Want hot? Go to WVSSC in June

 

West Virginia Senior Games Classic Experience

Laidley Field Charleston WV

Hot. Drawn out. Wiped.

That essentially sums it up.

Mary Hartzler and Mary Robinson drove from Ohio, I drove from NC, 

near Pilot Mtn NC

Angela Staab flew from NC, and Barbara Warren drove a few miles from home. Claudia Rankins was there also.

The temperature was predicted to be about 100. The weather report after was that it was the hottest day Charleston had experienced.

Back to Friday. It took me about five hours to get there, with three stops. One for gas and two rest stops to also pick up another cold brew coffee equivalent. Amazingly, though Angela flew from Greensboro at noon and I drove, leaving at 10:40, we arrived at the hotel parking lot at exactly the same time! Kismet. Finding a place to park to check in was a bit tough as the hotel parking lot was quite small. They instead use a parking deck right next door, with an area reserved for the hotel.

We were both tired but Barbara Warren had spent a whole day beforehand cooking and preparing. She loves to cook and create meals, so she had made enough for an army. Or two. Some folk were not able to make it so it was just Alissa and Martin Noguez, Angela and I, and Barbara and her husband. However, getting there was an experience. Only three miles, Barbara says. So we set off, Angela driving her pseudo humvee (actually just a large SUV.) It was a short drive over a bridge to Loudon Heights Road. Slight bending uphill. Seemed okay. As we drove along, Waze kept saying turn left for Loudon Heights Road or turn right for Loudon Heights road when actually there was no such turn, the road continued as Loudon Heights Road. But we never encountered the side road we were looking for. Then Barbara started texting us while I was trying to look at Angela’s Waze directions then mine. It was funny – Barbara texted both of us then called both our cells. We didn’t answer, trying to look at the Waze directions which were overlaid by an indication that we had a text or call from Barbara.. Eventually we found the road we were looking for and then Barbara’s driveway – which was a short trip into the unknown since it went uphill until it didn’t and you could not see anything but sky ahead. Well, maybe tops of trees. And then it dropped down. Yikes for a first time arrival.

We had a great meal with good company.

Warren, the cook , & Staab

And got to see Barbara’s Star Trek room. Chock full of Star Trek and Star Wars pictures and figurines. A kid’s or fan’s delight. In addition, her husband’s amazing photos. Though not a pro photographer, he could very well be when it comes to landscapes etc.

When Angela and I departed we turned left at the bottom of her driveway. Another adventure awaited! The road began narrowing and Angela said “I think we are on a driveway!”. However the “driveway“ continued, with a few homes on the side as the road narrowed to a one-laner. Humph. We got to a point where the road sort of ended with a driveway and three dogs to the right (a medium black one, followed by a small brown and white and then yet another one .. Fortunately they stopped at the end of what must have been their driveway.). To the left a long, maybe driveway or one lane road continued narrowing to disappear in the distance. Enough! Angela decides and turned around. Good decision. Seems we should have turned right out of Barbara’s driveway. Did I mention how hilly everything is? Homes up on hills or down hills on the other side. I am amazed that Barbara walked this area while recovering from knee surgery. Not me, even with good knees.

Saturday, June 21. A hot day to be sure We drove separately as I had much of the equipment in my car. It was an easy drive to University of Charleston’s Laidley field where we had been two years earlier.

There were about 13 women signed up to do track and or field and many more men. According to Barbara Warren, I was the oldest on the registration list. Well, no, not actually. Nadine Carver was older. On some lists her age was correct, on others she was in my age group. Though actually older than me, she ran much faster. There was one man older than both of us. Pickings get slim when one reaches the elder years.  

Nadine Carver

 The first race was to be the 100m. It was already hot. Some folks were finding shade near the stands where there were a few shady spots. Over on the other side there was more because of the sun’s position. I went over there and began my warm-up routine. Swing the bad knee 100X. Walk around the track twice, partially backwards. Then slow sprints for about 20m. Five, increasing speed up to the last one. Then I walked over towards the start area where there was a bench and put on the new track shoes. Never worn except initially, in the house, when received. They arrived at 5p.m. the night before leaving for Charleston. I wore them while I sat in my recliner for a few hours. 

