Sacramento Running News

All you need to know in one image!

Everyone knows you slow down and get weaker with age, right? In fact the data shows that 37 percent of senior citizens have disabilities.

Well, how much of that is simply due to the unavoidable effects of aging, and how much of that decline is due to sitting around on our butts?

To answer that question, some smart scientists at the University of Pittsburgh conducted a study of masters athletes and discovered that there was a huge, enormous even, difference between older people who had been training diligently as they aged and those that did not.

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Masters men lead pack at Willow Hills XC (Photo by Craig Newport)

While you are no doubt aware there are thousands of dedicated road racers in the area, you may not realize there is also a smaller group of dedicated cross country runners churning up the turf at local and regional cross-country races.

For adults in Northern California, the major cross country grand prix is organized by the Pacific Association of the USA Track and Field. These are extremely competitive races–particularly in the open divisions.

In the 2011 Pacific Association’s Cross Country Grand Prix, the River City Rebels men remained a force in the region with many in the top ten.

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The end of 2011 is upon us so it’s time to check out the results of the major road race series/grand prix that local runners compete in.

Local

We’ll start with Sacramento’s own Buzz Oates RunSac Race Series. This year-long series of local races is a points competition with over $7,000 in prize money and bonuses. Points are earned based on age-graded performances in more than a dozen top Sacramento-area road races. There are awards for team and individual competition, and in 2011, there were several hundred individuals and eight local teams vying for the prize money.

The top placing individuals for 2011 were Janice Kesterson, 57, running for the Buffalo Chips, and Terry Baucom, 54, running for Fleet Feet Racing.

Second and third individual women were Karen Jeffers, 48, with the River City Rebels, and Stacey Worthen, 38, running for Fleet Feet Racing.

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Hitchings nearing the finish at the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville

This morning, Sacramento’s Jenny Hitchings won the Huntsville, Alabama Rocket City Marathon.

After a near miss earlier this year in Eugene (2:46:10), Hitchings was aiming for an Olympic Trials qualifying time at last weekend’s CIM.

Fairly early in the race, she was off pace and knew it was not going to happen, so she dropped at the half-marathon point. Later that day, she joked a bit with me about finding another marathon to run the following weekend, before the qualifying window closes.

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It looks like the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is taking a closer look at masters athletes, having suspended nine already in 2011.

The Associated Press has a story on the USADA’s new focus on masters athletes. As a masters athlete myself, I am personally pleased to see this new scrutiny of my fellow competitors.

Obviously, there are other opinions. Some athletes feel that it doesn’t matter what masters athletes do because there isn’t any money in masters athletics.

All the same, if I’m out there busting my butt in the hunt for an age group placing, I’d like to assume the other guys I’m racing against are all playing from the same rule book.

Since I’m not above naming names, I took a peek at the USADA’s press releases for 2011 and extracted the following list of master track and field athletes who were sanctioned for some doping violation. (more…)

Your last chance for an OT qualifying time

Next weekend’s California International Marathon is pretty much the last chance for runners to earn an Olympic Trials Qualifying time.

Today’s Bee includes some pretty decent coverage of local marathoners gunning for this magic time at next weekend’s CIM.

Dec. 11 is the last day to qualify for the 2012 Trials – scheduled for Jan. 14 in Houston – which means those attempting to qualify at the CIM most likely will be taking their final shot. The men’s standard is 2:19; the women’s is 2:46.

Check out the article, it’s definitely worth the read. In the Sports Section, no less!

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While not necessarily saying he’s not legit, the folks at the Guinness World Records are not accepting Fauja Singh’s record for the oldest marathon finisher since he cannot produce a birth certificate. 

Singh’s supporters say that birth certificates weren’t available in India 1911.

WMA is still recognizing his track and field records since they accept a passport as proof of age. Of course this raises an interesting question regarding the quality of WMA’s records.

How many other record times are suspect?

Some of us seem to be outrunning Father Time!

There are a few “age related” running stories for you today.

At Sunday’s Toronto Marathon (flat, fast and festive!), 100-year-old Fauja Singh became the first  centenarian to finish a marathon. His 8:25:16 wasn’t a particularly speedy time, but I think by the time you reach his age (You should be so lucky!), you’re a winner just by making it through your training! See a video of him finishing here.

Meanwhile, at that same race, while Fauja Singh was still working his way to the half-marathon mark, Ed Whitlock was wrapping up his marathon in 3:15:54. What makes this spectacular is that Whitlock is 80-years-old. You shouldn’t be surprised to learn that he won his age group. It was also a new world record. Of course, the record he broke was his own that he’d set six-months prior.

Incidentally, Whitlock was in Sacramento this summer for the World Masters Championships, where he set new age-division world records in the 1,500 and 10,000 meters. His times were 5:48 and 42:39, in case you are curious (Wow!).

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Austin Weaver with a comfortable lead before the levee road (SRN photo)

Around 5,000 runners converged on Land Park this morning for the 7th annual running of the Urban Cow Half Marathon and 5Km.

Sacramento’s Austin Weaver took advantage of the cooler weather to put the hurt on all comers, getting the win and a course record with a 1:07:47 finish.

Chad Worthen, also of Sacramento, was the next in at 1:14:37, followed by Carmichael’s Mason Myers in 1:15:24.

Myers was the top masters runner for the men.

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Runners are off at the Run to Break the Silence (Photo by Randy Wehner)

This last couple of weekends have been crowded with races!

The biggest (and most competitive) local event this past weekend was easily Saturday evening’s Run to Break the Silence 5K.

Folsom’s Camron Shahmirzadi was the big winner there, in 16:30. He was followed in by Chad Worthen, of Sacrmento, in 16:43, and Jason Harne, of Folsom, in 16:45.

The first woman was Gina Dayton, of Sacramento, in 20:11. Hot on her heels was Karen Jeffers, of Wheatland, in 20:17, and finishing up in a close race for third was Kelly Wisnicky, of Fair Oaks, in 20:37.

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