WMA Indoor Torun Poland
It’s only been a week and a half since my slow, awkward outing in Louisville. I did nothing in terms of exercise after my return Monday March 13th.
After wallowing in negative vibes, I decided to see if there was anything online re building muscle mass while having bad knees. I only found one thing I considered trying. Sitting in a chair with a weight between my feet then raising the legs to in my case a modified extension. I found a five pound weight from years ago when I had a rotator cuff issue. So, every other day I tried raising the weight ten times. I also did 25-50 squats (really, a no-no) every other day.
I began doing two minute morning planks. On the alternate days, of which there are few at this late date, I walked and tried jogging.
Needed a shot of cortisone in the left knee. It is still hurtful to try to get the left leg into the car due to the flexion required.
Bottom line: the day before I leave I may be able to run an iota faster but I still lack requisite endurance. My goal now for Poland is maybe a half a second faster than my Louisville times in the 400 and 200 and quarter second in the 60. My butt will still be crossing the line last.
I hope to not freeze on the morning throwing events which are predicted to be from 29 to 31 degrees. I have basically stuffed the entire USA kit and my spikes into my backpack plus meds bathroom stuff and my lightweight CG jacket. Things that might get me through if my checked bag gets lost. I plan on carrying my coat so at least I won’t freeze when not at a venue.
Thursday March 24 reveal Day
Barbara Warren, Angela Sraab, and I were all supposed to meet in Amsterdam for the same flight to Warsaw. My flight to Atlanta was supposed to leave at 5:01. It left around 5:30. Angela and Barbara got to ATL before me. In the interim, our flight to Warsaw was canceled by KLM. Delta rescheduled me on Polish Air leaving at the same time from Amsterdam. Angela freaked and called her travel agent who got her on the same flight as me, however, Barbara got rescheduled to a flight to Vienna and then to Warsaw arriving 2 hours after us.
Because of my delayed flight and having to go from landing at ATL terminal D then needing to get to terminal F by train, I got to my flight to Amsterdam as they were starting to board. Angela and Barbara whose flight did not leave until close to Midnight were waiting for me. I was a mess trying to find my printed boarding pass as what showed on my Delta app was the one for RDU to ATL which probably should have worked. Then Barbara decided that I needed to board with the handicapped and spoke to the agent. She herded me forward. Barbara of the two knee braces herding her elder to her flight. My knee is crap but not as bad as hers. (Now that it is FB public, Barbara had total knee replacement on her left knee April 19th.)
The flight on a Delta Airbus A330-300 was 8 hours but because I had gotten Comfort+, I had good leg room. My seat was in the middle section and I had an outside seat so could get right out to the aisle. I did that two or three times. I watched the zany movie Everything, Everywhere, All the Time which though funny in places was darn confusing. I also tried to sleep. Not possible. Held the pillow beneath my chin and tried that. Then tried what the adjacent passenger did - rested on the tray table with her pillow.
The meal was okay - chicken something with rice. Prior to arrival we were served yet another meal, an egg and cheese,I think, sandwich which I did not open and fruit which I did eat.
The cell charging cable was in my big 10 lb backpack which was stowed in the overhead so I was not charging my phone when I ought to have been. Google Pixel 4A has dreadful battery life. So I had to search for a charging station in the Schiphol airport. I could not find one nor did I know where to go for my Polish Air Flight. I had about 3 hours until it left. I asked someone who told me to look for a table thing. I found a bench at the apex of some connecting passageways. A Canadian lady, really German, living in Canada - very attractive reminding me of a movie star - told me there were some ports there. However, my charging adapter required the european adapter which, sigh, was in my checked luggage! This very nice lady let me borrow hers. (she was there for a flight home to Canada.)
Finding where my Polish Air flight was to depart was not easy. I used the kiosk the lady said would actually print a boarding pass for you, but though I gave it my passport and it came up with the correct flight 0264, it showed no gate. The scrolling screen initially only went to 14:05 and my flight was to depart at 14:15. Eventually it did show the gate B26, T3.-- passport Control. (EU country so those from EU had a quick self check area to go through) A few of the people who got to the Passport Control window were escorted off to another area after a short dialog. My time at the window was quick and uneventful (remembering to pull my ever present N95 mask down.) It was a long walk from the pod in which our plane from ATL had parked to the B26 gate for Polish Air. Since I had had to pack the USA kit in the backpack, it was a bit over 10 lbs which does not seem like much except for the fact that that extra weight was too much for my knees and put me in mind of the worse walk ever: in Las Vegas in October, with a much heavier backpack. I was limping by the time I got to B26, the very last gate in the B terminal.
I sort of fell asleep and came to when I heard Angela talking to her husband on the phone. She was sitting right next to me. To board our Polish Airlines (LOT) plane, we had to go down some metal steps to the outside and then up more steps.into the plane. My knee was not happy. However, I was entranced by the LOT crane logo. Elegant. The flight to Warsaw was uneventful. I got an apple treat and the best plane coffee ever. Coffee with just milk. Memorable.
Our next adventure began after we landed. I grabbed my backpack from the overhead bin, with difficulty. It did not want to come out, being so fat. When I got it down with help, I said it sure was a heavy ten pounds and the guy helping me said no way that is 10 pounds. I said well that is what the scale said when I weighed it. Scale is wrong, says he. As Angela and I walk to the baggage area, I am bitching about how this damn bag is killing my knee. When we exited the Ladies room, I said that it is obviously growing something inside. But then I noticed it did not have the checkerboard duct tape I applied to make it easier to ID and then that there was no USATF wing logo either. I had retrieved the wrong bag.
