What was your 2013 track highlight? Mine was hurdling at 59
I once asked a multi-eventer friend of mine why he did masters track. He said: “Because I enjoy it.” But I was too shy to ask why. For me, the enjoyment comes via self-discovery. I tell people that masters track gives you a chance to test yourself and, with luck, surprise yourself. My test in 2013 was resuming a hurdle career in hiatus since my 2007 ACL surgery. I ran the 400s twice — in San Marcos (pictured in the stamps below) and at Olathe nationals. My times (each in 1:32) were submediocre, but at least I overcame my fears and paid tribute to my late brother’s courage. My surprise was in medaling in nationals. But I’m more interested in your story. Whether you’re a veteran or newbie, what moment gave you the biggest buzz this year? Remember that you don’t have to be a superstar to get supercharged by competition. I’m the poster child for that.
My wife turned her San Marcos hurdle shot of me into a Christmas gift. I’ll have to add 3-cent postage starting Jan. 26. But it’s all good. (I look good!)
21 Responses
2002 I returned to the sport that I enjoyed when I was younger.
Very glad that I did. I missed it.
Hope to be able to do this until I am 90.
Happy holidays all.
I can beat that: hurdling at almost (3 weeks to go)
79, so there. BUT, I enjoyed it as much as you do.
Let’s both stay healthy.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOUR READERS.
Speaking of Joy!! Best wishes to Barb Jordan, hopefully she is over the worst and can enjoy the days to come!!
Congrats to you and Christel and Amy Hicks and others who carry on their sports. Nice to compete until injury or surgery. Then on to other interests.
Wishing everyone the best in MMXIV.
Mine was finding out how much I missed masters track since I didn’t get to compete in 2013. Hopefully next year!
Mine was Raleigh enjoyed everthing about it. Meet old friends and make new ones!!!!
To me masters track is the fountain of youth. I feel like a kid again when the starter says gentleman stand in your blocks. I get nervous even when I’m not running against anybody but the clock. The greatest moment for me this past year was making all american in the M60 100 meter hurdles. The last time I ran them was 1971 when I was in high school.
First off Ken, how cool to be the star of your own postage stamps!! Had no idea you could do that, so thanks for sharing the idea!
I had some pretty good competition results this year, but the things I’ll remember and cherish most all involve spending time with the friends we’ve made through this sport. I’ll never forget my wife and I hanging out with my high jump buddies at a KC BBQ restaurant after Olathe Nationals….or getting semi-lost in Torino with our pal Peter Hlavin “navigating” from the back seat of our rental car.
Here’s hoping we get to meet more of you fine folks out on the circuit in 2014 – Happy New Year!
My thrill was seeing Thad Wilson go under 44 in the M60 long hurdles at Porte Alegre(43.95); only three others have ever done it at that age group – Guido Muller, Courtland Gray, and Jack Greenwood.
Mine was being able to compete at the Masters National Throws, Superweight & Ultra Weight Championships after almost being paralyzed in 2012 and laid up from 2 surgeries. Winning all three was nice but I was just happy to be able to participate. Being told I would never throw again because of all the hardware in my neck was devastating because I enjoy going to the meets not just to compete but hanging out with fellow throwers & watching some of the other events.
Highlight: Finally got to race at UW indoors on 1/12. Lowlights: Got injured 2 weeks later…same track, same distance. Hope I’m recovered enough to get into some track races in 2014.
greetings iam Joe Sincere ,, I was an employee at Dillards a job where I was not appreciate it and it was a very stressful situation, I request the days I need it off to participate in the 2013 outdoor Nationals, I had to work 9 straight days at a job where I was not appreciated and was treated horribly, on the 9th day I got in my car and drove from New Orleans Louisiana to Kansas,, six states it literally took me 19 hours, because I was so tired I had to stop at so many rest stops, I also stopped in Memphis Tennessee in visited the Lorraine Motel,, when I got to the masters nationals there was no one at the track I wonder if I was at the proper City I talked to a fine age Gentleman and he also was sprinter, I was so tired I was delirious,, the next day I became a national champion in a 100’meters,, I was so tired but I was so proud and I knew that ms,Bonner was proud,, I had to hurry up and get back because I had to go to work the next day, so I was extremely tired going in extremely tired coming back but I came back to champion
The results this season weren’t great, but after ten years I could restart training for the heptathlon! Coming friday firts hurdle race since long.
For me, 2013 was a decent year, definitely not great. I didn’t get on the track to compete even once, but that was no surprise, as I haven’t run a race on the track since 1992 or so (ran a 3000 in Fort Washington, PA).
In terms of announcing, thanks to Jerry Bookin-Weiner and others I had a pretty good indoors. There were many highlights for me in Landover, with the American indoor W60 800 record of 2:41.61 set by Ohio’s Barbara Broad perhaps ranking the highest. It’s always enjoyable to watch a relative newcomer to masters T&F break an existing mark.
For the first time since 2003 I did not announce outdoor nationals, but I plan to be in Winston-Salem this summer to make amends. I will also be in Boston in March for indoors. Later this month I will be in Ithaca, NY, for the Hartshorne Memorial Masters Mile. In truth, one of the nice things about New Years Day is that everything suddently appears to be closer — all of the meets I mentioned are now staring right at me.
Other than turning 50 this past summer, no track highlights in 2013 for me (or 2012 either). My last track race was an all-comers 3200 in Feb 2012; since then nothing but injury.
But 2014 is looking better: I’m back to limited running – about 4 days/week – and hope to be in North Carolina this summer. Yesterday I did some fartlek style 800s on the track; they were about 30+ seconds slower than what would be normal. Hey, gotta start somewhere.
Happy New Year!
My track high light of my 2013 season was at a Track meet in Aguada Puerto Rico. The official who was setting up the heats for the 400 meters announced the first heat of the 400, which was mostly comprised of young men from 17 to 23 years old and when my name was mentioned some of the young went to the official and told her that “Echeandia runs with us” she asked me if I wanted to run them and I did. At 49yo I am happy to admit I can still run. I took a close third place and my ego was well rewarded lol!
My highlight was being in 4th place in the 10,000 meter 60-64 with a few laps to go at the national Masters outdoor championship in Olathe, KS, and passing the legendary Nolan Shaheed as if was standing still. This achievement was a bit tarnished however, as he was a lap ahead of me at the time. 🙂
My highlight was competing in the National Senior Games in Berea, and in particular successfully receiving the baton in the 4×100 from Damien Leake and handing it off to Oscar Peyton, and then standing on the podium with them and Chris McConnell, who led off.
Must have been scary to see Damien barreling toward you! Had a similar experience at Lahti worlds when Thad Wilson was charging at me full-blast with baton. Lucky he didn’t run up my back!
My 2013 highlight was this…despite jumping with a right knee meniscus tear in Brazil, I FINALLY won my long sought after “individual” Gold medal (to add to my relay Gold from 2011) and finally achieved World Champion status in my specialty event, the Triple Jump! I had already won the Bronze in 2007 & 2009 and the Silver in 2011. When I discovered the tear in May and couldn’t train or compete the Outdoor season, I almost decided not to go to Brazil Worlds. But something in my heart kept saying to me…regardless of the injury, it’s MY time for that Gold! So I decided to forego surgery right away and “give it a shot” anyway. I’m so glad I didn’t give up!! I ended the year the Indoor National Champion and the Outdoor WORLD CHAMPION!!! 🙂 I’m taking 2014 off to get my knee taken care of and…REST!!
highlights are always the big meets
Millrose Games 4 x 400
Penn Relays 4 x 400
Nationals —
a lot of injuries in between –c;mon legs carry me through 2014!
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