Reebok Games - Men's Masters Mile - Does Anyone Care?

Nope, no one cares. They don't even have all the best master's runners there. Our sport's incredible need to put youth, masters and professional events all in one meet shows how incredibly amateurish our sport has become. Name me another sport that does this? Last time I check, most Olympic sports don't do this. T&F is increasingly showing why no one likes it in a fairly obvious manner. Why doesn't Mr. Logan take charge and tell them that Reebok BIG isn't a master's meet, rather it's a pro meet?

I, for one, care very little about this meet. The fact that it isn't even shown on TV until tomorrow, means I most certainly won't watch it. I can look at results tonight, see what happened and then spend all day tomorrow watching Super Bowl coverage. Go Saints!

Yes, people do care. Guys, don't be losers your whole life.

I am a master and don't care....I guess you could call it a half time show like in Basketball or football, sometime to watch until big dogs start.

Yes, they do care. Many of the paying customers come to watch the "geriatrics" and the various age groups run, not just the elites. Get over yourself.

Considering that race actually has locals in it, I'd bet the crowd is just as interested in it as they are in the elites.

I noticed (and thought it was odd) that they have it listed as 1500-m and 1-mile in the results, as if they were 2 separate races.

It was actually won in 4:29. I can remember when local masters guys were running 4:11 or so, and you had Larry Almberg doing 4:06.

in all honesty wrote:

Why do they run events like this at a world class meet? Does anyone really enjoy watching which geriatric can run 4:25?

If you don't care, don't watch. Pretty simple. I enjoy watching the athletes who have stayed in excellent shape for a long time and can still bring it, even if it's not 4:10. There IS life beyond age 30, believe it or not.

OlderWiser wrote:

in all honesty wrote:

Why do they run events like this at a world class meet? Does anyone really enjoy watching which geriatric can run 4:25?

If you don't care, don't watch. Pretty simple. I enjoy watching the athletes who have stayed in excellent shape for a long time and can still bring it, even if it's not 4:10. There IS life beyond age 30, believe it or not.

No one is questioning that master's runners are very good athletes, doing something they love for little in return. However, the fact that this is part of a professional track and field meet is a JOKE! I am all for having master's event, having youth events, etc., but it makes our sport look amateurish. Having the master's and youth events in the meet might draw more fans, but that shows how incredibly pathetic our sport is at marketing itself.

riley stops wrote:

Nope, no one cares. They don't even have all the best master's runners there. Our sport's incredible need to put youth, masters and professional events all in one meet shows how incredibly amateurish our sport has become. Name me another sport that does this? Last time I check, most Olympic sports don't do this. T&F is increasingly showing why no one likes it in a fairly obvious manner. Why doesn't Mr. Logan take charge and tell them that Reebok BIG isn't a master's meet, rather it's a pro meet?

I, for one, care very little about this meet. The fact that it isn't even shown on TV until tomorrow, means I most certainly won't watch it. I can look at results tonight, see what happened and then spend all day tomorrow watching Super Bowl coverage. Go Saints!

I guess you missed the Punt, Pass and Kick finals during one of the NFL conference championship games. Just childish. And speaking of amateurish, for its championship game, the NFL changes the game rules to extend half time for a rock concert.

Yanqui wrote:

It was actually won in 4:29. I can remember when local masters guys were running 4:11 or so, and you had Larry Almberg doing 4:06.

Unbelievable comment. You are comparing one single masters race in 2010 to an entire GENERATION of times from Almbergs 4:06 to a few 4:11's here and there. Master times of this GENERATION are just fast as your "I remember when days." See the list below for the ALL TIME top 50 in/out track performances for those 40+. Feel free to fill in all of the 4:11's I am suppossedly missing...Seriously, if there are any missing marks, post them for all to see

