Its Baton time Ready or Not !

USA Relay's Group Picture after the medal ceremonies

Final day, Sunday and it is the day that they run all the 4 x100 and 4 x 400 relays.  In 5 year increments men and women all the way from 35 to 90  finals of all.  I had been talking to Betty since she found out the news she had been picked and I do believe she finally figured out that it was a compliment and that it 'might' be fun.  I knew it would, but she just had to go thru one to see for herself.  We got to the track about an hour before checkin so she could find her teammates, Susan Hill saw Betty first and came running up saying they were looking all over for Betty that they couldn't contact her by phone to assure she knew about the relay.  That surprised us both since we had put the cellphone number on the relay declaration.  We were told we had to go back on the practice field and tell the team mgr back there that in fact we were here and ready to go.  When we arrived at the check in desk , everyone back there knew about Betty, even Ernie the trainer , apparently the entire USA team had been looking for her, including as we found out later, the team photographer, the team mgr. and many people who we didn't even know.  Betty's humorous remark to them was "I am lost and now I'm found".  The other members of the team soon congregated around her and the explanations were given why they couldn't locate her--didn't matter all was good .  Betty was soon in her- I have never run a relay, what is a baton, let me run the first leg so I dont have any pressure, I need a porta-potti at the start and the finish, dont make me run against Willie Gault... etc. mode.  The relay leader Mary Rosada who has been doing this for years was having none of it--she had seen this before and being a New York lawyer she could definitely handle this little gabby silver haired problem....Betty was the second fastest runner there, they didnt really want betty grabbing AND handing off the baton due to her lack of relay situations--the anchor only has to grab the stick and run, and the fastest lady, Sharlet Gilbert was injured and was really only running for team unity. Seems Sharlet likes to run. We had never heard of her , her name was not listed on any of the past USATF lists for the past several years. But, it turns out she was pretty good some ten years ago and had just come back. She was actually good enough to run in the first women's marathon Olympic qualifier in Spokane Wa. in 1984 and finished in 128th place.  She knew Carol McLatchie, Betty's coaches wife who also ran in that first trials and finished 12th.  When she found out that Betty was being trained by Jim her comments reflected that Betty was in really good hands. This year at Worlds for Sharlet's comeback she did everything but pick up the litter---she finished 4th in the Marathon, 2nd in the 400m, 6th in the 1500m, 10th in the 800m, 10th in the 200m, and an eventual bronze in the 4 x 400m relay.  Now THAT is an athlete !!! Her 400m time was 1:11:42 made her the second fastest time in the world this year. I have never met an athlete who could have  top 10 finishes in both the sprints, middle distances and a marathon !!The other members of the team included Mary Rosada who finished a very respectful 5th in the 2k steeplechase, and Susan Hill who like Betty was near the back of the sprints,

Anchor Leg

would eventually finish the day with two medals a silver in the 4 x 100  (ran just prior to the 4 x 400), and the bronze in the soon to be run 4 x 400.  A great group of ladies who were soon to be bonded with a fun time to remember.  I seemed to be the only husband hanging around the four of them back at the USA tent, all problems thus far had been rectified, Betty had been found, they had their relay team..It was time for the little bird to fly with her buddies, I said adios and wished them all good luck. As I was leaving I heard Mary tell Betty she was anchoring, and I scurried away with even more poste haste--didnt want to be around for that conversation. I did look back to see what Bettys face looked like and the tan had gone out of it big time..so much for no pressure.  I was to learn after the fact that Ernie the trainer gave Betty a full leg and lower back ( our motel bed had finally shown its true colors) massage and it was to help..The night before Betty had taken her first ever ice bath at the Marriott, and confided in me that she had to sing amazing grace for 12 minutes to get thru the shock..Now that is quite a picture.  But it did help immensely and she continues to do them after every track workout and says her legs feel way better for doing it.  I left the ladies to do their handoff drills, on the now seriously crowded practice track--lots of handoff practice going on out there. I went out to the track just in time to see Willie Gault take the final handoff for the 50-54 4 x 100, USA team and just streak down the track loping to a gold medal--What a incredibly fluid athlete ! And he is a vegetarian-a very lean and  toned man. I also watched and got pictures of our friends Liz Palmer handing off to Amanda Scotti on the first leg of the 50-54 4 x100 USA team who also medaled gold.  Even got a picture of amanda doing her best cheerleader jump when joy upshaw crossed the finish line in first.  Finally the moment, 2 pm the heat of the day, they march the 6 teams out in fours, the leadoff runners for each team , the second leg runners and so forth, and back them up against the spectator railing while the preceding relay was into their 3rd leg.

