2021 video

Here's a video I hadn't seen before, this was my last race of the 2021 season at the Ontario Masters Championships.  

The M60 200m race, broke a 17 yr old meet record,  25.54.    Was a bit tight and sore from the previous 2 races, a 12.63 100m and a WL 56.23 400m, also meet records.  

I'm in lane 5, in the red team USA uniform

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW5Z-KL7oAc

The 56.23 400m was the fastest M60 in the world until John W. won the World title a year later in Finland.  The 400m meet record I broke by 2.77 sec was set 32 yrs prior by the legendary Earl Fee. 

Big NEWS: 2025 USATF Masters Outdoor Championships announced!!

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA!!!!

This is the closest a USATF Masters National Championship has ever been held to my home.  Just one hour away.  My M65 debut, 9 days after my birthday.  Couldn't be a better time or place.  I must be ready!  

Finally, I have a goal and a target date.

Track at Milton Frank Stadium was just resurfaced last yr.

Done ... for a while

Photo:  injured guy being assisted off the track who fell into my lane on the turn.  

I'm definitely done competing this year on the track.  This last race was a bust, I didn't get a good time mostly because I was interfered with.  At yesterday's all ages meet in ATL, they combined masters and open and I was by far the oldest and slowest in my heat, although I had a good lane (#5) in my 200m race.  The guy in lane 4 took a lead into the turn, easily making up the stagger on me in 50m.  He then pulled a hamstring on the turn, fell into my lane causing me to break stride and go into the outer lane to avoid stepping on him.  I probably cost me at least half a second and I finished in a miserable 27.4.  

I was feeling ok before the race, a normal aches and pains but afterward and by this morning, a definite pain in my left knee.  I had felt that this week after workouts but it went away in 2 days.  Today it was worse, so a definite sign to wrap it up for the year.   This was my 4th of 7 days on track doing high intensity sprints, and it's taken a bit of a toll.  I probably shouldn't have raced Saturday.  It was mid 80's and I had to wait hours before racing.  

It was cool to be in the race though, and was happy to race with fellow masters Sean B., an elite 43 yr old masters sprinter.  He ran great, 22.91, probably about the most I was capable at my peak in college.  All lanes full, I was the only white guy in the race, the rest were 19-22 yr olds, running 21-22.  Sean was right there with them.  I'm really envious of those kids speed and physiques.  So lean, light, and muscular. 

Moving forward, I'm going to stop running altogether for while.  This break is long in coming.  The last bit of training showed me that doing high intensity (98%+) all the time is risky and hard on the body, maybe even more so than doing 85% intensive tempo.  

I'm a decent weight, probably raced about 142.  Was 143.5 this morning after a large meal last night, so my objectives in the near future are to work on strength, maintain flexibility, get back on the bike and rowing machine to maintain some semblance of V02 max, work on core and upper body, and most of all ... heal up.  I also want to remain under 145 lbs.   And, I certainly don't want to make this knee issue worse.  It's recoverable now and I want to be able to hike in the Alps this summer if we can arrange it.  Perhaps in a month or 2, I can start again by running again once a week, low impact, turf or some hills / bleachers.  Not running is going to be quite an adjustment since I've been on the track pretty much 3X a week for the last 7+ months.  I can see why the pros do so few meets.  I did 11 meets this year.  More than most pros.

So, a few weeks away from M64, I'm looking ahead to M65.  

    

PTC meet, youth track, gym, schedule

Saturday was the Parker Track Club meet in Huntsville.  It was sunny, hot, close to 90º with occasional shifting winds.   Meet was on a rolling schedule, I tried to not get there too early because it's tiring to warm up in that heat and sit around for hrs waiting to race.  There was almost no shade.   It dragged on as usual.   A million kids there, primarily a youth meet.  They were running young to old, masters last.  So I warmed up and found a piece of shade near the finish line opposite of the 100m start.  They had at least 40 heats of kids so I though I'd have close to an hour.   Then... I saw the masters 100m women finish.  WHAT!?  My race was next, they were doing masters FIRST.  I hadn't even run any strides yet or nothing so i picked up my spikes and sprinted across the football field 120yds to the start line just as the masters race went off.  I bitched to the meet director and he let me run in lane one ... alone.  Not the best situation.   But, at least I got to run.  Nothing great, 13.09.   More confirmation I have work to do.  At least it was an improvement over the last 2 Penn Relays because at least this time I had blocks.  The main thing was that I was able to run 100m without injury.   My goal was to break 13.   Failed.   Unfortunately the meet dragged on and I got stiff.  Warmed up again but the foot hurt so I did very little running to prepare.  2+ hrs passed and I convinced the meet director to run the Masters 200m first.  Again, one of my poorest showings, 27.00.  ;(.   I think it may have been the first time I ever ran over 27 in a meet, but just.   My goal was to run 26.9 or better,  failed again.  The 200m was a mixed bunch.  19+ is masters/open.  I ran with two 20 yr olds, a 19 yr old girl, and a 47 yr old guy.  The 20 yr olds ran 23 and 26, I finished 3rd, thankfully beating the girl, and the 47 yr old guy was slow, 32+.   Huge mix of ages and abilities at these meets.  Some of the best were these elite HS juniors and seniors, some running mid 10s in the 100m, off to major college track programs.