Freak out time. I hoped that the owner of the bag I had taken would have taken mine. Oy. I see one of the flight attendants come along and I tried to explain that I had taken the wrong bag. She thinks I am talking about from the baggage claim (Angela had gone to baggage claim for our luggage.) No, says I, from the overhead, demonstrating. She saw 3 other airline officials and went to talk to them. They came over and said I needed to go to an office somewhere As we were walking, a 30-ish nice looking bearded man came up from the other direction saying that's my bag, I was so happy that the owner got his bag back, I asked if he had gotten mine and he said yes. He said he had emailed me using an email on one of the papers he’d found inside. He had recognized the USATF wings logo on the other bags that Angela had over by baggage claim 4.(I had covered the USATF portion of the logo with duct tape) He and his companions were quire nice and not angry. They got us pointed in the correct direction for the Torun Shuttle for which we paid 40 Euro (or $45 US) each.
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| Angela waiting for the shuttle to Torun |
The next experience came on the 3.5 or so ride from the Warsaw Chopin airport to Torun. There were about 40 or fewer in the bus which left at 17:45. Oh, wait. It got as far as the barrier arm blocking the exit. The barrier did not move. The bus backed up then came to a stop. Angela began getting concerned, wondering if the driver knew what he was doing. Turns out he did not have the pass indicating that payment for exiting had been paid. Once past that we got on the road.
A thursday evening, there was some traffic but only a few areas where we slowed or had to come to a stop. I did notice a few times that the vehicle seemed to be pretty close to an adjacent truck. Or a wall. Angela was getting concerned again. The strange thing was that every time we stopped for some reason, the driver turned the engine off. Strange. We wondered if he was trying to conserve gas. As an Official (Jerry Bookin-Weiner?) had indicated on the Team Official Whatsapp, there was a potty stop about 30 minutes from our destination. Some folks exited by the front door and some by the middle door of the bus (which had a potty actually set into the bus at that exit, Angela pointed out.) People returned, the doors closed and the bus started moving forward. Wait! Someone said. I think there is still someone in there, A man was going to check the men's side and a woman the ladies. Before they could, a woman came out and boarded heading to the back of the bus. So, one did almost get left behind.
Imagine – coming out of a rest room, at night, on the side of the road and your bus is not there. How scary. And if one's cell is not working or if one did not have a contact number? Something to make note of if ever on such a shuttle who do you call (and then what?)
When we arrived in Torun, the shuttle stopped in what seemed to be a town circle. Cobblestoned area. It was dark out so I could not see where the exiting passengers went. Partway around the circle was an indication of a taxi stand. We continued around the circle exiting onto a street with a hotel and other buildings. We still had a ways to go. We came upon a brightly colored Ferris Wheel. Angela thought she saw people on it.
This was the 550th birthday of Nikolaus Copernicus, the man who changed the perception that earth was the center of the Universe, to that of the Sun being our center. We were later told the Ferris Wheel was only there for a few weeks.
The lobby of Hotel Copernicus paid homage to Copernicus's revolutionary, at the time, theory.
At dinner in the Copernicus that evening, Angela started talking to a fellow from Atlanta. He was there to compete in just one event. Turns out he had been on the same transport as us from Warsaw to Torun, but had been sitting in front so could see the road etc. Angela mentioned her concern and why did the driver keep turning off the engine. The fellow said the driver had been texting while driving and at times the runner had really been concerned he was going to hit something.
I had the tomato soup, in an interesting arrangement. The plate comes with a spiral layer of tomato paste. They then add hot water to it such that when stirred there you have it. There was some green stuff in it i think.
The online menu does not describe it well, nor does it have the “Green Salad” vegetarian salad I had that was very tasty. I also had the gingerbread with vanilla ice cream dessert. It arrived as a piece of art work.
Extremely tasty and I repeated ordering for several evenings. That,and Valpolicella wine (not the dry version) to top it off. Plus water. We finished dinner at 11 p.m. Another long day.
As an aside, Barbara Warren and the people on her transport had a dreadful time but in a different way. Their bus stopped at the other airport and waited for 2 hours! Then, within 7/10th of a mile of tHotel Copernicus, he stopped for a 30 minute rest break, showing them on his phone, translated to English, that this was required. (No doubt the guy had been going back and forth all day for this 3.5-4hr trip to Torun). So Barbara pulled out her and others' luggage from beneath the bus and trudged to a taxi stop. This, at almost midnight. (the others included 91 year old Gloria Krug, Those on that shuttle will recall her concern expressed that they were headed for Russia!)
Our first room experience in the Copernicus was trying to understand why none of the lights would go on. Eventually it occurred to one of us that that black flat box on the wall might need the room key inserted. And, yes, that made the lights work. However, one had to keep the room key card in the slot to keep the lights working.’
The next discovery was the soap dispenser. An inverted bottle of soap in a neat holder – one at the sink and one in the shower. However - we could not get the soap out of it. We took the bottle out of the holder eventually (another adventure.) We still could not get the soap to come out. It seems one has to press really hard on it. Barbara Warren told us the next day to use two hands to press. Except then we would need a third hand to catch the dispensed soap. Following this, I puzzled over the shower stall not having a door. Well, Angela says, the floor is probably sloped so the water does not go out into the bathroom. But nope. Shower water does end up outside of the shower. (there was a slot close to the wall into which water was to drain.) The toilet paper dispenser was neat: a metal flap over the roll such that when one grabs a sheet, it is easily torn off. Conserves on paper use.
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| replica of wooden torture donkey. You gossip or be bad then must sit on its spiked back. |
Saturday March 25Packet pickup day. The breakfast spread at the hotel is like having a full dinner with all the choices one has. From fish to meat, eggs, salad-like stuff, to desserts. A far cry from my cereal and coffee and unfortunately I indulged such that I gained instead of losing. No doubt making me even slower when the time comes to run.
Barbara says she has been to the Arena Torun before so we decide to walk to get an idea of how far etc. Barbara, Cora Hill, Angela and I leave the hotel, cross the street and walk through a park to another street. Here, we find that there are two or three lights because not only is there vehicular traffic but trolleys as well. Not all lights change at the same time. At one of the first such crossings we encounter there was a nun on a bike. Warren decides to cross regardless of the lights so the others follow except I didn’t. I look at the nun and she does not move. When all 3 lights had changed, the nun on her bike crossed as did I.