Sharlet,(Ca.) Susan (Utah), Mary (N.Y., Betty(Or.)
USA 4 x 400M Bronze Medalists

Betty said it was scary, there were probably 1500+ spectators, and several yelled at Betty as she was walking along--pretty heady stuff.  The teams that were favored to win were the Australians who could muster 4 women who were in the 1:14 area of 400m times---the New Zealanders who were in the 1:18 area, and then the USA should be bronze.  Should!--you gotta run it.  The gun went off and we were underway, the Australians were head and shoulders faster than any team, Sharlet who had finished the individual 400m in 1:11 limped to a 1:21, but she got the baton around, Susan had a time 6 seconds faster than her individual 400m and Mary who is a distance runner equalled susans time.  Betty got the baton way behind the Aussies and New Zealanders, and ahead of the German team.  She looked good, sprinted the corner, glided the backstretch and then something unusual happened, she started sprinting the far curve--i had to do a double take to make sure it was Betty running that curve--she had never sprinted the curve and if she ever tried she died on the homestretch.  She hit the homestretch, and continued to use her unusually long stride ( for her short stature it is a long stride) and pulling mightily with her arms saw a runner ahead of her and she was gaining.  Now she got to experience what the Oregon runners get at Hayward Field--the crowd pulling them in to beat another team prior to the finish..Betty later said she couldnt believe she was catching another runner, she had never caught someone, let alone pass them.  But catch and pass in the last 10m she did, the best 400m she had ever run, have no clue what the split was, ( had to be faster than her individual 400m) but it didnt matter she actually ran the technique of the race properly for the first time, and it paid off..Bronze Medal...the girls all hugged and there were photographers out there taking their pics and it was all a very unique and I am sure to Betty surreal moment...Betty said she had someone yell for her on the first curve, the backstretch and on the homestretch--she had made numerous friends in the week here and just like the Olympics everyone cheers for their countrymen.

  --and it was quite a cheer on her homestretch the home crowd bringing her home..did she enjoy it?  Apparently so, it was like she hadn't even run the race, no fatigue, no bending over, just elation--ah adrenaline!  She came over to me and said she loved it--wanted to run another one right then.  In hindsight we were both disappointed she hadn't run the 100m earlier in the meet because she may well have been picked for that relay as well. But that would have made 10 days away from home. The teams from the other countries were very gracious and everyone congratulated each other.. We went to the awards area to find out when they would be put on the podium and presented their medals, only to find out that more relay teams had entered than expected and there would be no medals at this time, but they would be mailed ..they filled out the proper forms for the medals.  The presentation would be two hours later, so we went back to the motel with the understanding to all meet back 15 min before the ceremony time.  Rested a bit, had a bit of wine to relax, and headed back ,Betty still in uniform.  The new Zealand women were already on the way home as were two of the Aussies, so the USA team was the only full team on the award stand--they were given their certificates with name and place..The meet was over 7 days of unbelievable stress, highs and lows, and finally a success..Betty had run against world class and knew that to be competitive she really has to step it up.  lesson learned..Her last race was exactly what she needed for her confidence .I loved every minute of it, a once in a lifetime happening for both of us . From seeing her first ever track meet 3 years ago ( the olympic Trials) Coach Dave Turnbull allowing her to workout with his Summit High state champion team that winter indoors running thru the halls of the school to Worlds in 3 years is quite a stretch both physically and emotionally. .Now we are an unusual couple who can both say one of us ran at a World championships and one of us swam at a World Championships...both very proud...thanks for staying with us on our journey..next time i will do it in real time..the beauty of this , is that it replaces the old paper diary...color pictures and all...we will use it on all our big trips from henceforth..in 2 years Brazil, 4 years Lyon France. God willing with good health for us both, it is a plan and a dream ..what a great way to see the world and experience fit and fun people and cultures we cant even imagine......don and betty

