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July 24, 2010

Love Over the Steeples

Filed under: Running News — Tags: Joe Cordero, Kathy Martin, Mary Trotto, Sue Nesbihal-Cordero — Carmel Papworth-Barnum @ 10:45 am

I interviewed Sue Nesbihal-Cordero, by phone a few months ago and was keen to meet her. When I got to the track yesterday Sue was already a lap into her 2k steeple. As I cheered in the back straight I heard the officials talking about rulebooks.

Sue is blind and runs out in lane two so she doesn’t trip on the railing. Before her race she was practicing a few steeple jumps and an official told her that her technique was illegal, that she wasn’t allowed to straddle the steeple. As she warmed up and got faster, the same official said, “You might get away with it but you’re borderline”. Sue tried to point out that there is no such rule for masters – you just have to get over the steeple.

It’s not something you want to hear just before your race. “It threw me off”, said Sue. “I’ve got no sense of depth anymore with my sight, it’s difficult to judge the barriers.” Still Sue isn’t one to back down from a challenge. Early in the race she got a nosebleed from the heat and was again questioned by concerned officials. “I run the steeple hard, what’s a nose bleed” she said.

Sue finished third in W60 behind one of her best friends, Mary Trotto, the W60 silver medalist. Sue’s other best friend, Kathy Martin won W55, the overall race and set a new American Record. All three women have held American Records in the 2k steeple and live in Long Island.

But it wasn’t time to celebrate, Sue’s husband, Joe Cordero was racing next. Joe (M72), many time national champion, has had his share of injury and illness in the last few years. Sue confided, “People don’t know how hard Joe has worked to get back”. As Joe battles the heat and barriers, Sue is yelling, “Get tough Joe, suck it up”.

Joe crosses the line in third place. Husband and wife win matching bronze medals. Joe proudly tells me that at the 1999 Nationals in Florida they both won gold and set US records in the steeple. “It was Sue’s first steeple race and she set the American record and also won the 5k and 10k that year.”

Sue Nesbihal-Cordero & Joe Cordero won bronze medals in the 2K steeple

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July 23, 2010

Women Smash Steeple Records

Filed under: My Running — Tags: Cheryl Bellaire, Kathy Martin, Lisa Valle — Carmel Papworth-Barnum @ 10:23 pm

Another scorching day at the track in Sacramento (mid 90’s) and the action was hot in the Women’s 2k Steeple.

First up Kathy Martin (58) broke her own W55 American record running 8:13.10. Kathy is a much admired athlete in masters circles, not only for her incredible running but for her gracious and unassuming manner.

Then in the W35 to W54 race two records fell. Current World Champion (800/1500/2k steeple) Lisa Valle (44) set a new W40 World Record with a stunning time of 6:51.92. Lisa was the first 40-year-old woman to go under the 7-minute mark two weeks ago when she ran 6:52.6. Lisa sent a relentless pace from the start. With no competition she churned out the laps on her way to another World Record. Lisa believes she can run faster if pushed. Any takers?

Finishing second overall and first in W50, Cheryl Bellaire (51) set a new W50 American record with her 8:14.35. Cheryl is one pocket rocket. Small in stature she gracefully clears the steeples. A few hours later many of us were amazed to watch Cheryl set up to the line in the 400m. She won another W50 title in a time of 1:06.77.

I was already feeling exhausted from a day of baking in the stands as a spectator. Then I learned that these 3 record breakers, Kathy, Lisa and Cheryl have entered the 800m on Saturday and the 1500m on Sunday. Boy how do they do it!

Steeple Record Breakers Cheryl Bellaire (L) & Lisa Valle (R)

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July 22, 2010

Mary Harada Takes US Record as Women fly in the 5k’s

Filed under: Running News — Tags: Grace Padilla, Jaymee Marty, Jenny Hitchings, Kathy Martin, Marie-Louise Michelsohn, Mary Harada, Midori Sperandeo, Sabra Harvey — Carmel Papworth-Barnum @ 7:29 pm

Day 1 at the USATF Masters T&F champs – 5,000m finals. Women ages 55 to 79 raced at 7.00am. Now I’m not one to wish my life away but I’d have loved to be older today and run at that time. I imagine the conditions were cooler. Of course these women had to get up at the crack of dawn and think about racing when some of us (me) were still in bed!