We seemed to go from one side of the street to the other in our travels with
Barbara.
The street itself is somewhat narrow with parked cars on one side only. I subsequently noticed while taking taxis back and forth that there are cross streets with neither stop sign nor light. Cars have turned left cutting off our taxi or bullying their way to pass in front. Not a place I want to drive, besides the for me confusing paths to and from.Packet pickup was not a problem. The queues were arranged by country with those with fewer entrants grouped together.
We then went to confirm that our online confirmations had indeed been captured. There were over 4000 participants registered from age 35 to over 95. The US had 252 athletes registered. Next we checked out the track which is banked. There are six 200m lanes.
Cora and I walked around it, with Cora doing some jogs. The other two engaged in conversations with various people. This track more banked than Louisville and it has spectator seating all the way around on an upper level. The USA section was N1. Traveling the circumference was confusing for me at first in trying to then find the exit out. It was by C1. An orchestra on a raised platform in the center of the Arena was practicing for the Opening Ceremony which was that night. (none of us went.)
Before returning to the hotel, Cora, Angela and I went food shopping at the nearby Kaufland Market which was across the street from the Arena. First, we tried to take a shopping cart from those stacked outside. Until we discovered that one had to put money in a collection gizmo to have the cart released. We did not have Polish coins. I want to say it was a half PLN but really don’t recall. So we went inside and zingo! We saw folks taking smaller baby carts for free right inside. I bought lots of yogurt including liquid yogurt, cheddar cheese block, a protein shake, a rice pudding like concoction, half kg of oranges, biscotti, box of tissues, and shampoo (since I could not get the shower bottle to dispense.) So I go to check out and disaster. One of the heavier items had pierced one of the yogurt containers and the goo was all over. I put the container on the conveyer since I figured they would want to charge me. The cashier handed me paper towels which she had to go retrieve. After everything was checked out, I stood there, expecting someone to bag. The cashier pointed to paper bags that were hooked on a holder on the customer side. I got one and realized I had to pack. No big deal. That was a separate charge for the bag 1.29 PLN (about 30 cents.) The groceries themselves totaled 72.01 PLN ($16.73) After packing, I quickly moved on towards the exit where I waited for Cora and Angela. By then it had started raining.
We took a taxi back to the Copernicus. Taxis, btw, cost between 12 and 15 zloty (PLN) between the Copernicus and the Arena. (average about 3 bucks US) Angela or Barbara had discovered that if one paid 20 Zloty regardless of the meter price, one got to the Arena faster. In general, we had excellent taxi rides between hotel and venue. Angela insisted that whoever’s turn it was to pay ought to pay right up front, figuring we would get to our destination faster. I don’t know but I sure bet the taxi drivers between Copernicus and the Arena were quite happy with the Americans.
We ate again in the hotel that evening. Angela, Cora, Barbara, and I. I had the Green Salad again, the wine, and the gingerbread - vanilla ice cream dessert.
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| View from Hotel Copernicus stairwell |
Before getting started on the Meet itself, I need to mention the US support etc crew. The USATF Team Management (Jerry Bookin-Weiner, Robert Thomas, Phil Greenwald, Mary Rosado, Perry Jenkins and our great athlete Representative Colleen Barney) handled all things Team USA. In addition, there were many USATF officials also working the event along with the European Officials. Tom Hott, Jo from Greensboro, Landon Lama, Bill Murray, Marty from Colorado, etc. Also, the official Team USA photographer Sandy Triolo.
Poland had their time change that night such that we lost another hour of sleep before Sunday’s events.
Sunday March 26.
Angela had the early 3000m run with two other competitors. I had discus outside. Yes, though this was an “indoor” Meet, WMA included the outdoor throwing events, which was a good addition. It was cold and damp, with rain off and on. I had dressed inappropriately despite having long sleeve shirts and arm sleeves I could have put on. I was wearing the USA short sleeve t-shirt. I had the warmup jacket and my CG rain or shine lightweight windbreaker, but alas, I had my bib number 1404 pinned to the back of my shirt since for the throws we had the option of using both front and back or just one. (track required use of both.) So when going up to throw, I just had on the short sleeve T. I wore the warmup jacket for a bit but changed into my CG rain/shine jacket to cut the chill from the breeze. Gloria Krug was cold --. This was a mixed age group, running from ages 80 up to 95-99. There were 10 in my age group, all far superior in throwing compared to me.
It was definitely chilly. Some had gloves as well as coats on. Gloria Krug, 91 going on 92, our US retired Marine MP, was crotchety. She was cold and impatient to get started. She had on a USA shirt and jacket but they were not warm enough. Karen Huff-Pawlik’s husband gave her his jacket, eventually. She paced back and forth, occasionally making comments re getting going. The lady from India, Bhagwani Devi, in the 95-99 age group, was there with her grandson and perhaps her son. Her grandson led her to the throwing pit for practice and was giving instructions. The officials said No No, not allowed in the ring area and also no instructions. So he came out of the ring but was by the netting. Again No No. Eventually, after officials consulted they agreed to let him walk her in until competition when an official walked her in and out of the circle. She is a thin woman. She did all of the throw events except weight and also did the 60m.
I threw out of sector first throw, threw in sector but not far on the second and fouled on the 3rd. I touched the circle rim but was not even aware of it as my shoes and socks were soaked (my thin Altra fabric soaked it right up) and so my feet were freezing and apparently numb. Of the first three qualifying throws to get into the final 8 within age group, I had only one that was valid. And not far enough. (9.55m) I did not make the final. I placed last in the 80 year old group. Gloria’s best throw was 9.18m and she had decided not to do any more. She was cold and wanted to leave. Since I was eliminated, I walked back to the Arena with Gloria (a long downhill then along sidewalk for about a block and a half.) The 85 year old lady from Bazil, Sumiko Imoto Yamakawa threw 21.22m, establishing a new world record for that age group.