The Big Test 400m

Sacramentos' Steve Hardison

a badly needed massage on legs
    

 Friday, a big test to see if Betty can run the 400m after the 200m that she was so heavy in.  We wake up refreshed , seems we slept well, betty looks remarkably well, and in high spirits ( a pun that would come back to life later), obviously did not run any races in her sleep like she did prior to the 200m.  We have all day to do something with since her race check in time is 5:10 pm and the heat she is in starts at 6:00pm
.

The OH NO !! moment

 We kicked around the motel until about 11 and then walked over to a nearby brand new mall with a subway sandwich shop in it. after eating came back to the motel and got our swimsuits on, went downstairs and got in the really really deep hot tub and enjoyed the heat for 15 min or

so. Betty asked if she could get a massage--that would mean a drive back to Sac State to the' Well'.  Guess she thought it was a necessitie , since she asked twice--I drove her back to the track and was going to go out to


 the USA trainers but decided to take the closest group and have them work her over.  20 bucks for 15 min. money well spent..back to the  motel.  Our prerace dinner was some turkey rollups, vegies, and a protein bar.

400m Backstretch-Betty in center

Coach McLatchie

Betty was just the picture of exuberance, absolutely no pain whatsoever..very strange.  We drove back to the track where on check in we ran into Bettys coach from Bend , Jim McLatchie, both he and his wife Carol had been down here officiating for most of the 10 days the meet was on.  Proceeding to the practice field Betty ran into Steve Hardison also a 60-64 participant who is on the same team as Amanda Scotti and Liz Palmer, an outstanding pole vaulter and 400m runner.  He was to run later in the evening coming in second in his heat advancing to the finals but pulled his hammy and had to withdraw--great guy and always encouraging.  Finally the race, left Betty at the clerks tent with a good luck kiss and told her to just have fun this race and not  to stress---I am sure that was not heard.  The  ladies she was running against were world class , several who had run in the 70 sec range, Betty was at best an 80 second + 400m runner thus far this year... we both sorta knew she would get beat, but we hoped that with the good nights sleep she would be faster than she had been thus far. The heats were marched past the stands out to the start of the 400m, just like the Olympics--all very well choreographed and sure to cause jitters in newbies--Betty ! Race on, even thru the backstretch, most had not made up the stagger, then the 300m mark came and the wall was hit ...again.  She kept running albeit in somewhat slow motion, and finished last in the heat, and only tenths faster than her last 400m at the Mt Hood meet.  bummer...when I finally got over to the finish tent, she was disappointed but relieved that it was over. If there was any doubt in either of our minds what the difference between national class and world class that was dispelled completely.  We had seen what world class was and she had a lot of work to do in order to compete against them.  the important part of this race was that she wasn't as nervous and with training she said she thought she could compete--again back to the 7 days above 55 that she had been able to get outside and train this year ...Many of these women live in far warmer climes..and it shows.  Meet over, or so we thought...We went out to Red Lobster and celebrated a good effort for only having 7 track meets up to Worlds.  While we were at the restaurant Betty sheepishly confided to me that last night when she got up to go the bathroom she also grabbed her thyroid pill and took it..When she got up in the morning she was feeling no aches or pains and that is when she realized she had accidentally taken an oxycodone---same size bottle, same size pill , it was dark and she had accidentally set them side by side We keep those babies only for serious pain, when she had to have her steroid shots in her back last year she took them for about two weeks and then spent 2 weeks in withdrawal without sleep , neither of us like them, but will occasionally use one for a real bad hurt. also they are prohibited on the USADA drug tables, and if they test you , you will be DQ'd and serious problems no doubt let alone the embarrassment.  Thus explaining her great morning good nature, and happy go lucky attitude...if I had known I probably would not have let her run.. they obviously didn't help anyhow...live and learn.. we will find a way to not have those in our area from henceforth. Just before we decided to leave for the motel, I thought we had just better check to see who made the 4 x 400 relay team just in case she would be an alternate..USATF Masters instituted a new rule this year that if you are chosen to be on a relay either as one of the 4 runners or two alternates you must show up at the track and report in , Failure to do so you will be DQ'd from running any relays for the USA for a period of 2 consecutive World Championships---a good rule, and I had read it..so off we went to the Well one more time.  Finding the USA post board, I found the 60-64 relay selections and to my amazement betty had been picked to be one of the runners not an alternate. I didnt say anything, however I gave her my readers and told her to look...Talk about amazement  a huge "OH NO"! scaring the older gent next to her so much he asked her what was the problem.  She explained that she had been picked to run the 4 x 400 relay and that she had never run a relay, didnt know what a baton was, never been to a track meet, never been on a team, never this never that...finally he heard enough and simply said "you should be proud, this is really a compliment to be picked, lighten up and enjoy it"  Well said sir ! I reiterated that to her the entire way back to the motel...the lightness that she had after running the 400m in which she thought that to be her last race was now supplanted by utter terror of having to be depended on by three other women--a team of all things--Betty had never been on a team of anything and this was beyond comprehension--only a total out of body experience--she wasnt even there...I immediately thought of those oxycodones and if I should spike her water tonight ..at the least she would drop into a great sleep...bad idea but it did enter my mind.  I did tell her that in swimming I love the relays that there really is no pressure on anyone, it is just fun...she wasnt buying it, but she would....tomorrow the 4 x 400m relay Team USA and something totally unexpected...                                                                              

