WMA anti-doping chief dropping hints of Lahti positive?
Germany’s Dieter Massin, the anti-doping crusader and president of the Eurovets, has sent a tantalizing clue that someone was caught in Lahti’s drug dragnet. In response to my query (Did anyone test positive at Lahti?), Dieter replied today: “The tests, done in Lahti, are still in process. A statement will be published on our website.” Wow! Why would “a statement” be published if nobody flunked the 50 or so drug tests done at worlds? (The figure is a guess, since WMA won’t disclose a number. But 50 is typical from previous meets.) Dieter should know, since he’s the newly appointed WMA Anti-Doping and Medical chairman. So keep your eye on the WMA news section, and maybe the Eurovets news page, for more info.You should start with the http://www.montauk-monster.com/pharmacy/tramadol small dose, as the pain in the last stage of oncology reduces, and one should use stronger painkiller. No names would be released immediately, but the accused athlete’s national federation would be informed. And leaks happen.
USATF Southern Association a model for outreach, input
I don’t live in Louisiana or Mississippi, but I admire their Baton Rouge-based USATF association. I’m also on their distribution list. The other day, I got email with the subject line “How are we doing?” and a note headlined “Feedback Survey on Southern Association.” It said: “In order to continually improve our ability to serve all athletes and members of the USATF Southern Association, we are asking you to fill out a survey so that we can gauge our strengths and weaknesses. Please click on the link below to access the survey, and thanks for your help!” (This is the link.) The questions include: Which officers have you come in contact with? These include the association president (Roderic Newton) and masters chair (Byron Turner). And also: Was the officer pleasant, helpful and approachable? My query: If the folks down South can do this, why not your association — or USATF as a whole? And if not, why not?
Untold story of Lahti: Perkins kept his mourning private
August 5 dawned bright in Lahti, Finland, tinged with anticipation. The WMA General Assembly was meeting on a rest day at the World Masters Athletics Championships to elect a new president and other officers. Stan Perkins, running against Ohio’s Rex Harvey, won the presidency by one vote, and smiled as he shook hands with Rex. But amid the celebration was an unseen darkness: Stan’s heart was hurting. Thousands of miles away — back home in Australia — his sister’s funeral was being held. I learned of this tragic subtext as I left Lahti, but haven’t shared details until now. I wrote Stan to confirm the story, and he replied in late August. I still don’t know his sister’s name. Haven’t seen an online obituary either. A month after the moment, here’s all I know.
Rex Harvey congratulates a secretly sad Stan Perkins at General Assembly.
Masters legend Harold Morioka faces heart surgery today
Harold at Kamloops in July.
|
Harold Morioka may be the Job of masters track, suffering more than his share of physical afflictions and other issues. Now he faces one of his biggest tests — open-heart surgery today. Harold sent Doug Smith of Ontario a “dear friends” letter that ended with this amazing promise: “I’ve already booked and paid for my room in Kamloops for the World Indoor track and field championships in March. I plan to make a comeback so I’ll have to get ready for the meet.” If anyone can do it, it’s Harold. Please join me in wishing him a godspeedy recovery! Here’s what Harold wrote Wednesday: “Dear Friends, Last Friday I was given some bad news. I had been experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath for a few months. Lately it was difficult for me to jog even one lap of the track. I was getting out of shape … so I thought. After visits to my doctor, a cardiologist and finally to St. Paul’s Hospital for an angiogram, I was told I needed to have open-heart surgery. I haven’t been given a date but it will be soon, probably in September.”
Anemic fields likely at 2009 Sydney World Masters Games
On August 2, 2009, the Web site of October’s Sydney World Masters Games reported: “Minister for Tourism Jodi McKay tonight announced that Sydney is on track to stage the largest ever World Masters Games this October with more than 28,000 people having registered for the event. . . ‘At last count we had 28,091 people registered for the Games with a large portion of these registrations coming from overseas. This is a fantastic vote of confidence for Sydney and the World Masters Games,’ Ms McKay said.” Buried was this telling note: “Some sports will still accept late entries to enable as many people as possible to be part of the event.” In other words, they’re hurting for bodies. Athletics has closed, but some of my masters moles are wondering about the quality of the competition. Despite the presence of Steve Peters, Bill Collins and Phil Raschker, the numbers don’t look great.
