2012 USATF Outdoor Masters Nationals - Day 4 report

GPTC 4x400m M30 Relay Team
Kevin Forde (48), William Yelverton (52)
 Nick Berra (43),  John Goldthorpe (34)

Today was a fun day, even though it hurt to sprint.  

If this were any other meet besides the last day of Nationals, I would have definitely scratched.

Everything hurt ... left ham, right quad, and especially left groin.   Nothing that won't heal in a week, so not serious.



200m Finals
All things considered, I ran a respectable, but not great 200m:  25.11 - 5th USA (6th overall).   Got edged out by Neumann for 4th by 0.04 sec.   If a medal were at stake I certainly would have dove for the line and probably beat him... like in the 400m,  but it wasn't worth it.   Still, it was my 4th fastest 200m - a time that would have taken a Silver medal last year, more than a half second faster than my disastrous '11 200m final. I was happy to run a 24.88 PR in the semis.

I had lane 2 which I didn't mind.  Peter Taylor was kind enough to announce me as "Indoor American Champion in the 400m" everytime I lined up to race.   As he appropriately announced, it was a "packed final" with tons of speed ... including 5 or 6 world or national champions.   Tissenbaum - second fastest M50 sprinter in the world,  Barnwell - 60m world record holder,  Waller - '09 National Champ, Briscoe- Jamaican Champion, DiSalvo, and Neumann.

My start was ok, not as good as yesterday and I made up the split on Waller but couldn't hang with him for long.   I fought Neumann all the way down the straight and we were in a virtual dead heat.  Definitely hurt a bit

Our 4x400m GPTC relay team took a Bronze Medal ... actually an accomplishment since we were running in the M30-39 age group.  I was the old man of the group.  It was a totally mixed group with me - 52, Forde - 48, Berra - 43, and Goldsmith - 34.   (relays are defined by youngest member).  We were the only club members that we could get together in this last and final race of the last and final day of the 4 day Masters Nationals.   Kudos to Nick Berra for even doing this after running a 1:57 800m leg in the 4x800m relay that came within a few seconds of an M40 world record, less than an hour before our relay.     We did OK, ran 3:56 ... I'm pretty sure my split was under 57,  I was running in a bit of pain but I finished 2nd on my leg.  We finished 3rd out of 4 clubs... but some of the others were exclusively 30 yr olds.   We were definitely the oldest team and I was the oldest person participating in that division.

M85-95 200m race

I watched more of the meet today.  There were some amazing performances.   Watched a 95 yr old and a 92 yr old run the 200m.   At age 95, just getting out here and walking around in the sun all day is a challenge ... let alone running a 200m race.

With Bob Lida - fastest man in the world at age 75

I also met Bob Lida ...  the fastest man over 75 in the world, possibly the fastest ever his age.   The 13.49 100m he ran on Friday (I think) is a World Record.  


Another season in the bag.   It was a great one, a tough act to follow.   A great experience.  I'll miss the training but I need time to heal.   I will be very sore tomorrow, probably limping.    I am very happy I did not reinjure the hamstring at least.

After having to wait a long time to get my relay medal and my measly 5th place ribbon for the 200m, I looked out on the empty track and thanked a few USATF officials.

It looked kind of empty and sad.   But... not nearly as sad as my last year's flight out of Chicago - without a medal.

 I snapped this parting shot.

Benedictine University Track
Site of the 2012 USATF Masters National Championships

I got to Midway airport to find my flight delayed 4 1/2+ hours.   O well, gave me time to make this post.