Volume 87 | April 2018 Download a PDF of this newsletter here!

Join Us at the Pepsi Meet, Member Appreciation

The Club’s annual Member Appreciation Event will be held during the ’s Pepsi Invitational meet on Saturday, April 7 at .

OTC members are invited to gather on the patio space above the Weights and Measures building on the southeast corner of the track.

Food, beverages and camaraderie will be served at this event. This is one of the many benefits of belonging to OTC.

There is no charge to attend but members are reminded they will need to purchase a meet ticket to access Hayward Field.

The appreciation bash starts when the first running event commences at the Pepsi meet.

Throwers Take Center Stage

The Prefontaine Classic is not just about races on the track. Did you know that more 70-foot shot puts have been thrown in the Pre Classic than at any other meet in the world? And the two best javelin throwers of this century will be competing at this year's Pre?

A field featuring every medalist from the last three global championships will set the stage for another epic shot put competition.

Heading the field are 2016 Olympic Champion and Oregon native Ryan Crouser and 2017 World Champion and 2018 World Indoor Champion Tom Ryan Crouser Walsh. Crouser has a lifetime best over 74-feet, as has entrant Joe Kovacs. There have never been two 74-foot throwers in a Pre Classic shot field.

The two-year-old Prefontaine Classic and Hayward Field record in the men’s javelin is in serious jeopardy, as the two farthest throwers in the world lead the best field ever assembled in this event at the Pre meet.

Most of the focus will be on German rivals Johannes Vetter and Thomas Röhler, who won the gold medals at the London World Championships and Rio Olympics, topped the Track & Field News world rankings the last two years and produced the three longest throws since the turn of the century.

The current Hayward Field and Prefontaine javelin record of 286.7 feet (87.37 meters) was set in 2016 by Ihab Abdelrahman of Egypt. Last year Vetter and Röhler threw farther than that mark a combined 38 times! Given good weather, the Pre Classic and Hayward Field records will almost surely fall.

The Pre Classic is May 26-27. Tickets are available from 1-800-GODUCKS or at goducks.com.

OTC Butte to Butte Offers Many Run and Walk Options

The 45th OTC Aquafina Butte to Butte is scheduled for Wednesday, July 4 in Eugene.

The event offers several options: a 10K run, 4-mile Mayor’s Walk and a 5K Run or Walk. There is also a team participation option as well as a unique high school Alumni Challenge option.

This event helps support the many programs of the Oregon Track Club. Registration is open at ButtetoButte.org. Remember, there is no race day registration, so register early and read all event details on the Butte to Butte website.

Shuttle buses pick up every 5 minutes at the bus stops on 5th and Pearl Streets for 10K participants and on 4th and Mill Streets for walk participants. The 5K has an out and back course, starting and finishing on 5th Street between High and Pearl.

Post-race festivities will take place in the 5th Street Public Market parking lot, where finishers can see results and enjoy complimentary refreshments. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, July 4th. Remember, there is no race day registration, so register early and read all event details at ButteToButte.org.​ Membership Committee ​Seeks New Members

Are you bursting with OTC pride? Are you always telling your friends and family about how much you love being a member of one of the most highly regarded track and field organizations in the world? Do you love talking to people, especially to strangers?

Well, we have an opportunity for you! It’s the OTC Membership Committee!

The committee is a group committed to making sure everyone in our community knows how important our organization is and has the opportunity to join.

The first committee meeting this year will be Friday, April 6, at 8:30 a.m. at COUNTRY Financial, 497 Oakway Road, Suite 240, Eugene. Contact James Conners at 541-225-3900 if you have questions.

Other Club committees are also seeking new members: By Laws, Equipment, Finance, Grassroots Grants, Hospitality, Marketing, Merchandise, Officials, Runners Outreach, and Youth. Serving on an OTC committee is an excellent way to earn the ability to visit the Nike Company Store this year. Email [email protected] for more information.

Out of the Blocks: False Start by Kevin Marbury, OTC president

Happy April!

Those of us who are sprinters know how frustrating it is to false start. Depending on the level of competition, the first time may allow you to try again but the second one will definitely get you disqualified. Unfortunately this month’s column is the victim of several false starts and so my “lane” will be empty. I’m confident you find much to enjoy in the Kevin Marbury other “lanes” as there is plenty of great stuff in this month’s newsletter. As for me, I’ll be back next month with a fresh take on something I can share.

I would be remiss if I didn’t plug the Pepsi invitational which will include two masters races, the 3000m and 100m as a part of the schedule. Even more exciting is the news that the two races will be embedded into the heart of the meet giving the competitors a chance to race in front of the crowds this year. Good luck to all those competing! May your starts be fast and clean!

Coach Bill Hayward ​and a Jigger of Wizardry

Track and field fans know that Hayward Field was named in honor of Bill Hayward, the former University of Oregon coach. But what do you really know about Bill Hayward?

