Simon Butler-White writes from Down Under: “I thought I’d pass on the early season progress of Keith Bateman,Rich Burns’ friendly long-distance rival. Keith broke the 34-year-old Australian 3000-meter record (John Gilmour, 9:20) on October 16 at Sydney’s Narrabeen track, running 9:14.27, and yesterday (October 23) broke the 29-year-old Australian 1500-meter record (Jack Ryan, 4:17.6) at Campbelltown (a suburb of Sydney) in a time of 4:15.12.” New Zealand’s Ron Robertson holds the listed M55 WRs in the 15 and 3K of 4:12.5 and 8:57.28. Just as remarkable is the footwear Keith used: Vibram “glove” shoes. Anybody seen these used on a track in the States? How do they feel? Worth considering? Meanwhile, masters yesterday ran a 5K cross country nationals at Fort Vancouver, Washington. Lots of trackos in the mix.
Keith is shown at his 3K a week ago. He ran the race in Vibram Fingers.
I love dumb copy editor stories. Here’s the latest. Some newspaper in Northern California has this story on M55 sprinter Hal Tacker, and quotes him as saying: “And there is a guy in Texas who is 55 who ran a 10.1 100.” Don’t know if Hal is referring to Bill Collins, who ran that fast in his 20s. But still. Here’s where the copy desk went south: “The 10.1-second performance would have placed him seventh at the 2008 Summer Games in China.” Great research! But then you don’t ask yourself the natural follow-up question: On what planet does a 55-year-old run 100 meters in 10.1? (The answer is Jawoggy, in the Constellation Orion.) Nice profile otherwise.
M65 pink-slipper Doug Logan isn’t going quietly into the night. Yesterday he sued USATF, and Prez Stephanie Hightower issued this statement: “Today, former CEO Doug Logan filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against USATF, which we have anticipated for the last few weeks. USATF looks forward to the resolution of the lawsuit, which we vigorously will defend against. The filing of this suit and its ultimate resolution will not affect USATF and how we serve the sport. Although we cannot speak to the specifics of pending litigation, we can assure you that USATF is open for business and more committed than ever to achieving our strategic goals and serving all our constituents.” Lots of snarky comments on the letsrun.commessage board. Time for a poll! Read the rest of this post »
Wars should be fought by aging leaders in underwear. And political races should be decided by the best miler. Say what? That second idea actually comes from Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas, at 87 the oldest member of Congress. According to this story in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Republican Hall is proud of his fitness: “I run two miles every morning,” he says. “I’m in better shape than [opponents] are. I don’t think age has anything to do with it.” Hall told the paper that he has a standing challenge to his rivals to run a mile around the track — and the loser will withdraw from the election. “No one’s ever taken me up on it,” he said. Maybe Jim Ryun should move down to Texas.
Neni Lewis at Sacramento masters nationals in July.
Mary Trotto, chairwoman of the USATF Masters Awards Committee, has informed members of her panel (including moi) that we’ve chosen W50 throwing legend Oneithea “Neni” Lewis as Overall Best Master Athlete of the Year. Whether she’ll be invited to the Jesse Owens dinner at the USATF annual meeting Dec. 1-5 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, “is still up to the national office to decide,” she wrote. Congrats to Neni (pronounced Knee-Knee). Other candidates for the award were Flo Meiler, Kathy Bergen, Lisa Valle, Nolan Shaheed and Ralph Maxwell. Neni wrote Mary today: “Thank you and everyone who voted for me. I am most honored.”
Tom Gage, the great Olympian and model human, died in mid-July, but a memorial service was held over the weekend. His daughter, Ali Gage Kershaw, posted on this site a poem she wrote and read at the service. “I thought sharing it might allow some of you to get a glimpse at the great man I proudly call Dad!” she wrote. Since folks might miss the poem, it is reprinted here for greater visibility. Read the rest of this post »
Christel Donley was inducted into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame in 1997 — the second class. That means she was THIS close to being a charter member, a very high honor given the candidates. By all rights, she should be inducted every five years. Just because. Now W75, she sets records in the short hurdles and multi-events at every turn. But if you ask her about her biggest thrill this season, it might not be the heptathlon WR she set in June or the 80-meter hurdles WR set at Kamloops last spring. The biggest buzz for Christel may have been her reunion with two of three teammates from the 4×100 relay teams that won gold in the second world masters championships in Goteberg, Sweden, in 1977 and again at 1979 Hannover, Gemany, when she was a W40. Here’s Christel with 1964 Olympian Cherrie Sherrardand Irene Obera (a 1996 Hall of Fame inductee, at right).
From left are Cherrie, Christel and Irene at Sacramento masters nationals.
Sometimes you have to die to show people how to live. So it seems with M70 steeplechase Dallas Kloke, whose passing in a climbing accident has unleashed an avalanche of fond anecdotes. A Seattle Post-Intelligencer story reports: “Kloke’s passions weren’t limited to activities involving extreme athletics. When he wasn’t making children’s books for his grandchildren or friends’ children, he was often doing work for his church’s charity group, St. Vincent de Paul. ‘All I can think of is that he was a better man than I am,’ said Mark DesVoigne, who is also a retired Oak Harbor school teacher and one of Kloke’s close friends.” His memorial service was yesterday.
Uta Pippig, three-time winner of both the Boston and Berlin Marathons, says of the masters track documentary screening in the USA soon: “A celebration of life force! A movie filled with joy and life. Herbstgold explores the deep drive of the human spirit that exists in all of us, no matter what our age. The wit, the triumphs, and the human desire to challenge oneself are all blended together to examine the quest for a fulfilled long life. The visually captivating and mythical ending of the movie is not just extraordinary but inspiring to us all. I loved it.” A Bay Area film festival is showing “Autumn Gold” soon.
Ken has followed track as an athlete, writer and web-master since the late 1960s, and saw most sessions of track and field at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He also attended the 1988, 1992, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Trials, the last three as a blogger and Patch correspondent. [More...]
