Masters need to act as own press agents
Don’t be shy. Last weekend’s record-setters (Alisa Harvey, Lesley Chaplin-Swann and Neni Lewis) should have topped the News & Notes press release that USATF sends out to a gazillion media contacts. Bob Weiner and his USATF Masters T&F Media Subcommittee do a great job spreading the word around the time of nationals (indoors and out), but the rest of the year tends to fall through the cracks.
When I get news over the transom on outstanding marks, I share it here as fast as I can. Tooting our horn a little faster might have netted us co-Athletes of the Week.
In the case of the masters records set Dec. 30 at the Armory track in New York City, I passed along the news Tuesday night to Tom Surber and a few others at the USATF headquarters in Indy. Still haven’t seen the items used.
Sigh.
The bottom line: Don’t assume meet management will report your records to Indianapolis. Call someone. Email someone. Pass the baton to me, National Masters News or a friend who can. (Or email USATF yourself, providing a results link as confirmation!)
Meanwhile, Lesley has reported in about her W45 800 (2:22.37) and 1500 (4:53.62) records set in the Holiday Classic. Lesley, formerly of the United Kingdom, confirmed that she attained her U.S. citizenship in October 2005 and wrote me: “I had gone under the 800 record back at Nationals in Boise but couldn’t claim the record since I was not yet a U.S. citizen, so my wins last week were super sweet.â€
Lesley is 47 but will be 48 when she competes at the WMA world indoor meet in Linz, Austria, starting the Ides of March. (Entry deadline is Jan. 10, BTW.)
Also, I learn, the MactrackWeb site originally gave W45 Madelyn Noe Schlenz credit for the 1500 record. It later was corrected.
Lesley writes: “(Madelyn) just turned 45 apparently and had gone to NY to break the 1500 record last Friday night. I knew she was going after it right before we ran, and I wasn’t sure what I had left since it had only been just over an hour since the 800. She passed me at about 800 and took her on the last 200 with about 100 to go. Needless to say, it was a great night for me!â€
Along with Madelyn, the W45 age group will also include miler Sarah Stiner (Kramer), and Lesley says: “I would anticipate the 1500/mile records flip flopping some this year.â€
Lots to look forward to. Lots to report.
Let’s give these athletes support — and some public recognition. Pass the word on sharing the word.
One Response
I broke 2 American records in one day at the Hayward Classic last June 18th, the mile and the 3000m for Women 70-74. The Eugene paper gave me a headline in the next day’s paper (ok a small headline but none the less I got press notice in Eugene, OR). I did not expect to get national headlines, and certainly I did not doubt for a moment that USATF would even notice. They did not. Upon returning home I emailed the local paper’s sports editor. Not only were they interested, they ran a photo I sent them and a nice article. And the USATF-NE website also took notice, which they often do of race results, records, even making Roger Pierce runner of the month for his accomplishements in San Sebastian. Aside from that – it is up to each of us to promote ourselves and our accomplishments. I felt a little silly promoting my accomplishments to the local sports editor but friends and neighbors who read the article seemed pleased to read about it. It is all about self-promotion I am afraid. I am not a big fan of that having grown up hearing the saving “foolish names and foolish faces are often seen in public places”. However if we do not let people know what we are doing in our sport, they will not know. And I have been amazed at the very positive response I have gotten from people in my area after reading the story in the local paper. Should I break any more records, I will sent the information off to the local paper!
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