NATIONAL MASTERS NEWSIS The only national publication devoted exclusively to track & field and long distance running for men and women over age 30 i ?• 68th Issue April, 1984 $1.50 ' t. MIDWEST 2:17:59 Marathon . INDOOR For Mieike in L.A. LOS ANGELES, February 19. Over DRAWS 160 600 runners set out this crisp, cool morning in the first race ever to be run From RICH CERONIE over the exact 1984 Olympic marathon The second edition of the TAG course. Midwest Regional Masters Indoor T&F An unseasonable Santa Ana wind Championships at the University of (east-to-west) blew in the runners'faces Cincinnati on February 26 brought over the final 13 uphill miles, destroy together 160 athletes from nine states ing the possibility of a new world and Canada. In all, 101 masters marathon record, which might have fieldhouse records were set by all age occurred had yesterday's 20mph tail groups. wind held. In the M30 60y dash, two-tenths of a Nevertheless, Tanzania's Gidamis second separated first from last with Shahanga, 26, reaffirmed his role as a the top three sprinters all recording the favorite in the Olympic Marathon with same time; Morris Blueford was picked an impressive 21-second, 2:10:19 vic the winner in 6.4. Other fast 60y times tory over Kenya's Joseph Nzau. on the dyna-turf surface were run by Canada's Scott Tyler, M40, (6.8), and Guenter MIeIke, 40, W. Germany, andJacqueline Hansen at theLos Ange/es International Marathon. West Germany's Gunter Mieike, 40, Paul Dorsey, M45, (6.9). Feb. 19. Mieike was 10thoverall in2:17:59, winning his age group by 27 minutes. Hansen was 1st captured the first place masters prize of The 300y dash proved to be all M35 35-39 woman in 3:04:34. $500 with a superb 2:17:59, the fastest Stan Druckrey's as the Wisconsan Photo by Richard Lee Slotkin age-40-or-over marathon in the world blazed to a 32.7 to beat the challenge of this year, and the sixth fastest veteran Gordon Reiter's 34.8. In the much maratVKjn performance of all time. awaited MSG 300y duel between Stewart, Dairympie SPECIAL Canada's Jacqueline Gareau, iO^i Missouri's Dr. Lee Blount and Do A Repeat outkicked New Zealand's Ann Audain Philadelphia's Josh Culbreath, Blount aft„r a 26-mile duel to prevail by ten edged ahead to win in 36.8 over INTERNATIONAL seconds in the women's division in Culbreath's 37.5. Blount came back to At Gasparilla SECTION 2:32:57. win the 600y in 1:24.4. A special added feature of this from JOE BURGASSER In the lOOOy run, Louisiana's Margaret Betz, 47, of Conklin, N.Y. issue is a 12-page, international sec Charles Wimberly ran to an M50 meet TAMPA, February 11. Billed as one annexed the women's age-35-and-over tion, covering masters athletics record 2:46.3, and Indiana's Bob of the top five road races in the United crown — worth $500 — with a solid throughout the world. We will Coughlin, M60, was a victor in 3:41.8. States, the Gasparilla 15K Distance 3:00:49. The fastest mile time was registered by publish a special worldwide edition Classic today produced a field of male Sponsors forked over about quarterly. We hope you enjoy this Continued on Page 11 Cincinnati's Scott Miller, M30, with a masters competitors that easily lived up 4:33.5. Michigan's A1 Ravenscroft, first edition, which begins on page to that title. Despite a February morn M50, turned in a good 5:03.1 to win his 29.• ing that could only be found in Florida (70° and 80% humidity), ten masters Lucero, Melfi Win Continued on Page 15 finished the out-and-back course in New Mexico 5-lVDIer under 51 minutes. A mild breeze com The Masters Fairground Run-A- ing off Tampa Bay helped to keep the Round 5-Miler, the only road race ex sunny shoreline course at a reasonable clusively for masters in New Mexico, temperature. drew eighty-five runners in Albuquer Michigan's Bill Stewart, 41, didn't que, February 12. Andy Lucero, 41, approach his national Masters record finished first in 30:44, while David (45:57 set here last year), but he still Lard, 46, nipped Dale Goering, 52, by won the men's 40-F race in 47:29, with three seconds in 31:20 for second Kirk Randall, 42, of Massachusetts se place. cond in 48:32, duplicating their finish The 50-54 division produced both in the previous week's TAG National the first and second places overall in Masters 5K Championships in Clear- the women's race when Christa Melfi, water, Florida. George Keim, 41, 52, ran 