Masters 100 exhibitions at USA open nationals are in jeopardy
Last June, Duane Gosa upset Robert Thomas in the masters 400 exhibition at the USATF nationals in Eugene. It was one of the best showcase races ever contested at USA nationals. But this year, the masters men’s event — a 100-meter dash — is threatened with cancellation. So says world champ Robert himself. He’s now vice chair of the USATF Masters T&F Committee, and he wrote me today: “At this point we only have one guy signed up in the 100.” The masters women’s 100 is in worse shape. Nobody has entered. Deadline for entry is June 13, and event info is posted here. Men are supposed to be sub-11.40 and women sub-13.6. But if you’re on the bubble, I suggest you write to national invitational coordinator Mark Cleary ASAP. Maybe you’ll get to run in The Show at Des Moines. The masters exhibitions are back-to-back at 1:40 p.m. and 1:50 p.m. Saturday, June 26, at Drake University.
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Speaking of poor turn outs, with three weeks left to register on-time for the 2010 National Masters T&F Championships in Sacramento the Men’s 30-49 early registration for the 2010 National Masters Championships seems very low when I viewed it on USATF.ORG. Especially in the throws. Only two throwers from 30-49 have registered so far. Is this normal?
There are a few factors that make it hard to tell whether this is normal. (1) In the old days, entries were divided between mail (paper) and e-mail, but now it is almost all e-mail. Thus, it is hard to apply the old data to today (e-mail is so quick).
(2) As a rule, the younger the entry category the slower the entries come in, which one can presumably chalk up to three factors: (a) greater access to computers; (b) more familiarity with computers; and (c) a high percentage of people under 50 are employed and thus may not be sure whether they can make the meet.
These factors notwithstanding, I would hazard a guess that the current registration numbers that you are looking at are shockingly low. Last I looked, there was 1 man under the age of 50 in the 100 dash and a total of 2 men under 50 in the shotput.
Four years ago the comparable figures for “under- 50 men” (that would have been Charlotte 2006) would have been about 25 in the 100 and 20 in the shotput at this point (fairly crude guesses, but I watched the numbers pretty carefully in 2006). Thus, we can only hope that we are in an ENTIRELY NEW ERA in which people simply refuse to enter until they see the deadline growing close. That was certainly not the pattern in 2006.
Numbers seem very low. Expected more with the Worlds there next year not to mention the great facility.
I think two factors are hurting Sacto:
1) the heat & the fact that it does not appear any events will take place at night
2) Sacramento isn’t centrally located and the next two years it is (Ohio then Illinois) so my guess is some east coasters will just wait till then (especially with the economy and all)
Mellow Johnny, good to see you back at it. Numbers for under 50 years old are unbelievably bad this year, but my log for 2006 (Charlotte) indicates that we are not struggling too much for 50+. If we can come up with a kick of the sort that you like to put on in the steeplechase we should be in decent shape.
Remember, Mellow Johnny, only two states in the history of the masters progam have drawn more than 1400 for an outdoor nationals: Oregon and California. There is a lesson in there somewhere.
The few exhibition races that I have watched were well received, especially the races of the older athletes. As I wrote once before, at the Penn Relays a few years ago the crowd went wild when the 70+men raced. It didn’t matter how fast they were. The crowd just seemed to be excited that these guys were still out there. Maybe the standards should be lowered just to get racers to participate. The super stars who can achieve those results may not be ready to race at the levels expected, but I bet there are lots of guys and gals who would love the opportunity to compete.
Good points as always, PT, and thanks for the nice compliment on my kick 🙂
There is a lesson in there, no doubt. I certainly see Hayward drawing more than 1400. Where was the meet in Cali that drew that many?