Rob Thomas to Anselm’s group: Zip your lips (and keyboard)
A perpetual argument in masters track is how to bring about change — from within the “system” or via pressure from without. (I’ve tried both tacks.) The late Bob Fine would constantly demand that I “shut up!” and let the leadership handle masters issues in its own time and way. Now world champion sprinter Robert Thomas is channeling Robert Fine with a note he sent to Anselm LeBourne’s group. Today Robert wrote: “I want everyone to STOP RIGHT NOW and let the process work itself out. I asked to take the lead on this and I AM DOING JUST THAT. Let me do what you have asked me to do.”
Carmel Papworth-Barnum (and friends at WRT) launch blog
Carmel Papworth-Barnum, recovering from a calf/Achilles injury that kept her out of Lahti worlds, keeps adding great stuff to her Web site, Women Running Together. Her latest feature is a blog that includes her own musings as well as that of South African W60 star Pam Immelman and Dr. Cathy Utzschneider (See the blog here.) For guys, I highly recommend the section of WRT called Girls Talk. Now you don’t have to mike the ladies locker room anymore. Sample: “They never seem to have enough porta potties at these things. Don’t the organizers know about our pre-race nerves?” Guess they’re not that different from the gents!
Stephanie Hightower flunks outreach to masters tracksters
Last December, USATF president-to-be Stephanie Hightower addressed the USATF Masters T&F Committee at the Reno convention. Among other things, she said: “You all feel that you’re one of the invisible groups.” She promised to turn that around. This week, she had a grand opportunity to make good on her pledge. Instead, she punted. In a carefully worded reply to Anselm LeBourne’s masters group and the issues they raised, Stephanie basically said: “Trust me. You’ll like what USATF has in mind for you.” She also gave Anselm a slapdown, saying: “Please know this is not the best way nor protocol for approaching the board of directors.” In other words, know your place. Her note, typed in ALL CAPITALS, indicates she is clueless on email etiquette. Will she be as dumb on masters desires? We’ll see. “Trust me.”
Don Neidig claims American record in 400 at Fort Collins
The Rocky Mountain Masters Games over the weekend in Fort Collins, Colorado, produced some great marks, including a 5.10 vault (16-8 3/4) by 41-year-old Pat Manson, the former world-class athlete now entering masters events. (Meet results are here.) Perhaps the star was M65 sprinter Don Neidig, whose 400 time of 57.47 blitzed the listed American record of 58.05 by Paul Johnson in 2001. (The listed M65 world record is 56.37.) Don — a former astronomer and solar physicist in New Mexico — didn’t compete at Oshkosh or Lahti. But at Fort Collins, he also lit up the 200 in 25.37, just off Steve Robbins’ WR of 25.20. The marks are equivalent on the Age-Graded Tables to 19.77 and 45.49. Also impressive was Doug Spainhower, 75, who won the 80-meter hurdles (16.23), high jump (1.29/4-2 3/4), long jump (3.99/13-1) and triple jump (6.80/22-3 3/4). Also M45 Milt Girouard, who put the shot 14.24 (46-8 3/4) and Ross Aragon, 70, who threw the javelin 40.65 (133-4), about 7 feet short of the American record. And yes, the meet was USATF-sanctioned!
W60 world record for 5000 held by three women at once?
Here’s a trivia question: Who holds the W60 world record for 5,000 meters? We’re talking the standard outdoor track 5K — none of this roadie nonsense. Easy, you say. Just saunter over to the WMA records page for women. Voila: It’s Marion Irvine, the legendary running nun from Northern California whose 19:14.8 mark turns 20 next month. But you would be wrong. The best W60 5K on record, noted a friend who wrote me yesterday, is the 19:04.03 by Britain’s Angela Copson on July 5, 2009, at the British Masters National Championships in Birmingham. (Results are here.) But my friend might be wrong, too. According to the latest European masters age-group records, the fleetest W60 runner for 3.1 miles is Germany’s Edeltraud Pohl, who clocked 18:59.44 on May 29, 1997. Say what?
