Mt. SAC Relays touts appearance of Willie Gault with stars
No surprise that recent Olympians Allyson Felix and Dominique Arnold rate press releases. But I was pleasantly stunned to see the Mt. SAC Relays showcase M45 sprinter Willie Gault with his own press blast. “Willie Gault, the legendary star of track, football, acting and Olympic bobsledding is set to run the open 100 and 200 Meters at the 51st Annual Mt. SAC Relays,” Mt. SAC boasts. “Gault, a 1983 World Championship Gold Medalist in the 4X100M Relay and Bronze Medalist in the 110M High Hurdles, was also a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team.” Just wish Willie would enter more masters track meets, especially nationals and worlds.
Landover meet timer made up results, Canadian champ told
Jim Flanik
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Karla Del Grande, the W55 sprint champion at Landover robbed of a legit time in her 400, has posted a comment on this blog that cries out for an official USATF response. Karla wrote: “Here’s the email that I received in response to my query as to how my time was decided, since the photo showed the rest of the finishers but not me: ‘Karla, The operator did not know how to enter you in the system with no time so she just made up one. It is unfortunate that this happened, but the games committee in the future will take control of both Hytek and FAT timing so hopefully this does not happen again. Jim Flanik’ ” Jim Flanik, Karla’s contact, is a member of the oversight USATF Games Committee. He and others in charge of the meet need to come clean on any other “made up” marks at nationals — and explain how this debacle came to pass. Stonewalling won’t work this time, guys.
Oh doctor! Cheryl Bellaire also delivered at Philly meet
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Noting my Kevin Forde entry, a new friend writes that Dr. Cheryl Bellaire, 50 going on 21, also ran the Philadelphia Distance Track Classic last weekend. “It was so cold and windy you just wanted to get the race over with; I think that is why modafinil Kevin and I went out so fast,” Cheryl told my correspondent. In her 800, she ran a 36-second 200 and came through the 400 in 76 on the way to a finish time of 2:38.95. At Landover nationals, Cheryl was part of the Greater Philadelphia Track Club’s American Record team in the W50 4×800. The team also won the 4×400. Cheryl, whose specialty is high-risk obstetrics, won the 400 (69.16) and the 800 (2:40.22) at indoor nationals and finished second in the mile. Joel Dubow of Philadelphia Masters said: “Cheryl arguably had the most visually impressive win of the day with a surging final 150m and 12-meter victory over a tough field in her 800 race.” Here’s a video of Dr. B, who makes antabuse Brooks shoes look really good.
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(Would someone please card her?)
WMA site says Lahti housing options are cheap and plentiful
Rex Harvey, our candidate for WMA president, has posted this long analysis of the lodging situation at Lahti for WMA worlds. He lists a bunch of options, including one for 25 Euros a night at local schools! And many volunteers are offering their homes as well. This totally contradicts earlier German reports of gouging and shortages. Rex writes from Finland: “I understand that many of the owners and families involved in this private accommodation are most anxious to take in international athletes and to entertain them, and show them around and to take them to their summer cottages and so forth. The cost for these private accommodations is only 43 Euros per person per night. And there is a minimum of a 7-day stay. There are about 400 of these spots left.”
Scott Weeks on a streak: 800 under 2 minutes for 21 years
Scott Weeks is 36 and not yet on the masters radar. He will be soon enough. According to an article in his track club newsletter, Scott has gone sub-2 in the 800 meters every year since 1988. “The streak began . . . when Scott ran 1:59.7 as a 17-year-old junior at tiny Groton High School in Upstate New York,” writes Matt LoPiccolo on the Syracuse Chargers Web site. “He followed with a 1:57.1 in his senior year, narrowly missing qualifying for the New York State Meet.” And every year since then, he’s never run an 800 slower than 2 minutes! Actually, the article, written in December, is already dated. On January 31, Scott ran an indoor 8 in 1:55.98 at a meet in Hamilton, New York — less than 3 seconds off his all-time PR of 1:53.38. So this is his 21st year sub-2. A week later he ran an indoor mile in 4:22.48. Scott is well aware of the masters circuit. In 2008, he played a supporting role in John Hinton’s unratified M45 world indoor record in the mile at the Hartshorne races. Scott was the designated rabbit, pulling the milers through the halfway point in 2:10. This year, Scott again paced at Hartshorne, this time helping Jim Sorensen’s winning 4:17.08.
