T&FN do not recognize Brenda Martinez,1:59.59 , 800m

Short track? The cones on the inside of lane 1 were too short, I think. There is a thread on the TFN message boards about it, but I haven't read it all.

Go here:

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/discussion/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=50552&start=35

Read all the way to the end where the meet director acknowledges the meet was not sanctioned, they had no rails and the cones were wrong.

Lets hope the meet moves to a better venue next year that actually has track railings. As long as the athletes competing knew coming in that their times weren't going to count, then that's fine. If any of them didn't and were using it as a qualifier, then that was wrong.

unfortunate and I did not know this. They'll both run faster still, but the fact is that rail or no rail the track is the same distance and while they might have cut some by stepping on the line (painted in the same place relative to the rail, I'm sure), the officials may have been watching for that. Cheers to the race director, however, for putting on a fine meet in all other respects.

So Mary Cain traveled across the country for a pro meet where she wasn't paid and where her time doesn't count. What's the point? Terrible job by Coach Salazar.

"didn't have a rail on that track because it had been stolen TWICE from that facility for scrap metal. I was not prepared to pay 10k for another rail to be put in when the times most likely wouldn't count anyhow."

Thank you Barack Obama and the Democratic party.

Tracks are not the same size if they are measured with or without a rail.

riley stops wrote:

Lets hope the meet moves to a better venue next year that actually has track railings. As long as the athletes competing knew coming in that their times weren't going to count, then that's fine. If any of them didn't and were using it as a qualifier, then that was wrong.

Apparently the athletes were quite happy with the meet. Without a kerb, the track should be measured at a 20cm inset instead of 30. Thus, the radius of the track is 10cm x pi, so that each turn they are 0.314m short; 0.94m for the 800 (2.20m for the 1500. This amounts to 0.14 seconds at 6.66m/sec and 0.35 sec at 6.25m/sec.

If you want to put up the prize money, pay for transportation and premium lodging you can put the meet any old place you want; until then, be grateful someone did do the hard work here as you certainly did not contribute.

Business News wrote:

So Mary Cain traveled across the country for a pro meet where she wasn't paid and where her time doesn't count. What's the point? Terrible job by Coach Salazar.

Maybe San Diego has a world renowned asthma doctor.

the tracks are not different sizes, the way they are measured is different. you fool.

Hard work, travel stipends and a few thousand dollars of prize money don't outweigh a lack of competence or tangible results that hold true meaning. I have been told by others to look at the positive side of ReRun, which to me starts to feel like a recommendation to lower standards and expectations.

When all is said and done, an undertaking like this must be professional in order to advance the sport. A mistake like having non-certifiable times is simply unprofessional. You can not convince me otherwise. We're not talking a about roller derby, 'professional' wrestling or an all-comers meet. In a sport where time(s) dictate everything this meet management error is egregious.

I have watched and coached athletes at meets like PDX Track Festival and American Milers Club events and appreciate them for what they are while resting assured that people will walk away having earned a mark that will stand up, whether they like the numbers or not.

Meet directors can't control weather, pacing (once a rabbit drops), or who actually shows up to compete, but they had damn well better be able to control the factors that pertain to logistics and meet execution.

Business News wrote:

So Mary Cain traveled across the country for a pro meet where she wasn't paid and where her time doesn't count. What's the point? Terrible job by Coach Salazar.

When did Mary Cain go pro?

She isn't a professional. Which is why this was a completely wasted expense for her. The professionals can accept appearance and prize money despite the track's non-conformity.

So Salazar knew ahead of time that the curb would be stolen and a volunteer would set up the cones wrong?

erwq wrote:

the tracks are not different sizes, the way they are measured is different. you fool.

If they are measured at different places, by definition aren't they different sizes (lengths)? If you're measuring an ellipse from 20cm versus 30cm, the tracks are slightly different sizes.

You all should read the full text of the race director's letter - it is fascinating. The coaches knew the times probably would not count, air was paid for some, and prize money was huge and paid immediately:

My name is Pete Hess and I am the co-creator/meet director for the Inaugural Re:RUN SD. I am fully aware of the situation regarding the track and it concerns me in absolutely no way. I discussed with all agents and athletes before hand that the meet would most likely not count as qualifying times as we weren't sanctioned by USATF and unfortunately didn't have a rail on that track because it had been stolen TWICE from that facility for scrap metal. I was not prepared to pay 10k for another rail to be put in when the times most likely wouldn't count anyhow.

We wanted to bring professional track back to SD for the first time in 25 years. We wanted people who have never experienced a track meet to see it live and have the joy of seeing how beautifully these athletes compete on the track. We paid 15,000 bucks in prize money in EACH race, paid the athletes flights and put them up in one of the nicest hotels in SD for multiple nights. We wanted the athletes to have fun in San Diego and engaged the crowd and they did just that! I discussed the same topic of times not counting with the athletes during the meeting the night before the event. I told them the event was focused on helping PAY professional track athletes and engaged a new crowd to the sport.

I've received amazing feedback from the crowd in SD! Little kids coming down on the track and running laps after the event with the athletes. The athletes were in the stands after the event signing autographs and taking pictures with lots of people. I had a lot of people tell me they can't wait to go to another track meet. Creating new fans for the sport that severely lacks any fans is what the goal of Re:RUN was and we achieved that.

Each athlete received their prize check IMMEDIATELY and did not have to wait the normal 2 months that they do in Europe (if not a lot longer) and they were thrilled about it. All the athletes have been sending thank you notes for hosting a new event and providing and opportunity for them to MAKE MONEY in the USA. I'm sure Susan Kuijken is happier to have received 5,500 bucks than having her 4:27 count for your list.

I apologize about not having whatever size cones I was suppose to have but if you are open minded you will realize this event made new fans in a market that hasn't had track in 25 years. The fans in the stands were thrilled, the athletes were thrilled, my apologizes that you weren't thrilled, but it was kind of a you had to be there type event.

Yes he did. See below.

Business News wrote:

Yes he did. See below.

And yet he still chose to come to the race. Maybe he didn't really care about whether the time was recognized by TFN or USATF, and was more interested in getting a great competitive opportunity for his athletes -- which seems to have worked out pretty well.

You do realize that Obama inherited a terrible economy from GW Bush, right? It's not his fault the US is in the state it is today.

iusjdjuhndhsh wrote:

"didn't have a rail on that track because it had been stolen TWICE from that facility for scrap metal."

Thank you Barack Obama and the Democratic party.