'Who Is This Guy?'

-

The highly competitive 5000m race was underway when people started asking if anyone knew who was winning. He wasn't preregistered, so he wasn't on the runner manifest the USATF announcer held as the men wound round and round the track this morning at Cal State San Marcos.

Fortunately, I knew who he was, and if you are a longtime reader of this blog, you would know too. He was my friend Akos, a three-time runnerup and record-breaker at the Badwater Ultra Marathon. Now a PE teacher in his native Hungary, this summer he returned to San Diego and to his roots.

He handily won his event at the annual Chuck McMahon Master's Track Meet, which included some of the fastest master's runners in the nation. But what was really amazing was his time. The last time Akos entered the 5000m was in 1992, when he finished in 16:12. Today, almost two decades later, he ran a 16:32! Who says ultra runners slow down with age?!

There were plenty of stories like that one at an event that featured former NFL stars, world-record holders and one guy returning to the track after 45 years. One competitor looked exactly like his teenaged son. We thought they were twins! There was a 91-year-old discus thrower and a 78-year-old who entered the 400m. Watching these aging athletes was such an awe-inspiring experience.

I once again handled day-of registration, which turned out to be a very busy place. There definitely were more competitors this year, and they were blessed with beautiful weather -- sun and a slight breeze the entire morning. At one point the announcer got a call and handed the microphone to me. Definitely not my best moment. I repeatedly asked specific runners to check in with the "clerk of courts" instead of "clerk of course." Guess I subconsciously wanted to hand down the law.

Track & Field is experiencing a renaissance here in San Diego. In addition to a newish series building in attendence, Chula Vista recently hosted "Vault City" featuring the best pole vaultors in the nation. Next up is The Thorpe Cup in which the best U.S. heptathletes and decathletes will compete against Germany at the Olympic Training Center. See you there.


Me, wearing two shirts so I look extra "puffy," and Akos during a break in activities. He volunteered at the event after he won the 5000m. What a champ!

Popular posts from this blog

I Leave You With This

-
Image
There's this social media post some guy put up on Instagram. I almost scrolled past it, but I'm glad I didn't. It asked what question we should ask ourselves when we die. In retrospect, ChatGPT's response was basically pulling from Eastern philosophy, but, still, I couldn't stop thinking about it in the hours and days since I first heard it. Here's a partial transcript I cribbed using -- what else? -- AI. Some guy set up the prompt, which was long and convoluted. The following picks it up from there.  Some guy : I'm assuming most people would ask, 'Where am I going? What's next?' Something like that. Is that a good question?  ChatGPT : No, because they don't matter. Some guy : W hy don't they matter?  ChatGPT : If there's a heaven or hell or some next phase, you're likely already heading there. Asking won't change your destination. It's a wasted question.  Some guy : That's a good point. Um, what about 'Did I do en...
Read more

What's Your Slavery Footprint?

-
I just came across an app that immediately intrigued me because it brings awareness to something way too often overlooked in this country. It's called The Slavery Footprint , and I found out about it this morning courtesy of this post . Living in California, and traveling regularly through the Central Valley where a bulk of everyone's U.S.-bred fruits and nuts are produced, I became keenly aware of how poorly farmhands are treated in this country. I even blogged about it several years ago . Some of us tend to feel morally superior because of the foods and lifestyle choices we make. After taking this "test," perhaps that piety will recede a bit. After you take it, you can share your score if you wish. Personally, I'm embarrassed by mine.
Read more

Do Mom and Dad Make You Run?

-
I know of a lot of middle-aged running friends who are motivated by their parents to run. Their mother or father was in poor health for many years and it ultimately cost them their lives (or at least a higher quality of it), and so one reason they initially put on a pair of running shoes was to avoid the same fate. However, that's not the sort of parental connection outlined in a provacative post about the link between exercise and genetics in this morning's Daily Beast. It reflects a couple of scientific studies that show we may be genetically encoded to favor workouts. That means some of us will never enjoy exercising like others, nor will our children. If this is true, then those of us modeling good behaviors by eating well and exercising in moderation may merely be passing along the endorphin baton to those with our "exercise gene." And that might also explain why some parents who push their kids into sports end up disappointed that their child never "takes...
Read more