After learning of Ed Whitlock’s latest M75 world record, I wrote him to learn more about his 3000 indoor WR in Toronto. He graciously replied, “My objective was to run 45 seconds a lap (200m) for 11:45. On the first bend, I ended up behind Tim Payne (M55) and stayed there as I thought the pace was about right. It was just over 45 seconds for the first lap and as I recall we continued to run at just over 45 maybe reaching a total of 3-4 seconds over pace. I did not pass Tim until about 2000m when I thought he might be slowing although I was feeling somewhat stressed. I managed to hold on to the finish and may even have clawed back 1-2 seconds ending at 11:17.21.”

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W60 sprint champ Kathy Jager of Arizona, whose heart problems were mentioned here a few days ago, has written to thank the folks who wished her a speedy recovery. She writes: “It really has meant a lot to me to read the thoughtful words from those who responded to the blog article.” She also answered a few questions about her condition, saying: “My first symptoms were (an) extreme change in blood pressure from 110/60 to 200/100 in a few days time period (and) extreme headache. Within three days of not finding any medication by my MD or the ER MD to control blood pressure, (I had) symptoms of feeling of chest tightness and feeling of midsternum pressure.”

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If Darren Worlock comes close to running a sub-4 mile at 40, he can thank his own Web site for helping push him out the door to training. Gotta fan the flames! Darren writes on the site: “Easier said than done? Well, yes, especially as like most people I have a full time job, family, friends and social commitments to maintain. However, with effort I think it’s possible and I have set up this website in the hope that it will: (1) Encourage anyone who is interested to join in and beat that magic number. (2) Over time give information on my progress, training techniques and provide an outlet for some of the “pain” I am sure to experience (3) Provide useful links, information and a contact point for veteran athletes.”

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Just as they promised, the M70 quartet of Larry Colbert, Richard Rizzo, the Rev. Dick Camp and Robert Lida smoked the world indoor record in the 800-meter relay, clocking 1:54.05 to shatter the listed record of 1:58.71 set by a German national team at the 2004 world masters indoor championships in Sindelfingen, Germany (not Linz in 2006 as previously stated). A source offers these details on the record run Saturday at the Armory track in New York City: “The team made wise descision leading off with the always dependable Larry Colbert. Larry executed the first 200 with real finesse and totally set his team up for the record. The baton was passed to Richard Rizzo and he ran flawlessly. The crowd now was standing and cheering as they could not beleive these men were 70 years of age and moving at the speed they were. Many of the younger athletes, this was an open meet as well, really had no idea that true sprinting was possible at an advanced age.”

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Darren Worlock of Bristol, England, is raising a ruckus in the pages of Athletics Weekly, we learn from the Telegraph newspaper. The issue? Darren, now 36, has a best of 4:20 for the mile. And he insists he will improve 5 seconds a year and be the first human to break the 4-minute barrier outdoors when he turns 40. Okey-doke. I haven’t seen the coverage in Athletics Weekly, but it may have something to do with Darren’s disrespect for the mile — to think that he can go where no 40-year-old has gone before. Of course, Eamonn Coghlan ran sub-4 indoors. But so far, the outdoor sub-4 has defied the likes of Steve Scott and Tony Young. Best of luck, Darren. But be a little more modest in your pronouncements.

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The March issue of National Masters News has been out for a while, but we have some unfinished business with the February issue — the first under new publisher Randy Sturgeon. A 64-year-old Santa Barbara sprinter named Tony Craddock copied me an exchange of email he had with Randy and USATF Masters T&F Chairman Gary Snyder over a 200-meter mark accorded “All-American” status. Tony wrote NMN and others: “In the February 2007 Issue of NMN, you erroneously award a 200m Men’s Age 60-64 All American Award to Rick Campbell for a time of 28.33 secs. While I laud Mr. Campbell’s performance, the following should be noted. The Age Group Standard for this event is 27.9 secs. hand-time.”

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Pete Mulholland, my No. 1 masters mole in Europe, has resolved the mystery of Steve Peters’ DNF at Britain’s masters nationals over the weekend: “There appears to be a major problem with the track in . . . lanes 3 and 6. . . . . On the final bend . . . is a fault which at first glance presents a ‘ripple’ effect. Coming into the finish, at speed and ‘downhill’ with concentration towards the finish line at its peak, a bump on the track is the last thing you would wish to encounter. Peters had voiced his concerns to me after his 200m semi, when he was warned by an official as he was very close to having come out of his lane after stumbling on hitting the fault on the track.”

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World champ and WR man Stephen Peters was on track to sweep the M50 60, 200 and 400 at the British masters indoor nationals over the weekend in Cardiff. But after running a 23.88 heat in the 200, he was listed as DNF in the final — won by Alasdair Ross in 24.80. Dr. Peters won the 60 in 7.60 and the 400 in 55.04. Not bad for a 53-year-old. Also in M50, David Wilcock won the 1500 in a nifty 4:30.01. In the M70 3000 walk, Arthur Thomson set a world record of 15:39.27, the site says. That betters the listed WR of 16:07.46 by American Jack Bray in 2003. W60 Val Parsons was off her recent WR in the 60 of 8.75, but won that event in 8.83 and the 200 in a WR 29.48 (just under Nadine O’Connor’s record from 2005 of 29.51.)

From the Track & Field News message board comes this news: “Ed (Whitlock) did it again . . . breaking his own M75 World Record in the 3000m at Saturday’s Ontario Masters Championships with a stunning 11:17 mark. His ‘old’ record was 11:28, set just after his 75th birthday at the meet last year. The ‘old-old’ record of 12:12 by James Todd is still listed on the WMA site. . . . That’s almost a minute off that mark!” Results of the meet at York University in Toronto have now been posted, and Ed’s time is reported as 11:17.21. Other great marks were turned in by W50 Karla del Grande (8.48 for 60, 27.75 for 200 and 63.67 for 400) and M75 Earl Fee (68.20 for 400 and 2:44.11 for 800).

Merlene Ottey’s debut at the European Indoor Athletics Championships over the weekend was incredible by masters standards — but 46-year-olds generally don’t advance past the first round. Merlene ran 7.33 seconds for fourth in her heat Saturday in Birmingham, England. The third-place qualifier ran 7.30 (equal to Merlene’s season best). As it turns out, 7.33 took eighth in the final. On the masters men’s side, 37-year-old Vyacheslav Shabunin of Russia didn’t advance in the 1500, clocking 3:45.86 — which would have won an earlier heat.