Liberty’s Mary Harada, who has just moved up to W75 and has already set records in the mile, ran 26:55.11 for a new American Record. Mary’s time is age graded at 91.24%. Congrats Mary on another great run and knocking off another record.

The overall winner and first in W55 was the amazing Kathy Martin (58) in 19:26.37 (age grade 95.77%). How many national titles is that now for Kathy? The woman just keeps on keeping on.

Sabra Harvey (61), who announcer Peter Taylor calls the “real deal”, won W60 and was second overall with her superb time of 19:30.09 age graded to 99.73%. What a world class performance.

Another woman who runs age graded 90’s is Marie-Louise Michelsohn. Marie-Louise (68) was first place in W65 with 22:39.95 and a 95.77%. Rounding out the winners was Madeline Bost, W70 with her 28:44.97.

A few hours later W50’s hit the track. It was great that W50 had enough runners (13) to have their own race. Karen Steele ( W52) won in 20:02.07 (85.61%). Suzanne O’Malley (W50) was second in 20:11.85 (82.75%) and Kelly Kruell (W50) third in 20:37.47 (81.03%).

Some time after 12pm, just in time for it to really heat up, W35 to W49 raced. The overall winner was Grace Padilla (W39). You may remember Grace as the long-legged dancing drill girl on Pete Magill’s blog. Well Grace danced her way to an easy win in 17:29.19 (85.17%). Second overall and first W40 was Midori Sperandeo (W43) in 17:48.50 (86.41%). Second for W40 was Jaymee Marty in 18:17.59 (84.12%).

Jenny Hitchings won W45 with her 19:10.43 (83.95), with Laura Schmitt second in 19:19.78 (82.26).

With 2 laps to go the officials pulled out the shower in the back straight. It was well worth the effort to move over to lane two just to feel some relief. But did they really have to wait until we were wilted. Oh well… No water table on the track (except if you wanted to go over to lane 8). I hope they remedy this for the steeple tomorrow and the 10k on Saturday. I had a good battle with Stacey Worthen (W37) who was third in W35. Stacy had her family cheering in the home straight. “You’re awesome mom”, could be heard every few laps. Gotta love that!

Check out more of the day’s results here.

: Mary Harada

: Marie-Louise Michelsohn

: Sabra Harvey

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March 27, 2010

Kim’s Chillin But Winning

Filed under: Running News — Tags: Cheryl Bellaire, Kathy Martin, Kim Sheffield, Marisa Hanson — Carmel Papworth-Barnum @ 4:38 pm

For a woman who lives part of the year in Florida, Boston is a chilly place.
Kim Sheffield emailed me Friday, ” I’m freezing and I’m telling myself over and over to have fun”.

Kim’s probably still cold but I’m sure she is having a great time after winning the W40 mile. She knows how to peak for the big races. In 2007, Kim was the W40 national indoor mile champion and in 2008 she won both the mile and 800m.

Former National steeplechase and 5k X-C champion, Marisa Hanson won W45.

The W50 had the largest field, an amazing 14 women toed the line. Resident “doctor and blogger-at-large” (over at Pete Magill’s blog), Cheryl Bellaire won the race. A woman who has won so many national titles that she’s probably lost count, Kathy Martin, won the W55 mile.