Still happy to be able to still do it, and without injury.  (I don't even consider my chronic foot issue an injury).  Great to see a thriving youth track program.  Seeing all these 5 and 6 yr olds racing is fun to watch.  Also seeing these guys.... watching some of these 17-18 yr olds come out of the blocks is pretty awesome.  Some are on their way to major college track programs.

 Even toward the end of the meet were there are many scratches, tons of kids lined up for the 200.

I wish I had a summer program like this as a kid.  I look back to my home town area of Binghamton, NY.  It's absolutely PATHETIC.  No youth track at all.  In fact, the local running club, TCRC has some hand timed adult all comers summer track meets but they don't run sprints shorter than the 400m!  The club is totally dominated by 5ks, distance, and road racing.  And what about field events?   WTF is it with Binghamton... people up there can't sprint or jump!?  Sprinting is fundamental to SO many sports.  I savaged their FB page with some of my feelings on this subject.  No one cares about track there apparently.  Must be a cultural thing.

Compare with my photos above, this is the state of affairs in youth track in Binghamton:

Special olympics ... and that's about it.  

I've decided to continue training, no more volume or 400m training, maybe just 2 tempos sets a month, but I really need work on my short game.  I'm in the weight room more (Sun night) and I borrowed 90lb of plates from Sewanee so I do more strength training with weight pulls.  I may run another 100 or 200 before summers end.  I've really regressed.  Colleagues in my age group that I've ran faster than as recently as last yr are now logging faster times than me in the short sprints.  I'm not that far off, about a half second too slow in the 100m and a second in the 200m.  I think I can get it back with the right focus.  

Heavier for this meet, about 143-144 lbs.

It was tough for me to get my heavy ass into the weight room on Sunday night, but I did.  3X Circuit was: Goodmorning-deadlifts, hip flexor machine, pecks, rows, seated hams.

100m Gold at Penn Relays, 2 Silver in relays

Brought home my first individual Gold medal at the Penn Relays yesterday in 100m.   The 100m is the only individual sprint event offered for masters athletes at this, the oldest and largest track meet in the world.   Being a Penn Relays Champion has been on my bucket list for a while, since I ran my first 100m race here 12 yrs ago (PR 12.17).  Since then, I ran the Penn masters 100m in '17 (Silver - 12.25), in '23 (Bronze - 13.19), and this year ... so this was my 4th attempt.  Although quite slow, 13.23, a win is a win.  Like last yr, this was without starting blocks, and on a cool and windy day, so conditions not perfect.  

I also anchored my GPTC track club to 2 Silver medals in the 4x100m and the 4x400m relays.  

The whole experience was a whirlwind... fly out midday Wednesday, return home Thursday after the meet.  Didn't get back to Sewanee til after midnight this morning.  I'll talk about the trip, stay, and travel more in another post, but first about the races.

The schedule seemed crazy... 4x100m at noon, then the 100m 30m later and the 4x400m 30m after that.  I was the only person in my age group and one of just very few in the meet to do all 3 masters events in the meet, all in a space of 1 hour.  

But, it was actually good.  I only had to warm up once and the 4x100m relay was a really good warmup for the 100m race.  

100m

It wasn't the slowest M60 100m win, but close.  Actually a few hundredths slower than I ran last year when I won Bronze.  At least it was faster than the age groups above, including last years M60 winner.  There were supposed to be 8 people in the race but 3 scratched.  Former world champion and many time previous winner Don M., may have been injured but was in the race and lined up to my right, definitely something wrong since he finished well back in 4th.   I knew Zac was fast but I didn't know the other guys.  Last year, I think I lost the race in the last 15m so I didn't want that to happen again, so I made sure I relaxed and tried to maintain what little good running form I had til the end.  It paid off.  I got a fair start, decent reaction not a great drive phase, due to no blocks and very little practice with starts this season.  I felt it stayed quite close through 70m and Gerald finished on the inside was just 0.16 behind me, Zac just 0.03 behind him, less than 0.20 separating the medals.     This is the second year we've been required to race with no blocks.  Never used to be this way.   Afterward I took my spikes off and let my feet rest for a few minutes before having to jog to the start line for the 4x4.  During my brief rest, was happy to have talked with Zac a bit and to learn his daughter is also a musician.  That's the great thing about this event, the people.  Especially to a loner like me who lives pretty much in isolation.  

