question, then... wrote:
jhlkjhlkjhjlkhkl wrote:
i literally thought this headline was a joke. masters is 40+. anything younger than that is just trying to appeal to slow hobbyjoggers who don't train and want to feel special
Not being sarcastic - where should young people go if they want to have an organized system of competition, but are not good enough to run competitively at an international level? Who is this younger "masters" division hurting? Some people just want to enjoy competition, not get a participation trophy.
25-29 age group is a good idea. After college, if you are still interested in track, but are not elite or sub-elite, there aren't many options. What about those who ran track in college and want to try new events? How about that 1500 guy who ran 3:50 and really wants to see if he can get down to 3:45, or he ran 4:10 and wants to break 4? Or the sprinter who ran 10.5, is passionate about sprint training and competition, and wants to train for 10.3? Road races just aren't appealing for them.
The USATF Masters Championships are well-run meets, for non-professional runners who enjoy the sport. Adding this 25-29 age group will allow more people to participate, as USATF noted. There's no money or fame in it; it's for the love of the sport.
It does seem weird, though, to refer to 25-29 as masters. IMO "sub-masters" would work for age groups up to 39.