Thursday, Napa Sonoma & vino !!

     The athlete party and Railroad museum in the rear view mirror we woke up refreshed, stressless and google our map to the wine country.  On the road at 9:00 and arrive in Napa about an hour later...Napa is not what I had expected, high end but not real folksy or touristy. I am to learn later that I wasn't exactly in the picturesque part of Napa..We didn't spend a lot of time there , and drove onto Sonoma.  Now this is more like our kinda town, a downtown square reminiscent of an old town atmosphere---remember the square in Back to the Future--bingo!  Lots of really neat little shops -even a few thrifts- an incredibly good smelling bakery, and just plain fun to walk around ..We spent a bit more than an hour and asked some of the shops where to go to view a winery..We settled on Ledson which was about 12 miles out of town..off we drove , going thru some beautiful vineyards and numerous other wineries which we may or may not have time to come back to.  Ledson was picked because we asked one of the downtown Sonoma merchants where a

Ledson winery

Kunde Winery Cave

downtown sonoma
true old fashioned mansion was like the french wineries .  Ledson is all of that, as the grounds are beautiful approaching with the vineyards and a fountain in your line of sight as you go up the road.  We walked into the huge oak front doors and proceeded to the rear of the house to the tasting rooms and large bars.  The wine tasting at this winery are free---different than several others we were to visit..In the old days they were all free, but now many of them charge ten bucks for three tastings...not my idea of a good sales pitch.  We bought some zinfandel from them after the barista tricked me. I had told him I really only preferred Merlot that I didnt think I liked zinfandel, so he told me that he gave me merlot but several minutes later after I had finished, he asked me how I liked it and I said very much he then admitted it was not merlot but their zinfandel...so much for me knowing my wine..i mean how good can you be when you specialize in two-buck-chuck? We then went to another winery close by that wanted to charge us, not happening !  We then made it to Kunde winery which also charged but had a free tour of their mountain caves where they store their wine barrels for several years while they age.  All in all a fun tour we did enjoy one glass of their merlot while we waited for the tour to begin and it was a far better bargain than most restaurants offer, a full glass for 5 bucks.  We headed back to town and arriving at the motel, slightly tired , devoured  our lean cuisines...fine food at a fine establishment.  We turned in at our usual senior citizen time..with the dreaded
400m for Betty tomorrow in the early evening..Whoesme !

