Chicago USATF Masters Indoor 2024
I had debated about going to the Indoor Meet since my running is basically not so hot. My knee made running awkward. However, after managing to get through the SouthEast Regional in Gainesville, running, so to speak, the 60m and 200m, I decided to try. I like the Indoor banked track but am so so in the shot and weight field events. The venue was Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center in Chicago.
I think Angela Staab and I coordinated our flights to land at Midway around the same time, but at this point I don’t recall. We arrived on Wednesday, the 20th in the afternoon but with time to go to the venue for packet pickup and to check it out.
We stayed at the Oak Lawn Hilton hotel, as did Mary Trotto and other Master athletes. And USATF officials. We went to the venue with Mary Trotto, who had rented a car. Packet pickup was until 5:30. Traffic was horrific between 3 and 4 as we made our way to the venue. It was about a 20 minute drive though subsequent shuttles took at least a half hour.
As Angela and I were walking around the track, we ran into Rob D’Avellar who, I realized, was taking our photos! Thelma and Louise had arrived. Willie Spruill came up behind us, a happy man, there to compete. Though we wanted to declare for our friday events, the officials were not yet set up for that.
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| Willie Spruill |
The track was nice. I did try walking on it. Cora Hill who also was there, did a few trots around. I could tell my knee was not going to be happy. Though expected, it was discouraging. Gone are the days when I could trot around the track in a warmup outing. We ran into others we knew from prior events. I lost Angela somewhere in the facility as she met up and conversed with various groups of people . The packet pickup day is always a social one as we meet and exchange info and news with those we know. Old Home Week for track athletes.
On return from the venue, we decided to eat first. We did see something that harks back to the early 60s during our travels -a White Castle. I recall a very thin hamburger could be had cheaply back in the day. However, it was not our choice for eating. Applebees was the choice. Mary T drove with Angela in front, Cora and I in the back. I think we had an address but after 20 minutes, at least, of searching for the hidden Applebees, we gave up and chose Olive Garden. I may have the day wrong but my notes say it was Wednesday. I had rigatoni. And also wine. I now have wine when away at a Meet.
Thursday, Christel Donley and I declared at the declaration table for the 60m for Friday morning. Later I showed Mary Smith how to declare online for her 400m. We three had high tailed it to the declaration table in order to make the 24 hour deadline before the event. Smith had a later event on Friday than did Christel and I. Mary Trotto had an earlier thursday event, the Pentathlon, so she had left early. (she came in second with an 1191 score.) The rest of us took the shuttle. The shuttle took about a half hour. This day, the lady driver traveled mainly on Cicero and 95th, which is the route Mary T had driven. Angela Staab ran the 3000m in 26.17.49 and Mary Trotto did it in 23:05.07, adding points to their TNT team. An ugh distance, IMO. I think we ate at the hotel that evening. The Hilton has this unpopular policy amongst us of a mandatory 20% “service Charge” as well as its minimal service charge. This also held for breakfast. Breakfast in my case was coffee and I think one day I had toast or may have given in and had eggs. The food was buffet style so not a cook to order deal. Mary Smith had oatmeal one day. She said it was good.
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| Coreen Steinbach & Kathleen Frable |
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| Kathy Bergen & Christel Donley |
Thursday night i freaked out when I used the online declaration tool for my sunday 200m. It showed that I wasn’t declared for the 60m (nor was Christel!) I spent forever trying to get declared and after a few freakouts, decided I had to get to the declaration desk as soon as it opened on friday, as the 60m was at 8:42am. Snow was predicted for Friday. Fortunately, it was a light one!
Both Christel and I got the first shuttle to the venue and hurried to the declare desk when we got there. They said that we were okay. They had us marked but I was still nervous until they called us for the checkin. Turns out that if one declared in person, it does not show in the online database. Argh.
Warmup was so so for me. My knee was an issue and I still sort of off balance trotted. More of a hobble. The warmup area was to one end of the arena. Many folks were using it. All were polite and everyone got in what they needed I think. I saw Mary Robinson up on the second level warming up. She always finds a less crowded area to do so. As for warmup areas, I think the best I have experienced was the Spokane one. It was in a separate building and was as large as a gym – all empty space.
They combined the W80 and W85 groups for the 60 so there were six of us. Kathy Bergen, Mary Robinson, and me then Christel Donley, Rose Green, and Flo Meiler. Kathy and Rose were the speedsters in their respective age groups. My awareness during the race was of Christel right by me. She ran much faster than I the prior year Indoor Championships, though six years my elder. So my goal was to stay with her. Much has happened in that intervening year. We both aged as did everyone in the arena. Some of us improve with age, some don’t. I have not. I wanted to run a bit better than I did the prior year. And I did. The prior year I finished in 16.87 and this year it was 14.57. Christel pushed me to get to the Finish.
