American records may plunge at Portland masters races Saturday
This Saturday at the Portland Track Festival in Oregon, the men’s and women’s masters races have potential to generate a handful of American records. Joanna Harper, organizer of the masters women’s 3000, writes: “Carmen Ayala-Troncoso will be back and might challenge her 10:06 W50 AR set last year in this meet. The most exciting action will come in 45-49 year age group. No fewer than three women have a realistic chance to break the 9:57 mark of Monica Joyce. All three of them turned 45 this year and are looking for belated birthday presents. Three-time world champion Lisa Valle returns after placing second in the race last year. Lisa’s ability to hold a fast pace and kick hard at the conclusion of the race makes her a feared competitor. If she can match the 9:56 she ran last year, the record is hers. That is, unless Tania Fischer or Kirsten Leetch beat her to the line.”
Lisa Valley, shown at 2010 Sacto nationals, is a favorite at Portland 3000.
Joanna continues about the women’s 3K
Tania won the prestigious masters crown at this year’s Carlsbad race. Kirsten Leetch led Lisa in this race last year with 200 to go only to succumb to Lisa’s finish. She later went on to run a very impressive 16:59 on the track in San Francisco.
The record action may not stop there. The newest name in the 55-59 year age group is Miriam Zderic. And she is literally a new name, having changed her moniker from Mary Steinberg. She has been tearing up the roads and tracks this spring and her 10:50 seed time puts her less than 3 seconds off of Kathy Martin’s W55 AR.
Last but by no means least; the race will serve as a coming out party for newly minted master’s runner Grace Padilla. Grace recently celebrated her 40th birthday with a 4:28 1500 meter race with the kiddies. The mark is under the listed W40 AR but has company in that category. Grace should be the race favorite Saturday night.
Since I am the coordinator of the old ladies race, I am partial to it, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the men’s mile. Nolan Shaheed is the marquee performer but local stars Mike Blackmore and Tim Julian will vie with former British sub-4-minute miler Ian Gillespie for the overall crown. There will also be some races featuring younger runners, but that’s another story.
Here are entries as of June 7:
Event 287 1 Mile Run Masters Men
Meet: 4:14.47 6/13/2009 Jim Sorenson, Unattached
Comp# Name Team Seed Time
1 70 Gillespie, Ian Bowerman AC 4:25.00
2 225 Julian, Tim Unattached 4:35.00
3 193 Dudman, Joe Team Red Lizard 4:47.00
4 103 Spinney, Ed Hackers 4:50.00
5 259 Swanson, Jonathan Unattached NT
6 261 Shaheed, Nolan Unattached NT
7 257 Norman, Chad Unattached NT
8 258 Blackmore, Mike Bowerman AC NT
Event 89 3000 Meter Run Masters Women
Meet: 9:56.26 6/13/2009 Trina Painter, McMillan Elite
Comp# Name Team Seed Time
1 299 Mosqueda, Sylvia Unattached 9:30.00
2 120 Padilla, Grace Nike Central Par 9:33.00
3 213 Valle, Lisa Unattached 9:56.00
4 195 Leetch, Kirsten The Janes El 9:59.00
5 194 Fischer, Tania The Janes El 10:01.00
6 207 Olen, Christine Unattached 10:03.00
7 198 Ayala-Troncoso, Carmen Unattached 10:06.00
8 306 MacTavish, Kate Unattached 10:44.00
9 136 Zderic, Miriam Oiselle Running 10:50.00
10 205 Harvey, Sabra Unattached 11:45.00
Paging Mary Decker! Guess who’s running at Sacramento worlds?
Yup, Zola Budd is entered at Sacramento — in the W45 5000 and 8K cross country race. Yowza. She’s a legend for her 5K world record at age 17 (when she ran barefoot) and for a little pileup at the Los Angeles Games 3K with Mary Decker (a race I witnessed in person, BTW). But no tripping jokes here. Just respect and appreciation for a mom (who took the last name of hubby Mike Pieterse). Wikipedia says: “Budd and her family have been living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA since August 2008. She has a two-year visa that allows her to compete on the U.S. masters’ circuit, is a volunteer coach at Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers track team and has raced in the South Carolina division of USA Track and Field, winning the women’s division of the Dasani Half-Marathon during Bi-Lo Myrtle Beach Marathon on 14 February 2009 with a time of 1:20:41.”
Zola is one of 31 women entered in the 5K, where top seed time is 16:59 by Sylvia Mosqueda, who has an amazing record in masters road running.
Tecumseh Peete’s brutally honest mission to spike prostate cancer
Tecumseh Peete of Georgia, a national-class M40 sprinter and M35 relay WR man, shares the sad news that he’ll have to skip major 2011 meets. His reason is sadder. He writes: “Some of you may not have known; in January 2011, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 40. I have been video documenting my Prostate Cancer Journey in an attempt to raise the awareness that every man; especially black men, should have their prostate check yearly (i.e. both test PSA and digital exam). More importantly, the earlier you know if you have prostate cancer, the survival rate increases.” The trailer posted on YouTube is laser-focused on fellow black athletes as well as himself. He reveals that “ego” and other reasons keep his peers from getting tested for prostate cancer. We wish him well in his recovery and endorse his mission. Get checked.
Perkins playing favorites with Perth as bidder for 2015 worlds?
Perth, in Western Australia, is one of four bidders for the 2015 World Masters Athletics Championships, and its promotional website is now online here. Of course, the president of World Masters Athletics is an Aussie — Stan Perkins. So he’ll have a dog in this fight. But he also seems to be putting a finger on the scale. Even though rival bidder Lyon, France, has a Web presence, its info isn’t shown on the WMA homepage. See below. Also in the race are Bydgoszcz/Torun, Poland, and London. The decision goes to a vote of the General Assembly at Sacramento worlds on July 14. Meanwhile, Sacto meet organizers have posted another time schedule — a PDF sorted by age group. Easier to use than the first one posted.
Perth site is shown on WMA homepage, but not the site for Lyon, France.
Grace Padilla applying for American record in W40 1500 meters
Thanks to Andy Hecker’s legwork and Grace Padilla’s legs and lungs, the bogus-beyond-belief W40 American record for 1500 meters will be toast. Grace turned 40 on May 29, and on June 4 at Mount San Antonio College she ran the 15 in 4:28.77. That beats the listed AR of 4:32.73 by Joan Nesbit in 2002. Of course, the true best W40 time for this event is probably Ruth Wysocki’s 4:08 from the late 1990s, lost in the mists of record-ignoring