Athlete Party...2000 strong

Betty in her 'uncles' mailcar

Liz, Jackson, Amanda, Matt, betty

The Giant of the locomotive age..WOW!

After our tour of downtown Sacramento and the incredible disappointment of not obtaining an audience with his majesty Gov. Moonbeam we ventured back to grab a hot tub and nap prior to this evenings Athlete Party at the Sacramento Railroad museum..If you go to Sacramento this is one of the 'have to do things'. The WMA rented out the entire museum and the grounds around it .  We drove right to the parking garage arriving fashionably on time only to find a line of probably 500 masters already in line--those who had been to these things knew something we were about to learn..After showing our tickets we wound our way thru the museum back outside to where the food would be served..By the time
 we got back there the tables out of the sun under the big tent that we had seen being erected on our afternoon tour had been completely taken by the early birds as had all the chairs, smart old birds. There were some higher tables to stand at however..On the way in we were presented with a wine glass and a  unique plastic tray that fit together-very clever.  The large tent was surrounded by 20 or so caterers, half with food the other half with wine and beer from the napa sonoma area which is quite close and where we were to visit the following day.  There was a live band and a portable dance floor set up as well, but most people were engaged in conversation , meeting new friends and trying to understand dialects and languages, gesturing with hand signals to communicate, all with smiles. We immediately ran into Amanda Scotti, and Liz Palmer both national class runners from the Sacramento area and both writers for the National Masters news.  Amanda had done an article on Betty earlier in the year in her AA spotlight. We had become close friends with both as they had participated at the Hayward Classic this year with Betty as well.  Liz would garner a silver medal in the 100 hurdles 50-54, and Amanda and Liz would team up on the first handoff in the 4 x 100 USA team that would Gold medal--both athletes extraordinaire! While I was hunting and gathering wine and food for Betty and I , amanda brought several other of her friends to meet Betty..Jackson and Matt of incredisocks--the running sock that somehow--no one is sure how- makes your feet feel better and not get fatigued, they are made out of bamboo.  Jackson started the company and matt is his main salesman, they like to party !! Betty has been using these socks for over a year now and loves them. It was great to meet these entrepreneurs and track and field promotors.  I had forgotten the camera prior to this meeting and had to walk back thru the museum to the car and grab it, on the way back thru 6 young master ladies entered about the same time i did, dressed to the 9's..only problem like so many of the women they had high heels--well the food court was on compact dirt and it just wasn't going to work real well...If betty and I had our brains engaged when we visited earlier in the day we would have known to have her wear some soft soled low heeled shoes--but we were in our tourist zone and didnt even think about it..The food was great, pulled pork sandwiches, oysters on the half shell, pasta salad, vegan food, petite chocolates and on and on , as much as you wanted.  the wines were excellent as well, and they were pretty benevolent with their portions in your glass..later in the evening we had a lady come up to us and just started talking--Lily Whalen Canada long distance racewalker 55-59--seems lily doesnt like to brag but thanks to google we know all about her now..from the Ontario Racewalkers ..she was the Canadian national champion twice and in the last two Masters Worlds she has hit the trifecta Gold, silver , bronze., also a national judge of the sport..Lily seemed to be just what Betty needed, she was so encouraging--after bettys quicksand run in the 200m we were at a slightly low point wondering without saying it what we were both doing here...Lily just went on and on about how everyone experiences the same problems when the stress is so high ( amanda and liz both said the same thing to Betty, they had experienced it also in prior years)..we left lily with a new found friend ( her email as well) and a new found appreciation of racewalking.  The time was getting late so we found our way into the museum to do the self guided tour.  We visited the sleeper car, where the docent and I exchanged tidbits on our travels as young kids on the Empire Builder from the West Coast to Chicago-turned out that I had to have been on that sleeper we were walking thru as a 5 year old traveling to Iowa with my mother, the dining car as well--how cool to be stepping back onto history that I had been in over 60 years ago--many memories flooded back.  We also visited a mail car where Betty found tags above the mail bags with West Glacier , East Glacier and parts of Montana --Betty knew her uncle had worked on the Great Northern on a mail car--the docent said this was the only one they ever had..so she was standing right where her uncle had many years ago...goosbump moment !  We also got up and close with the giant of giants one of the huge old boiler trains that are so heavy now they cant even be put on the tracks, the wheels are 6' in height and one can only imagine what a thrill it would be to see that baby speed by on the rails.  they make todays diesel locomotives look downright small. We were getting past our nite nite time ( 10pm --yeah we're old-live with it )  and decided to leave, things were winding down.  When we got outside we noticed that others had their wine glass with them...i had never thought to look at the glasses, but then I realized they must be monogrammed and we were supposed to take them--duh!  The track people do it right, when I swam at The Worlds in Palo several years ago we had to buy our wind glasses. Told Betty to wait, i think I could find a few used ones that people who were party rookies like us left laying around--then I remembered , the table that they had used to store them when we entered was still there as i left..I made a beeline to that table and in the dark there was a large box, I reached in and lo and behold, new clean never used glasses---grabbed four and left the scene of the crime.  When I got outside and in the car as I was pulling out of the garage I noticed some people who had also taken the really cool plates that the wine glasses fit in...dumb don...to tired to go back and get the rest of the bounty we called it a night--our first athlete party , a wonderful fun filled, friend filled night.

