Sacramento Running News

Simpson wins in 4:04.96! (Photo courtesy of painani.org)

Quiet has settled on Hornet Stadium. The fans are gone. The races and jumps are over. Now the post-event analysis can commence.

All in all, I think the event was a tremendous success. USATF is reporting final attendance numbers of 32,700, which doesn’t include the crowds that showed up for the shot put at the State Capitol. This far exceeded the promised minimum 22,500 that Event Director John Mansoor had promised to USATF in pitching Sacramento as host for the event.

The race of the weekend would have to be the women’s 400 meters, where Francena McCorory  edged out Sanya Richards-Ross in the last 100 meters and won in 49.48, which is the 5th fastest time by an American.

Or maybe it was the Women’s 1500, where we got to watch a super talented women’s field duke it out, Morgan Uceny fall down again, and Jenny Simpson win decisively, but not easily, over the surging Mary Cain and the tenacious Katie Mackey.

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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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The place to be on the Friday afternoon before CIM is the Convention Center. There is something magical about being at the Expo when it is only filled with volunteers and vendors. It’s fun seeing the booths decorated, and bib numbers and goody bags  being set out in expectation of the crush of nervous runners that will begin pouring in when the doors open.

Good luck everyone! It looks like its going to be a perfect day.

Vendors get ready for the big rush.

A hardworking Expo staffer.

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The World Masters Athletics Championships (AKA World Masters Track and Field Champs) are a little more than a month away and there is excitement in the air. It’s a little like you’re a kid waiting for Christmas, except maybe you’re hoping that Santa Claus is going to bring you that massive track meet you’ve always wanted!

(I suppose I should task the interns with rounding up some better metaphors.)

Most of the venues are pretty easy to figure out. One world-class track is pretty much the same as another. The critical question for most of the events is: What’s the weather going to be like? (It’ll be July in Sacramento so the odds are good it will be warm and sunny.)

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