Sacramento nationals will give distance runners, jumpers a break
Bob Burns, who’s helping promote the 2010 Sacramento masters nationals (and 2011 worlds), has confirmed what some folks have noticed on the meet site: Distance runners won’t have to race in the hottest parts of the July meet. Bob writes: “You’re correct that all races 1,500 and (over) will be run in the morning. Generally speaking, all races 1500 or longer will be in the early morning and every effort will made to have oldest age groups run at the coolest times. Some distance races can be run Thursday night as well.”
Bob continues:
Actual times can’t be set until the entries are in. Depending on the number of entries in certain races, meet organizers might be able to schedule other track races outside of the hotter periods. Also plan to hold all vertical jumps in the mornings because those athletes are out in the sun the longest. Shade tents will be available during all field event competitions. The banquet dictates an early start and finish on Saturday. George (Kleeman, a meet organizer) indicated he’ll work around that to the best of his ability.
This is great news. But I hope officials work in shifts, since early starts and late finishes would make for some brutally long days under the baking sun.
One element of the schedule may bum out the weight folk, however. The Sacramento site says: “The weight throw will not be contested at this championship.”
Not sure why. They had this event at 2009 Oshkosh nationals.
16 Responses
Ken,
The reason no weight throw is that it was part of the Oshkosh meet on a trial basis per the decision taken at the Convention in 2008. At the Convention last December in Indy it was made an official part of the Outdoor Nationals beginning in 2011. It would have been nice to have it included in the meet in Sacramento, but meet organizers there said they couldn’t/wouldn’t do it. As a result the weight throw championship in 2010 will be contested as part of the Throws Championships in Lisle, IL in August. Starting from 2011 in Ohio it’ll be a permanent fixture at the Outdoor Nationals.
I understand that the morning schedule cannot accomadate everyone, so I guess the pentathlon folks just need to bring along a bucket or two of sunscreen, plenty of liquids, and one of those umbrella hats.
GD
Multis/Throws
Last year, Oshkosh had a very modest turnout and still had 8 races in the 5000 run. With a much better turnout expected at Sacramento we could certainly expect 10 races in the 5000. If the first one goes off at 7:30 A.M. and they are started (on average) every 28 minutes (runners in some races will require more than 28 minutes, runners must be led to the start, FAT people have requirements for setup, etc., etc.), the 10th race would go off at 11:42 A.M. and finish just after noon.
I like the idea that some races could be run on Thursday evening, but as a general point it seems hard to imagine that an event such as the 5000 run, 5000 racewalk, or 10,000 racewalk could be held “in the early morning” as per message above. They could start in the early morning, but they would have to go until about noon, would they not (a single 10,000 can take over an hour in some groups)? Note that it is very hard on some people to have events begin before 7:30, and I assume they will not start much before then.
Would be interesting to hear from Mary Harada or Mellow Johnny re the longer races at Sacramento.
They could start at 6 or 7 am – assuming that it is light enough then(do not ask us to run in the dark) – coming from the East Coast – that would be 9 or 10am body time for me -:) – I dislike the early am starts but it is much much better than burning up on the track later in the day.
My question is – will there be breakfast available for the officials if they have to start that early – and are staying in the dorm? Will there be shuttles from the hotel for those staying in the hotels? As for myself – I have done the instant coffee (gag) and granola bar breakfast many times before an early am start for a 5k or 8k x-c.
That being said – the officials must be at the track and have stuff set up for an early start. They cannot turn up at 7 am for a 7 am race start and have the first competitors standing around – or worse still – not have the clock and FAT timing ready to go. That has happened in the past –
So my take – as early as they can reasonably get ready. AND HAVE THE FINISH LINE CLOCK WORKING – FOR THE FIRST RACE OF THE DAY.
And -please – if they are going to cram all the women – all 35-40 of us – on the track in one race in a effort to “ssve time” – for heaven sake have a clue about lap counting. We spend a lot of money traveling to these meets, some of us are hoping to set records and there is nothing worse than screwed up lap counting and no clock on the track to make blood boil. It happens – in San Sebastian WMA – in the 10k – they so messed up the lap counting that a WR for a W 80 was disallowed – the comments from the race director – “she is a fine athlete and can do it again someplace”. Disgraceful – and many of us remember the lap counting farce in Illinois, the disaster in Boise, etc. If we are asked to turn up early for a race – things need to be ready for us – the first race of the day is NOT A TIME TO BE TESTING EQUIPMENT AND FIGURING OUT HOW MANY LAP COUNTER ARE NEEDED, WHERE THE SHEETS ARE, WHO HAS PENCILS, ETC.
Rather than subject the younger men and women to distance races in the late morning heat and sun – run them in the evening. Perhaps that way there will not be the temptation to cram everyone over 50 into a single race – with older runners being lapped multiple times and lap counters losing track of who did what.
Thank you for covering those important points, Mary. Perhaps Mellow Johnny can chime in later. I remember the problems in Illinois (Decatur), was not there for Boise, and am aware of problems elsewhere in the same general time frame. I recall joking with a racewalker about walking “the 5800” (he had signed up for the 5000 but ending up walking two extra laps) in a certain nationals, and I also remember the fiasco in the 5000 in that same meet (which shall go unnamed).