Photo: about 30m into the race

Relays

4x100 - Backing up to the first event, we were told to get there at 9:30.  Well, I was 10 min early and ended up waiting almost an hour before Chuck left the table and delivered our packets.  By the time we got to our team place in the stands, We had about 30m to sit before going to the field to warmup.  When we left to enter the field, we were direct to the massive line at the paddock but it seemed like a ridiculously long line. So we later learned we were to enter at the masters table.  So... we walked around the stadium one full revolution before we actually went in, so stupid and unnecessary.  My foot didn't need that.  I think one of the 100m guys missed his race because he was misdirected also.  

Bruce led off and got totally smoked.  He was I think tied for 4th in his leg.  He looked injured, wasn't sure what happened.  Daryl made up a little ground and handed it to Wally in third, well behind Flashpoint (Ron's all-star team) in first.  Pony Express Club's 3rd leg was really slow and Wally handed it to me in second but by that time Don M. had nearly a 20m lead on me.  I did make up some but the race was over before I got the stick.  Anyway, a good opportunity to run at full speed and feel the track.  Now I was warmed up.  

After the 100m, I was pretty happy and not really looking forward to the 4x400, but like the 4x100, the race was already decided by the time I ran the anchor leg.  Ron had 30m on me by the time I got the stick.   Scott led off for us and we were down by 20m at first exchange.  Bruce made up quite a bit of time on the leading team with a good 62 sec leg and Mark took the stick less than 10m behind.  Mark lost almost 4 sec to the leading team, managing only a 65.37 leg (to Jerry's 61.86), so Ron had more than a 5 sec lead and it was over.  I ran a respectable leg but didn't kill myself, my 61.19 split was the fastest of my team and the third fastest among all teams (behind Ron 59.80 and Oscar 60.14).  Not a bad workout and I was able to sprint to the end with no rigging.  

So I collected 3 more Penn Relays Medals, I now have 9 total.  6 from relays, and 3 from the 100m event.  Here's the tally:  100m: Gold ('24), Silver ('17), Bronze ('23).   Relays:  Gold ('23), 3 Silver, 2 Bronze.

Winning the 100m at Penn was a nice consolation after the experience at Nationals and it puts me closer to the end of my competitive season and closer to wellness.  More about the travel and the Penn Relays experience in the next post.  

3x300 tempo, Penn

Perfect day.  Mid 60ºs, bright sun, light N wind.  Last conditioning workout before Penn.  I thought I might try and get 4x3w/3, but no way in hell.   My HR only recovered from 179 to 160 three min after rep 3, so I was done.  Only slightly faster avg than the set I did 12 days ago.  Started rather ambitiously.

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m

100m - 15.78

Hoka Rocket X2s on

3 x 300m w/ 3 min rest - 49.54, 49.41, 52.48  (avg - 50.47)

Went back and looked.  I did two 4x300 tempo sets in Jan, then one in March at Marist (PR 49.08 avg) fast Mondo track in perfect weather on 3/3.  I only completed 4x3w3 three times this season, so tall order.   I did complete a 3x3w/3 at the end of Feb average 48.94 with all three under 50.  So, still not fully back but not too far away.  I think that injury I had while stretching on 2/2 was somewhat the start of the problem that plagued me during mid March and Nationals, and that's why I went back to 3x3w/3 in Feb.

Had an amazingly huge weight drop from last night to this afternoon.  I was 146.6 lbs last night at midnight after eating at the school cafeteria, then 140.8 lbs after workout today, an almost 6 lb drop in about 15 hrs.  I was totally FOS.   I think I'm finally past this injury although I can still feel it ever so slightly in leg swings.  

PENN

Weather looks awesome for Penn.  Same as today, mid 60ºs and sunny.   I am a bit concerned about the 100m race, not because for fear of injury, but for the fact I've done zero acceleration or short speed work this season.   I'll go out tomorrow and do a little.  Really be lucky to break 13.1.   