Congrats to all these medal winners:

W30 1 Mile Run
1 Chula-Maguire, Kimberley W34 Cumberland, RI 5:19.36
2 Knapp, Renee W30 Boston, MA 5:29.24

W40 1 Mile Run
1 Sheffield, Kim W44 Sarasota, FL 5:11.93
2 Murray, Patty W44 Boulder, CO 5:13.03
3 Reaser, Christine W44 Dayton, ME 5:47.71

W45 1 Mile Run
1 Hanson, Marisa W46 Pleasant Vly, NY 5:14.86
2 Wieciorkowska, Zofia W47 Stratford, CT 5:19.45
3 Miller, Sheryl W46 Coralville, IA 5:36.39

W50 1 Mile Run
1 Bellaire, Cheryl W51 St Davids, PA 5:48.38
2 *Quibell, Rita W54 Newmarket, OH 5:49.64
3 Marvil, Rebecca W51 Houston, TX 5:49.74
4 *DeBoer, Lynda W50 Etobicoke, — 5:50.75
5 Cordes, Suzanne W50 Alamo, CA 5:51.54

W55 1 Mile Run
1 Martin, Kathryn W58 Northport, NY 5:38.38
2 Steinbach, Coreen W58 Pompey, NY 6:06.90
3 Diver, Mary W55 New York, NY 6:48.58

W60 1 Mile Run
1 Oakey, Joy W61 Media, PA 7:15.88
2 Rosado, Mary W60 New York, NY 7:16.43
3 Trotto, Mary W62 Kihei, HI 8:10.37

*Denotes non USA runners

For all of Saturdays results click here.

Kim Sheffield, Photo: prettysporty.com

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March 3, 2010

Kathy & Jeanne Win Double Gold

Filed under: Running News — Tags: Jeanne Bowman, Jeanne Daprano, Kathy Martin, Marie Kay, Olga Kotelko, Phil Raschker — Carmel Papworth-Barnum @ 10:59 pm

Sprinters and distance divas shared the track at the Indoor Worlds today with the 200m, 800m and 3K finals. Some of the distance women doubled running the 800m and the 3k. The amazing Kathy Martin (USA) won both in W55. W70 Jeanne Daprano (USA), who has a foot in both camps, won the 200m and 800m!

The marvelous Phil Raschker (USA) won W60 200m and tied for gold in the pole vault with Aussie Wilma Perkins.

Aussie Marie Kay (W50) won the 200m and the long jump. Marie jumped further (with all her jumps) than W40 & W45. Impressive!

Jeanne Bowman in her first world champs and hoping to making the final got the bronze in the 200m. Way to go Jeanne!

Canadian Olga Kotelko won two more golds and set two more World Records in the W90 200m and shot put. Zdenka Kirsch of Germany won the W80 3,000m in a record time 19:07.34.

Here are some of the women’s running results:

W35 200 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Latrica Dendy, United States, 25.96; 2. Merlina Arnaudova, Bulgaria, 27.52;
3. Eulalia Torrescasana, Spain, 27.64

W40 200 Meter Dash:
1. Maryvonne Icarre, France, 26.02; 2. Lisa Daley, United States, 26.62; 3.
Julie M Brims, Australia, 26.83; 4. Marjorie Milligan Jackson, United States,
28.16

W45 200 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Noella Lee Pong, Canada, 27.17; 2. Angelika Grissmer, Germany, 27.54; 3.
Joy Upshaw, United States, 27.60

W50 200 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Marie Kay, Australia, 27.33; 2. Averil McClelland, Great Britain, 28.15; 3.
Wendy Alexis, Canada, 29.24

W55 200 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Karla Del Grande, Canada, 28.35; 2. Kathryn M. Heagney, Australia, 31.01;
3. Jeanne Bowman, United States, 32.79

W60 200 Meter Dash:
1. Phil Raschker, United States, 31.19; 2. Brenda Matthews, United States,
32.46; 3. Rhona Trott, Canada, 33.12

W65 200 Meter Dash Finals:
1. Carol LaFayette-Boyd, Canada, 30.86; 2. Marjorie J Allison, Australia,
31.79; 3. Maria Hopchin, Canada, 34.68

W70 200 Meter Dash:
1. Jeanne Daprano, United States, 38.40; 2. Louise Reed, Canada, 39.37; 3.
Alda R Lima, Brazil

W75 200 Meter Dash:
1. Klazina Noort, Canada, 45.63; 2. Ruth Carrier, Canada, 51.67; 3. Gwendolyn
Boivin, Canada, 55.63

W80 200 Meter Dash:
1. Betty McQuarrie, Canada, 48.64; 2. Sumi Onodera-Leonard, United States,
51.91; 3. Leona Smith, Canada, 59.22

W90 200 Meter Dash:
1. Olga Kotelko, Canada, 60.72.