Also, what was the time period that masters track was thriving the most? Seems that it’s certainly not taking place as I write this :/
Thank you, Mellow Johnny. As we bear down on the close of regular entries (June 25, or two weeks from this coming Friday), I must point out a statistic that I can only call amazing. To date, we have a total of 1 entrant in the 100-m dash among men 49 and under. In 2006 in Charlotte, the last national outdoors with a good turnout, we had 103 men in the 100 dash who were under 50 (from the pre-entrant list, does not include Canadians).
In other words, Mellow Johnny, where we had 103 in 2006 we have 1 in 2010. Of course, that is comparing a final total with our current running total, but the comparison is unsettling. There is no doubt in my mind that many of the 103 (but almost certainly not half) had entered by this point in 2006. But yet my current sources tell me that Sacramento will draw. I can only conclude that people are simply unwilling to enter early this year (except those aged 50 and over). Interesting.
In terms of the golden age for masters T&F, in retrospect we can see it was 1989 through 2000. In 1989, San Diego drew about 1450. In that year the worlds were in Eugene, and several hundred “foreigners” stopped in San Diego before going up the coast to the worlds.
On the other hand, Mellow Johnny, think of how many hundreds of US citizens must have said to themselves, “San Diego for the nationals or Eugene for the worlds? It’s Hayward Field, baby.” That must have cost San Diego a huge number of entrants, as no doubt many people could not go to both. Impossible to call, but I will call it a wash.
In 1994 we easily broke 1400 at our outdoor nationals (Eugene), and in 2000 we set our record of 1503 (Eugene). From 2001 through 2009, of the nine outdoors only one drew more than 1225 entrants, and that was Charlotte in 2006 (1367). Extremely disappointing, to say the least. I thought that Sacramento would slap us out of the doldrums, but it looks like I was wrong.
One other thing, Mellow Johnny. As a high school teacher, you know how important it is to adjust for growth in population. Totals over 1400 were fairly hard to reach in earlier years, as the US population (and thus the population 30+) was much smaller.
This population growth (from 246.8 million in 1989 to 309.4 million currently), combined with the great efforts of Randy Sturgeon at NMN (and his predecessors), Ken Stone, Bob Weiner, Mark Cleary, Carmel Papworth-Barnum, Pete Magill, and others to publicize our sport, the omnipresence of the Internet, etc., etc., would make it seem trivial to break 1400 entrants in 2010. And yet that does not seem to be the case. Puzzling, Mellow Johnny.
Don’t depair yet Pete. You can count on 1200 plus for sure. The bigger teams are waiting until late in the entry period– You will see the Teams that finised in the top 5 last year entering most of there athletes in about the last 4 days before the close of ontime entry. You guys forget that the teams are driving the numbers and I am confident that you should see close to 500 athletes just from California Team & unattached.I know it remains to be seen, but with Worlds being held on the same Track July of 2011 athletes would be foolish ( if they are serious about the Worlds not to be at this meet.Keep your chin up fellas!
Mark, I think you are right, and yet I am beginning to feel uncertain. Let me take another look at the entry list (it’s just past 4:00 in the East on Saturday). Yikes, under age 50 in the 100 dash we have 1 man and no women, as in zero.
Not exactly a confidence builder, but I think we will indeed have over 1200, as you say. Have pretty much given up on 1400, however, a level I originally thought we would reach (and, to be frank, one we should reach every year given the growth in the population, publicity given masters T&F, etc.).
Will follow this one closely all the way to the wire.
“Watch for me by moonlight, I’ll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way.” The Highwayman will post an entry on June 24th.
Sounds like it may be a mainly California based turn out then. Hope the numbers do come up as stated by Mark the sooner it comes to the dead line, but if not, Golden West Athletics should have a successful home meet as a National Championships. It kind of tarnishes a National Championship medal when your competing with mostly your teammates, but I guess only time will tell.
