World champ Jim Broun: Anyone come back from same surgery?
Jim Broun's neck.
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Medical query and musical charity: Let’s help some old friends
Roger Pierce
Totally self-indulgent request: Can anyone mail me NYT magazine?
I went to my local Barnes & Noble today to buy the Sunday New York Times — and they were sold out. I wanted a copy of the NYT Magazine with the Olga Kotelko article, which included quotes from moi. Does anyone in Mastersland have a copy of the magazine they can ship me? I’d pay costs. Email me if you happen to have a copy, and I’ll tell you my address. Many thanks for your kind indulgence.
Nearly 150 American masters records submitted for USATF approval
Rex Harvey (right)
Virginia mystery: Still no word on 2013 bid cities for nationals
USATF’s annual meeting starts Wednesday in Virginia Beach, Virginia. And we still have no clue regarding the biggest decision our delegates will make—where to hold indoor and outdoor masters nationals in 2013. (Ohio will host 2011 outdoors and Illinois in 2012.) But for the past week, back-channel email has been flying about the lack of info on 2013 bidders. So it goes. We’re back to “Trust us” as a mode of operation. The USATF Masters T&F Committee will tackle a slew of other issues in Va. Beach. See elements of the agenda here.
Henry Rono Watch returns! Will he run at 2011 Sacramento worlds?
I recently heard that Henry Rono was making noises about entering 2011 Sacramento worlds. So I wrote him about his plans. He replied: “I will start off by running a 5K on Nov 25, 2010, Thursday Turkey race here in Alb, NM, and from then on my eyes and yours will come to conclutions.These races are to test my fitness level. I will pick two to three races; however, at this point in time don’t know yet! Please bear in mind that I have not yet developed speed endurances in the track yet, so it’s too early to tell until I start racing across the country in all these events: One mile, 5K, 10K, half-marathons and marathons. The weight I have not checked yet, but I feel as light as a feather; however,strong though no wind can swear my body surely! Thank God I feel I am in good shape!” He’s OK. His time at the 10th annual Albuquerque Turkey Trek was 21:53 at age 58.
Mystery lady sprinter stars in Target commercial for Black Friday
Don’t know the lady’s name but am trying to find out. Talking about the star of the Target ad promoting its 4 a.m. sale Black Friday — traditional start of the holiday shopping season. She’s depicted doing crunches and lifts to get in shape for the mad sprint for sales. Looks to be middle-aged. But maybe it’s the makeup. Whatever, it’s a great clip. Love her short choppy steps.
NY Times tells Olga Kotelko’s secret: No decay in muscle chemistry
Olga Kotelko, the W90 phenom, is profiled in a stunningly well-researched article in the current New York Times Magazine. See it here. Near the end of Bruce Grierson’s report, we learn why Olga is able to set world records on a whim: “In October, the first of Kotelko’s muscle samples came back from the lab. The results were compelling. In a muscle sample of a person over the age of 65, you would expect to see at least a couple of fibers with some mitochondrial defects. But in around 400 muscle fibers examined, Taivassalo said, ‘We didn’t see a single fiber that had any evidence” of mitochondrial decay. ‘It’s remarkable,’ she added.” So is the video that accompanies the story.
Olga is compared to Phil Raschker in a long piece in the NYT Magazine.
National Senior Games pulls bait-and-switch: Venue change to HS
The motto of the National Senior Games Association is “Long live the challenge.” Does that include scrambling to make new travel and hotel reservations? So one thinks from a surprise e-mail landing in many in-boxes this Thanksgiving Day. Addressed to “Dear Senior Athlete,” it says: “You are receiving this email because you have qualified to participate in the 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana in Track and Field. This email serves as an informational alert to a venue change for these sports. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Houston Local Organizing Committee has been forced to move the Track and Field events, the 1500 meter Race Walk and the 1500 meter Power Walk (a demonstration event) to Turner Stadium in the Humble Independent School District, Humble, TX. We are sorry for this inconvenience, but you will be very pleased with the facilities at this championship caliber venue!” Huh? Humble is a half-hour north of Houston. Thanks? Thanks for nothing.
Track doesn't look half-bad, but organizers promised a meet in Houston.
3 Aussies and 1 great moment: World Athletics Gala in Monaco
German masters honcho Dieter Massin sends this classic shot from Sunday’s World Athletics Gala celebrating the world’s top track stars — including IAAF World Masters Athletes of the Year Peter Crombie and Marie Kay. Balding guy at left is fellow Aussie Stan Perkins, president of World Masters Athletics. IAAF noted: “Peter Crombie overcame knee surgery in 2009 and his doctor’s advice was to end his sports career. Competing at the world level since 1987, he is one of the most enduring and accomplished masters athletes of all time, winning 34 medals at World outdoor and 11 at World indoor championships. He is an athletic competitor for 50 consecutive years and has won over 80 national titles in all sprint distances, plus throws and jumps. .. . Marie Kay has competed at World championships for 15 years. She has been married for 30 years and is a mother of three, and a grandmother of four children.”
Stan and masters stars Marie and Peter make an elegant trio in Monte Carlo.