3:58.15i Eamonn Coghlan 41 '94

4:01.39i Eamonn Coghlan 40 '93

4:02.53 David Moorcroft 40 '93

4:03.28i Eamonn Coghlan 41 '94

4:04.55i Eamonn Coghlan 41 '94

4:04.98 Jim Sorensen 40 '07

4:05.27 Jim Sorensen 40 '07

4:05.51i' Tony Young 42 '05

4:05.95i Eamonn Coghlan 40 '93

4:06.39i' Tony Young 41 '04

4:06.7?? Larry Almberg 43 '90

4:07.14i' Tony Young 41 '04

4:07.25i Eamonn Coghlan 40 '93

4:07.25 Tony Young 41 '03

4:07.27 Tony Young 43 '05

4:08.21i' Tony Young 41 '04

4:08.38i' Tony Young 42 '05

4:08.49i Eamonn Coghlan 40 '93

4:08.60i' Tony Young 40 '03

4:09.48 Eamonn Coghlan 40 '93

4:09.61 Tony Young 40 '02

4:10.43 Steve Scott 40 '96

4:10.62i John Bermingham ? '93

4:11.00i Bill Stewart 40 '83

4:11.11 John Hinton 40 '02

4:11.15i Wilson Waigwa 44 '93

4:11.58i John Bermingham ? '93

4:12.24 Larry Almberg 42 '90

4:12.34 Tony Young 42 '04

4:12.56 Tony Murray ? '88

4:13.12 Steve Scott 41 '97

4:13.21 Jim Sorensen 40 '07

4:13.25i' Tony Young 46 '09

4:13.52 Dave Stewart 41 '89

4:13.54i John Hinton 43 '06

4:13.73 Johnny Gray 40 '00

4:13.98 John Hinton 40 '03

4:13.?i Wilson Waigwa 41 '91

4:13.?i Rod Dixon 40 '91

4:14.27i Steve Scott 40 '97

4:14.41i Ken Popejoy 43 '84

4:14.47 Jim Sorensen 42 '09

4:14.59i Ken Popejoy 42 '93

4:15.38 Harold Nolan 41 '88

4:15.46i John Hinton 41 '04

4:15.47i Dave Stewart 41 '90

4:15.53i Wilson Waigwa 43 '93

4:15.61i Mike Egle 40 '02

4:15.6h Wilson Waigwa 44 '93

4:15.73 Anselm Lebourne ? '00

Thanks info man for pointing out how big of a douche bag many of these college runners are. Funny, 99% of the guys that post here, and probably 100% in this thread, have never been sub-4:20, including yanqui.

...don't laugh buddy, someday you'll 'old & weak' too!

The youth relay was also part of professional track as were a high school mile for boys and another for girls. So what? You could watch the pole vault while those events were going on or just waited until the amateur events were over to get there.

Track is like that. Many of us need to sit through events we don't especially like to see the ones we do.

I guess you missed the Punt, Pass and Kick finals during one of the NFL conference championship games. Just childish. And speaking of amateurish, for its championship game, the NFL changes the game rules to extend half time for a rock concert.

Brilliant, Wisenheimer. Thank you.

[quote]Unbelievable comment. You are comparing one single masters race in 2010 to an entire GENERATION of times from Almbergs 4:06 to a few 4:11's here and there. [quote]

Good info, info man.

Those of us who are older and actually have lives must keep in mind that most of the naysayers on this thread are in their twenties and haven't experienced much of anything yet. Just like we were, oh, say 30 years ago.

Here's what I don't understand... The average Letsrun twenty-something poster lives and dies on the ability to ridicule other athletes, thus making himself feel better. I would think he would WELCOME the Masters Mile - another chance to make fun of someone!

:)

OlderWiser wrote:

Here's what I don't understand... The average Letsrun twenty-something poster lives and dies on the ability to ridicule other athletes, thus making himself feel better. I would think he would WELCOME the Masters Mile - another chance to make fun of someone!

:)

The thing I laugh at is that most of these college punks have only 1 or 2 years left to their running careers - my guess is that less than 5% of them will be running 3 years from now, and only 2 or 3 percent when they reach 40. They don't have the drive or self discipline to run without the support of a team. Of the 13 or so I ran with at that age, I'm the only one still running. I think that's pretty typical.

So, we all get the last laugh on these pussies!!

The masters mile serves an important purpose in the overall meet schedule. It's usually the first event, and by having local runners competing, it really helps get people into their seats, gets them cheering, and gives the announcers, technical crew, etc. a chance to get into the rhythm of the meet. It's like an opening act at a concert.

The masters runners take it very seriously and usually stage a great race. Of course they get no money or expenses, but believe me, they know how lucky they are to be racing in such an event and they do their part.

I would also add that the fastest race is not always the best race. Last year, the boys high school mile was the race of the night. This year the girls HS mile was one of the best races, and having those events be part of the meet helps fill the venue with a lot of high school age fans.

True--and Reebok isn't alone in widening participation to include youth and masters--the Penn Relays hosts events for all ages--has for years--and is very well attended. Saturday's events (last day) feature school, Oly. Development, and masters' events, and the stands are packed.

Gosh kiddies, over-react much? I pointed out that a race was won in 4:29...which it was. Your "list" is irrelevant to the fact that no one assembled broke 4:29 tonight.