W35 800 Meter Run:
1. Ellen Reiner-Vestli, Norway, 2:33.05; 2. Lisa Brougham, Canada, 2:38.37; 3.
Iveta Gudkova, Latvia, 3:02.85.

W40 800 Meter Run:
1. Nicola Everton, Canada, 2:24.93; 2. Rosa Maria Oliveira, Portugal, 2:25.81;
3. Bernadine H. Pritchett, Great Britain, 2:26.62

W45 800 Meter Run:
1. Sonia Armitage, Great Britain, 2:26.26; 2. Renee Belanger, Canada, 2:27.62;
3. Jeanie Bezdan, Canada, 2:27.67; 4. Lorraine Jasper, United States, 2:28.29

W50 800 Meter Run:
1. Julie Hayden, United States, 2:40.15; 2. Carla Hoppie, United States,
2:49.31; 3. Susan Strother, Canada, 2:56.13.

W55 800 Meter Run:
1. Kathryn Martin, United States, 2:42.84; 2. Coreen Steinbach, United States,
2:46.87; 3. Kathryn M. Heagney, Australia, 2:52.28

W60 800 Meter Run:
1. Judy Warick, Canada, 3:11.89; 2. Joan McMullan, United States, 3:17.91; 3.
Mary Rosado, United States, 3:22.59

W65 800 Meter Run:
1. Riet Jonkers, Netherlands, 2:58.59; 2. Eva Carlsen, Norway, 3:30.51; 3.
Miloslava Rocnakova, Czech Republic, 3:36.49

W70 800 Meter Run:
1. Jeanne Daprano, United States, 3:26.09; 2. Barbara Saunders, Canada,
3:38.78; 3. Madeline Bost, United States, 4:02.91

W75 800 Meter Run:
1. Helly Visser, Canada, 3:54.76.

W80 800 Meter Run:
1. Ruth Angelis, Germany, 6:03.75.

W35 3000 Meter Run:
1. Andi Camp, United States, 10:39.99; 2. Latashia Key, United States,
11:51.50.

W40 3000 Meter Run:
1. Rosa Maria Oliveira, Portugal, 10:51.39; 2. Bernadine H. Pritchett, Great
Britain, 10:55.32; 3. Susan P. Ridley, Great Britain, 10:56.96

W45 3000 Meter Run:
1. Jane Pidgeon, Great Britain, 10:58.85; 2. Sheryl R. Miller, United States,
11:02.45; 3. Alyssa Tower, United States, 11:02.45

W50 3000 Meter Run:
1. Susie C. Tawney, Great Britain, 11:40.02; 2. Heather Price, Canada,
11:50.13; 3. Lourdes Fernandes, Brazil, 13:14.38

W55 3000 Meter Run:
1. Kathryn Martin, United States, 11:31.65; 2. Susan Cooper, Great Britain,
11:42.61; 3. Anne M. Lippitt, Great Britain, 14:25.33

W60 3000 Meter Run:
1. Ma De Los Angeles Rivera, Mexico, 14:42.45; 2. Judy Warick, Canada,
14:49.96; 3. Maria Del Carmen Valdes Vera, Mexico, 15:46.84

W65 3000 Meter Run:
1. Miloslava Rocnakova, Czech Republic, 15:25.76; 2. Emiliia Zhadan, Ukraine,
18:28.30.
W70 3000 Meter Run:
1. Mary Harada, United States, 15:55.51; 2. Madeline Bost, United States,
17:32.60.
W80 3000 Meter Run:
1. Zdenka Kirsch, Germany, 19:07.34 World Record.

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