Landover results updated; Fee given credit for WR in 800
As promised by national masters chairman Gary Snyder, Landover indoor nationals results have been reposted. (The original results were a botch.)  But I wouldn’t call it a complete correction, since it includes a 69.0 for W55 Karla Del Grande in the 400 (instead of a 67 she deserves) and a 2:52 hand-time for fellow Canadian Earl Fee in the 800, when it could reasonably be 2:50.0. Still, Fee should qualify for an M80 world record. For results dated April 13, click here.  Alas, the 60-meter hurdles results still show an M40 American record for Johnny Watson and an absurdly slow 12.12 for M45 Karl Smith.  Karl won the race, but the results still show him as fourth! On the bright side, Andrew Duncan has been restored to winner of the M40 mile in 4:36.0 (instead of being labeled DNS).  I haven’t reviewed the relays results yet. They were all boogered up, too.
Kevin Forde clocks 4:32 mile after insane first lap in Philly
Kevin Forde isn’t the best M45 miler around. He’s just the gutsiest. On Saturday, he competed in the Philladelphia Distance Track Classic. On his wacky blog,  Kevin describes his mile race thusly: “Remembering my vow to have a better reaction to the gun, I reacted first and not only held my postion on the rail but went into the turn in the lead.  Came through the first lap in a staggering 60 seconds. ‘Dib’ said be aggressive, I don’t think he meant be this aggressive!” Kevin crossed 800 at 2:08, “a little uneven perhaps, but it was important to get a feel for a fast pace and seeing how well or how badly I’d hold up to it, form wise I felt I was doing well.” At the bell, he was at 3:19. “At this point the cold the wind and the rain were no longer a concern. . . I was content to close in 83 seconds to finish in 4.32.08. not far off of the 4.31.83. I closed the outdoor track season in August under much more favourable conditions.” Â
Paul Babits jumps 16 feet again at Sea Ray Relays in Tenn.
Just as last year, M45 Paul Babits cleared 4.90 meters (just under 16-1) at the Sea Ray Relays yesterday in Knoxville, Tennessee, which stamps his as a favorite at the masters exhibition vault in two weeks at the Drake Relays. Last year was his 30th at Sea Ray, so now the string is 31. Incredible. Paul was nearly a 17-foot vaulter last year, so he has plenty left in the tank.
M45 Roald Bradstock spears a 225 at Georgia invitational
Roald Bradstock, who competed in last year’s Olympic Trials at age 46, popped a nice one yesterday at the Spec Towns Invitational in Georgia, throwing the javelin 68.62 meters (225-1) for his best mark of the season. He also won the event, beating kids less than half his age! Roald noted a crappy wind but writes: “will be throwing again next week at UGA — hoping for good conditions and smash 70M.” If he throws 70 meters (229-8), he’ll be close to the qualifying standard for the U.S. championships of 70.50 (231-3), which produces a team for IAAF worlds in Berlin this summer. Roald also is blogging about Art and the Olympics.
Great 1500s: Aeron Arlin-Genet 4:27.5, Sorensen 3:53.95
Aeron Arlin-Genet took fifth in the women’s invitational 1500 yesterday at UCLA’s Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner Kersee Invitational. Aeron’s time of 4:27.50 is a big improvement from her 4:30 in late March. And the results note it as having met the qualifying standard of the NCAA championships. But I doubt she’ll go. She’s 41 and used up her collegiate eligibility a while back. But it’s cool to see her spanking the collegians. A 4:27.50 is an incredible time at her age, with the Age-Graded Tables saying it corresponds to an open (ages 20-30) effort of 4:10.43. Aeron tweeted her UCLA time: “As for the 1500 kicked some young ass got 5th. Season pr of 4:27.5. headin in right direction. wanted more (always!). But overall good show.” Good show indeed, Aeron. Keep kicking kiddie butt! Meanwhile at the Woody Wilson Classic up at UC Davis, Jim Sorensen, who turns 42 in mid-May, ran the 15 in 3:53.95.  His AGT is 3:37.55, and it’s roughly equivalent to a 4:11 mile! (Jim holds the M40 WR at 3:44.06.)