In his younger days he was a fireman in Canada. He performed in a vaudeville show. Bill was the first full time track coach at UO. Bill Hayward His family name was not spelled H-a-y-w-a-r-d. Bill was passionate about fly fishing.

Read the full article

OTC Elite’s Niyonsaba ​Strikes Gold at World Indoors

By Curtis Anderson, Oregon Track Club Elite Press Officer

Oregon Track Club Elite made a highly successful trip to the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, U.K., last month.

Francine Niyonsaba, a native of Burundi, successfully defended her World Indoor title in the 800 meters with a thrilling charge off the final bend, and Team USA’s Ben Blankenship fought his way to a fifth-place finish in the 1,500 meters.

Read the full article

Francine Niyonsaba

Eugene Marathon Offers Discounts

The Eugene Marathon is this month! If you have not registered for the April 27-29 marathon, there is still time. Use your OTC member discount codes: Full or Half Marathon $10 off: OTC18EM. 5K $5 off: OTC185.

Consider volunteering if you are not planning to run or walk the event. There are a lot of fun opportunities to help participants have the best racing experience in TrackTown USA! Go here to volunteer.

Do not miss the last marathon “preview run” of the season, April 14th. RSVP and invite others here.

Vin’s TrackTown: Making History by Vin Lananna, Associate Athletic Director at the University of Oregon, ​President of TrackTown USA and President of USATF

One of the guests lined up for our next TrackTown Tuesday show is a member of the Eugene running community whom you may have seen on Pre’s Trail, circling the Amazon loop, or logging miles around town. Vin Lananna Justin Gallegos is a sophomore at the University of Oregon and a member of the UO Running Club, coached by Tom Heinonen. He always had the dream of wearing the “O” across his chest, and he is living out that dream today.

Gallegos also has cerebral palsy. He began running as a freshman on his high school cross country team. It took him a little while to get into the swing of things, but Gallegos has steadily improved his times with resilience and determination and continues to inspire others to do the same.

Read the full article

Connie Milliman, ​World Record Holder at 90 by Don McLean

Colleen Milliman was born 8/21/26. She is 5 feet, 1/2 inch and 105 pounds. Milliman is the first woman over age 90 to record a time for the track mile (indoors or out) at the 2017 Hayward Masters Classic. She finished the race with a clocking 13:26.46 and a world record. Please pause and reflect on that historic, astonishing accomplishment.

That was also a personal record for the mile, having started her track career in 2017. Born and raised at altitude (6000') in Utah, Colleen moved to Oregon in 1950. She raised two sons, Greg and Roger, both now living in Oregon. At age 75, Colleen decided she needed more exercise, joined the Obsidians walking club and loved the hiking in town and in the Cascades. But what is life if not continuing to improve, master new challenges and have more fun?

Read the full article Colleen Milliman

Hayward Classic Deadline Dates

One of the nation's premier Masters events, the OTC Hayward Classic features age-group awards in track, field and race walking events as well as an age-graded mile run.

Entry forms must be received by April 21. Entries after this date are late and must pay a $35 late fee. Late entries must be received by April 27.

Go to www.haywardclassic.org to sign up online or print the entry form and mail it.

The Hayward Classic is Sunday, May 6 at Hayward Field.

Where in the World?

Oregon Track Club members Bill Kelly, left; Kathy Anderson, and Jack Anderson enjoy a beautiful evening dinner at The Grand Luang Prabang Hotel in Luang Prabang, Laos. The OTC travelers report the open-air restaurant offers a stunning view and overlooks the Mekong River. Their trip included Laos and Vietnam.

Send us your “Where in the World” photo. Tell us who is in the photo, location and other details that might be of interest. If possible, wear your OTC gear in the photo. Send to: [email protected].

Track Legend ​Roger Bannister Passes

Sir Roger Bannister, the first runner to break the four-minute-mile barrier, died recently in Oxford, England. He was 88.

Bannister accomplished a feat many deemed impossible when he ran a mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds at Oxford University's Iffley Road track on May 6, 1954.

Bannister's record run forever changed the perception of what was possible in distance running.

Later in 1954, Bannister retired from athletics to focus on his medical studies at the University of Oxford. He eventually becoming a neurologist.

Roger Bannister

“I was pretty far behind, but I tried not to panic. I just gradually moved up and then I went when I felt confident. Then on the straightaway, it was like ‘I’m not letting go,” Sabrina Southerland describing her race in winning the NCAA women’s 800 meter title at the recent NCAA Indoor Championships.

“I don’t know if they are just out to get people? If they have fun DQ-ing people? But it is brutal out there. They are just crushing people for what seems like no reason,” USA athlete Colleen Quigley, commenting on the record 27 disqualifications (DQs) for individuals and teams at the recent World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England. Sabrina “The meeting was a very solemn meeting, and as I recall, our seal used to Southerland formally sign the papers was not working too well. In the ensuing struggle to apply the seal, we almost ended up with the tablecloth and dishes under the table,” Robert W. Newland commenting on the meeting in April 1958 where the Emerald Empire Athletic Association was first formed. The Association later became the Oregon Track Club.

