Q&A with Orville Rogers on overcoming stroke, keeping motivation
Orville Rogers, likely the oldest Athlete of the Year in USATF history, is a model for overcoming adversity. He suffered a stroke in 2011 but mowed down world records in 2013. He had a heart full of blocked arteries and began running at 50. He didn’t run in high school — back in the mid-1930s in Sulphur, Oklahoma. “No track program at our high school,” Orville wrote in response to a Q&A. “I did play football and lettered two years (before attending Oklahoma University). I think I owe my athletic success in later life to my childhood swimming. I and several friends would play tag in and around the pool, running and swimming for what might have been hours on end. My last physical at the Cooper clinic showed that my (lung) vital capacity was 45% above predicted for a man my age and weight.” Orville, who turned 96 in late November, adds: “I must tell you that Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the author of ‘Aerobics,’ is my personal doctor, and has ‘kept me going’ for more than 40 years.”
Orville was well-supported at 2013 masters nationals in windy Olathe, Kansas.
USATF Eastern Regional Masters champs invites online entries
M50 sprinter Mike Travers graciously provides details on the 2014 USATF East Region Masters Indoor Championships set Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, at Providence Career and Technical High School in Rhode Island. USATF has online entry form here. Print entry and meet info is here. Eventually, you’ll see who else is competing on the Status of Entries page. The school held the meet in 2012 and 2013 as well. Here are 2013 results.
Indoor track at Rhode Island high school will host the Eastern regionals.
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Kathy Martin, Oscar Peyton marks among 9 new last-minute records
Oscar Peyton is hugged after beating Bill Collins in the Olathe 200.
How I beat 10-year-old speedster for dream end to 2013 season
It’s official. I’m a fifth-grader in terms of speed. On Saturday, the Red and Black All-Comers Meet at San Diego State University charged $10 for all-you-can-eat competition. I got my money’s worth in the 60-meter dash. Held in cool temps (about 55 degrees) with the clouds about to open, my heat pitted me against a pair of grade-schoolers. The spikes-wearing lad in Lane 4 got the jump on me and led for at least 30 meters, but I bore down, lengthened my stride and prevailed by a couple feet. I was ecstatic, and dozens of bleacher creatures went wild upon my dip-at-the-tape effort. I yelled “59! 59!” and the third-place kid, possibly irked at my hot-dogging, said: “What does 59 mean?” I shared the news with glee at home, and wrote to meet director Rick Reaser for the phototimer shot. Rick gave me the address of timer Jim Waters, who graciously provided this image for the ages. Now my goal is to work on speed — so I can beat a sixth-grader next time. My fantasy: The runner-up becomes Olympic champ.
Even with horribly disfigured right leg, I still beat this 10-year-old at SDSU.
Second call for milers: Register soon for Jan. 25 Hartshorne races
Tom, leading here at 2009 Lahti race, is a fair middle-distancer himself.
Albuquerque, Michigan sites chosen to host 2016 masters nationals
Marilyn Mitchell reports from the USATF annual meeting in Indy that Albuquerque (sole bidder) has been awarded the 2016 indoor masters nationals. “Dates not yet chosen,” she writes. “Looks as though it will be mid- to late-February or early March 2014.” The 2016 outdoor masters nationals went to Grand Rapids, Michigan, which beat out a bid from Baton Rouge, Louisiana (LSU). “Dates not yet set,” Marilyn says. “In both cases, the USATF Masters Committee is awaiting verification of final dates on other meets before establishing the masters’ dates.” The Michigan meet apparently is at Grand Valley State University, which also boasts a big fieldhouse with an indoor track (hope we can warm up there.) Grand Valley is actually 12 miles west of Grand Rapids — in Allendale, Michigan. Albuquerque last hosted indoor nationals in 2011, and it took a beating for timing snafus that cost folks a number of 60-meter and other records. That shouldn’t happen again, given new policies tightening who can do the timing. East Lansing 1995 nats (my first) were the last nationals held in the Wolverine State.
Grand Valley is the Lakers, so track is blue. Indoor track is spiffy, too.
Record snub propelled Charles Allie to WMA honors in 2013
Charles Allie didn’t get an email or a phone call. He learned he’d been chosen as IAAF World’s Best Master from the WMA president himself — flying home from Brazil worlds. “This was one of the most exciting news I have ever received in my lifetime, but flying at 35,000 feet, I couldn’t [immediately] really share this great news with anyone.” The world learned the news eventually, and this week in Indy he also shared the title of USATF Male Athlete of the Year with M95 Orville Rogers. Charlie responded to a quickie Q&A this week, adding to our store of knowledge on this modest masters trackster. For example: “In 2012, after turning 65, I competed in a meet in Virginia and set the world record in the 200m and 400m only to later have both records nullified. In 2013, a year older, I was more motivated and determined toward fulfilling my goal.” World records (and even age-group PRs) don’t come at will, so thank goodness Charlie could summon another set of amazing efforts. His persistence serves as a role model as much as his graceful style.
Maurice Greene (right) posed with Charles at the IAAF Gala in Monte Carlo.
Sprinter Phillips turns masters track into modern art photography
Tom’s photos will be in February 2014 show.
Masters invited to USATF-sanctioned indoor meet in Alabama
An indoor track meet Dec. 27-28 in Birmingham, Alabama, is masters-friendly, reports Don Drummond. It’s being held at the Crossplex, a public multi-use center with a banked Mondo track. “Timing will be FAT,” Don writes. “Admission for adults will be $8 for 1 day or $14 for 2 days. 65 & older will be $5 for 1 day or $8 for 2 days. Students and children are free. Coach’s cards will be accepted. … Weight throw implement available for use, but you are encouraged to bring your own. … 13 & over may enter up to 4 individual events and the relay. Registration will be online at coachO.com. Go to the meet calendar and find this meet. Entry will be $20 per athlete. 4×200 relay teams will be $20/team. Pentathlon will be $35/athlete. All payments should be made on-line at the time of registration. Entry deadline is Tuesday, December 24th, 11:59 pm CST. Late entries will be accepted until Wednesday, December 25, 11:59pm CST with a $5 late fee/athlete.” The meet is USATF-sanctioned. (So you can set records here.)
Crossplex’s banked Mondo track is a rarity in the United States.
Wonders Never Stop: Earl Fee’s book of poetry shows his spirit, wit
Canada’s Earl Fee, named “The Great” by Peter Taylor, produces world records and fitness books with regularity. But last year, he outdid himself by issuing a book of poetry. Titled “The Wonder of It All,” the 224-page delight (Trafford Publishing) touches on dozens of topics. He makes you laugh, reflect and remember. He goes short and long. Sample: “The Karate Chop” Two inches of solid pine was fine, / He’d break it without whimper or whine. / Then the day of the hysterical joke: / His broken hand told it was knotted oak. Masters track makes several cameos, including one illustrated by a Francesco Lopez photo showing Earl in a WR 200-meter hurdles at Puerto Rico. “Old Suckers Never Stop” starts: “Just look at that old sucker go!” / marveled the students as I propelled / my near sixty-five-year-old bones across the finish line / on the desert dry indoor track at York U. / I had just used up three-hundred meters of my life / in a stressful forty-four seconds, / even beating some of these teenagers who had not yet / the secret of Dedication.”
Earl flies in a 200-meter hurdles race that set M80 world record of 36.95.