I heard some bad news that the Masters 100m sprinters will again be denied starting blocks, Masters winners will no longer get the famous plaque ... the 'Penn Wheel'.  So, I'll never own one.  Should have really had last years 4x1 wheel considering I had the fastest splits in both relays, medaled in the 100m, medaled in the 4x400 and won the opening leg by a lot, and above all... paid to fly there and paid the cost of 2 nights in a hotel, (where all my teammates drove to the meet).   Alas, it's more about the experience.  

test run

Ran a cautious 400m race in a college meet today, 61.00 - the annual Sewanee Mountain Laurel Invitational.  About what I expected.  Took it really easy on the first half into the wind and probably ran somewhere around 29/32 splits.  Also, my blocks slid back a few inches at the start, officials didn't call it back.  So, didn't really care that it was one of the slowest of my masters career, just happy to finish uninjured and good to go for Penn Relays.  (61.00 would still rank #3 in the world in M60 right now, but it's early).   I finished about 15m behind the back of the pack and ahead of one astonishingly slow kid (about 9 sec behind me).  Weird that it was exactly 61.00.  That's a first.  I ran faster even on that tiny 160m flat indoor track in Feb.   

I knew by my recent workouts that I wasn't in the shape I was in Feb - March.   This is a slow track but in previous years, I'd run 56 here.   If I am to get back to where I was, it's going to take a while.  Not sure I will, as that level of fitness is fleeting, then again, I'm on vacation and not much else to do.  This track will be gone in a few weeks and hopefully the new one installed by end of June.  

I didn't wear my HR monitor, just my watch, and it recorded a max HR of 175 at the end of the race.  I was about 140.5 lbs for the race.  I think the extra lb or two may have made a difference.   

Weather looks awesome for the rest of the week after tomorrow.  I'm planning a tough endurance session on Monday then just something light on Tues.  Penn is Thurs.  

2x300,200, 60s

 First warm day for a workout, variably cloudy, mid 70ºs and windy.  Did a conditioning workout today as I took limited rest between my long sprints.  Was going to do a 3x3w/3 but I started too fast and ran two, then a 200m.

Stretches, drills, bands, 100m

100m - 14.50

Hoka rocket X2s on

300m, 3 min rest, 300m, 7 min rest, 200m - 46.32, 48.17, 28.51

3 x 60m (first 2 rolling, 3rd from the line) - 7.78, 7.48, 8.10

I felt I should do some short speed so I ran a few 60s, the first cautious and the second, hard.   Ran one from the line from a crouch.  Could use some work on my acceleration, something I almost never work on.  

Here's the heart rate data from my optical arm sensor (certified as highly accurate by Engineer Joe E. Page).   I knew I wouldn't get 3 because during my 3min recovery, my HR only went down to 150.  Note the spikes shortly after each interval where max HR was recorded during the walk back.  (You can see it more clearly on the second graph that shows both HR and running cadence).  Not real confident with the cadence indicator, probably some latency.  They make a shoe pod for a more accurate reading.  My highest HR was 185 after my 200m during my walk back.   That's the max I've yet recorded.    

Afterward, went for a hike, now at the peak of wildflower bloom.  It was good.  Needed to lose a few lbs.  I've definitely gained a 2 lbs.  I can feel it, but can correct it in a few days.  Definitely not in the aerobic shape I had attained by early March.  Can still feel the injury a little so may take 2 consecutive days off from the track.  

140.7 lbs after workout.

Purple Phacelia wildflowers at the peak.  

Penn Relays

Still need some significant conditioning work to race a 400m.   The Thursday Masters Penn schedule is ridiculous: 

11:58 - 4x100 

12:26 - Masters 100 

1:00 - 4x400

At least I'll only have to warm up once.  They want me to anchor the relays, which is a lot of pressure, especially in a close race.  I've always had nightmares about losing a 4x4 as anchor.  Has never happened, hopefully it won't.  We should be considerably behind the top team which is pretty much an all star team.  Actually, would much rather get the stick at anchor behind than ahead.

Berry College meet report

Saturday, ran my first outdoor meet at Berry College, my 63rd college meet after age 50.  It was a bust, I went out with the kids and rigged in the end losing a lot of time, 59.75.  My pace awareness isn't there.  With the slow guy in front of me scratching in lane 7, I was running alone in 6 until guys on my inside started to pass down the back stretch and I tried to stay with them, which I did til 250ish.  They were faster than I thought, the winner in the heat ran 54.  I was quite a ways back.  

Anyway, 59.75 - my worst time this season (excluding Sewanee's indoor 160m track)  is still faster this season than anyone else in the US M60 400m.   