Meanwhile Angela did the 3000m event for AG 80. The track is permanently banked so Angela felt her hip on the turns She walked those. Younger Kathleen Frable also said the banking bothered her. 15 times around that 200m track. yikes. Angela got the bronze. Her goal for the Meet was to get an individual medal, which the 3000m provided.
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| Kathleen Frable |
I had no other event nor did Angela but she did have to return for the award ceremony.
I signed up for next day therapy with the US trainer, Marie Valdez for before the 400m. Angela had PT treatment this day and then used the ice Normatec.
While Angela went back to the room to rest, I decided I wanted to walk the pathway along the Vistula (Wisla) River which was behind the hotel.
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| Vistula |
Wikipedia says it is the longest river in Poland. It was mostly deserted except for a few people. It was on the cool side around 15:45, when I took a few photos. I then decided to cross the street in front of the hotel, to the park we had traversed the day before with
Barbara, but I went a different way, heading towards a tall building to the east.The path led me to an area adjacent to a deep gully that led to what looked like a tiny building in the ground. There was a wall that ran from it back in the direction I had come from. I was intrigued by this structure. Eventually I came to think it might be the dungeon I had read about (nope. The dungeon is in the ruins of the 13th century Teutonic castle.). Anyway, I continued along the path to a street, Fryderyka Chopina, along which a trolley turned from a main thoroughfare. Another area with multiple lights – one for pedestrians to avoid vehicular traffic and one to avoid being hit by a tram.
I crossed and then went right to cross another thoroughfare along which the trolley ran as well as cars. Ahead, I saw the portal to Old Town. Why not, I thought. Some pedestrian paths merged into one, Plac Mariana Rapackiego, which led towards several buildings with openings beneath them while other paths led off to the right or left. I walked straight to the buildings with the built-in openings into Old Town.
Here, the streets are all cobblestone. There are sidewalks along the edges for those of unsteady foot. The buildings are mostly imposing gothic, with lots of red brick or colorful apartment dwellings, some dated from around the Teutonic era through probably the 15th and later Centuries. I wandered around, mostly on Rozana - Szernika street, branching off into side streets once in a while. I discovered the Church of the Assumption of Our Lady, built during the second half of the 14th Century by the Franciscans. Eventually the Lutherans took possession before the property reverted back to Catholic ownership. The large building is made of dark brick. Not an inviting appearance. There was a rough cobblestone passageway into a courtyard which led to a short passage beyond. I did not enter the church. Indeed nothing seemed to be open.
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| Very rough cobblestone path back to street |
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| archway view to church |
I knew I had the 400m on Tuesday and probably shouldn’t be stressing my knee but I also knew it was pointless to consider that since there was no way I would be competitive.
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| lower left pointing sign for dungeon |
Before I left Old Town, I purchased at least 12 pierniki - small muffin sized gingerbread creations of various flavors. I bought about 9, left, ate two outside, then went back in and bought more. If nothing else, I ate a lot of gingerbread while in Torun.
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| two of the pierniki not yet consumed |
The twins Linda Harper and Laura Hessel competed against each other in discus this day. Canadian Hessel got Bronze and her sister Linda came in sixth.
We ate in the Copernicus again. I switched to steak but kept the wine on the agenda. We started off with just Cora, Angela, Barbara
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| Vase should have stayed in thst chair! |
and I and a glass decanter I put in the empty seat next to me.
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| Warren & Staab |
Cora was to my left and Angela and Barbara farthest away. I cannot describe this meal without indicating the after effects. A late Torun arriving competitor came along with her daughter, her traveling companion. They had had a horrendous journey to Torun, with cancelled and changed flights and several different airports involved. They had left their home state a day or so before Angela, Barbara and I. Angela invited them to join us I think, so the daughter sat next to me and the mom next to her. Along came Sandy Triolo, after a busy day photographing at the Arena so she joined us, sitting between the mom and Angela. I conversed with the daughter while conversations ranged across the table. This evening, I had steak, the accompanying potatoes, water, and of course Valpolicelli. Now why do I mention all of this? It turns out that the nice daughter never appeared again (after leaving the dinner early) because she stayed in her room, ill, for the remainder of the Meet. Her mom said ever since the daughter was a child, she had trouble getting over colds. However, on April 2nd I began a throat tickle and by Monday April 3rd at home, almost unending sleep and chills. Because our return flight from Amsterdam had been delayed by five hours, I attributed the tiredness to not getting home until about Midnight April 2. However, the chills clued me to check Covid symptoms online and then do an AT HOME test. I was positive. I had avoided this for 3 years since I am quite immune compromised. I immediately notified the others and posted on WhatsApp. Of the five of us at that table that night, not including the mother and daughter, only two did not get Covid - those sitting farthest away from the arriving mom and daughter. The mom of course got it but did not test until back in the US.
This was a crappy end to an otherwise interesting trip.
Once again we struggled unsuccessfully with the TV. All was in Polish. Subsequently, Cora told us she had set it to English but what happens is that one hears some English overridden by the Polish dubbing. And so it goes. Eventually, we did get it such that we could get UK news in English.
March 27, Monday
I only had shot today at 9a.m. in the throwing hall. That turned out to be the building up the hill with the white roof, which was also the Call Room area for all of the throws. So I had been there the day before. All three of us (not Cora, who does not throw) had shot but with Barbara in a group after us.