Kathy Bergen 11:03
Mary Robinson 13:74
Me 14:57
W85
Rose Green 12:54
Flo Meiler 14:16
Christel Donley 15:13
After the race, I hung out with Mary Robinson and Mary Hartzler up in the seats just below the second floor walkway, a bit beyond the Finish line. They were there with a friend who I think Hartzler had coached or taught many years ago.
It was fun being up there with them. I was keeping up my fluids, going for lots of stuff from the Juice concession stand. We watched Michelle Rohr, W55 AG , steam through the 3000m race walk in 14:19.74. Quite something to behold! At the other end of the spectrum was DaBeth Manns of TNT. Manns, W45AG, was also someone I admired – she kept a steady pace and nice form just going around and around, finishing in 28:49.68.
But then it was time for the 400s. W80 at 2:40. All three Marys - Hartzler, Robinson, and Smith were to run the 400s, as well as Angela Staab. Two Marys, Angela, and Cora Hill in the W80 and Hartzler in the W70.
As expected, Mary Smith took off like a blast and continued around the track in a speed not to be matched., breaking the American AG record, she had previously set.
1 Mary Smith Centennial State Track Club1 32.75 A
2 Mary Robinson Unattached 1:56.18
3 Cora Hill TNT International Racing Club 2 :05.53
4 Angela Staab TNT International Racing Club 2:46.08
Rose Green is back racing again but is in the older age group , however she ran with the 80s. She was alone in her AG.
Rose Green Potomac Valley Track Club 2:36.23
Kathleen Frable and TNT’s Mary Trotto and Nancy Berger ran in the next younger age group. Nancy got third, Kathleen fourth and Trotto fifth.
Next up would be Mary Hartzler but she would be running with Coreen Steinbach who had aged up. Oy. This is sort of like being in a race with Kathy Bergen! Speedsters. In the case of the 400 however endurance is also needed. Steinbach has it though it seems like it takes everything out of her at the finish as she bent over gasping away.
Also in their race was someone I had not met before but soon got to know as I watched her and Hartzler and two others break the non club 4x200 2017 record previously established in ABQ by Mary Robinson, Angela Staab, Barbara Hensley, and me.
1 Coreen Steinbach Greater Philadelphia TC 1:24.59
2 Mary Hartzler Unattached 1:45.80
3 Claudia Rankins Pony Express Track & Field 2:00.86
4 Lydia Woods TNT International Racing Club 2:48.60
Not much longer after this we had the weight throw at the other end of the facility. In the combined age group, the weight was 8.8lb for all of us. Myrle Mensey had just aged up into the 75AG to the delight of her fellow competitors. Here come some new AG records! Carol Frost, Mary Trotto and LaTanya Glass were her competitors, giving them all a goal to shoot for. Well, not only did Myrle set a new American record but also a new World record with her weight throw of 16.37m (53’8”)
Carol Frost threw 10.41m
Mary Trotto 9.40m
LaTanya Glass 7.60m
In my AG it was Mary Robinson, Angela, and Catherine Radle.
Catherine Radle 8.57m
Mary Robinson 7.94m
Angela Staab 6.54m
Louise Guardino 5.72m
In the competition between Flo Meiler and Tami Graf, Flo came out ahead throwing 6.53m to Tami’s 5.49m.
In the subsequent super weight throw, it was only Myrle and Mary Trotto competing in the W75 AG. Myrle set a new American record, throwing 5.73m to Mary’s 6.32m.
Catherine Radle did not throw the super weight so it was only Robinson, Angela, and me and that is the way we placed. And Tami was the only one in her AG. The super weight is 16lb. Not my fav. Robinson 5.73m, Staab, 4.70m. Guardino 3.41m. Slim Tami threw the super weight 3.34m.
The Ohio Marys left after the weight event. Angela, Mary Trotto, Cora Hill and Nancy Berger
competed in the 4x800 relay, adding to the TNT Women’s team score.
I am not sure where we ate that night.
Saturday I didn’t have any events. Angela had the mile run and the 4x200 relay with her TNT team. Angela wanted to get an early shuttle since her mile was an early race. When she went down for breakfast, a shuttle was there and she asked if it would be there by 7, I believe. She was told yes. Well, as it happened, it was not. And it still wasn’t there a half hour later. She was panicking as I would have been. Fortunately, a couple she knew was driving to the venue and gave her a ride. A good thing because the shuttle did not turn up for at least another half hour. Recollection is that it arrived at 10am. Well past when her race started. It turns out there was only one driver that day.
The driver took Pulaski and 99th. This had lots of cross streets and Stop signs.
At one, I watched an older, hat wearing, post lady cross a street carrying a box, then trudge up steps to a house. It was windy and cold. Alleyways for garbage truck access run behind the homes in this Oak Lawn suburb of Chicago. The alleyways reminded me of the photos of the alley behind Nicole Simpson’s LA home. I think Florida also has towns in which this is the setup.