I have not checked the younger age groups but for the older folks – pathetic numbers. At the moment it looks as if I may be racing against me, myself, and I. Given the high cost of plane fare from the east coast to Sacramento – my bet is that some are just staying home this year and saving up for next year. I was tempted to do that – but entering a new age group – I bought the ticket and got the hotel room. BTW – the dorm rooms are very expensive for what one gets in a dorm. For a little more – a hotel is more comfortable. And there is NO word about any transportation from the hotels to the track. If one has to add a car to the cost – out of sight. I am hoping that there is either reasonable public transportation from the meet hotel to the track or a shuttle. But I am not holding my breath for a shuttle. And I am not renting a car. The amount of information about transportation from the hotels to the track is underwhelming as in none.
I do expect a lot of SoCal masters to enter and it sounds as if a lot of members of teams are entering last minute.
Nonetheless, I think 1400 is pretty much unattainable at this point. I expected as many myself given it’s great preparation for Worlds.
But I think all the things Mary mentioned along with the heat are keeping some people away this year.
It may be that an exhibition race of less than 12 seconds in Iowa is just not appealing. The cost involved when our nationals are less than a month from the elite nationals is just not sensible in these times. Unless things have changed and USATF is now covering the bill, I think this pattern will continue in non-Olympic years.
Yes, Cornell, some find Iowa a bit slow for their taste, but others enjoy it (it’s known for having nice people — my sister lived there for many years). Still, I checked the entries today (Sunday) for the exhibition 100 and we remain at 2 for the men and 0 for the women. I’m starting to worry, but maybe some speedsters will change their minds.
In terms of our own Big Show (July 22-25 in Sacramento), I am going out on a limb to predict we will get 1300. Mark Cleary’s point about the clubs is a key here, and the clubs have become more important than ever (I think). Expect huge entries from the clubs in the final 4 days of regular entry, per Mark.
Mellow Johnny, if this meet can’t get at least 1275 we should give up. The most populous state in the country, a hotbed for masters T&F activity, a first-class facility, and no real rivals this year. No Senior Games (next year in Houston), no world outdoor masters (next year in Sacramento) — how can we miss, Mellow Johnny? And yet right now the entries for under 50 are simply horrible, beyond pathetic. A real puzzler.
Hey — put that invite out to the men’s hurdlers… we’ll show!
Man,enough whining about the heat! The meet is in July. July is in the middle of summer. Summer is hot. Except in Alaska maybe, and then we’d complain about travel costs. Cleary is right. Anyone serious about the world meet in 2011 will make it to the national meet in 2010.
The only thing I see that may help with uping the athlete attendance at the 2010 Masters Outdoor T&F Nationals is to promote it more in the media and extend the entry dead-line to the day of the meet with no financial penalty. If either of these are not done and athlete turn out stays low, you really have to question the intentions of those running the meet. Either they’re truly trying trying to get as many Masters athletes to show up and compete as possible, or they want to keep it small and have it be a love fest with local athletes. I do know of some from around the country that are waiting to register but not more than three athletes.
Very puzzling, PT. Entries are slowly trickling in.
When you’re dealing with masters, you’re obviously dealing with a group prone to injury. So it’s always interesting to me that they would close entries 3 weeks before the event (and the early deadline a month before). I know several athletes waiting to see if they’ll be healthy in a couple weeks after a few races and several workouts.
Wonder if they plan on that knowing some will pay then not be able to go(?) but they have their loot regardless.
Yes, it continues to be puzzling, Mellow Johnny, as the entries remain abysmal in many of the age groups. And yet I see hope in a few age groups (below 50 is still very sad).
Talk to Andrew Hecker sometime, Mellow Johnny, about this requirement for extremely early entry (he opposes the requirement). This is not that large a meet, and we can’t draw up heats until we see what we have (they are drawn up during the meet after declaration is closed, not several weeks before the meet).
Many people have commented on the extremely early deadlines, but they continue. Oh, well. As someone who goes around the track more than twice, Mellow Johnny, I think you may have hit on something when it comes to heat. I went back all the way to 1994 and then forward through 2012, and the winner is Sacramento in terms of average July high. Yes, the average high in Sacramento in July is higher than in any other place that has held or will hold nationals in 1994-2012, including Charlotte and Orlando!!
