Alisa Harvey, who nearly made the Olympic Trials this summer in the 800, has long been a champion road runner, but has run few marathons. She did the Richmond Marathon in 1999 and the Marine Corps Marathon in 2005 but wasn’t satisfied. Unfinished business. Now 43, her latest plans were trumpeted in a Washington Post feature. “In my old age, I’m much more logical, smarter,” Alisa told Jim Hage. “This time, I want to get it right.” (Alisa’s ambitions also were detailed by masters runner Steve Nearman in his Washington Times column.) So she entered yesterday’s Marine Corps 26-miler with high hopes. But reality bit. “Masters runner Alisa Harvey went through halfway in 1:29:42, but felt sluggish and dropped out a few miles later because of excessive hydration,” reported the Post. “Coughed up a lung, sat down and made my way home,” she said.

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Doug “Bubba” Sparks in Texas has had his share of fright this year (about six weeks ago he suffered through a little storm called Ike). But nothing can stop Bubba from helping put on his annual Halloween Vault. He writes: “For those of you out there, great to see you. And for those who missed, here is the link to photos. Another beautiful day!” Bubba himself didn’t jump that day, because he practiced hard the day before. But he writes: “Don Curry (M50) jumped 11′ 6″ and Robert Duncan (M60) jumped 9′ 6″. We had a lot of 6-9th graders that we are developing. The youngest were two 9-year-old girls. Our best 8th-grade boy jumped 9′ 6″ to tie his PR.” There you go: Bubba coaching the masters vaulters of the year 2040.

Liz Johnson of North Carolina, a W50 multi-eventer who specializes in the hurdles and jumps, has been around the masters block for nearly a decade. Now she’s really gone around the bend. “We check-in Friday and leave for camp Saturday,” Liz wrote friends a few days ago as she headed to Cairo, Egypt, and the start of the Race of No Return in the Sahara Desert. The Sahara Race 2008 has 170 entrants from 30 countries, 32 of them xanax no prescription female. “The trip to base camp is over 7 hours. Sunday we start racing at 8 a.m. and continue through the next seven days. We will have Internet access upon arrival at camp each evening. I would really love to hear from you. You can leave a comment on the blog. Thanks for being a special part of my life.” Stay safe, Liz! We’ll be watching your progress from afar.

Masters Athlete magazine has posted finalists for GeezerJock of the Year. Click here to see the various age groups and nominees. The overall winner is preordained, however. It is swimmer Dara Torres, the poster girl for masters sports, who won medals and set records as a 41-year-old kicking teen butt in Beijing. I have no inside information that Dara will be the “2008 Euflexxa GeezerJock of the Year.” But Ferring Pharmaceuticals would dearly love to have Dara tied to their franchise arthritis drug, after also sponsoring Sprint Force America. And who would deny Ferring, a major advertiser, the potential gravy train of publicity?

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Sub-equator, track season beckons. And some Oceania papers feature a pair of “gritty grannies” and their budding masters careers. A Northern Territory paper tells us about Queenslander Jean Ritter, 82, and how her comeback was delayed a couple years. She pulled a calf muscle in her first sprint race. In Auckland, New Zealand, 91-year-old thrower Dulcie Howells is profiled and pictured with her beaten-up discus in this delightful story. Somebody better weigh that sucker. Bet it’s light.

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Shirley Matson: dancer

In her 50s, Masters Hall of Famer Shirley Matson was unbeatable on the track, especially in the 5K. She still holds several American records. On the roads, she was a legend. But then she stopped a few years ago. Dropped out of the sport. Why? Now we know. Her local paper tells this story of how Shirley turned lemons into lemonade — and returned to another of her loves: dancing. “Over the years I have had Illiotibial band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, sciatica, Piriformis syndrome, Achilles tendonitis, osteitis pubis, a stress fracture, and sprained ankles, to name a few,” Shirley told freelancer Barry Spitz. “I have seen orthopedics, podiatrists, chiropractors, osteopaths, masseurs, and physical therapists.” Her track career was toast.

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Munich Olympic double sprint champion Valeriy Borzov turned 59 yesterday. But that’s not the news. It’s the fact he’s involved in promoting masters track. And why not dream he’ll jump back in the game? According to the Koops Seite in Germany, Borzov leads the Ukrainian Track & Field Federation and is joining Eurovets chief Dieter Massin in helping grow masters track in Europe. Even though he wouldn’t turn 60 until after Lahti worlds next summer, Borzov might be induced to run the 1 and 2. (Just don’t tell Eddie Hart.)

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Sean Callahan, my Chicago friend who runs Masters Athlete magazine, informs me that free subscriptions are being offered — again. When the magazine was founded (as GeezerJock) back in May 2004, it created buzz and circulation with free “charter” subs. Now that the founders have bought the magazine back from Turnstile Publications, they’re returning to the free route to bump up their numbers. Here’s the official announcement: “Sign up for a free year’s subscription to Masters Athlete magazine at www.masters-athlete.com”

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Cindi Blevins, track meet director of last week’s Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George, Utah, graciously sent us this results file. It lists everyone who competed at Huntsman, not just the medalists (and the metric marks as well). She also draws our attention to a wonderful performance. “Bill Platts broke an American Record in the 80-84 javelin,” Cindi writes. In fact, Bill threw 39.06 meters (128-2) to better his own listed M80 world record of 38.80 (127-7), set at Spokane nationals the opening day of the Beijing Olympics (8/8/08). Nice throw, Bill! Now go get ’em, Bud!

In February 2007, we reported great news: USATF Masters T&F would get a bundle of extra money. National Masters T&F Chairman Gary Snyder said: “This might bring our total revenues to about $76,000 — a far cry from the $30,000 or $40,000 of just a few years ago.” And what would we do with the windfall? “Job 1 is compiling a skills survey of USATF masters members,” I wrote, citing the 2005 Strategic Plan. OK, it’s almost 2009. The survey was compiled, but where are the results? I don’t know. The point person was masters vice chair Janet Smith. Haven’t heard zip from her for a long time. A skills survey was a great idea. Hope it didn’t fall though a great crack.

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