Brian Pope isn’t just a fearless runner. He’s just plain fearless. Farrell Evans, writing for a magazine in Brian’s home of Oxford, Mississippi, recounts how Brian came face-to-face with the business end of a rifle — and blew the hunter off. He basically told the ingrate: Don’t bother me, I’m running. Great story, with a great photo of Brian. The many-time national champion distance and XC man says: “People criticize me for the way that I live, but it’s my life and I alone bear the consequences. . . . I like being an enigma.” You won’t catch any flak here, Brian. We’re your biggest fans.

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It’s been 53 days since ACL surgery on my lead (left) knee — a prime time to update y’all on my recovery. Last week, I was given the green light to shed my bulky, itchy leg brace and begin ramping up my rehab. Under the six-weeks-after-surgery protocol, I’m allowed to walk on the treadmill (maximum 3 mph) and use a stationary bike (maximum 60 rpm). I’m also doing daily strengthening exercises (but not with extra weights). Big Al, my physical therapist at Kaiser-Permanente in El Cajon, says I’m doing great. How great? He felt compelled to sit down and give me “The Talk.” He said: “You’ll want to push it, overdo it. But don’t.” Apparently, my new ACL (a 37-year-old’s patellar tendon) takes six months to revascularize, which means grow all the blood vessels and other needed cells.

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USATF media czar Jill Geer has responded to my query on what’s up with Wasserman Media Group. I had noted a few days ago that press reports suggested this media marketing company was in bad shape financially. And I wondered aloud what this meant to masters, since WMG provided the camera crew that webcast the Orono nationals last summer. But Jill insists that all is well, writing: “I’ve been able to talk to a couple of people and can assure you that our relationship with Wasserman Media Group is as strong as ever and our planning for the future is getting into high gear. I’m told that Wasserman is NOT for sale, which kind of makes the whole thing moot.”

Better late than never. Five weeks after announcing inductees into the kids’ Hall of Fame, USATF’s press office today released names of the 2007 Masters Hall of Fame class. In its 100th News & Notes of 2007, USATF basically cribs the column that appears in the January edition of National Masters News (page 5). The NMN column was written by Norm Green, whose title is listed as USATF Masters Hall of Fame manager. But Leonard Olson is Hall of Fame Committee chair, according to NMN. So who was responsible for getting the info to Indy for timely release? Who knows? Anyway, at least my unofficial list (published Dec. 3) was accurate.

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Since its founding in 1977, the governing body of world masters track — first WAVA and now WMA — has had only four presidents — and Italy’s Cesare Beccalli was two of them. His 1987-1997 stint followed that of founding president Don Farquharson of Canada. Cesare’s latest term — 2005 until his death yesterday — followed that of Sweden’s Torsten Carlius. (Here’s a shot of Torsten and Cesare.) A short, energetic man who would have been 74 in April, Cesare spoke five languages (Italian, French, Spanish, English and a little Portuguese) and once was a cyclist and track athlete (a sprinter who competed in the first world masters meets). I saw him dance like a teenager at 1999 Gateshead worlds athletes party.

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Joy McDonald of Virginia has graciously sent me the 2008 budget for USATF Masters Track & Field, for which she’s treasurer. (I’ve also requested a copy of the USATF Masters minutes from the Hawaii meeting, but Chairman Gary Snyder says they haven’t been approved yet. So we’ll check back later on that.) The 2008 budget calls for spending $84,700 but expects revenues of $79,500 (a shortfall of $5,200). Whatever. But I’m happy to report that a separate USATF Masters Web site has been funded to the tune of $4,500. This will replace the anemic and out-of-date masters section of USATF.org. Meanwhile, National Masters News is getting its usual $5,000 annual subsidy. For old times’ sake, I guess.

World Masters Athletics reports: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the passing away of our President, Cesare Beccalli. He died unexpectedly in the early morning hours of December 26, 2007, while at his winter residence in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The WMA family extends their condolences to Cesare’s wife Lidia and her family members. WMA has lost a prolific leader who has served the masters athletic movements in a variety of functions over many years.” I presume this means that Executive Vice President Monty Hacker of South Africa will assume the presidency. Cesare is the second WMA top official to die in office, following WMA Secretary Torsten Carlius of Sweden in November 2005. Many questions remain about succession and direction of WMA. Stay tuned.

Jeff Brower, an M45 hurdler with design skills, has given the Web site of National Masters News a slick, new look. It has the same information as the old site, including records, links, All-American standards and the like. But it’s still a static site. Seen it once, and you’ve seen it. I’d love to see publisher Randy Sturgeon and editor Carmel Papworth-Barnum leverage the site and post newsy notes, opinion and offer interactive features like blogs and forums. Yeah, we do that here, but I’ve always said the more the merrier. There’s enough happening in Mastersland to fill a thousand blogs! Nice job, Jeff. Now go add some fresh content, Randy.

Phil Raschker was named IAAF Female Masters Athlete of the Year, we all know. But we know little of the IAAF Male Masters Athlete of the Year — M60 racewalker Andrew Jamieson. That’s been rectified by a local paper Down Under, which has given Andrew a nice writeup, headlined: “Golden oldie Andrew Jamieson keeps ahead of pack.” The article appeared a day before the Dec. 16 Australian 50K Road Walk Championships, which served as that event’s Olympic Trials. And this is incredible: Andrew, age 61, finished 8th in 4:31:29! (The listed M60 WR is 4:23:29 by Germany’s Gerhard Weidner in 1993.) Andrew walked 31 miles at 8:45 mile pace. Ungodly.

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Last August, M45 runner Steve Nearman announced a drive to help pay Peter Taylor’s way to the Spokane masters outdoor nationals in 2008. Today he has great news: Mission accomplished. Spokane meet organizers have agreed to include Taylor, our longtime meet announcer, in its budget. Steve writes: “Spokane saw the importance of Peter and the support from people who responded that the organizers put money in the budget to get Taylor out there to announce the meet.”

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