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| Krug, Warren & Staab |
As I recall, I fouled once. The officials were on top of things, calling lots of invalid throws. Barbara Warren commented that this was well run in that they did not let invalid throws go uncalled – those not meeting official rules – arm behind head or hand out from neck when begin the Put. I had short, poor throws. I got 9th out of 10 with a throw of 4.47m, less than Gloria Krug’s 4.63m. Kirsti Viitanen, Finland, had the longest throw of the 80 year olds with 8.96m throw. The 85 year old Brazilian Sumiko Yamakara Imoto threw 8.27m far exceeding the existing age group world record at that point. It was during the throws, that Ewa Frackowiak, in 85 AG, motioned that I ought to remove my N95 mask. I know it bothered her to see me wearing it. I did remove it (but as we know now, the damage had already been done on Sunday at dinner!)Cora and Barbara Hensley as well as Kathleen Frable had a semi for the 400m in the afternoon at 5. Angela, Cora, and I went back to the Arena by around 3:30 for that. Cora was tense, a bit worried. They had two heats for the 75-79 folk. The first heat had only three, which included Frable and the second heat with Cora and Hensley had four. The six that would go on to the Final would be determined by finishing times. Cora got into the final as did Frable but Hensley who ran exceptionally slowly for her, did not.
Twins Linda Harper and Laura Hessel did shot put today with Laura coming in seventh and Linda ninth.
We ate in Copernicus again. I had the Green Salad again, the wine, and the gingerbread vanilla ice cream dessert. I have no idea what Barbara Warren did during these days since she entered so many events, despite her knee issue, though she did do the high jump on Monday, coming in fifth of seven in her age group.
March 28, Tuesday
We awoke to snow lightly falling. It looked pretty. Later, we had to walk up to the throwing hall in it, but it was more pretty than slippery.
First was the weight throw. What a joy. Mostly the same group of people except that Bhagwani Devi from India did not show. No wonder. Picking up an 8 pound weight for her would seem like 50 pounds as she is so slim and feathery light in appearance. Gloria Krug was there, looking spiffy in her USA outfit.
When we did our practice throws, I did not like the big blue bouncy gym mats upon which we were to throw the weight because one had to walk on these things to get to the also raised throwing circle. Since the circle was raised and the landing surface for the weight was also raised, any one throwing a record setting throw would be legit under the rules. That was not on my list.
I definitely had a problem walking to the circle. I sort of threw my left foot out to the side as opposed to lifting my knee and stepping into the mat. Awkward but I did not trust bending the knee or putting weight on it on such a sinking surface. It was like stepping into modified quicksand. On my next to last throw my left foot, not stepping high enough. Caught the edge of the mat as I approached to go to the ring. This caused my knee to hurt and me to trip, falling forward onto my knees, butt in the air. Meanwhile the one minute timer is clicking down. I know I said Oh Shit!. But I got up and found my way to the stable throwing circle and threw my shortest throw then got off that damn mat! To Angela, it looked like a graceful swan dive with my left hand holding the weight going out and the weight leaving my hand.
Inge Faldalger, the 75 year old from Denmark (*Danmark” as spelled on their team shirt) let loose with the longest throws - 13.32m. Kirsti Viitanen, Finland, had the longest throw in the 80 year old group, 11.98m, and the 85 year old Brazilian again performed well, throwing 8.61m. Gloria Krug did her three throws, throwing 5.76m to my longest of 5.39m. Gloria was ready to leave. The Polish ladies had a great time encouraging each other, afterward lining up as if doing a dance. Linda and her twin Laura competed after us in the weight throw. Laura (Canada) got silver and Linda came in seventh.
This was the day of the dreaded 400. I was still not able to move correctly. I also worried that since I have not been able to train - do any kind of running even slow jogs to build endurance, I would run out of air. I planned to start very slowly, hoping that if slow enough I would not use up that much energy, But what I discovered during warm up is that it takes so much energy to try to get the left leg to move properly that it wipes out my breathing. My plan arrived at during the preceding night, instead of sleep, was to go out really slow and maybe manage to traverse the twice around without walking. Well, it was not to be. There were two Brits of the five of us and two Americans. One Brit had seeded with a great mark, the other had not indicated a mark. Unknown quantity. Angela and I with the slowest marks. A lady from the Netherlands, Rietje Djikeman had a fast mark.
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| Nikolaus Copernicus |
I was in lane 3 and Angela lane 4. As expected the Brits went out in the lead followed by the Dutch lady, Rieje Djikeman. I managed to get past the cones indicating one could cut into lane one before I had to drop to a walk about half way around. I was gasping. So I walked, head down. At the very end, unfortunately almost below the US stand area, I had recovered enough to trot the last 30-40m. So, I have now made it a grand accomplishment – walking in both Nationals and Worlds. What a terrific showing for the US.
Kathleen Stewart, UK, won in 1:36.3, Djikeman second in 1:44.49 and the other Brit, Iris Hornsey in 1:51.52. Angela was 2:20.36 and I was 2:42.56
Kathleen Frable and Cora Hill ran the 400m after us, coming fifth and six respectively with times of 2:06.83 and 2:08.14. A Swede, Eva Widelund finished first in the W75 group with a time of 1:38.68.
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| Cora after thge 400m. Wiped! |
I had cabbage that night for dinner. It appeared to be half of a small cabbage that had been braised. Quite good but I did not use the sauce. I did have volpolicella wine.
Wednesday March 29
I had the 60m at 8:34. Barbara Warren decided to accompany me so we met for a quick coffee and an eat at 6:45 when the breakfast area opened and got a taxi by 7. Barbara once got a ride back from the arena in which the driver took her all over the place such that it cost over 17 zlotys so she did not tip. Tipping in Poland is NOT the custom, be it a restaurant server or otherwise.
When we got to the Arena I went down to the warm up area – a crazy way to get to it. One goes up the escalator to the spectator seating floor where the vendors also hang out and most of the countries had their therapist stations. The US had two trainers and two massage therapists who accompanied the team and were stationed outside of the N1 spectator area, the US assigned area. Any way, one passed these tables to get to the stairwell that then led downstairs to the warmup area and the Call Room. So up to go down.
