2015

    Awesome – article. Lonnie aka “Class Act” WithGodsSpeed

  11. Martha Mendenhall - February 13, 2015

    Mr. Hooker…I hope to see you run this summer with our AWESOME USA Masters!! You are ALL in each other’s good company.

  12. Derek Guirand - February 13, 2015

    I had the pleasure of being completely blown away on the track by Mr. Hooker (who is one age category above me). After not being on the track in more than 20 years, he is my inspiration. Great competitor, great form, great athlete, and very nice man. It was great to see him run (but maybe not so much from behind…).

  13. Lynn Mallory - February 14, 2015

    When I first got back into running six years ago after 20 plus years away from the track, Lonnie gave me helpful advise on running as a masters runner. Always a positive guy, very nice person and a World Class Athlete.

  14. Francois Boda - February 14, 2015

    A true champion on and off the track.

  15. Wanda E - February 18, 2015

    Lonnie
    you are definitely a positive force on our our team. Always a kind and encouraging word. Thank you for representing our team so well.
    ITS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  16. Gale Glowitz Campbell - June 4, 2015

    Lonnie, I am so thankful Oscar introduced me to you last August at the Maryland Games. You have been so kind and thoughtful, always encouraging me in at our track meets. I especially appreciate how you give thanks to God and your teammates. You have a great group of athletes on your team. I’m honored to compete at meets with you and all your colleagues.

  17. Ted Peterson. - July 4, 2015

    Met Lonnie at nationals last year, was very kind, made me feel very welcome (I hadn’t run competitively in 6 years) very cool brotherhood of sprinters. Loved it. I’ll see you in Jacksonville!
    I’ll have the best view of you crossing the finish line;)

  18. KARL "FAST PAWS" MOORE - August 15, 2015

    DEAR MR.HOOKER,
    SORRY I MISSED YOU AT JAX FL 🙂
    PLEASE CONTACT ME WHEN WE CAN HAVE A RACE BETWEEN 30 – 60 METERS 🙂 MY TIMES ARE 3.65 – 6.6 SEC FOR SUCH RACES 🙂 I AM REAL AND I WILL HAVE A NEW RUN VIDEO THIS WEEK ON FACEBOOK 🙂 LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE TO RACE !
    SINCERELY,
    “FAST PAWS”

  19. Kenny Ricks - May 1, 2018

    Call me 770 616 0636. Wilbur cross..Scsu

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