I know that Sacramento is very dry, and there is something called a “Delta breeze” (or something like that), but people are still afraid of heat.
Now let me give you the average July highs as currently listed for our host cities back to 1994 and through 2012 (per weather.com). Obviously, these were not the temperatures in those years but instead the AVERAGE July highs as currently listed on the Web.
1994 Eugene, Oregon 81
1995 East Lansing, Michigan 82
1996 Spokane, Washington 82
1997 San Jose, California 84
1998 Orono, Maine 80
1999 Orlando, Florida 92
2000 Eugene, Oregon 81
2001 Baton Rouge, Louisiana 91
2002 Orono, Maine 80
2003 Eugene, Oregon 81
2004 Decatur, Illinois 88
2005 Honolulu, Hawaii 88
2006 Charlotte, NC 90
2007 Orono, Maine 80
2008 Spokane, Washington 82
2009 Oshkosh, Wisconsin 82
2010 Sacramento, California 94
2011 Berea, Ohio 81
2012 Lisle, Illinois 87
I’m hoping that it doesn’t get above the low 90s, that some races will be run at night, and that the turnout will be very good (and I still think it might be). As a student of the masters game, I am sure you will be following this all the way to the wire, Mellow Johnny.
Sacramento can be very hot in late July, but I believe meet organizers did make some changes in times for certain races, making them later in the day, or in the morning to help deal with some heat problems, but I really don’t know which times of day they changed them to. But how does the heat effect thrower entries? Again, only three throwers are registered for the meet so far in both the Men’s, and Women’s 30-49 age groups. (as of 8:30am PST) 6/7/10) with a little over two weeks from the early deadline. Two Male shot putters are entered in the 45-49, and both are from the Sacramento/Nor Cal area and one female discus thrower, 45-49, from New Mexico.
Mellow Johnny, unless you have evidence that the Sacto organizers purposely set an early entry deadline so they could line their pockets with forfeited fees from no-shows, I’d suggest you retract your statement.
Anonymous-
Not talking about Sacto organizers. This has been the case for all 3 masters nationals I’ve participated in with an early deadline so it’s a USATF issue. Don’t jump to conclusions. Tough to hide behind that “anonymous” name, too.
The heat is a real concern. On paper, it’s warmer in Sacto than Charlotte which, although I wasn’t there, was a “disaster” according to several who were there. Also, from personal experience, the steeple has been ~2pm the last two years and it doesn’t appear the order of events has switched. I’m thankful to the organizers for saying all races over 1500m will be run in the morning but unless event orders are switched or the days events start very early in the morning, don’t see how I’ll run before we normally have.
Mellow Johnny, I would be very careful of any statements that could be considered libel. You have just retracted your statement by saying it applies to the USATF and not to the Sacto organizers. Smart.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_North_American_heat_wave
August 2006 in North Carolina was a blazing heat and humidity storm. I was there and it was brutal. It hit the entire nation. Sacramento may have higher average temps than Charlotte, but don’t look to the August 2006 conditions in Charlotte on which to base this comparison.
Orlando ’99 and Orono ’07 were also sunny, hot, and humid!
Anonymous, Your attitude is exactly the reason why some will choose to stay home and not travel to Nationals. Since you acted so defensively and agressively about what Mellow Johnny posted on his previous replies, you are appearing to be somehow connected with the Sacto Organizers and speaking in their behalf as some sort of legal aid even though you post as Anonymous. Since I see no rebutle from any one in charge in Sacto about your post, we may believe this to be true… Nice…Ken, I thought this was an open forum to exchange ideas, thoughts, and not to threaten others… Masters track…what a joke!
Has anyone heard any more about what is happening with the 100m races in Des Moines? Dropping the races or accepting slower athletes? Still only three men and no women.
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