My practice was stiff-legged. I walked mostly and talked to Barbara a little when I gave up trying to warm up. I could not get up any speed of course. So we go to the call room where they check that one has legit spikes in one’s shoes and then queue us up in the order in which we were to compete. I knew that all of the others were far superior runners and even in my best days I would not have been near them. A Brit Iris Holder, an Australian Lynne Schikert,, a Norwegian Herberg Blakstag, a German Hannelore Venn, and the lady from the Netherlands Dijke Rietje. Prior to our run, the 85 to 95 women ran, including the woman from India Bhagwani Devi (95-99 AG). 85-89 year old Sumiko Imoto Yamakawa from Brazil won in 11.53. Zounds!
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| Scads of pierniki! |
I was on the outside lane and came in last in my 60m, as expected. As has been said - I looked like a wounded bird in my running. The Dutch woman won in the 80AG in 10.94 and I was last in 17.15 (worse than even when I ran it in Louisville a few weeks earlier.) Truly, a poor showing for the US. I probably have said this before but I really don’t think just showing up is to be commended. The US team management wanted medals. I, for one, was not ever a medal contender, even in my best days. I consider my performance more than embarrassing.
Barbara Warren had the long jump and finished third out of four, earning another medal for the US.
Meanwhile the twins competed in the javelin throw. Laura coming in sixth and Linda eighth.
I returned to Old Town later, this time with Angela who was up for the walk. She said the area I had thought was a dungeon was probably a drainage place. (Of course, in looking at my photos later, I see the sign that pointed to where I would have found the dungeon, had I but paid attention.) Angela also pointed out the mistletoe balls invading some of the trees.
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| Mistletoe balls |
We discovered a great big soft pretzel place for five Zlotys. Angela then went shopping in a store across the street. After a while, when she did not return nor could I see her in there (because she was trying on clothes) I went for a walk father along. When Angela came out empty handed, I took her to the gingerbread store, where she was able to purchase a few gifts, and I could buy more to consume. Though, I, too, did buy some gifts. We continued to walk down the main street until Angela, on the return trip, saw a store to stop into. There, she did find a shirt she liked. We both had the javelin competition at 15:00, out in the cold. It was on and off breezy in the throwing area. This was a mixed age group of 75-94. Kirsti Viitanen won the throws in my age group, throwing 21.62m. Second was a lady from Norway and third, one from Finland. Marta Adamsone from Latvia was fourth. There were eight in my age group. I was seventh, throwing 9.22m. Kirsti also pole vaulted. The only W80 woman to do so! She had a heavy suitcase going home with all of her awards.
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| Linda Harper & Laura Hessel |
This night we had a large table with the twins, Linda Harper and Laura, Both had competed in the weight throw earlier. Canadian Laura Hessel got silver! Her sister Linda of the torn meniscus, came in seventh. Cora and a male sprinter pal of hers, Barbara, Angela, and I think Sandy. I ordered duck, though hesitant, also thinking of the poor duck. But at least it wasn’t soup with goose stomach (Barbara had ordered that a few nights earlier.) Poor geese – fed until bursting so they can produce probably painful huge livers, foie gras. The duck was somewhat dry, but okay. That was the end of my experimenting. The twins talked about their homesteads, one in Canada and one in the US.
when we arrived We found on our pillows a small black item.
I forgot about it and put it to the side. However, one day, a fellow athlete posted in whatsapp a photo of this with the caption: Oh, and this soap smells good, but does not lather up AT ALL.
Oh, I say to Angela. That is what that is. Soap! So I unwrap one, which is heart shaped, and put it on the sink area. So now we have some soap we can actually use.
Angela later goes in and picks it up and smells it.
It is NOT soap, but gingerbread she says!
We laughed and laughed and I am still laughing. (which makes me cough!)
Thursday March 30th.
I had no events this day and Angela had an 800m in the afternoon. I don’t recall what she did in the morning. I think she went for a massage and used the Normatec legs. I slept late and ate breakfast alone.
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| trying on shirt wearing ever present N95 |
I went back to the Arena to see if I could find a shirt that would fit and ended up with a sweatshirt. I think Angela wanted me to go to the Athlete’s Meeting at 10:30. I did but nothing monumental was mentioned. I returned to the Copernicus and in the afternoon returned to Old Town, discovering the Castle ruins as I wandered the side streets. At one point I was concerned I would not find my way back to Szeroka St, but I did. I also discovered a Shakespearean theatre at the far end of one of the streets. Residential areas bordered this far end of Old Towne. Some old walls still existed here.
On my return, I stopped in a coffee shop. What a great place to meet friends and chat for a while. I got a gingerbread Pierniki-flavored coffee to go.
Linda Harper and Laura Hessel competed in the javelin, with Laura coming in sixth and Linda eighth.
That evening, Team USA had a get together with snacks etc. It was Easter Grant’s birthday so she was honored for that. I think turning 35.
Angela who had to run the 800m with five others at 17:50, arrived late, but wearing her new shirt.
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| Tom Hott & Angela Staab |
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| Barbara Warren & Angela Staab |
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| Linda Harper & Patti Baker |
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| Willie Spruill |
Linda Harper was there but not her sister. The sisters had decided that maybe a Canadian competitor attending might not be a good idea. We were disappointed. I think she ought to have been there. I doubt anyone would have said anything.
My bet is that at the next WMA competition, Linda Harper will be giving her sister a run for the medals!
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Friday, March 31
My notes are fairly sparse after Wednesday as I stopped writing. Perhaps too lazy. Or dragged down after the 60m. In the morning, we had the hammer throw. It was still cool. I had long sleeves on beneath the USA t-shirt.
Kirsti Viitaren, Finland, had the longest throw of our AG, 30.60m.
