PA/USATF Elite
► 2006 PACIFIC ASSOCIATION MASTERS TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
PACIFIC ASSOCIATION MASTERS TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Contact: Mark Winitz
Pacific Association/USATF Communications Manager
Tel: (650) 948-0618 Direct
Mobile: (650) 799-3319
OLDER ATHLETES SHOWCASED AT PACIFIC ASSOCIATION MASTERS TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
SAN MATEO, Calif. – June 30, 2007 – Approximately 200 masters athletes (ages 35 and over) competed at the Pacific Association/USA Track & Field Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships at College of San Mateo on June 30. On a sunny day, air conditioned by the San Francisco Bay Area’s natural breezes, CSM’s beautiful hilltop track overlooking the bay hosted a full slate of track and field events. Athletes and USATF clubs from throughout California and northwestern Nevada participated.
Among many fine performances, in the men’s 100-meter sprint, Aaron Thigpen (Brentwood, Calif.) recorded a win in 10,78 seconds, topping the men’s age 40-44 age group. Thigpen is the U.S. 100-meter record holder in this age group. He set the standard of 10.60 earlier this year. Thigpen also won the 200 meter race in 23.26.
“I’ve been off for six weeks with Achilles tendon problems, just running on the grass, so I’m happy with today,” Thigpen said. “I’m focusing on the worlds (World Masters Athletics Championships, Italy) in September.”
Liz Palmer, 46, from Folsom, Calif. topped her W45-49 age group in the 100 meters (13.09), 200 meters (28.39), 80 meter hurdles (13.00), and shot put (7.66 meters/25-1.75 feet) while tuning up for the upcoming pentathlon competition at the USA Masters Outdoor Championships (Orono, Maine, August 2-5). Palmer will be seeking her fourth consecutive national age group title in the five-event pentathlon.
“I’m really happy with my performances today,” said Palmer, who competes for the Sacramento-based Golden West Track Club. “I appreciate competition so much more as an older athlete because it’s harder. You appreciate your fellow competitors more because you know they’re all working hard,”
Former University of California-Berkeley All-American Rod Jett won the M40-44 110 meter hurdles in 14.10 in a masters personal best.
“I haven’t had a race in two months so I was a little rusty,” Jett said. “By [USA Masters] nationals I hope to be in better form. I’d like to get the [M44] record [of 13.73 held by David Ashford].”
In the men’s 10,000 meter race, Joshua Rayman, 38, visiting from New York City, won in 35:19.10 and recorded a one second personal best on the track 18 years after he ran his previous PR for Williams College (Mass.). Rayman attended Tamalpais High School in Marin County.
Rayman was just one illustration at this event that advancing age does not necessarily translate to decreased performance in athletics, The oldest male and female competitors in the meet were KK Slaughter, 88, who competed at 100 meters (29.96), and Lynette Lucess, 79, who competed in the 400 meters (1:57.16), 800 meters (4:51.50), and 1,500 meters (10.06.03).
In the companion open competition, Travis Nutter, age 32, of Danville, Calif. won the men’s hammer throw in 72.40 meters/237-6 feet after placing fourth at the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships in Indianapolis the previous week.
“I didn’t throw very well at nationals, so I just wanted to get in a good competition and sort out my technical [mechanics],” Nutter said.
In team competition, the Golden West Track Club won both the men’s and women’s masters meet titles.
“It was a fantastic day, lots of great competition with many full events, and a really big hammer throw competition,” said Meet Director Joy Upshaw-Margerum.
Full results for the Pacific Association/USATF Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships are available at www.recordtiming.com and www.pausatf.org.
The Pacific Association is the largest member association of USA Track & Field (USATF). We serve northern California and northwestern Nevada. USATF is the National Governing Body for track and field, long distance running, and race walking in the United States. For more information about the Pacific Association, visit our Web site at www.pausatf.org.
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► Pacific Association LDR 2003 Athlete Travel Opportunities
Pacific Association LDR 2003 Athlete Travel Opportunities
The PA/USATF Athlete Travel Assistance Program assists qualified athletes by offering developmental funding to travel to national championship events. Listed below are the travel opportunities for 2003 offered by the PA/USATF Long Distance Running Committee. Contact information for your LDR Committee Chairs: Tyler Abbott, men, [email protected] Lloyd Stephenson, masters, [email protected] Michell Hannaford, XC, [email protected] Hollis Lenderking, ultra, 650/327-1017; fax: 650/325-4775 Athletes in disciplines other than long distance running should contact the chairs of their respective sport committees, or check the Association's web site at www.pausatf.org for athlete travel information. Applicants' best race times should fall within the USATF AADP Funding Time Guidelines for the relevant distance (shown in chart below). 2003 Road Travel Funds Female The female winner of the Jamba Juice 5K on Sunday 9/21/03 will be sent to the Tufts 10K National Championship in Boston on Monday, October 13. If the winner is unable to go, the runner selected will be the highest placing runner who is able to go, subject to the conditions below. The selected runner must be a US citizen under age 40. She should have run below 38:30 in the last year, and should never have broken 35:00 (or similar times at other distances. See chart below). The selected runner will receive race entry and Saturday-Sunday free shared housing. I'm told the hotel is but a $5.00 subway ride from the airport, and within walking distance of the race start/finish. She will also receive $250 from the Pacific Association towards her travel expense (as a reimbursement after receipts are submitted to the Pacific Association office) and $150 from USATF AADP (Association Athlete Development Program). Male The male winner of the Heritage Oaks Bank 10K on Sunday 9/28/03 will be sent to the Food World Senior Bowl Charity Run 10K National Championship in Mobile, Alabama November 8. If the winner is unable to go, the runner selected will be the highest placing runner who is able to go, subject to the conditions below. The selected runner must be a US citizen under age 40. He should have run below 31:30 in the last year, and should never have broken 28:30 (or similar times at other distances. See chart below). The selected runner will receive race entry, one night free shared housing, and transportation to/from the race. He will also receive $250 from the Pacific Association towards his travel expense (as a reimbursement after receipts are submitted to the Pacific Association office) and probably some funding to be determined from USATF AADP (Association Athlete Development Program). ____________________ USATF AADP Funding Guidelines MEN Must have Must not have Distance surpassed: yet bettered: 5K 14:55 13:30 8K 24:50 22:30 10K 31:30 28:30 15K 48:40 44:00 1/2 Marathon 1:09:45 1:03:00 Marathon 2:26:00 2:13:00 WOMEN Must have Must not have Distance surpassed: yet bettered: 5K 18:38 16:45 8K 30:25 27:20 10K 39:00 35:00 15K 1:00:05 52:45 10M 1:05:00 56:35 20K 1:21:10 1:11:15 1/2 Marathon 1:26:44 1:15:10 Marathon 3:03:00 2:42:00 What is AADP? The USATF Association Athlete Development Program is a cooperative effort between USATF's national Women's and Men's Long Distance Running Committees, the races across the country that host USATF Championship road races, and the 57 "local" associations of USATF. AADP provides top-level, local distance runners an expense-paid opportunity to compete in USATF National Championship races against the best competition in the U. S. Local USATF Associations select athletes for the Championship races and pay a portion of the travel costs. The U.S. Championship events offer additional travel funding and cover lodging, ground transportation, waived entry, and meals. Members of the LDR Committees organize and coordinate the effort. The National LDR Committees determine the guidelines for the program. Athletes must be 39 years of age or younger, be U.S. citizens, and have PRs within a given range-10K PRs, for example, between 39:00 and 35:00 for women, 31:30 and 28:30 for men.
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