Masters Weekend Races and Runs

Hey all,

I missed the thread last week as we were away visiting my folks, living in a tent and away from internet. I managed 81 and 77 miles the last two weeks, with a 5000 the first week (4 s off my best - pretty good in warm conditions).

This week I'll race a 10000 Wednesday evening, and that'll be the end of track season for me.

If Orville Atkins checks in this week - do you know a guy who lives in Sault Ste. Marie Ontario? I bumped into a 77 year old guy who told me he ran distance back in the day. He said his claim to fame was a 17th place (out of 350ish) in a European race in 1947. That would be a pretty good result. I was too stupid/dehydrated to ask his name. Any ideas?

Have a great week, everyone!

Greetings Fellow Masters,

Here are my impressions of the Charlotte meet and some comments about my personal races.

This was my third masters track national meet, and my first outdoor meet. So, I don't consider myself that versed on masters competitions. However, I did run in college, and I had a previous ninteen year career as a college track coach. Two things struck me as strange from a meet adminsitration stand point. One, the original schedule called for no evening competitions. However, with the incredible heat and humidty (worst conditions I ever experienced as an athlete or coach)Thursday and Friday had to be re-scheduled to include an evening session. These re-scheduled sessions seemed pleasant for both the athletes, officials and spectators.

Secondly, in the distance races there were no lap splits. On this second issue I complained to the Meet Director who said the officials "should do that." No offer to look into it. I must say he looked shell-shocked, so he must have been dealing with more pressing issues. The end result though was still no split timers. Strange in my opinion.

Talk about strange. On a personal level I was DQed for a passing infraction in the 5,000 meters. That was a first both as an athlete and a coach. In the 5k I started out at the back of the pack moving up to 3rd in the back straight only to be caught with 50 meters to go.

In the 10k I went out more aggressively in the the first 5,000 meters. That was a mistake, but I recovered from the tactical error to finish second. I completed a triple the next day with an 8th place in the 1500m. I moved into fourth with 500 meters to go, but the effort took too much out of me as I faded on the back straight.

All and all a great time and a wonderfull learning experience. Many great performances. Too many that I can't do justice singling any one of them out.

For me it is two weeks rest and I will begin a build-up for cross country season.

Ghost of Igloi

Pete, I can not think of who that might be. I was 11 and shovelling snow in Timmins in 1947. I did not run yet. I have never raced in Europe. Even in the 1950s, races on this continent did not have that many runners but it is possible that European cross country races did. By the way the Boston Marathon had 181 starters in 1962.

Ghost of Igloi,

You have had such a vaste running background that I find it strange and surprising that you would find masters running that different. I ran some as a master nearly 30 years ago and officiated and was starter at some meets. Those meets were no different than open meets in those days.

You had a great weekend! Congratulations to all on your success over the weekend.

Orville

Orville,

Thanks for the compliment.

I have to say I was shocked that others did not think the lack of split timers was unusual. I thought, maybe something has happened to the sports during my hiatus.

Spent some time at the meet visiting with the Canadian athletes. Dave Brown (a short sprinter), Tim Payne (a distance runner), and a coach (from Calgary-don't recall his name) and his wife (a sprinter). Nice people who were really enjoying the competition. Earl Fee had a great meet--he was selling his book during his off time at a table during the meet.

Ghost of Igloi

MF, thanks , its something I will check out, if anyone has a person here in S.D.Ill gladly take their name

Check in with Kevin McCarey (2:13 marathoner, massage therapist, outstanding coach and a super guy)...he'll know EXACTLY who to see down there...last number I have for him is 619.299.6758

MF

I was going to run a lot but then I bought a motorcycle. I ran a little.

me and my watch wrote:

I was going to run a lot but then I bought a motorcycle. I ran a little.

why such a short response? why the motorcy?

Congrates ghost of igloi, i was there for the 5000 on thursday and echo your feeling of that being the most miserable conditions i had ever ran in, it was so miserable i didn't come back for the 1000.

I was also in Charlotte.....I also found it very strange that there were no lap splits read, or even a clock for the distance races that did not start at the s/f line. It would have made a lot more sense to have those long distance events in the evenings than on a 120* track at 11:30 am as the 5000 was.....Also because of a poorly planned schedule, some athletes actually missed doing their events (they were postponed because of the heat then the lightening on Friday) because they had to fly home on early Saturday morning. Sometimes USATF does things that makes no sense, guess this meet was a good example of that.....

is there a link for the 2007 meet in Orono? Wonder if that will be August 9-12?

Hi Skate-

it seems the National meet is always held around the first weekend in August- at least it has been for the last 4 years I've participated. I sure would like to see that change, not only for weather related purposes, but also to be able to take advantage of some of the spring collegiate meets. I just can't train for/run track from February (indoor)through August anymore. Old age will do that to you!

