Shuttle hurdle relays returning to nationals — at Oshkosh
Jeff Davison wants to change the world — one hurdle relay at a time. An M50 hurdler from Laguna Hills, California, Jeff has a passion for the shuttles, which he (and I) loved running as preps. Mostly unknown outside the United States, this back-and-forth event is being positioned for world masters acceptance. That’s the plan. Step 1 by Jeff was a shuttle hurdle event in Arizona in 2006. Then came the meet-ending shuttles exhibition at Orono nationals in 2007. Now the USATF Masters T&F Committee has voted support for a shuttle hurdles at Oshkosh nationals in 2009. Jeff and others who love this event will codify the rules in writing and get more events under their collar before submitting it to WMA for championship event consideration. We might someday have age-group records in this event. Thanks to Jeff.
Joetta Clark-Diggs gets USATF masters record! Wrongly
Four-time Olympian Joetta Clark-Diggs ran her 800 PR in 1998 — a nifty 1:57.84 when she was 36. Last week she got credit for an American age-group record. Nice. The audacity of hope! Also a perversion of history. Her sister-in-law Jearl Miles Clark ran 1:57.27 at age 37 at a little meet in Athens in 2004 (a.k.a. the Olympic Games. She took sixth.) Sigh. I can’t make this stuff up. You can look it up. So what other boogers can we find in Sandy Pashkin’s records report, which I assume has been approved by the USATF Records Committee? This four-page tally is supposed to list vetted performances that meet all USATF requirements for American age-group records for women and men 35 and older.
Reno wrapup: Odds and ends affecting masters track
Gotta head to the airport in a few minutes. My reports from the USATF annual meeting have barely scratched the surface. I have two notebooks filled with tidbits I have yet to disgorge. So here are some quick highlights. USATF Masters might promote an idea used in other sports: one-day memberships in USATF. This means novices can enter a USATF-sanctioned meet for a much reduced price. If they like it, they’ll become a due-paying annual member. Great idea. Stephen Cohen led a moment of silence for Bob Fine in one meeting, and Norm Green led a 20-minute “we remember Bob” memorial session in another meeting. I hope to recount details later. Rex Harvey says he knows of only one rival candidate for WMA president: Australia’s Stan Perkins. Some Europeans I previously mentioned have dropped out. Willie Banks and Rex Harvey are the likely masters nominees for the USATF Board of Directors, but the Associations Committee has offered Dee Jensen and Alan Roth for the same seat (which we’ll share on the board.) Mark Cleary also wants to be nominated for the board. He recited his resume at the Executive Committee meeting, but is given little chance.
Reno report: Hinton, Glynn records among the rejects
As expected, John Hinton’s M45 indoor mile and Kay Gynn’s W55 outdoor pole vault mark — which both bettered listed world records — were rejected as American age-group records. Today’s general session of USATF (which I didn’t attend since I was sleeping in) theoretically could have reversed the USATF Records Committee and Sandy Pashkin’s recommendation as masters records chair. But I doubt it. A few days ago, Sandy distributed a list of 124 masters records she found kosher. In private email, however, several record-setters complained that Sandy’s list overlooked even better marks they had made, including a 25.20 for the M65 200 by Stephen Robbins. (His 25.36 at Spokane was ratified.)
Reno report: Masters chair Gary Snyder to launch a blog
Gary Snyder, elected to a four-year term as USATF Masters T&F chairman, says he’ll start keeping a blog sometime in January. This is huge. Although Gary and previous national chairs have been reachable by email and have written columns for National Masters News, this new means of communication takes openness to a new level. Gary joins USATF CEO Doug Logan in accepting public comments. (Logan’s blog only recently added a feedback function.) The Masters T&F Executive Committee also is making progress in pursuit of a stand-alone, separate USATF Masters Web site — which we’ve been seeking for years. The current masters section of usatf.org is weak, hidden and lacking lots of information.
Reno report: Cleary tells exhibition events: 400, 1500
Elite masters quarter-milers and milers, rejoice! Your events have been chosen as masters exhibitions at the USATF open nationals. The rest of you, especially field eventers, can go back to your cave. At yesterday’s Masters T&F Committee meeting at the USATF annual meeting, Mark Cleary (masters invitational program coordinator for life) announced his picks for our showcase events: Indoor nationals will feature the 1,500 for men and 400 for women. Outdoor nationals (aka IAAF worlds trials) will have the 400 for men and 1,500 for women.
Louise Mead Tricard’s will: Why I posted the details
At your urging, I’ve decided to break my “silence” on that especially bothersome post a week ago. Ya know, about Louise Tricard’s last will and testament. My usual practice is to post a story and let it stand on its own merits, take the heat and move on. I figure that if I word a blog entry right, its reason for existence will be self-apparent. I fell short this time. (The realization hit me when a masters delegate here in Reno said I owed y’all an explanation because the post might be seen as critical of Louise.) Heavens no! Not my intent at all! My original post left a big clue why I was disclosing details of my friend’s will. I wrote: “So how would her estate be distributed? Would she leave anything to USATF, or any track clubs or charities?”
Reno report: Oops, nevermind! No masters drug-testing
Graeme Shirley of San Diego is a walking Wikipedia of track rules, an incredible resource with vast institutional knowledge of USATF. But this week in Reno, he jumped the gun. For many years, as the Masters T&F Committee’s rules coordinator, Graeme has been the guy who represented our niche on the USATF Rules Committee, the place where new track rules are born or die. His job is to inform our folks on what’s coming down the pike and take notes on what should be spiked. Two days ago, he stunned our clan by announcing that USATF was considering a rule mandating drug-testing for all national records, including masters age-groups records. Today he went before the group to announce: Um, not to worry. Masters aren’t affected by the rule proposal. Say what? We spun wheels for a half-hour for nothing?
Reno report: Skeptical masters heard out Hightower
A day before she was elected USATF president, former world-class hurdler Stephanie Hightower spoke to USATF Masters Track & Field delegates. She was introduced Thursday to about 70 of us a little before noon by former national masters chair George Mathews, who “encouraged everyone to support Stephanie” and said “good things will happen for masters when (USATF changes) come into play.” Hightower said: “You all feel that you’re one of the invisible groups” but that it shouldn’t be that way. “When you look at the life cycle of the sport, masters is a big part.”
Reno report: Ten elected to 2008 Masters Hall of Fame
Norm Green, chair of the Masters Hall of Fame Subcommittee, today announced the 10-member Class of 2008 — seven active athletes with at least 10 years in masters track and three old-timers who have been out of competition for at least five years. The new inductees bring the Masters Hall of Fame to 162 members. They are: Kathy Bergen of La Canada, Calif.; Joe King of Central Point, Ore.; Tom Langenfeld of Edina, Minn., Audrey Lary of Frederick, Md.; Marie-Louise Michelsohn of New York; Roger Pierce of Essex, Mass.; and Bob D. Ward of Dallas as the active active athletes, joined by old-timers Bill Morales, 92, of Santa Ana, Calif.; and the late Ladislav Pataki and Nate White. But the Masters Hall of Fame is still homeless — with no place to display plaques or memorabilia. But that could change.
