Volume 112 | May 2020 Download a PDF of this newsletter here!

UO Coach Robert Johnson’s Letter and Inspirational Video to OTC Members

To our track and field community,

I hope you are all staying safe and healthy during this time of incredible uncertainty. I would be lying if I said that the past few weeks haven’t been heartbreaking and challenging for our student-athletes and staff. Our team was in Albuquerque for the NCAA Indoor Championships less than 18 hours before we were told to turn around and go home. Giving the news to those athletes that they would not be able to compete for a national championship was something I have never experienced as a coach.

We are still working to find our new normal. Most of our athletes have retreated home to be with their families and are now taking courses virtually through the University. The athletic department has been closed, and we are all now working from home. Fortunately, we are able to send the athletes workouts, but you can imagine the challenges they are facing with tracks, gyms, and fields closing around the world.

Through this time of uncertainty for all of us, I want to reassure you that we, as a track and field community, will come back stronger after having gone through this. Sport teaches us patience, humility, respect, and resiliency and now is certainly the time to harness all of those lessons.

We can’t wait to welcome you all back to Hayward Field once this cloud has lifted. I hope it will be a beacon of hope for our sport and our community that someday we will all be together again, doing what we love to do.

Stay safe and Go Ducks!

Coach Johnson

P.S. One of my favorite messages is below. Olympic Trials Rescheduled, ​Pre Classic Postponed

The U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials has been rescheduled to June of 2021. In addition, the OTC/Nike Prefontaine Classic has been postponed. Both meets were originally scheduled for June 2020.

The Trials will now be held at Hayward Field on June 18-27 of next year. The Pre Classic, the only Wanda Diamond League meet held in the U.S., was postponed along with the Paris, France Diamond League meet. The Oslo, Norway meet will still be staged in an alternative format under Norwegian coronavirus regulations on its original date of June 11.

The Trials were postponed and rescheduled after the worldwide coronavirus pandemic forced a one-year delay in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Pre Classic was postponed due to pandemic public safety concerns. New dates for postponed Wanda Diamond League events will be announced in cooperation with World Athletics as soon as the global pandemic situation allows reliable planning.

Information about the Trials can be found on theT rackTown USA website. Prefontaine Classic information is available on the meet’s website.

Butte to Butte & All Comers ​are Victims of the Pandemic

The Aquafina/OTC Butte to Butte race, one of the largest community events in Eugene/Springfield, has been canceled for 2020 in the interest of public safety. The race was originally scheduled for July 4 in Eugene. The OTC All Comers Meets are still on hold and no dates have been scheduled for 2020.

This is the first time the Butte to Butte event has been canceled in its 46-year history. All previously registered Butte to Butte participants will have their registrations automatically deferred to the 2021 Butte to Butte. Contact Eclectic Edge Racing for information.

The All Comers Track and Field Meets are normally held in Eugene during June, July, and August. The meets are on hold due to the pandemic safety guidelines.

Nike Store Run/Walk in ​Access On Hold ​May is Canceled

OTC member access to the Nike Company The OTC Run/Walk scheduled for May 14 Store in Beaverton, OR, is currently on hold on Pre's Trail is canceled to comply with due to the pandemic. Normally, eligible current social distancing guidelines. OTC OTC members are allowed to visit the Nike hopes to resume the Run/Walk Series in Company Store in June and October. June, but will await local and state guidance on when that can be done safely. Stay The Nike Company Store is currently closed tuned to this newsletter, the OTC social as a result of the coronavirus. OTC is media sites, and the OTC website for future hopeful that eligible members will be able to updates and announcements. visit the store sometime this year. Watch this newsletter and future email The Run/Walk Series has been one of the communications from the OTC office for favorite events for participants and Nike store information volunteers because of friends made, seeing so many families running or walking together, happy pups, and the great fun and energy that Eclectic Edge Racing always offers. The OTC Community Outreach Committee hopes you are still able to get out and run or walk solo during these uncertain times. Hope to see you soon!

Track Town Loses an Icon

Bill McChesney Sr., former Oregon Track Club president and prominent member of the Track Town community, died on April 6 at the age of 91. McChesney’s energy and love of track and field had an enormous impact on the sport and on the OTC.

McChesney, his wife Marcia, and their four sons, Tom, Steve, Bill Jr., and Ken, were often called the “First Family of Track Town.”

"There are only a few legends of Track Town, and Bill is one of them," Hayward Field announcer Paul Swangard said. UO coach Robert Johnson added, “He meant so much to our program and the community as well.”

Read about Bill’s Accomplishments Bill McChesney Sr. Photo by Kjersten Hellis, courtesy the 1859 magazine.

Editor’s note: The cancellations, suspensions, and rescheduled events listed in this article can be superseded by state or national decisions concerning the pandemic and/or changes by the event organizer.