An early start is really tough on some athletes and will be a hardship for some officials. And, as you indicate, everything must be at 100% before the first race goes off. Furthermore, the fields should not be too large. Sounds like quite an assignment to get everything just right and do no racing after it has gotten really hot (in the 5000, the 10,000, and the 5000 racewalk, I mean).
WE NEED TO WEAR THE ELECTRONIC CHIP IN THE DISTANCE RACES. It worked great at Lahti. It works great in road races. Why can this not be done at our national champs? Each of us who run distance races on the track has a horror story or many. I now have two lap counters in the bleachers who call the “laps to go” number. I coached in Iran.(72-74). In the old days, distance runners would collect pebbles to coincide with the number of laps to run. One pebble would be dropped each lap. That wouldn’t work for me. “Hmmm, did I just drop a pebble or not?”(^_^)
Jerry
Thanks for bringing up the suggestion of the chip Jerry. It was used in Lahti for the 5k and 10k on the track and worked very well. As a competitor it was good to know that my laps were counted accurately. There was a board where each racer’s number was listed and the lap they were on showed. For the competitor it was hard to read – but for those in the stands it worked well. By using the chip a record could be had of the splits as well as of the finish time.
Using the chip would reduce most of the problems for the longer races and multiple age groups on the track at the same time.
I also try to have a friend in the stands with a lap sheet keeping track of my splits.
When I saw that all the races 1500 and longer would be run in the morning, my main thought was “beggers can’t be choosers.”
I’m extremely thankful to Sacramento for listening to our desires as distance runners and making this clear so early on. Would I prefer the night? Yes.
But, given the choice between what could be 100+ degree temps and rolling out early to compete in the cooler temps, I’ll take the latter for sure.
There’s obviously a reason for them choosing the morning instead of the evening. I agree early mornings seem harder on athletes and officials than evenings but I trust there’s a good reason for them choosing early morning over evening.
My 2 cents…
One more thing…I’ve always loved running the steeple under the lights. Have never run one before 11:30am so am curious how that will be.
“Rather than subject the younger men and women to distance races in the late morning heat and sun – run them in the evening.”
Thank you, Mary. While not “young,” I am “younger” and I am concerned that with the 5K racewalk on Friday morning, the steeple will be pushed to later in the day regardless. As you wisely pointed out, late morning isn’t all that pleasant. Night would be much better. That or run us at 7am, which I’d be willing to do if there is no other option. The Thursday night possibility (don’t know if the steeple is being considered for that or not) has some real appeal for me.
Thank you for joining the fray, Mellow Johnny. As you have no doubt observed, in recent weeks there have been rather few postings, and thus to a substantial degree we are talking among ourselves about distance races this summer(Hall of Famer Mary Harada, former open standout in the 6-mile and participant in the first US-Russia meet Jerry Smartt, Mellow Johnny, and yours truly, a sometime announcer).
You have sent me back to the schedule, Mellow Johnny, and I can’t see any way that you will run the steeplechase before noon (or after 3 PM) on Friday. There will be anywhere from four to six racewalks, I would guess, followed by trials in the hurdles, followed by the steeplechase. Your steeplechase will be the last one, and thus I figure you to run between 12:15 PM and 2:00 PM.
As a high school teacher, Mellow Johnny, you know that it is typically hot (but mercifully dry) in July in Sacramento. So…the only thing I can say is that in addition to the “bath” you will take on your trip through the water jump you might benefit from being sprayed by a hose each lap (ask one of the officials about that).
Thanks (but no thanks :)) for confirming my worst fears, PT, that I will in fact be running in the heat of the day.
As you well know,the water jump helps very little if you’re running the race well (only one foot in the water each lap is hardly refreshing).
Now, the steeple could certainly be before the hurdles, right? Even then, I’m concerned.
If the statement is the “all distances 1500m and over” will be early morning, I certainly feel the steeple would get the same treatment. If that means Thursday (or Friday)) night at 11pm, I’m good with it.
Better than a sweltering heat in the middle of the day.
Obviously, 11pm on Thursday isn’t “early morning” but as long as it’s out of the heat, I’m willing to run it whenever (yes,even 2am if need be, and I’m not kidding).
Well, Mellow Johnny, I am heavily influenced by the schedule for the meet, which was revised January 22. As you have probably seen, your race (steeplechase for men 30+) is in the sixth spot, which means to me that you will probably run somewhere around 1:30 pm. I contrast your race with the 5000, which is listed as the first (women) and second (men) events of the day on Thursday, the 5000 racewalk, listed as the first and second events on Friday, and the 10,000 run, shown as the first and second events on Saturday.
If your race ever gets moved into the second slot (with steeplechase for women the first event), Mellow Johnny, I believe you will get an early start (assuming that you would be about the sixth steeplechase, I would guess you would run about 9:30 A.M. if the first steeple goes off at 7:30 A.M.). If you stay where you are currently, Mellow Johnny, I am predicting, as noted above, a start of 1:30 PM for you.
We will see, as I am guessing that there will be another change in the schedule at a later point (just a guess, however, Mellow Johnny).
I’m definitely guessing there will be a change as well, PT, and certainly am hoping so. If there isn’t and we do race around 1:30pm, I’ll just expect to run an extremely slow time!
http://petemagill.blogspot.com/2010/02/morning-read-no-such-thing-as-perfect.html#comments
Regarding early starts and hot weather, Pete Magill addresses these types of situations on his website.
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