USATF Masters 2024 Southeast Indoor Regional Test Run

 

Test run Gainesville Fla SE Indoor Regional 2024

Ford's Garage restaurant Gainesville

I debated about going to Gainesville for this Meet, especially once I realized it was on a Sunday, February 11, and I had a medical appointment the next day.

However, I wanted to see if I could run before signing up for the March 21 Indoor Nationals in Chicago. I had been somewhat trying to run on the packed sand greenway trail that I would mark with cones. I was not running fast nor did I have much endurance. My running was not as gimpy as it had been since I had started doing the 3X a week Knees Over Toes Online regimen in December and some of the ATG exercises in the ATG for Life book before then. The flexibility in my left knee was better but I was far from back where I was before my bone on bone diagnosis. However, my knees were still stiff unless I swung the knee 100X while sitting on a bench before trying to run.

Angela had wanted to go to this Meet for some time after she learned it might be the site of the 2025 WMA Indoor Championship. (At the time, the US had put a bid in but it had not yet been awarded back in late 2023 summer.)

I bit the bullet and made flight reservations to fly to Gainesville Saturday and return on Sunday. I would meet Angela at the motel she had found, Comfort Inn . She would be driving from her Florida home, a few hours drive. I took an Uber from the small Gainesville airport to the motel, arriving before Angela.

Angela always asks at the desk for recommendations on places to eat. They recommended Ford’s Garage. Huh? Well, indeed, it is Ford’s – as in the auto company – and it is a restaurant with an auto motif including an old model Ford truck outside. One could get lost inside looking at all the auto related signs and gizmos. We sat at the bar where we could both order and eat food. Quite a menu. Lots of various burgers, as well as salads. soups and sandwiches. Angela ordered Ford’s Pickles as a side and a hamburger. I think I ordered the Standard burger. It was huge. I barely got my mouth around it. But I just felt like eating a burger which I had not had in probably a year.

When we got back to the Comfort Inn, we both wanted to take coffee back up to the room. But, alas, they had no coffee! None. Zippo. The desk lady said she hoped they would have some in the morning. As did we.

But nope. No coffee in the morning and the scrambled eggs in the help yourself small buffet was …. cold. So much for breakfast. I think we both took a roll back up to the room.

There is a parking edifice right across from the Meet facility Alachua County Sports & Events Center at Celebration Pointe . The organizer, Tina Klein, was among those checking in the participants in the large open entry inside the building . There, we ran into Phil Ozell and later Terry. When we entered the track portion we saw that it was banked and apparently permanently so.

There was a huge open space to the left, containing one throwing circle and a few benches. On the back side of the track was a short four track warm-up area adjacent to a set of stands. The event check in area was located there.

We both had shot put but my 60m was a short time after the start of the throwing so I threw once and then went to warm-up. My warm-up was quite slow. My knees achy. I did not sprint, if one could cal it that, too fast. I saw Neringa Jakstiene (W60) there. She said they did not have the hurdles she needed so she was going to run the straight 60m.

I ran in a multi age group and was last but it felt good in that the mechanics were okay. 15.96 time. Neringa ran it in 8.93.

I went back to throwing. shot My second throw, 6.00m, was my best and gave me second to Catherine Radle’s 6.44m. Angela Staab had to pass on her last throw because she had to run the 800m. She was the only W80. She does not like running on a banked track and so decided not to run the 3000m and also the 1500m she had signed up for. She ran the 800m in 6:12.90 Linda Harper was also there, still in the knee brace after her surgery, yet she managed to get first in her age group, W70, throwing shot.7.30m.. The youngest to throw was Deia Goff W45 throwing 8.41m.

Terry Ozell let me use her short 4 inch wide ribbed roller for my left calf which had tightened up after the 60m. I was thinking I might have to pass on the 200m, it was so tight. But the roller worked! Terry did the 1500m in 7:56.76. Meanwhile Phil Ozell (M70) came in second in the high jump 1.20m, he long jumped 3.43m, was second in the shot put 7.39m, and triple jumped 6.47m.

Lesley Hinz, W65 AG, was there, also to test how she would run after a knee replacement. She is now back with Atlanta Track Club, no doubt they are thrilled about that. Her first run was the 800m. She whooped it in 2:57. 97

Angela Staab later ran the 400m in 2:43.66. we watched Tina Klein W55, US Army, win the 3000m in 13:21.14.

We both ran the 200m along with Willy Moolenaar, who won it in 50.64. I came in second in 57.88 and Angela third I 1:02.64. Willie Spruill, M65, got second in a large 200m, field, sprinting 28.84. He also got second in the 400m in 1:09.93.

I managed to get in the weight throw but had to skip the super weight (no loss!) so I could change and catch my Uber to the airport. My weight throw was 5.44m to get third. Angela Staab got second with 6.51m to Catherine Radle’s 8.07m. Angela later threw the super weight 4.08m.

I was glad I went and attempted the sprints. The knee was okay while running and the mechanics close to normal. I therefore did sign up for the USATF Masters Indoor Nationals in Chicago in March after I got home.