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| Kirsti Viitaren |
Many of these women do a spin before releasing the handle. I think they may have been throwing for some time. Kirsti was racking up the golds on the throws. Gloria Krug, who does not spin, threw farther than I did, with a throw of 13.45m. I threw 13.27m with two fouls, coming in fifth of six. 85 year old Sumiko Yamakawa Imoto won her AG, throwing 23.63m.Walking back from that event, I saw the 10K race walkers. The weather was damp and on the cool side. I got to the street heading to the Arena just in time to see Kathleen Frable come along. Team US won that event.
That afternoon, Cora, Angela, and I had the 200m Final. I had had another session with Marie who worked on my knee again. My session was delayed as there was a US woman runner who was on the floor in a bad way with trainers and Meds attending. She was there for quite a while. Angela did her Normatec thing. I think she was in it every day. As well as getting a few extra sessions with the trainers. Barbara Warren had had an intense massage days earlier, where I think Ena Weinstein hit every part of the Warren body.
I had told Cora (younger age group) that I wanted to beat Angela in the 200m since she had far surpassed me in the 400m and also in Louisville beaten me in the 200m. She liked not seeing my butt. She needed to see my butt again. This would be my last Racing Meet. There would be no more for my knee.
In looking at the results of the 85 year olds who ran before us, the winner of that race, Poland’s Janina Rosinka ran faster than I did!
The winner of our event, the Netherland’s Rietje Dijkman ran an incredible 38.91! Angela was in Lane 6, the higher lane, and I was in five. Being in 6, Angela’s starting line was ahead of mine so I had to play catchup, while she had a greater degree of the downhill curve to contend with than I did. When I came up on her, she hung with me. I was not sure I could pass her but eventually I did. My knee had held on, but the next day I felt it. The Americans came in dead last in this event. In the W75 with Cora Hill and Barbara Hensley, they also came in last but not with as much of a deficit as we did in the w80 group. ingrid Meier, Germany, won the w75 200m in 35.54. We would see her again in the relays.
That night we had to get our things together because we were leaving the next day after the relays. Initially, Angela had wanted to volunteer for both the women’s relays and the mixed (two men, two women). She could see another gold medal in her future. But then, when realizing that that would mean a later departure for Warsaw, she changed her mind. I had already indicated the mixed and then Xed it out, but not clearly enough. Warren told me I was in the list for mixed. Aii. That got corrected. So, because there were only two W80s, the Management team paired us up with two non running women who had volunteered to run. A 70 year old, Patti Baker, and a 75 year old, Sandra Edwards. That meant we had to race in the W70 relay. Fortunately for the US, only two other countries had entered teams in the w70 category, Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Germany. So unless we dropped the baton or had a lane violation, we would get the Bronze no matter how slow we were.
Saturday, April 1
I had not thought of it at the time but this was April Fool’s day. By the morning, Angela and I had gotten all of our stuff together. We and planned to run the relay, come back to the hotel, get our gear and be ready for the 5:30 shuttle. Cora and Barbara were also doing a relay with Barbara Hensey and Kathleen Frable in the 75 AG. There were no other countries entered in that age group. Interestingly, in the W80 age group there was only one team as well - Great Britain and Northern Ireland, with one runner in the 85-89 age group range.
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| Colleen Barney |
Our events were not until the afternoon so we all had a leisurely breakfast. I had taken to eating cereal and a tiny bit of egg. I would add a sweet dessert most of the time. There was lots of food every day with which to gorge oneself. Angela had her pile of scrambled eggs every day. Most days, Barbara and Angela took extra stuff with which they planned to make a sandwich later in the day.
I could tell as soon as I began warming up that my knee was less than optimal. The day before for the 200m race, I had decided to wrap a compression bandage over the KT taping. I decided not to do much warm up, hoping not to stress my knee too much.
Colleen Barney was there texting away well before her W55 relay, in which they had to compete with nine other countries so it would be a Finish time result determination with the relays held in two heats. The US was in the second heat. By the time the actual relays took place, Italy had dropped out so they were contending with seven other teams. The goal was gold!
The management team had originally set our order as Angela, me, and the two throwers, i think. Angela took a look at it and said, oh no! She wanted the non runners between us, so that Angela led off, Sandra was second, Patti third and me last. She got Phil Greenwald the relay manager to go up to the signin table and get the race order changed. Cool.
So there we are, waiting in the call room along with Bill Murray and Landon Lama, when one of the event officials comes up and says Patti Baker can’t run because she was not on the relay list. Whoa! What? I had said if we didn’t drop the baton or lane violate, we would get bronze. I had not thought that we might be eliminated even before the start.
We knew Patti was on the list and it had been confirmed when we changed the order. Angela heated up. Bill Murray put a call into Phil Greenwald. Meanwhile the 85s were getting ready to run. Sandra, Patti, and I kept our mouths shut. Eventually, it was a confab with Phil Greenwald, Bill Murray, Landon Lama, the event official and maybe another event person. It was ironed out and we prepared to run.
We got through the relay okay. Germany edged out Great Britain with Ingrid Meier falling over the Finish line at the end, scraping her nose I think. She just edged out Great Britain’s Caroline Marler. I was waiting for Patti to come along and hand me the baton when Ingrid fell. I wasn’t sure she would be off the track by the time Patti came along. She was. What a race it was between the Brits and the Germans. The Germans finished in 2:34.19 and Great Britain & Northern Ireland in 2:34.35. Once again, the US’s time was, well, quite slow. But the two throwers never walked during their traverse of the 200m and kudos to them.
I wanted to watch the W55 relays but Angela said we had to go to the Award area for the bronze medal. Well, okay but we ended up hanging out there for an eternity. I had to watch the US win the W55 relay online, well after the fact. Patti was thrilled to be going home with a medal to show her relatives.
Barbara Hensley and Kathleen Frable stayed to run in the Mixed relay with Charles Allie and Gary Patton. They were the only team in the Mixed 75. I see that the Pole, Ewa Frackowiak also ran a mixed relay, coming in third. I bet they danced afterward.