So, on break and in Atlanta, I'm going to double down on my training and really kick ass.  

The weird race this coming weekend from that weird meet director who limited 'open' to age 35 was canceled.  Just disappeared from the Coacho calendar like I expected it would.  So, I may request to race in another college meet this weekend at Clark U, a historically black college here in ATL.  Weather doesn't look great though, rain in the morning, 50% during the day. 

hometown meet

I said I'd never race a long sprint on Sewanee's tiny flat 160m indoor track because a good time isn't possible...  5 turns for a 400m and just a 22m straightaway.  But I did, and it went pretty much as expected.  Ran a 60.56, which would still be #1 in US, despite the slow track.  It was a decent workout on a really cold day, and a luxury to run in a track meet just 12 min from my house.   I actually finished ahead of a few college guys, real stragglers.  My 62nd college meet over age 50, and my 5th 400 of the season.  

Tough place to race because there is no place to really warmup, I was running 20m sprints in a back hallway.  

Masters Rankings

Still #1 in US in the 400m, but knocked down a peg in the World Rankings to #3 as Mike V. posted a 58.74,  0.10 ahead of my SB.   R. White also broke 59 with a 58.93.  Nationals registration deadline is a 4 days away.  The competition should become clearer by then and whether we have the horses to attempt a WR 4x4.  

No meets til a possible Berry College outdoor meet on March 2.   That very much depends on the weather and getting permission to enter.  I've never been denied entry there so, I expect I'll run.  I have an opportunity for a good 2 week training cycle before then.   With the consecutive days of training and so many meets, my foot is a bit sore so will not run til tomorrow, Monday.  

USATF SE Masters Regional

I had a pretty good meet, no SB or WL, but it was my 2nd best time of the season:

    59.22

It did feel pretty weird running indoor track in FL on an 83ºF day, but was pleased to see the facility.  Great track, reminiscent of Albuquerque.  It pains me to know that I won't be racing here for World Championships next yr because I have zero chance of a medal at age 64 1/2 in my age group.  It's just not worth asking for the time off from work.  I likely could make a US relay team, but that's about it.  In fact, that relay team will easily smash the M60 relay records if Francoise and Getulio are healthy.   It would be great to be a part of that team.  Getulio, WR holder in the M55 400mH ran a stunning 56.1 Sunday.  I'll ask the question if it's possible to qualify for a relay based on previous times and not enter any individual events.   Dubious about that.  

I was dubious about this meet because of the travel and lack of sleep the night before, my upper ham and foot still slightly sore, but it was fine.  I did rig a little in the end but it was ok, just the last 15m.  Not super aggressive first 200m.  My first 300m I ran almost even splits.   Still don't have the last 100m.  

Splits were about: 

200m/200m: 28.38/30.84

200m:  28.38 

200m - 300m: 14.47 (42.85) 

300m - 400m: 16.37

Still #1 in US M60 400m, #2 in world. 

 

 

 

KMS meet report

Out of my regular workout routine, I ran about as I had expected.  No season PR, but not terrible:

 

59.33 - 400m 

The kids in my heat surprised me.  They were faster than expected, except one.   There were 2 scratches, and 4 in my heat, all three kids went out fast and I was in last at the break.   I hit my split just about right, about 27.6ish.  Then the kid in front of me started to fade on the turn just after the first lap at 220m.  I had to slow slightly then passed him on the back straight.   The other 2 were way out ahead finishing in 54 and 56.    

So, my second 200m split was only about 31.7.   Not good enough.   Hopefully, as the season goes on, my conditioning will improve and I can take a second+ off that 2nd 200m.   It was 0.27 faster than my first race on this track 2 weeks ago and all three races have been faster than my winning time at Nationals in '23.

Overall, it's a better start than last year:  

'23 season - 59.74, 59.42, 61.26

'24 season - 59.60, 58.84, 59.33, 59.22

It's only January, but this race gives me the top three M60 400m times in the world indoors.  

This will be a big year for M60 with a few new world class masters moving into the age group:  Francois B. and Getulio E. both move up to M60 in the outdoor season.  

Tomorrow, I'll go up and look at the track and see how the snow in melting.  

Racing for exercise

I'm going to race in Birmingham tomorrow.  The Sewanee team apparently cancelled.   I have low expectations because I've lost so much training time and fitness that I don't expect to improve on my times from last week.  Goal is just to break a minute.   (The last time I did this - ran 3 weekends in a row - I  ran that really bad race at the Emory meet - 61, from lane 2).   Since I have lane 5 in a full heat of mostly college freshman, I'll go.  It'll be crowded because most of these kids are slow (for college) and they have 6 lanes full.    With the weather as it is, I just need the training.  I probably won't be ready to race again til SE Masters in 3 weeks since school is starting next week.  The weather really has knocked me off my routine.  Also, foot is sore from 2 days in a row on that tight indoor track.  Did 1000m+ of sprints in there last night.  