Here is the status of local and state track and field, road racing, fitness events, and OTC events as of April 25:

Oregon Track Club Events OTC Board meeting. The May 6 meeting will be virtual. Run/Walk Series. The May 14 event is canceled. See the story in this newsletter. Prefontaine Classic. Postponed. See story in this newsletter. All Comers Meets. No dates have been set due to the pandemic. See story in this newsletter. Butte to Butte road race. Canceled for 2020. See story in this newsletter. Youth Cross Country program. Still scheduled to start in August. Pre's Trail Revival Run. Rescheduled for September.

Read about TrackTown USA and OSAA events

Jane Kammerzelt: Tales from the Press Box

By Joey Blum

No one is more surprised than Jane Kammerzelt that she works with the top announcers in the sport of track and field at Hayward Field. She knows it is a coveted position and is honored to be part of it. “I was raised by parents who were open and curious about things. When my mother told me that I could do anything I wanted, I believed her, and much of it has come true,” she said. In 2006, Gene Davis mentioned that volunteers were needed at Hayward Field and that volunteering could lead to a role at the 2008 Olympic Trials. Jane jumped at the chance. “I wanted to work with the best of the best and knew this was a unique opportunity,” she recalled.

Read about Jane’s work in the press box

Garry Hill and Jane Kammerzelt enjoy a Hawaiian shirt day in the Hayward Field press box.

Looking Ahead to 2021 ​and a Spectacular Olympic Trials

From the desk of Michael Reilly, TrackTown USA CEO

Without a doubt, it has been a difficult two months for our entire community. By this point, I’m sure you have seen that USA Track & Field has announced that TrackTown20 will be held June 18–27, 2021. Like so many people, the TrackTown USA staff has been working remotely, and I am incredibly proud of how they have risen to the challenges presented by the postponement of the Olympic Trials due to the shifting of the Olympic Games into the summer of 2021.

Read how 2008 was a turning point

Michael Reilly

Just one UO track meet in 1918 Pandemic: We have done this before

The 2020 pandemic continues to cause major changes and disruptions to our lives. This is not the first time Oregon and the country have been faced with such horrific developments.

The flu pandemic of 1918-1919 resulted in almost identical actions, reactions, and results that we see today. The sickness was given several names: influenza, the flu, the Spanish Flu, and the “grip.” The pandemic produced some startling statistics. Influenza eventually infected one-third of the world’s population (500 million), and killed an estimated 50 million worldwide, including 675,000 deaths in the U.S. The U.S. population at the time was 105 million. The Oregon State Board of Health records reveal that between October 1, 1918 and A family does their part to prevent the spread of September 30, 1920 there were 3,675 deaths in the flu virus in 1918. the state and 48,146 flu cases. Oregon’s population was about 750,000 during the period 1918-1920.

Read about the impact on Eugene/Springfield

Thomas Honored With National Award

University of Oregon track and field associate head coach Ben Thomas was recently named National Men's Division 1 Indoor Assistant Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Thomas is in his second season with the Ducks. He spent 17 seasons as the cross country and distance coach at Virginia Tech, where he was previously named Assistant Coach of the Year in 2017.

World Championships Moved to 2022

The World Outdoor Track and Field Championships that were scheduled for Hayward Field in August 2021 have been moved to July 15-24 of 2022. The change was a result of the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games being rescheduled in 2021.

World Athletics, in conjunction with the local organizing group, Oregon22 (formerly Oregon21), moved the meet to 2022 to avoid having the Olympics and the World Championships in the same calendar year. It also avoids Hayward Field hosting the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, rescheduled for June 18-27, 2021, and the World Championships in the same year.

The World Championships event will be the first time the outdoor championships have been held in the United States. Some 2,000 athletes from more than 200 countries are expected to compete. Go here to sign up for the Oregon22 newsletter.

High School Season is Canceled for this Year

The outdoor track and field season for high schools in Oregon is officially canceled. The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) made this decision after Governor Kate Brown announced that all Oregon schools will be closed for in-person learning through the remainder of the school year.

All high school spring sports and championships are included in the decision. "We had maintained hope for an abbreviated spring season to help bring a sense of normalcy to these uncertain times,” Peter Weber, OSAA Executive Director, said. “This heart wrenching decision is difficult for all members of the OSAA family,” Weber added. No practices, no track and field meets at the The OSAA Executive Board will meet to discuss vacant South Eugene High School track. The policies for summer activities, along with academic OSAA has canceled all spring and summer sports eligibility concerns for the fall school term in 2020. in Oregon. Photo courtesy Michael Cahn. Oregon Track Club MASTERS News Meet Opportunities for Masters Athletes

Complied by Tom Pattee

Due to Covid-19 concerns, the following meets scheduled for June have been postponed. OTCM will continue to monitor the status of track and field events during the Covid-19 pandemic. Best wishes to all. Be safe while continuing to train during these uncertain times.

Postponed: Portland Masters Track Classic, originally scheduled for June 20 at Mt. Hood Community College.

Postponed to 2021: 2020 USA Masters Games, originally scheduled for June 27 in Kentwood, Michigan.