Many homes are of brick facade in a square structure style. Most of the ones I noticed were sort of two story. They seemed to be longer than wide. These residential looking streets were followed by streets with multi family structures.
The mile race was first. Coreen Steinbach ran it in the W70 group, coming in first in 7:46.91. Two of the TNT relay team members also ran it in the W75 AG. Nancy Berger (TNT) finished in 10:25.95 for second, Kathleen Frable 10:40.06 came in third and Mary Trotto (TNT) fifth in 11:51.81. Angela was the only one in her AG, finishing in 13:09.24. Tami Graf, W85, ran it as well, running it in 16:15.00. Tami seems to run all those distance races, including Steeplechase,
I think.
The younger women had their weight throws this day. Notable were the W65 women in which Carol Finsrud and Sue Hallen competed. Carol threw 14.4m and Sue 12.38m. Mary Hartzler and the twins Laura and Linda competed in the W70 AG. Laura Hessel (Canada) won the throw with one of 11.42m. Mary Hartzler came in third throwing 10.89m and Linda Harper 7.91m. In the super weight throws it was Finsrud and Hallen in that order again. The twins did not compete in superweight. Mary Hartzler won that one throwing 7.20m.
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| Twins Hessel & Harper |
I sat up in the stands with the Marys. We observed a younger fellow several rows below us with a gizmo on his leg. I eventually asked him what it was. It was a FIREFLYtm a gizmo a bit like estim, creating short electrical pulses for recovery. He, Lee Atkins, Jr. later competed in the triple jump winning it with a jump of 12.28m.
Claudia Rankins joined us in the stands prior to her 4x200 non club relay race with Mary Hartzer. Uh Oh! Mary Robinson and I knew our old non club relay record was in jeopardy. Well Hartzler and Rankins, joined by Joy Flynn and Dianna Daniels demolished it, finishing the 4x200 in 2:53.62. Argh! However, it is still fun to razz Hartzler and Rankins for their feat.
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| Hartzler, Robinson, & Rankins |
The W75 TNT team of Nancy Berger, Angela Staab, Mary Trotto and Cora Hill broke their prior record, coming in at 3:51.60. Two of them in the W80 category.
And so ended that day. I think we ate at Olive Garden again.
Sunday, March 24. I just had the 200m and shot put. Angela had the 800m and the 4x400m relay with her team as well as the shot put. Mary Robinson, Mary Smith and Cora Hill were also running the 200m. My warm up was not so good. My knee was uncomfortable so I could not really sprint. More of a slow jog was about my speed. Our race was early. I think Mary Smith may have been in lane 7 or 8, I was one below.
All I really recall about the race is that I felt sluggish, in the sense that I did not feel as if my legs were moving as well as they should have. And, obviously they did not move that well. I do recall seeing Mary Smith running the curve well ahead of the rest of us.
Angela Staab and Cora Hill both subsequently ran the 800m. Cora came in first and Angela second. Coreen Steinbach came in first in her younger age group, Nancy Berger (TNT) ran in the next older AG, coming in second, while Kathleen Frable came in fourth.
The 75 through 89 AG had shot put prior to the TNT folks running their last relay, a 4x400. Myrle Mensey and two others in the W75AG broke the existing world record, with Myrle throwing the farthest at 10.07m.
And here is what the rest of us did. I suck at shot (and weight)
Women 80-84
1 Catherine Radle Atlanta Track Club 6.25m 20' 6¼"
2 Mary Robinson Unattached 6.00m 19' 8¼"
3 Karen Huff-Pawlik Unattached 5.48m 17' 11¾"
4 Louise Guardino Unattached 4.93m 16' 2¼"
5 Angela Staab TNT International Racing Club 4.48m 14' 8½"
Women 85-89
1 Rose Green Potomac Valley Track Club 5.40m 17' 8¾"
2 Florence Meiler Sprinticity 5.34m 17' 6¼"
3 Christel Donley Centennial State Track Club 4.52m 14' 10"
Angela’s TNT team broke the 4x400 W75 Club relay record they had previously set, running 9:51.74.
There was a long wait for the shuttle back. Christel, Mary Smith and I were waiting as were many other folk. It was so long that the TNT folks had time to get all of their awards and medals and show up while we were still there. So we got a ride back with Mary Trotto, on the way stopping for ice cream that we all felt we deserved.
That evening we ate in the hotel. Begrudgingly. I succumbed to the 20% mandatory service charge on top of another smaller service charge. And I ordered steak, making my bill the highest I have ever paid in my life and would have been aghast at any other time. I was beaten down. After I finished, the twins appeared, to indulge in their celebration dinner.
Monday morning we all departed. Mary Trotto for parts unknown before going home to Hawaii, Christel Donley and Mary Smith back to Colorado Springs and Angela and I to NC, though different airports.
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| Christel Donley & LG |
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| Kathy Bergen ready to go home |
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| Mary Smith |