Bought a second pair of Rocket X2 trainers so I can alternate them.  Found them for $172 + tax and shipping.  Regularly $250.   I really need to get on ebay and start selling off some of my shoes.  

 

Photo: 400m 1/5/24, Birmingham

Racing 19 yr olds.  

Beat one.  

 

Vanderbilt Commodore meet report

This took a lot of audacity.  The place was packed.  I was very intimidated by the scene.  The meet had elites and in this league, almost every athlete is on track scholarship.  The meet was being streamed nationally on ESPN's SEC+ network.  What the hell is a nearly 64 yr old doing here with track spikes?

Not too bad for this early in the season, another M60 World Lead for now:  

58.84

When I arrived to pick up my competition credentials, the guy at the admittance desk was totally confused when I told him I was racing.  He looked at me incredulously and then someone else spoke up and directed me to the athlete's area.  

I walked around intimidated for a while, then finally saw some familiar faces.  Randall, Mike, and Ernie, track officials that have been seeing me race for more than a decade.  Then I felt better.  I found a great place to warmup where no one else generally was, along the home stretch across from the main grandstand.  I was able to get my usual warmup in.  

I watched as the heats went by.  Every single heat had at least a few guys running under 50.  My heat would be no exception.  There was one scratch and I had lane 3.  There was a short sprinter in 4 and fast guys in 2 and 6 - full scholarship dudes, high school state champions.  

Predictably, I was smoked in the first 100m.  They went out in probably 11.5, maybe faster.  I was easily 20m+ behind after just 100m.   The guy in lane 4 tried to stay with the two real 400m guys and he did for about 200m, then he pretty much folded and was running about my speed.  The winners finished in 49 flat and 49 low, the guy in front of me finished in 56+ and me 2+ seconds behind.  When I was running down the stretch, the crowd broke into cheers.  It was nice.  I did rig up a bit toward the end and was worried I might not break 59, but I did, just.  Happy about that.  Could have been worse.  It was slightly faster than I ran in Poland last yr and a full second faster than my winning time at Nationals in '23.  Of course, this was much faster track.  

The stadium announcer mentioned my name, said "not bad for age 62" (I'm 63).  He must have Googled me because he also said, "that was William Yelverton, a USA Masters athlete who has won several masters titles."  

I had a number of kids come up to me for selfies, and say to me "you're an inspiration!"  Geez, famous for being old. Worlds oldest college sprinter...definitely an anomaly.   Frankly, even at my peak in college, I'd not been able to hang with the best at this level.  Maybe mid-pack if I worked as hard as I do now.   

It was probably the lightest I've ever been for a race.  138 lbs.  Not sure if that is my best race weight or not.

Anyway, this was my 60th college track meet after the age of 50.  With all the Masters titles and World Masters Medals, still more proud to race in a Div I college meet and finish last.   

The week ahead... 

I thought about racing next weekend but there is no sneaking into the next Vandy meet again.  Plus, the weather looks bad this week, tough training weather.  I'll probably wait 2 weeks before I race again in Birmingham.  

It's going to be below freezing all day, but I'm going to try and get a workout in and cut some firewood.  Or maybe I'll just work on firewood.  Snow and brutal cold starts Sun night and now they're saying we could get 5-6" of snow by Tues, which means there is a near certainty the University will be closed, and the track will be under snow probably til Thurs.  If it's sunny, even with it being below freezing, maybe it will melt by Wed.  I guess I could do something at the indoor track.  I think there's an even chance I won't be working at all this coming week due to weather.  

neg split 400, 200, 100; in at Vandy Sat.

Sunny, 36º, light breeze at the Sewanee track.  Track was wet from last night's light snow, but being not windy and sunny, it felt so much warmer than the cloudy-windy 43º of last time.  Totally T-shirt weather.  

I'm on the heat list for the Vandy meet on Sat!  An almost 64 yr old racing 400m in a DI college meet.  

Hoka trainers on

stretches, drills, bands, 100m

100m - 14.69

Hoka Rocket X2s on

100m - 13.16

Neg split 400m - 63.71 (33.74, 29.97)

200m - 27.81

It felt ok today.  Was very tired after the race pace+ 200m, and left since I'm expecting to be back out tomorrow for some speed.  