RB

PS: the Visalia Masters Classic will be on October 14th. Do you know if Tamalpa is having any more all-comers?

me and my watch, Horses,motorcycles, you gotta have a story.

MF, Thanks for the number I will call that guy.

Mike, thanks for the tip.

It was a helluva great race! Albeit conditions sucked - too hot and humid to even warm-up properly! Just brutal thick humidity in the air! Still... the M45 800 was loaded with expectations for a great top 4. I'll admit, the fear of failure in me was that one of us would go home medal-less; after all this hard work... just because our age group event was stacked out to be the best in the world. 6 runners hit between 90-94% in the age-grade performance charts. After the cones it was Sal, McDuffrie, Lindsay, and typical me hanging on shoulders. We all know the lore of this race equates to split-second decision making. Mine was sensing Jeff was already being gapped after just 150m, so I shot up to 3rd. And then there were 3 ducks in a row until 650m. No sense for splits, bells, or a pretty large crowd roaring. Just focus. From the top of the turn and into the stretch it was Sal pulling off the rail, McDuffrie being forced out to lane 2, Paulk having to swing way wide into lane 3. All 3 of us bumped arms and quads. My puny biceps versus McDuffrie's huge 22.1 for 200m shit. Damn he looked fit! And then... I swear Sal's left ham buckled in the corner of my eye with 50m to go! With that boost of confidence my left mollars were cracking trying to grit my way past McDuffrie to painstakingly, ever so slowly, get past him. Only the great Saladin to catch. Me this close to Sal!!! I truly believed I could beat him. As we neared the 800th meter either one of us dove but we all leaned through that laser line. And it was over. Just like 100m guys... we knew who won it immediately. The officials had to look at the photo but we kept telling them it was Sal. And I'll admit it. This Silver, in these conditions, against these odds and field, had me more satisfied than any Austria, any San Sebastian, and Gold, Silver or Bronze before. I loath this 800 meter race! And I share the utmost respect for my man Jeff Lindsay for his years and years of consistent national and world medals and sub-2 performances. The toughest 4th place result in our masters world (other than Clingan in Spain). As for what happened in the 1500 at 0822AM the next morning... I'll save it for later. But our Irish NYC resident Connor O'Driscoll won the race. I did not. But that 800m race just 15 or so hours before was a helluva tax on my tired old body.

I'm just moping. Guys like Biscuit Boy get me down. Make me feel all, like, unapreciated. Like if they take my comments about great legends like Frank Shorter seriously? And then I go all defensive and end up saying, well, it's been a rough week (Monday I had an emergency root canal, and my kids were sick, and some guy (I call him Monday and won't say his name- which ticks off the ex) my ex is dating was apparently too damn important to her so she couldn't even help a tiny tiny tiny bit with the sick kids even though I'd had an emergency root canal!) so on Friday I said, well, I just went out to see what was out. Either a z3, z4, or bike, said I. So I called around to see what was out and said, boys, I'm spending some jack so whoever's first gets it! and off to the races. Bike-boy beat car-boy, and I got myself a bmw. Bike of my dreams, baby! Only thing is, I haven't ridden one in at least 3 years (a flat-tired dirt-bike on gravel roads with no brakes and a sticky choke on an island off Panama). So I got the bike and of course where I got it is on the interstate and the next think I think, I'm going 80 with just a t-shirt on. Whoooo-eeee! I rode straight to the barn (60 MILES!), jumped on my horse, and then I said, This is Riding. Meanwhile, I ran almost every day (not Monday) and that's about it. Oh- now I'm getting like 50mpg, vs 14 with my yukon. And today I rode 100 miles- 2 gallons of premium, which would have been like 7 gallons in the yukon. When I filled up the bike yesterday, it cost $9.50! And as for dating- I know it's easier to pick up girls in a convertible, but I'd rather pick up the ones who like bikes... that's just what I'm needing right about now.

thanks for the motivation, 16x and Old Man

and to the rest of you guys still running! Whoooo-eeee!

wow, Mike just posted Kinky's phone number! I'll take note of it.

. My low mileage continues, just under 50 per week. feeling positively indolent, but harnessing my energy for the upcoming cross season. My kiddies past and present are doing well. One girl, now a HS coach herself, is an up and coming triathlete, my first coached kid just placed in his first duathalon (bike/run). I love it when they report their results to their old coach. the weather has been gorgeous here. I almost feel guilty not going out and hammering the miles knowing what it will be like in a few months, but it is so pleasant to stretch out and kick back in the sunshine and free time. I'll get focused when it starts to rain.

Great job, KP!!!! Thanks for the report on a really amazing race!

Hope to see you around during xc -- your son's still running, right?

You also called Grosse and Zupanc cheaters and the Oshkosh runners a bunch of dweebs.