56.69 - 400m
25.69 - 200m
The Birmingham Crossplex is one helluva facility. Certainly the best indoor track I've ever seen.
Running heats fast to slow, I was in heat 8 of 9 for the 400m, and heat 11 of 12 for the 200m.
This was a NCAA Division III meet. Generally small colleges, many you've never heard of ... like: Rust, Limestone, Ogelthorpe, Furman, Harding, Claflin, etc... a much more 'integrated' group than you see among sprinters at Div I meets. A really good situation for a masters guy, and there were 3 of us there. Don (43) and Marcus (51) from Atlanta. It was great to see them, and talk with Dr. Marcus... the reigning M50 World Champion in the 400m. He told me a bit about his training, and he complained bitterly about his time today... as if 55.21 indoors was a problem?
I've not raced on many banked tracks, just 2 others. And the competition surface is so guarded and controlled, there is no opportunity to run on the track other than in the race. It was the first time I ever had my spikes not only checked, but tagged. Although I didn't see the clerk at the start line checking tags. He was a former masters 400m guy himself.
The 400m
I drew outside lane - 6. Normally a shitty draw, but not on this track. It meant starting at the top of the bank halfway around the first turn. So, I started by running down the bank, and then back up on the second turn. I got a decent start, the one fast guy in my heat made up the stagger as we hit the second turn. I can't believe how slow those other guys were, never saw them. Coming off the break, the leader was about 10m ahead and he went on to win in 53. I finished second in the heat. 36th of 43 overall. Bottom line it that it was a perfect race situation, no jostling for position with other runners, I was completely in my own space the whole way. I think some of those guys I beat maybe were put in the 400m by a coach that wanted to make 'em suffer, they obviously weren't trained, or poorly so.
Frankly, this was one the least painful 400s I've ever run. I almost felt like I had more in the tank. I never ran aggressively, just floated and kept my form the whole way, never rigged at all. It was one of the best executed races I've run, my second fasted indoor 400m. It can't tell you how much more painful that 58.93 I ran in Dec. was by comparison.
The 200m
I wanted at least 25.50 in this race but didn't get it. I drew lane 5. My glute/hip was a bit sore again. It was 6:30 pm, I was tired and hungry, hadn't eaten all day, but I thought I had a shot at a good time. I got an ok start and felt good up until the last 50m where I tightened up a bit. It wasn't one of my best. (I ran a faster 200m on Sewanee's flat 160m track).
While standing in the staging area, one of the guys in my heat asked if I was in his heat. I said, 'yeah, #11.' He said, 'oh shit, I'm really just a polevaulter.' By this time, many had noticed there was 'an old man' competing, and if they were to get beat by a 53 yr old, it would be embarrassing, undoubtedly getting shit from their teammates about it. I did beat the kid, I finished 3rd of 5 in my heat. 51 of 55 overall. Not great, but nice not to finish last. Many were coming up to me after races and congratulating me as if I won. Yeah, I was the oldest guy on the track.
This race ranks me presently 3rd in the USA Masters National Rankings for the M50 400m. Thinking about going to Boston for the Nationals, but haven't decided yet.
I just try to make the best of what I have... and compared to some of my fellow masters guys, it's not much. My fellow masters did great... Don Drummond finished 4th overall in the 60m hurdles. M50 World Masters Champion Marcus Shute ran a great 400/200 double 55.20 / 24.90.
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| Don, Bill, Marcus the old men of the track |
Vanderbilt meet
Looking at results of the Div. I meet at Vandy this weekend, this result by Tucker P. is about the only result in this meet that would've been competitive in that meet, only one time faster at Vandy (21.23). I'm glad I didn't run at Vandy this weekend, there were 30 400m runners, the slowest was 51.64 ! MTSU's Emanuel T. from Uganda set a school record for the indoor 400m - 46.05 ... whew! Also, MTSU's Eliud R. from Kenya also set a school record for the indoor 800m, 1:49.36. Smokin' !
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