Lightest this season.  138.2 lbs after workout.  

My name is on the heat sheet of Saturday's Vandy meet.   3 of the 5 guys in this heat are freshman and have run 49, the other is a 27 yr old sub masters who runs about 52.  I'll be bringing up the rear for sure.  If there is any track I should be able to run 58 on, it's this one.  Lane 3 is not any disadvantage as the track is not banked.  With all those guys way out in front, I hope I can run my race.

First race, indoor season begins - meet report

AL vs The South" meet at the Crossplex.  I did achieve my goal and ran under 60 and for now, a world lead: 

400m - 59.60 

It's actually slightly faster than my season opener last yr, and a quarter second faster than my National Championship race in Louisville last yr  (59.84).   So, I'm ok with it.   

It was supposed to be just me and David C., a 72 yr old elite, but they threw two 19 yr olds in with us.  It was ok, no interference.  One was a good bit ahead, the other, a good ways behind.  I finished second in my heat, ahead of one of the teens.  Only 2 of us broke a minute in the whole meet, it was that small.  

I ran extremely conservatively and didn't rig up at all.  My splits were about 28.8 / 30.8.  I could've pushed the first half a bit more.  Based on this, I'd really like to break 59 at Vandy next weekend.  Fast track.  Every bit as fast as an outdoor track.   

One of the teens said, "Under a minute at your age?  Oh my goodness!"

David ran 65.85.  Duane (M60) was there and ran a good 60m.   We all ran WL times, for now... but it's early.   

It was an extremely small, slow moving and quiet meet.  Was cool to see all the little kids race, some as young as 4.  

Was 139.7 lbs after I got back.  

Will probably be out tomorrow again.  Rain on and off during the day.  

David will be 73 this season.  World class in M70.   Sprinting make you young.

   Kids as young as 4 getting ready to race.  

Interesting stat on the 2023 M60 400m USATF Championship

I knew the 2023 M60 400m USATF Masters National Championship race was one of the most competitive in history, but was it THE most competitive?  

Gold - Jim L.  - 55.96,  Silver - Ron H. - 56.77,  Bronze -William Yelverton - 57.59

Yes and no.  

Yes, in the fact it was the first time in an M60 400m final that 2 runners broke 57 sec (Jim L. and Ron H).

No, in total time of the three runners, due to an incredible performance by Sir Charles Allie in 2010 where he ran 55.37.  So, that year was THE fastest M60 400m.  Second was Steve Hardison 57.24, and third was Carroll Blake in 57.38.   

So, 2023 was technically the second fastest M60 400m final in USATF Masters Nationals history for the medalists.  All 7 of us ran under 61 and 4 under 60.  As measure of the quality of this field, my third place time would have won gold in 31 of the last 40 Championships.  My 57.59 was the second fastest Bronze in an M60 400m final, behind Carroll Blake's 57.38.   

We're in good company, the third fastest was 1999:  

Larry Colbert - 56.22, Bob Lida - 57.22, Rich Rizzo - 58.35.

Masters track is getting faster.  

I do think when Lee B. and Francois B. hit M60, they will bring an even faster level to the age group.  We'll see.   

M65 is not going to be any easier for me, but with Jim and Ron, we should be able to rewrite the 4x400m world records... hopefully beginning in March with this years indoor championship.   Vadim has already called me about doing it.  

Ron is now 65, and Jim is just one month younger than me, so I'll have one nationals without him in 2025 and then we'll both be 66 by World Championships in 2026.  Both Ron and Jim seem to be on the upswing in their masters career.  Ron won the 400 in '22 in just 58.12, so he improved in his M64 yr, really very commendable.  (I likely won't even go to Nationals this year at M64).  Jim lost his wife recently so he's turning inward and taking it seriously.  He has mentioned going after a world record.  He sure is built like a 400m guy.

Anyway, it was a helluva race, and I'm lucky to have medaled.  Looking up these stats is fun, as I am on vacation right now and have some time on my hands.

Canadian Masters Athletic Championships - meet report

No fast times, stiff headwinds for the 100/200, no competition, 3 Golds.   Calling it a season.  After 13 meets and 25 races, I'm so done.  So, today we're off to Whistler for a vacation  

I underestimated the toll this season has taken on my body and foot.  I do think I'll recover soon but I need a break from running.   I really should not have raced the 400m in this meet.   It wasted me for Sunday's 200m.  Even if I was fresh, the conditions were not good to run a good time with the stiff headwind.  Glad I didn't come here specifically for this meet.  The competition was very thin.  Hard to believe this was Canada's finest.  They made me look like a superstar, even running slow times: 12.95 (-1.3), 26.91 (-2.6), 59.00.   

