With no public fanfare, coordinator Mark Cleary has announced the events that will serve as masters exhibition races at the USATF nationals at Carson (near Los Angeles) in less than four weeks: a men’s 110 hurdles and a women’s 1500. Actually, it wasn’t so much announced as whispered — deep in the bowels of the USATF Web site, on a page devoted to masters exhibitions.

I wouldn’t have known about the posting had it not been for a heads-up from a Southern California hurdler friend, Jeff Davison.
Thanks, Jeff!
For the record, here’s how one accesses the information:
1. First go to usatf.org.
2. Then go to the USATF Masters section of the site.
3. Then go to the overview of the Masters T&F Invitational Program.
4. Then scroll down to the 2005 Masters Invitational Program link.
5. Then click on Application Information.
6. In the box labeled USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, click again on Application Information.
Then read the announcement:
Men and women age 40 and up may apply to compete in the masters men’s 110m hurdles or masters women’s 1500m as part of the USATF Masters Invitational Program. See the schedule of events for start times.
You must be a 2005 USATF member to compete in the meet. If you do not have a 2005 membership, please complete a membership application first. You must also meet the qualifying standards.
Qualifying Standards
To apply for entry into masters invitational events, you must have met the following standards in 2005. Fully automatic timing (F.A.T.) is the only method of timing acceptable for qualifying marks. Relay splits may not be used for qualifying.
Event Standard Field Size
Masters Men’s 110m Hurdles 14.80 8
Masters Women’s 1500m 5:06.00 12
Masters Women’s Mile 5:26.00 –
Application Deadline and Entry Fee
The application deadline is June 18, 2005 at 9:00 p.m. ET. If selected (see the “Process” below), you must pay the entry fee of $25, by check or money order, prior to June 18, 2005 (see “Payment” below).
Me again.
Simple, huh? But of course you’ve all seen the posting.
And you’re all clear on what kind of hurdles the men will run at nationals, right? The 39-inch hurdles used by the M40s? Or the 42-inch hurdles used for USATF open nationals? Uh, whatever.
You also realize that Mark Cleary isn’t really alerting folks to these events only a month away from the meet, right?
Fact is, these events have been in the works for months.
In mid-March, I sent Mark a note with several questions. One was:
“I have been told that you want a men’s short hurdles race at outdoor nationals, especially because it would showcase David Ashford, a member of your SoCal Track Club. What is the status of the men’s masters event at open nationals? Who selects this event and its entrants?”
Mark replied on March 21, 2005:
“I consult with Dave Clingan and Lester Mount who are on the committee as well as and Sid Howard who has also contributed. As far as the event for the Outdoor — we have not gotten word back from USATF National as to our events. That should happen soon. Once the event is selected then I look at the American list in that event and invite all who have met the qualifying standard.”
Me again:
OK fine — I guess. You keep the news to yourself and share it with folks “who have met the qualifying standard.”
But what about ladies and gents who might be close to the standard? These events are a special honor. They are contested on the final Sunday of the meet.
Why inform only those with a “need to know”?
Certainly, burying the news is a disservice to those not on Mark’s private list of male hurdlers and female milers who might be inspired to kick their training up a notch or come out of retirement.
How long has the application info been online? I have no idea. But if Mark wanted to throw as wide a net as possible for candidate athletes, he could have used a few other tools at his disposal, like posting to Yahoo Groups’ masterstf mailing list or placing a notice in National Masters News.
Or how about asking Jill Geer at USATF to advertise the exhibition races in the USATF News&Notes?
As it turns out, the only M40 hurdler with a listed sub-14.80 this year so far is Dexter McCloud.
As far as the women go, these have met the FAT standard in the 1500 or mile:
4:43.31 (1500) TOYA REAVIS
4:54.30 (1500) MARY GRENE
4:58.17 (1500) CARRIE SHERBURNE
5:03.29 (1500) CARLA HERVERT
5:17.86 (mile) LORRAINE JASPER
But hey! All is well!
Mark has everything under control, I’m sure, having notified all the hurdlers and milers in his little black book of the upcoming exhibitions. It’ll all come together just fine, and we’ll all salute Mark for a wonderful showcase event.
Thanks, Mark, for the heads up!