I was concerned that they might feel tight or I might be off balance when actually trying to run since these Nike Zoom Superfly Elite 2 shoes were very narrow midway down the shoe and sort of canted to the side it seemed. However, when I tried them on the track, they seemed okay. Not uncomfortable. They felt pretty good. This is the second time I have entered a major event wearing shoes I had not run in before. The first a half marathon (though I had tried running a few blocks in those new Nike shoes). I know the adage is never compete in new shoes. I have lucked out, it seems.

A volunteer after a few consultations lined us up at the 100m start. The Starting official, Joe Heintzman, was not wearing a hat in the blazing sun. And he never did throughout the day. Four of us older folks were in the first heat. Ages were in terms of National Senior Games ones age as of this coming December. Nadine Carver was in the W85 AG, Mary Robinson, Angela Staab, and I were in the W80 AG. Nadine and Mary ran the same time 23.57, with Angela and I following behind. (I recognized Carver’s name from having seen it years ago as the winner of events.) My knees felt okay and I ran as fast as I could, which is not that fast! 25.54, but better than my practice times at home on a middle school hard surface track., using a Sport Ring to time. Angela is a middle distance runner but ran the 100 in case she wanted to in Nationals.

 throws area. Warren Staab Robinson

The next four women to run the 100m included Barbara Warren who had also been helping out at the packet sign in table. She is also an official and can help out if needed. And they were short handed on helpers, never mind officials. So it was Warren and Hartzler in the W75 AG and Rankins and Miriam Deinhardt in the W70 group. Rankins won her AG as did Hartzler in hers. This was Warren’s second Meet running with her new knee. She is now totally knee bionic. Her focus is really on pole vaulting as well as throwing. Barbara did manage to get an attempt at pole vaulting, getting a height of .70m. She was the only one to do pole vault, male or female. Of course! (If there is an event, Barbara will be doing it. She also did triple jump and probably long jump.)

While Angela ran the 1500m, I and others tried to find shade before the 400m. It was really tough. Yet those officials somehow managed. I drank all the fluids I had brought with me as well as a lot of the water the organizers provided. I talked to Nadine and Mary while Angela trudged around behind the men to get that 1500m done. She and Miriam Deinhardt were the only women running it. While sitting on the bench beneath a tent, I watched a man attempt the high jump. He kept trying, but not clearing. At least once, it seemed he would damage an essential part. He finally gave up, Later, the only two women to attempt the HJ, Barbara Warren and Nadine Carver successfully cleared the bar, both at .90m Six men did the HJ. I have no idea how the guy practicing did.

Despite having just done the 1500m, Angela lined up to do the 400m. She wanted to get as many events done in WV as she could so she would not have to do many in the NC Senior Game Finals (which does not have hammer or javelin.) I was not looking forward to the 400m, but wanted to try. There were only five of us in three age groups so we combined. A 55 year old, Kathy Randolph, Mary Hartzler W75, and the three of us in the W80. Angela was not going to run hard because no matter the finishing times, we three would be qualified. And who would want to run hard after doing a 1500m? The 55 year old Randolph finished in 1:50.59, Mary Hartzler in 1:54.84, Mary Robinson 2:07.78, LG in 2:29.17 and Angela in 3:40.09. I struggled to not walk when about 120m from the Finish line. I did not walk, nonetheless my time was about the same as when I have walked! Perhaps my “run” was more of a shuffle than I was aware of! I was glad it was over!

Mary Robinson went off towards one of the throwing areas. Probably shot. The next race was the 200m. Only four of us women ran it -- Claudia Rankins, Mary Hartzler, Angela Staab, and I. Hartzler finished first in 45.48, then Rankins 49.25. Angela and I found our way to the Finish behind them. Me in 56.53 and Angela in 1:10.41 getting her qualification done.

Mary Robinson rejoined us for the last race, the 50m. This time there was a W65, Jeanne Roberts, as well as the W70s Rankins and Deinhardt, W75 Hartzler and two W80s Robinson and Guardino. We all ran in one heat. The order of finish was Rankins (10.15), Hartzler (10.21), Deinhardt (11.85), Robinson (12.25), Roberts (12.38), and dragging in last LG (13.78)

Angela and I then went over to throw shot. There was a tent there for shade (but not for the valient officials) Mary Hartzler was out in the sun helping retrieve the shot in addition to throwing. Eventually Angela and I took turns retrieving the shot. Of the women, Rankins threw 5.73m, Hartzler 8.74m, Warren 7.23m, Robinson 5.51m, Guardino 4.99m, and Staab 4.55m.

