‘T.R.A.C.K. Live!’ show pulled off a coup: secret meet
Remember “T.R.A.C.K Live!” — the masters track reality game show? It’s still in production out in Fresno, with its entrants sworn to secrecy, as I’ve reported. But here’s something new: Even USATF officials and athletes not under contract are keeping their lips sealed. Check out their new Web site — lots of sturm, drang and nonsensical schmaltz. On the new home page, we learn: “If you can’t hack the pain of training, then you don’t belong on this track.” Oh puhleeeeze!
The true meaning of masters: We’re all in this together
Joe Lary, heart of gold
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An Alabama paper today profiled Joe Lary, an M60 medalist at the recent WMA regionals in Clermont, Florida. But I wasn’t impressed by Joe’s hardware as much as his soft heart. Andrew Carroll of the Tuscaloosa News wrote: “One day a runner from Nicarauga, who couldn’t speak English, got stranded in the rain at the track venue. Lary and his wife, Laura Sue, stayed with the man and notified meet officials to send a shuttle bus so he could return to his hotel. ‘He was so thankful,’ Lary said. ‘The next day he yelled at me from across the field, ‘Jose, Jose.’ He thanked me and introduced me to all his teammates.”
L.A. Olympian mulls masters comeback: Walter McCoy
Walter McCoy won gold as a member of the 4×4 relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics (in the heats and semis, but not the final), and he’s dipped his toe in the masters waters this year. Now 45, Walter ran a 24.90 in the deuce last month in Tallahassee, Florida. With a Florida State best of 44.99, he probably has some more speed in those legs.
European Masters Games results include decas, age 30s
The European Masters Games concluded today in Malmo, Sweden, and track results can be found here in a huge Word document. Occurring about a month after the European masters championships in Slovenia, the EMG attracted only a fraction of the first event’s athletes. But the EMG showed that you don’t have to be on the official masters circuit to offer a full slate of events. Unlike the National Senior Olympics in the United States, the EMG contested the decathlon and weight pentathlon. And the entry age was 30 instead of 50. So The Euros have a head start over our Senior Games. The oldest entrants were two Swedes born in early 1916: Herbert Liedtke and Margaretha Nyberg.
Eurovets statmeister counts 19 ‘world records’ at meet
In late July, the Eurovets held their biennial championships. Ivar Soderlind of Sweden has now filed a report on the records set at the meet in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Click here for his summary of records. But take the list with a grain of salt. Some of the marks he cites, including Howard Moscrop’s 400-meter hurdles time of 56.85 on Day 4, fall short of marks set earlier in the season. Howard ran 56.56 at the British masters championships several weeks before the Eurovets. But I give Ivar credit for trying to summarize the meet’s achievements. Where is the Spokane compilation?
Lahti 2009 housing already booked up? Try other options
One of my masters moles writes about next summer’s world masters championships in Finland: “I understand from my sources that there are no more accommodations available in Lahti and the best ones have gone to the Germans and other Europeans. Official website says bookings will be available online on 8/30. (An) email to me from travel agency says fill out form and will get back to you this autumn. There is a group of Americans trying to get group housing, but I don’t think there is a leader making it happen. Too late. We are screwed. (It takes) 45 minutes to 1 hour ride after you get to the train each way everyday.”
Gustav was no match for Katrina evacuee Robert Baker
Three years ago, M60 decathlon champion Robert Baker saw a little storm named Katrina interrupt his season. He described his evacuation from a New Orleans suburb and later reported his return to Metaire. Last weekend, he won gold in the M60 pentathlon at Clermont WMA regionals (finishing behind a guest from South Africa). Then came Gustav and deja vu. How did he do? I wrote Bob to find out.
Track camp for women over 50 in works for Maine 2009
To grow the masters movement, we need more women as well as men. Now a coach in Portland, Maine, has one solution: Offer a track camp for female athletes only. It’s still in the conceptual stage, but Deb Smith, director of Not Too Late Basketball Camps for women 50-plus, is talking up a track camp for the summer of 2009. The idea came from W50 sprinter Kim Williams, who competed in Spokane. Anyone interested?
Berlin bidding to host the World Masters Games in 2013
The World Masters Games, a multisport festival held every four years, is ramping up for its 2009 edition in Sydney, Australia. It includes a big ol’ track meet, which can conflict with the masters circuit. Now comes word that the 2013 meet is being coveted by Berlin, Germany. The Koops’ site quotes Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit as saying Berlin has applied for the 2013 event, which is run by the International Masters Games Association. Klaus says Sydney is expecting 35,000 participants. Apparently, Turin (Italy) and Copenhagen-Malmo (Sweden-Denmark) are interested in 2013, too. The 2005 Games were in Edmonton, Alberta, and the 1998 Games were in Portland, Oregon.
Norwegian masters enchilada rips 2007 Riccione worlds
Knut Henrik Skramstad of Norway won the M70 decathlon and pole vault at last year’s Riccione world masters championships in Italy. And he was appalled at how the meet was conducted. In an undated narrative he lists several outrages, including the observation that hand times in a decathlon 100 were converted to automatic times for the official results. Knut isn’t some nobody either. He’s listed as head of Norway’s masters track body. Click here for his original screed. Knut concluded: “This was a big event, but one should be able to require a minimum degree of competence of the organisers. . . I have only mentioned the things I have seen and heard of them when I was living with.”
