Barbados subsidizes its masters travel to Huntsman
Barbados is an island nation in the western Atlantic with a population of about 280,000 and a national budget of $1 billion. The United States is a 50-state republic in the Northern Hemisphere with a population of 300 million and a national budget of $3 trillion. Guess which country helps its masters track athletes travel to international meets? You got it. Yesterday our M50 friend Dave Ortman in Seattle shared an article (with his comments) that he got from his W65 aunt, who was vacationing in Barbados.
Raschker again a finalist for AAU Sullivan Award
What a birthday present! On the day she turned 61, Phil Raschker yesterday learned that for the second time in five years, she’s a finalist for the highest honor America bestows on amateur athletes: the AAU Sullivan Award. And this year, fans can take part in the selection. Becky Wesley of the National Senior Games Association writes that you can go to this site “and vote for Philippa Raschker, Track & Field. Also, text additional votes by mobile phone – Text AAUVOTE8 to 44636 (standard carrier text message rates apply).” At age 61, Phil is the oldest contender in history.
German threatens world masters record in indoor vault
Here’s a trick question: Who’s the world’s best masters vaulter at the moment? You thunk Jeff Hartwig? Well, thunk again. M40 Jeff isn’t even No. 2! According to the IAAF Top List, Tim Lobinger of Germany, who turned 35 last September, is the top masters vaulter in the world this indoor season. Tim jumped 5.81 meters (19-0 3/4) yesterday in Stockholm to overtake M35 Derek Miles of the United States, who went 5.80 at Reno. WMA lists the M35 world indoor record as Jeff Hartwig’s 5.88 (19-3 1/2) in 2004. Ohmygawd! Geezervaulters are taking over!
Colorado USATF grievance: Mystery riddle enigma
Last November, I wrote about the grievance battle inside the Colorado USATF association. I have no clue how this was resolved, but folks have noticed a change on the association Web site: The grievance posting has been deleted. Vanished without an explanation. Oh well. Maybe it was all a dream. Anyway, Colorado masters aren’t twiddling their thumbs. Christel Donley shares some positive news: “The Colorado Masters Track and Field athletes have formed . . . (the) Colorado Masters Track and Field Club. President is George Soule. Athletes interested in joining should contact Jim Weed (at) 2203 E. 149th Ave, Thornton, CO 80602 (or) e-mail rockymtnmastersgames@msn.com or gfsoule@comcast.net.”
Blogmaster’s wedding anniversary and a Stacy story
Today Chris and I celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary. We got hitched the same year as Chuck & Di (across the Pond in a slightly bigger ceremony). But we’re still going strong. Chuck & Di? Don’t ask. But since this is a masters track blog, I found another masters track love story to highlight: Stacy & Ian. Check out this romantic (and creative) tale about how world-class discus thrower Ian Waltz recently proposed to W35 vault star Stacy Dragila. This video is cute — shot only 20 minutes from my house, in fact. I wish Stacy and Ian as much happiness as my lovely and talented Chris and I have had this past quarter-century.
British masters sprinter argues for ‘parity of esteem’
M50 sprinter Tom Phillips is an exceptional sports photographer in England who writes well, too. Recently he shared a link on our Forum to an article he wrote for the UK masters magazine. It’s posted below. The article recounts the evolution of his appreciation for masters track — starting at age 14 when he knew some vets in his club. But after becoming one himself, he became acutely aware of the lack of respect and admiration for masters athletes. Therefore he calls for a “parity of esteem.” We agree.
Canadian Olympic champ turns 40, targets masters
Dave MacEachern of Canada’s Prince Edward Island won bobsled gold at the Nagano Winter Olympics 10 years ago, and this article in his local paper says he’s keen to enter age-group meets: “MacEachern . . . plans to whip himself into even better shape to take a run at some future Masters Track and Field competitions.” Nice article. But one flaw: It doesn’t specify WHICH events in masters track he’ll enter. A clue comes in the reader comments that follow: “He’s done well after being the 2nd-fastest man at Colonel Gray High School. If the track and field records are checked, you’ll find Bob Dioron was faster.” A bobsled pusher might prove to be a great sprinter. (Several American Olympic hurdlers and sprinters tried bobsledding.)
Photo gallery of XC nationals: Masters get primacy
Masters men’s winner Sean Wade, women’s champ Jody Hawkins and a cast of hundreds are featured in my photo gallery of last Saturday’s USA national cross country championships in San Diego, just 20 minutes from my home. I also got lotsa shots of women’s open winner Shalane Flanagan and men’s victor Dathan Ritzenhein, who qualified for the American team going to the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in late March in Edinburgh, Scotland. And I shot masters legends Kathy Martin and Gerry Davidson, who at 86 was the oldest runner at nationals. The opening shots of Nolan Shaheed are bittersweet, however. He drove down from Pasadena only to drop out after 50 yards. He had tweaked his hamstring the previous week running a 400 at an all-comers meet. I tell other stories about XC nationals on my Masters Athlete blog, which will be posted sometime today.
Race organizer: USATF rules cap first-place money
Doug Thompson’s SISU 800-meter Challenge event in Arizona has returned to a $500 first prize after briefly promoting a $650 prize for the top age-graded runner. Why? It appears that offering a prize over $500 might force his meet to do drug-testing. At least that’s the explanation Doug gave in an email to participants and observers. Doug writes: “It is three weeks ’til the SISU Foundation 800 Meter Challenge race, and I’d like to give one last update on some recent developments, as well as a final reminder to participants to register.”
All-time greats aiming for hurdle WR at Modesto?
Several weeks ago, I was informed of a masters exhibition hurdle race planned for the Modesto Relays in California. The genesis of the event was former Olympic decathlon champ Dan O’Brien’s interest in setting an M40 world record in the 110 hurdles. He wanted to shoot for it at Modesto, I was told. But when the meet’s date was changed from May 3 to May 10, O’Brien’s involvement because doubtful. That’s because Dan (now 41) coaches at Arizona State University, and the Pac-10 Conference multi-event championships is being hosted at ASU on May 10. (I wrote to ASU but never got a reply.) Anyway, Dan may not run, but other track legends might.