200m

Limped off the track on Sat after easily winning the 100m and 400m, and by the time of the 200m on Sunday, it was tough to warm up.  (Probably ate a bit too much on Sat night as well as we went to a waterfront seafood restaurant).   But with the capsaicin cream kicking in, I got ready and did a few strides, just wanting to get it done.  It was hot, but low humidity compared with TN, so it only felt hot in the sun. 

I was feeling OK by the time I got in the blocks.  I actually got a very good start and opened a 10m lead by the time I hit the straight and extended it to at least 20m by the finish.  Stiff headwind the whole way, especially coming off the turn.  

100m

After 3 false starts, we finally got away and my start was just ok.  I won by more than 10m, and it was probably my best race.   At least I ran under 13 into a headwind.  That time would have won at Penn and medaled at Nationals.  

400m

I unfortunately ran from lane 2 and had Greg, the fastest Canadian to my outside.   He got a rather slow start and I never saw him after 30m.  It was just between me and Dave who was in M55.  I pulled up even with him at the top of the stretch and we were even with about 50m to go, then he turned on his world class speed and beat me by several meters.  I was pissed I missed running under 59 .... exactly 59.00.  Dave is the M55 world Champion in the 100/200.  He ran 11.36 this season.  Greg finished in M60 a few seconds behind.   

I was happy to see Greg, Mark, and the Canadian team smash the M60 4x800m world record later that day.  They bettered it by a whopping 13 sec.   I delivered the news to Pete, who had been talking to me about making an attempt on that WR, but he had kept me hanging for weeks, so glad to NOT be doing that in a few weeks.   I do think this record by the Canadian team has put it out of reach for the US team.  They'd have to average 2:19, it would be a stretch.  

Vancouver

So, after the 200m, Roya and I went into Vancouver to enjoy the city and get a taste of the Granville Is. Public Market.  What strikes me about Vancouver is the ethnic diversity, Indians, Persians, Asians... it's really great.  Roya was hearing Farsi being spoken everywhere.  The waterfront was very clean, virtually no garbage or plastic floating around.  We walked through the shipyard and by the docks, there were some fresh seafood outlets.  I had a fresh lobster roll:

Roya had an Asian noodle dish, and we also got some granola bars from a bakery.  

I felt totally stuffed even though I hadn't really eaten that much.  Was really tired by the time we got back to the hotel. 

Today, we leave for Whistler.  We have tickets for the Peak to Peak Gondola on Tuesday, and the Joffre Lakes Provincial Park on Wed.  

I'll post more photos of Vancouver soon....

Pre race day - Canadian Nationals - surprises

The first surprise was at 3 am on Thursday morning.  A horrendous thunderstorm hit with 60 mph winds  from the N (very unusual), knocked out power and topped a 100' poplar tree which just missed destroying my boat, by 2'.  The top 40' of the tree just grazed my boat, knocking it off the jack stand, breaking a teak rail at the corner, and ripping the mooring cover in numerous places.  I barely slept Wed night,  maybe 2-3 hrs max.   Instead of a recovery day on Thursday when I planned to leave in the morning for ATL, I spend 4-5 hrs on my feet with chainsaw, hauling wood, and tediously sewing canvas for hours.... but I got it done.  Then spent 4 hrs riding in a tow truck taking Roya's car to ATL which needed service.  The tow truck offered a punishing ride, could feel every bump.  

Had to get up at 5 this morning to drive through a driving rainstorm and beat ATL rush hour, park, and beat the huge lines at the airport, so Roya could get through security and attend an online meeting for work.  We got it done. 

Now in a relaxed Minneapolis airport watching a severe thunderstorm pass hopefully before we board in 45 min for Vancouver. 

The second surprise was the start list for tomorrow's 400m.   Seems like I have the fastest seed time in both the M55 and M60 age groups but they combined sections and I don't have a clue how I ended up in lane 2.  Fellow American M55 David G. seeded himself at 60, which is ridiculous because he can run 56 easily (having run 23.6 in the 200m M55 Nationals final), and he gets the choice lane 5 in my heat.  They put the next fastest M60 - Greg A. (seeded at 60.4) in another heat with much slower M65 guys.  Makes ZERO sense, really dumb.  The 400m is less than an hour after the 100m final.  Wondering if I should even run the 400m?  We'll see how I feel after the 100m.   

Anyway, just looking forward to seeing Whistler next week and having some fun running the 100m.