Grace Foster sets W90 world record in 60; video goes viral
Grace Foster, who recently took up track at 91, demolished the listed W90 world indoor record for 60 meters, clocking 26.95 Saturday at the New Jersey USATF masters indoor championships in Toms River, N.J. The listed record is 31.82 by fellow American Ida Keeling at Clermont-Ferrand worlds in 2008. She ran in a skirt, with her son, M45 pentathlon record holder Greg Foster, cheering her on at the finish line. Video of her race is posted all over the Web, mainly on NBC affiliate sites. “When she came across the line and gave me a hug, I was happy,” said Greg. “And then the record on top of that was just a bonus.” Grace said she hoped she could be an inspiration to others, saying: “I’ve seen a lot of people much younger than I am act much older, so maybe I’ll be a help to some people. Keep moving.”
Eurovets go bonkers: stunning WRs in M90, M70 and W50
Tony Young, a spring chicken who turns 47 next month, might take some inspiration from 90-year-old Spanish runner Julián Bernal. A retired policeman from Ferrol in the country’s northwest, Julián clocked an M90 world indoor record for 3,000 meters last weekend at Spanish masters nationals in Zaragoza with a time of 19:59.60. That shatters the listed WR of 23:12.34 by American Frank Levine at Idaho nationals in 2005. But wait! There’s more! German sprint/hurdles god Guido Müller set two indoor WRs in 24 hours at his nationals: 26.92 in the 200 (the first M70 under 27 indoors) and 59.92 in the 400 ( the first sub-60 in his age group indoors or out), lowering the listed record of 61.31 by Canadian Earl Fee a decade ago.
Spaniard Julián Bernal has his eyes set
on more M90 world records this season.
Tony Young says 3:52 was possible at Boston 1500 meters
Be first out of blocks and 500th in Forum to win a ballcap!
Our Forum now has 499 members! So to mark this milestone, I’m making this offer: Be the 500th person to register for the Forum, and I’ll send you a good-as-new Geezerjock ballcap. It’s black with white-and-red lettering. New registrants only. (I’ll find your email address in my top-secret admin interface.)  The Forum is for tooting your own horn, asking questions, sharing advice. As long as it’s clean, courteous and related to masters track, everything goes! Just click on the Register link at the upper right of the page and follow the instructions. Then add to the 3,100 postings since August 2006.Â
Final word on 2009 Sydney World Masters Games officiating?
Natalie Soltyszewski, media director for the Sydney 2009 World Masters Games Organising Committee, writes: “In regards to claims made on your blog about tweaking of rules, here is a link to our Athletics Sport Information page which contains a copy of our Sport Information Guide. This documents the rules of compettion, and the rules related to Horizontal Jumps and Throwing Events and the 100m are in accordance with IAAF rules.” I had trouble opening the “Sports Information Guide” on that page, but I’ll take her word for it. So I guess if you go and they don’t give you six throws, you know who to complain to.
Payton Jordan memorial to be held night before invitational
Payton Jordan’s memorial celebration is set. He didn’t get a funeral, but he’ll have a sendoff. It will be the night before the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational at Stanford University, according to several notes. One says: “If you are interested in attending, contact Coach Edrick Floreal at Stanford at floreal@stanford.edu. There will be a lot to celebrate, so I hope you can make it.” Coach Floreal has been working with Chuck Cobb and Pitch Johnson to plan the event. “They have decided to host a dinner in Payt’s honor on Friday night, May 1, probably in the Stanford Faculty Club,” said a note from Gary Cavalli in San Francisco. “They’re planning on a group of 300-500, with an open mike so that we can all get up and share our memories of the ‘ol coach.’ Details will be forthcoming. . . . Please spread the word as you deem appropriate, and I’ll look forward to seeing you in May.”
Tony Young goes sub-4, blitzes M45 indoor WR for 1500
Tony at the 2008 Trials. He’s smiling today, too.
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This time it counts. Tony Young leveraged his fitness and access to a legal (200-meter) indoor track today at the USA indoor open nationals in Boston, running 1500 meters in 3:57.91 and taking down the listed WMA world indoor M45 record of 4:02.24 set less than a year ago by Spain’s Jesus Borrego at Clermont-Ferrand worlds. (Also obliterated: the American age-group record of 4:04.80 by Ken Sparks in 1990.) Tony did this in the absence of Birger Olhsson, an M40 speedster who recently ran 1:55 for 800. (Birger was a late scratch.) But M40s Kevin Forde and Chris Simpson provided plenty of incentive in the masters exhibition by running around 4:08. (Kevin even beat his outdoor PR of 4:10!) Tony’s recent efforts, including a 4:13 mile, were run on a 307-meter track in Seattle, considered “oversized” and illegal for record consideration. Now he’s put all doubts to rest. He can run indoors! His 3:57.91 at age 46 corresponds on the Age-Graded Tables to an Open (ages 20-30) equivalent of 3:30.95! Historic run, Tony! Next up: the M45 outdoor WR (also by Jesus) of 3:52.43. Terry Ballou, 41, won today’s masters women’s 400 in 1:02.04. Congrats to masters invitational czar Mark Cleary for organizing these races.
Top M50 races at nationals: Val Barnwell vs. Everad Samuels
Val Barnwell holds the M50 world indoor record at 60 meters — his 7.18 at last year’s world indoor championships in Clermont-Ferrand, France. But it’s being threatened by Everad Samuels, who clocked 7.23 last week in Cambridge (beating Val in the process). But Val ain’t going down without a fight. Yesterday in New York, Val ran the 60 in 7.26 seconds. For good measure, he clicked off a 23.64 for 200 meters, second only to Everad’s 23.09 in the age group this season. Should be a great couple of races at Landover nationals! (Final entry deadline is March 5, BTW) Here’s the latest entrant list, which includes folks from Canada, Sweden, Mexico, Holland, Britain and Brazil!
Clingan details comeback, advises X-rays for older runners
Every few months, a world-class tracko announces retirement. The latest is 36-year-old John Godina, shot put world champ and Olympic medalist. After John’s disappointing 12th-place finish in the discus at last summer’s Olympic Trials, I ran into him outside Track Town Pizza. I gave him a pep talk: “Now you can throw in masters!” He laughingly assumed a look of horror. Noooooo, he said — as if masters were the kiss of death. But he has throwing in his genes, and he’ll be back. In fact, I predict it’ll happen before he turns 45. But I also see retirements for good cause — such as serious injury. One came 13 months ago. I titled it: “Dave Clingan’s horrid news: Knee ills force retirement.”  Well, guess what? He’s back! Of course, this was pretty obvious last summer to anyone who saw him flowing around the curves in the M50 800 at Spokane. But it’s really official now that he’s described his comeback on Pete Magill’s blog.Â
WMA prez expects 2009 World Masters Games to be kosher
Monty Hacker of South Africa, the acting president of World Masters Athletics, walked a fine line when he finally responded to my questions about the 2009 World Masters Games. I wrote about this issue a few weeks back. Would the track meet at the Sydney WMG observe all official track rules? Some folks worry they won’t. And the Australian Masters Athletics people politely declined to answer my queries. But Monty — trying to navigate the rocky shoals between WMA president rivals Stan Perkins and Rex Harvey — appears to be siding with Stan, an Aussie. Monty also offers up some big news — that Rex has been nominated for a seat on the board of the International Masters Games Association, a paying gig that appears at odds with WMA’s own bylaws. Whatever.