Running For My Life

By Lopez Lomong 229 pages, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2012

Lopez, age six, was kidnapped by Sudanese rebels. He escaped with three older boys. Without food, they ran three days and nights to Kenya. Lopez spent the next ten years in a refugee camp, one meal per day. Miraculously, he ended up in the United States. He became a two-time Olympian, America's best in the 5000m and 10,000m (at age 34) last year, and was a sure bet for the postponed 2020 Olympics. He is coached by Bowerman Track Club’s Jerry Schumacher. Review by Don McLean, OTC member.

Send us a brief comment (maximum 75 words) of why you like a particular book or article about track and field, road racing, or fitness. Please include the full title and author’s name. Email: [email protected].

Business Members

Brown Contracting, Inc. Kernutt Stokes LLP Cameron McCarthy, GOLD Let's Move LLC Carmichael & Stanton LLC LPL Financial D2000 Safety, Inc. Mike Fanelli Dr. W. Gray Grieve Orthodontics, GOLD North by Northwest Relays Eclectic Edge Racing, GOLD Prichard Partners, Inc. Eugene Airport, GOLD RBC Wealth Management, Todd G. Bosworth Eugene Running Club, GOLD Rexius Forest By-Products, GOLD Eugene Running Company Run Hub Northwest, GOLD Eugene Wellness Center Runnerspace, GOLD Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission Runnin' Wild, GOLD Garden Way Chiropractic Sapient Private Wealth Management Gleaves Swearingen LLP, Attorneys at Law Sightline Building Inspections Handy Ed Construction The Carpet Company Hutchinson, Cox, Coons, Orr & Sherlock, P.C. Trisha Kluge, LMT Innovative Print Group Tyree Oil, Inc., GOLD ​Jon and Terri Anderson, GOLD Valley River Inn, GOLD Kalen Electric & Machinery, Inc. Wilson Sound and Lights Events Calendar

Compiled by Wendy Montenegro

May June ​3: POSTPONED - Eugene Peace Run, 10K, 5K, OTC All Comers Meets, no dates have been 9:00 a.m., Eugene scheduled 5: CANCELED - TrackTown Tuesday, 6:00 p.m., 2: TrackTown Tuesday, 6:00 p.m., Downtown Downtown Athletic Club Athletic Club 6: OTC Board Meeting, 7:00 a.m., virtual meeting 2: Taco Tuesday Twilight Trot, 5K, 6:00 p.m., 9: CANCELED - Salsa Saturday, 5K, 6:00 p.m., Eugene Eugene 3: OTC Board Meeting, 7:00 a.m., Valley River Inn 9: CANCELED - Southern Region Championship, 6-7: POSTPONED - OTC/Nike Prefontaine Lane Community College Classic, Eugene 10: CANCELED - Parenting Now! Mother's Day 11: OTC Run/Walk Series, 5K, 6:00 p.m., 5K, 10:00 a.m., Eugene Springfield 14: CANCELED - OTC Run / Walk Series, 5K, 19-28: RESCHEDULED to June 18-27, 2021 - 6:00 p.m., Eugene Olympic Trials, Eugene 14: CANCELED - CATCH 3K Fun Run/Walk, 6:00 20: My Breast Friends 5K, Eugene p.m., Veneta 20: RESCHEDULED to August 22 - Silvan Ridge 16-17: CANCELED - PAC 12 Championships, Twilight 5K, 6:00 p.m., Silvan Ridge Winery Hayward Field 21: Eugene Father's Day 10K / 5K, 10:00 a.m., 17: POSTPONED - Bark In The Park, 10K, 5K, 2K, Eugene 8:30 a.m., Eugene 23: RESCHEDULED to September - Pre's Trail 18-19: CANCELED - NWAC Region Revival Run, 5K, Eugene Championships, Mt. Hood Community College, 27: Race For The Water, 5K, 10K, 10: 00 a.m., Gresham Eugene 23: Ridgeline Ramble, 20K, 10K, Relay, 8:00 a.m., Eugene 25: Miles On Memorial, 15K, 10K, 5K, Relay, 9:00 a.m., Eugene 27: CANCELED - TrackTown Youth League, 5:30 p.m., Lane Community College 28-29: CANCELED - NCAA West Preliminaries, Lawrence, Kansas 29-30: CANCELED - High School Championships, 1A, 2A & 3A 29-30: CANCELED - High School Championships, 4A, 5A & 6A

Always confirm event with event host.

Many thanks to Curtis Anderson, Joseph Blum, Michael Cahn, Jessi Gabriel, Bettina Huber, Bill Kelly, Kevin Marbury, Don McLean, Wendy Montenegro, Tom Pattee, Michael Reilly, Matt Scherer, Phil Sutton, Nathaniel Teich, Jennifer Touchette (graphic designer), Dave Wilkins, and the OTC administrator for their support of this newsletter. Please contact Jennifer Touchette at [email protected] or Phil Sutton at [email protected] if you have newsletter questions, comments, or content. © 2019-2020, Oregon Track Club, All rights reserved.

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Oregon Track Club Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. PDT 2350 Oakmont Way, Suite 201, Eugene, OR 97401 • Phone: 541-343-7247 Email: [email protected]