“A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways as they're capable of understanding,” .

University of Portland Building New Track

The University of Portland is planning to build a new 8-lane track that can host college track and field meets.

When completed, it will mark the first time the University has had an on-campus track venue. The track and field team has been forced to use Roosevelt High School, Lewis & Clark College and Fernhill Park for track workouts.

The new track is part of a campus expansion along the Willamette River, just below the main campus. Target completion is the fall of 2019.

Business Members

Brown Contracting, Inc. Let's Move LLC Byrke Beller MD, - Pacific Women's Ctr Lile/Eugene Moving & Storage Cameron McCarthy Marilyn Milne at Public Relations Chambers Construction Company Services LLC, SILVER Custom Orthotics Mike Fanelli D2000 Safety, Inc. Musgrove Mortuaries & Cemeteries Dave Henry Real Estate Services, Inc. OnTrack and Field, Inc. Douglas Gallagher Law Office Oregon Medical Group Orthopedic & Sports Eclectic Edge Racing Medicine Clinic, GOLD Eugene Airport Prichard Partners, Inc. Eugene Marathon RBC Wealth Management, Eugene Physical Therapy, LLC, SILVER Todd G. Bosworth, SILVER Eugene Running Club Rexius Forest By-Products Eugene Running Company Run Hub Northwest, SILVER Eugene Wellness Center Runnerspace Eugene, Cascades & Coast Sports Commission Runnin' Wild Franklin R. Lulich, CPA, P.C. Sapient Private Wealth Management Garden Way Chiropractic Center Sightline Building Inspections Gleaves Swearingen LLP, Attorneys at Law Slocum Orthopedics, PC. GOLD Handy Ed Construction The Carpet Company Health & Safety Institute Track Town Pizza, GOLD Hutchinson, Cox, Coons, Orr & Sherlock, P.C. Tracktown Orthodontics, GOLD Innovative Print Group Trisha Kluge, LMT Kalen Electric & Machinery, Inc. Tyree Oil, Inc., GOLD Kathleen Dugan LMT Valley River Inn, GOLD

Events Calendar

27-29: Eugene Marathon, 5K, 13.1M, 26.2M, Eugene April 28: Fall Creek Run Around, 5K, 15K, 20M, 10:00 a.m., 3: TrackTown Tuesday, 6:00 p.m., Downtown Lowell Athletic Club 3: Taco Tuesday Trot, 5K, 6:00 p.m., Eugene 4: OTC Board Meeting, 7:00 a.m., Valley May River Inn 1: TrackTown Tuesday, 6:00 p.m., Downtown Athletic 7: Pepsi Invitational Meet, Hayward Field Club 7: OTC Member Appreciation Event, Hayward 2: OTC Board Meeting, 7:00 a.m., Valley River Inn Field 4: Oregon Twilight Meet, Hayward Field 7: Shotgun Trail Blast, 5K, 10K, 25K, 50K, 8 5: Hood to Coast Pacific City, 77 mile relay, Bald Peak to 9:50 a.m., Marcola 6: OTC Hayward Classic, Hayward Field 8: 4J AVID Strides for Education, 6K, 2:00 6: Peace Run, 5K, 10K​, Eugene p.m., Eugene 10: OTC Monthly Run/Walk, 5K, 6:00 p.m., Alton Baker 12: OTC Monthly Run/Walk, 10K, 5K, 6:00 Park p.m., 13: Mother's Day Run, 5K, Eugene 14: Eugene Marathon Preview Run, 9 a.m., 17-18: High School Championships, Hayward Field Eugene 19: Rhody Run, 5K, 10K, Florence 14: Corvallis 5K, 1K, 1M, 5K, 10:30 a.m. 20: Grapes of Half,13.1M, Eugene 14: Save the Bee 5K, Richardson Park, 10:00 20: Bark In The Park, 2K, 5K, 10K, Eugene a.m., Veneta 25-26: OTC Pre Classic, Hayward Field 14: Hot Springs Trail Runs, 5M, 18M, 9 to 26: Ridgeline Ramble, 10K, 20K, Relay, Eugene 10:00 a.m., McKenzie Bridge 28: Miles on Memorial, 5K, 10K, 15K, Relay, Eugene ​ 15: Corvallis Half Marathon, 9:30 a.m. 13-14: Oregon Relays, Hayward Field 21: Tri Trail Challenge, 1.5K, 3K, 8K, 9:00 June Sneak Peek a.m., Eugene 6-9: NCAA Outdoor Championships, Hayward Field 22: Bridgeway Run for Autism, 5K, 8K, 2:00 p.m., Eugene Always confirm event with event host. 27-28: OSU High Performance Meet, Whyte Field, Corvallis

Many thanks to Kevin Marbury, Laurie Noriega, Bill Kelly, David Wilkins, Nathaniel Teich, Don McLean, OTC Elite, TrackTown USA, Jennifer Touchette (graphic designer) and Phil Sutton (editor) 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.

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