The Torun citizens we met, taxi drivers, hotel restaurant staffers etc were all quite pleasant. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to pronounce dziękuję, thank you in Polish. A link to pronouncing it https://www.howtopronounce.com/polish/dzi%C4%99kuj%C4%99
The shuttle back to Warsaw was uneventful. We had several officials on board with us, Mark a first time official who did the weight throw and discus that I know of, Jo from Greensboro area who did lots of the checkins, Marty from Colorado, Bill Murray, and Perry Jenkins. By the time we checked into the hotel it was about 9:30. Our first attempt to go up to our floor resulted in - nothing! No movement. We opened the elevator door prepared to ask what’s up when we were clued in by another that the room key had to be inserted for the elevator to work. Oy.
We all ate a quick dinner as the restaurant was closing and we had to get up by 03:30 to leave for the airport by 4 a.m.
I used the shampoo I had brought with me in the shower as I was not about to struggle with weird soap dispensers. I left the shampoo behind. It was not a restful sleep.
Sunday April 2
When we got to the airport for our 6am flight, those of us flying to Atlanta had a nasty surprise. Our flight would be delayed five hours! Cora, flying to Detroit, I believe did not have that problem. The delay was supposedly due to US weather. Barbara and I were together. Angela was freaking out and contacting her travel agent. She and the officials ended up in the Delta Sky Club or a similar premiere lounge. Barbara and I found some food. In the end, Angela and the others ended up on the same delayed flight.
When I took my seat, I was wearing, as usual, my N95 mask. I can’t recall if the guy next to me had one on, I think so, but I coughed once and he requested to change his seat. He was able to – sort of an upgrade, so the seat next to me remained empty for the duration of the flight. Barbara was on the same row but at the far window. I had taken my charging cable out before departure but then discovered, argh, that the Pixel 4a USB connector for its plug was not a standard size and so would not work in the plane’s USB port to charge. Eventually, I got over to Barbara and she had a portable iPhone charging pack gizmo which she brought over that would charge my phone. Meanwhile, she sat in the aisle for a bit.
It was a long flight. On landing, I tried to do the Global Entry interview completion which was being offered from various airports. What was not clear is that one has to do this before exiting the area to get your luggage. I missed the sign pointing to where this could be done and had to cajole to get back in that area for a short distance to the counter. The agent showed me a stack of passports and said it would be two hours before he would get to mine! Forget that!
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| bridge over Vistula |
In the meantime, I see that my flight to RDU has been rescheduled for 7a.m. the next morning. Oh no! Eventually, I got to the Delta assistance area. There was a short line. Okay. But what this turned out to be was at least a half hour wait while one couple tied up one agent and then communicated with the couple next to them also trying to rebook so they stood there chatting, about who knows what, while tying up two agents as they coordinated their flights. I was pissed.
Eventually, I sat on the floor as my knee was not happy. Finally, when I got to an agent, it was a quick fix to a flight leaving at 9 something that evening. She explained that because I had requested Comfort+ originally, the rescheduling had accommodated that. Dropping down to a regular seat got me on a flight in a few hours! Lesson learned about what to do the next time. If there ever is a next time.
So, I got home around midnight. A 27 hour return trip! I unpacked but did not do laundry.
Monday April 3
The next morning, April 3rd, I did the laundry . As I mentioned earlier, when describing the March 26th dinner, I kept falling asleep in my chair. When I began having some chills and a bit of coughing, I looked up Covid symptoms. I did not have a fever but I did have tiredness (long return trip!) and chills. I also remembered the Sunday March 26th disappearance of the lady next to me at dinner, never to be seen by me again. So I did the At Home Covid test. I was still disconcerted when it came up positive. I notified my Torun companions and posted in Whatsapp so others could be forewarned.
I had been wearing the N95 mask forever and was sick of it but I knew I had to be cautious. I am immunocompromised because of quarterly monoclonal antibody treatments that targeted the CD20 antigen on B cells. The targeting results in destruction of the B cells by one's immune system. Wiping out cancerous as well as normal B cells, (B cells being those that can protect one from viruses etc.) (Hello Shingles, despite being vaxed years earlier.)
So now it comes out. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Mantle Cell Lymphoma (incurable) in May 2019. I had about 5 treatments of chemo plus Rituxan, the immunotherapy, such that I was in remission by November 2019. However, since then I have been on quarterly Rituxan which made the Covid vaccines ineffective. I did have two Evusheld antibody shots, separated by six months, which may have been my saving grace. (They are no longer given since deemed ineffective against current variants.)
This explains why I was so pissed about getting Covid. I had no idea how bad this was going to become. My last Rituxan treatment was in February. It takes almost a full year after one’s final Rituxan treatment to regain most of one’s B cell protection.
I tested for Covid late that Monday and Tuesday morning contacted my PCP who prescribed Paxlovid. I began that the evening of April 4th since I got it too late for a morning dose.
So I am annoyed at myself for risking this by going to Poland and by not sticking to getting only dinners to go. Guaranteed, I would not have gotten Covid had I been more cautious.
And so goes my sob story. It is now the 21st and my right ear is clogged, I cough once in a while, my nose still runs (I was twice Covid negative on April 10th and April 11th) and as far as walking – until a few days ago, it was an effort to walk one mile round trip. Breathing being the issue. I started Sudafed yesterday and have taken my two doses for today. Maybe tomorrow I will just try allergy medicine. I am hoping I am not in a rebound situation. Update on the 22nd - right ear better but not 100% and I went for the two mile walk in the rain without breathing problems.
I enjoyed meeting the other athletes and visiting Torun, but not my running events. Not good for my knee. I also am not so good at throws. For sure I will not do the weight throw again. Stressful on the knee.
This is my last running blog as I will no longer run. I do not want a knee replacement. Poland was my last and probably my most embarrassing, not just for me, but for the US, outing. FINI!
For those who want to check on results of all the events
https://wmaci2023.com/
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