37:55, and Kenny Goering, 50, outlasted Jack Bachler, 40, for third ran 40:13. Beverly Hueter, 47, was * •' place. third in 40:22. In the M45 division, Ron Hill, 45, The coveted award of "Most Im rated the world's best marathoner over proved" runner went to Sharon Craft, 41, who took 5 minutes and 9 seconds A decade ago, traveled from Man off of her last year's time with a 46:41 chester, England, to beat Joe third place in the 40-44 group. Burgasser, 45, who traveled twenty -rr- Participants in the Masters Fairground Run ARound, Albuquerque, NM, Feb. 12. From left Skip miles from St. Petersburg. Baptist The 5-Miler, which consists of a Dougherty, Master Runners Unlimited president; Christa Melfi, 52,1st woman, 37:55; Sharon Craft, minister Norman Green, 51, of Penn double 2'/? mile loop through the state's scenic fairgrounds, was directed 41, most improved award winner, 46:41; Andy Lucero, 41, 1st man, 30:44; and Tom Bell 43 race sylvania, preyed on the 50-F group, director, 37:06. by Tom Bell in association with and most of the 40-Fers also, with a ••• f^hoto by Peggy Rocha Masters Runners Unlimited of • Continued on Page 12- • - Albuquerque. - page 2 National Masters News Apr^, 1984 CONTENTS DEPARTMENTS Letters to Editor 2 Write On! Gun Lap 6 Open Mouth 8 Speaker's Corner 10 Marco Polo, M.D 12 Address letters to: National Masters News, P.O. Box 2372, Van Nuys, CA 91404. Olympic Watch 14 Profile 16 NRDC 16 NATIONAL lOK X-C filth and poverty, and risking our lives In 1981, questionnaires were mailed Masters Scene 18 The February NMN contained a on the subways, that we won't miss and a long di.scussion about hurdle Schedule 19 complaint from Dan McCaskill anything so insignificant as real heights and implement weights was Classifieds 21 human contact. The pits, pal, the pits. held at the meeting in Los Gatos. We Track and Field Results 22 relating to the organization of the TAC Long Distance Results 26 National Masters lOK X-C in Van Cor- Herb Parsons rejected being dictated to by WAVA, tlandt Park, November 13.1 was there Seattle, Washington and kept the hurdles at the lower FEATURES and it is not quite as bad as he in heights. Now without much, if any, Houston-Tenneco Marathoti 3 dicates. I'd like to thank Dan McCaskill (a regard to that decision, the committee NY Masters Indoor 3 The locker rooms at the stadium, veteran of "500-plus races") whose let has decided to raise the hurdles three Virginia Indoor 3 two blocks south of the starting area, ter in your February issue made me inches. This is unwi.se. First, there are West Penn Indoor 4 were open and I used the toilets there. realize how terribly deprived I've been not many participants in the hurdles Orange Bowl Marathon 4 Granted, there was no water, but then, now. At the higher heights, there will Orange Bowl lOK 4 when running and watching X-C races I always carry a thermos of water, one be considerably less participation. Se Cleveland Indoor 4 at Van Cortlandt Park over the last 22 Triathloning 13 of coffee, and a few doughnuts in the years. I had not understood how dif cond, and more important, the chance Track & Field Report 15 car for whatever I may desire before or ficult it is to walk 50 yards from the of injury is much greater. The higher 1983 Marathon Rankings 17 after the race. The weather was cold finish line to any of the two dozen cof the hurdles, the more susceptible you and breezy - there was ice on the pud fee shops, luncheonettes, pizza ^Continued to Page 9 ENTRY FORMS dles - so water was not a serious pro palaces, hamburger stands, delis, gas Nike Masters Races 5 blem. Most importantly, there were stations and bars which line upper TAC National Marathon 7 course monitors at the trail junctions Broadway opposite the park. Do those National Masters Louisiana T&F Champs 9 to direct the runners so they wouldn't in Solano Beach, California feel it Officers Twin Cities Marathon 10 get lost. The week before, I got lost in necessary to drive on a freeway to Indiana Senior Classic II Holmdel Park and ran about seven reach so cosmopolitan and varied an North Coast Relays 12 The Athletics Congress (TAC) miles. The start was late, because there oasis of toilets and drink? Or has my Pacific T&F Meet 13 were two races on the course before TRACK & FIELD CHAIRMAN; Las Vegas Easter Run 14 mind been numbed from to many post- ours, and another after us.