Hartzler, Warren, Staab, Robinson, LG

Then we moved on to the area which got really backed up. Hammer and discus. At one point it seemed they were throwing only discus in order of the way people lined up, regardless of gender. (there were no non genders there, at least acknowledged.) But then it sort of got mixed up such that we were throwing hammer when someone arrived who wanted to throw discus so that individual was inserted to throw his discus in the midst of the hammer throws.

One official, Marshall Cavender, sat beneath the tent (wearing a white hat) documenting the distances measured and another over by the netting called us forward to throw. Volunteers in the field were standing for a long time in the sun retrieving and measuring, Martin Noguez being one and a young fellow the other. Some throws were phenomenal. Scott Hannay (M60) threw his discus 43.15m. One of his throws went out of the sector hitting an area that had cement, messing up the discus edge. Good thing he happened to have a backup.

Miriam Deinhardt (W70) was throwing discus for the first time in a Meet. She had been practicing with a rubber discus and at first threw with that until someone said, nope, can’t use a rubber one. Someone let her use their discus (presumably a 1k one.) She did well, throwing a distance of 15.02m.

Alissa Noguez (W60) from SC threw magnificently as she usually does. 28.58m.

In the W75 group, it was Mary Hartzler and Barbara Warren. Hartzler threw 23.71m and Barbara threw 16.55m.

Then we get to the three W80s. Mary Robinson 14.62m and passed on her last two (probably preferring more shade), Guardino 11.29m and Angela Staab who was feeling the heat as well, 9.09m. In this event as well as in the shot, my last throws were my best. With all of the men throwing, it seemed as if we were out there forever, especially by the time we got to the hammer. The hat-less official, Joe, came over to help out officiating this huge group.

An aside. I was drinking a lot of fluids and sweating it out but decided maybe I ought to take a trip to the john. Mary Robinson said I could not miss it, it had a sign on the door. So I walk down along the back of the building. Lots of closed doors. I get to an area with an open gate, on which someone had placed a hand printed sign MEN. Inside the gate to the left was a closed unmarked door. To the right was a door open and against the wall such that if there was a sign on it, it was not visible. The first time I walked down there I kept walking to the end of the building, never finding anything that indicated women. The second time I went into the area with the open door. There were urinals on one side and stalls with doors on the other side, with a center fountain like thing to wash hands. I chose a stall. Used the fountain thing on my exit and returned to Mary and the group. Mary said Nope, that was the Men’s room. Another lady there said yeah – there was a place marked women.

I can only guess that at one point the closed door to the left with no sign may have been for women and the sign on it had disappeared. Maybe should there be a next time, I will walk down there with another woman.

In the hammer Alissa Noguez threw 35.08m, Claudia Rankins 13.09m, Hartzler 32.35m, Warren 21.12m, Robinson 14.14m, Staab 10.23m, and Guardino 16.90m (this is becoming my favorite event).

Scott Hannay threw the hammer 38.27m. Why do I mention him? Because when things were mixed up in the beginning, he was a bit miffed but then he turned out to be a nice fellow. So I remember him. And he was wearing a red and black shirt as I recall. Made me think of a Scot. And Scots throw!

We had a long wait for javelin. It was now after 2pm. The Marys were planning to drive back to Ohio right after. Plus, the sun! Angela and Barbara Warren had already thrown the javelin by the time the Marys and I started throwing picks. Barbara had thrown 12.15m and Angela 9.31m. Angela had left after two throws as the heat was getting to her. Some of the men were still throwing hammer (or maybe discus) when Alissa Noguez began throwing jav. She did two successive throws. I think the heat got to her as well since she only had one good throw, getting 17.34m. Mary Hartzler threw 17.60m. Mary Robinson threw 10.93m, forgoing her last two shots, ready to get out of the heat and go home. I also skipped my last two throws as I sensed that if I stayed out in the sun any longer I was going to get dizzy. My best throw was 9.34m. There is no running up for me!

Scott Hannay threw 39.70m.

I think I left the field at 15:15 and was so glad to get back to the hotel. I found Angela asleep. She had gotten chips and something to drink upon her return to the hotel.

We were both tired and ate at Outback which was right across the street from the hotel.

I only had one stop on my drive back home the next day. I left at 06:45, getting home before noon.

And a note from Angela:

it took angela 12 hours to get home due to lack of flights departing from Charleston and cancellations!  Never again to fly to Charleston