California Tourists day 1

Ca. Senate in Full work mode

Rob Andrews Great B. 1500m and his sister

The Junge's or maybe its the Hoppe's ?

     Wed. found another beautiful sunny day in sacramento, unusually cool-85 or thereabouts. We had decided to visit the downtown area and tour the Capital Building, I really expected a meeting with Governor Moonbeam ( Jerry Brown) since I was with a dignitary ( Betty), apparently his aides forgot to tell him.  After an easy drive into the city, found a parking garage close to the Capital and ventured

over where we were met at the door by security and metal detectors..a modern day scourge.  The capital grounds are well manicured and the interior is immaculate.  We took the tour with a guide visiting both chambers of government, even being allowed down on the floor of the Senate..The story of how they saved the old building and totally rebuilt it was fascinating.  We met several athletes on our tour who Betty recognized.  Rob Andrews 45-49 Great  Britain and his sister was very interested in Betty's PRP ( protein rich platelets) procedure as he has a achilles problem that had been bothering him for some time.  Rob finished 5th in the 1500 in the finals. A very energetic German couple, Ingrid Junge, 76 finished 5th in the shot put, and her husband -different name--but she insisted he was her husband ( and he acted like one, he was wandering around the halls of the Capital and she had to go find him so she could show us she had actually existed--took about 5 min.) Felix Hoppe 80, ran a 16:53 100m and got a bronze medal --the winner of that age group ran a 15:00 flat....NO WAY...went and checked the Masters Worlds Rankings and there are faster--try 14:77.  Ingrid spoke enough English that we got all that, but Mr. Junge or Mr Hoppe being the very friendly fellow he is, shook my hand and just let his wife talk--now there is a intelligent man ! We finished our tour with a walk around the outside of the capital,.  We really felt we were with the "in" crowd when we came across a parade of red clad, bullhorn yelling, flag totting protesters marching on the capital with full accompaniment of press photographers and interviewers.  We stopped to let them pass and I asked the bicycle policeman that was riding next to them what they were protesting ( it was in spanish so I had no clue) .  He said it was the farm workers union protesting for better working conditions. Now I asked myself wasn't that what Cesar Chavez did with national publicity umpteen years ago and it was supposedly solved? Apparently not--another example I suspect portrayed by the picture of the senate above and what it is capable of.  I mean after all a state that charges you different if you eat in or take out just has to be the most dysfunctional state in the land doesn't it? Then again Oregon still insists I haven't grown up enough to pump my own gas--enough political ranting.. After they passed we ventured down into the park blocks across the street and had a 'blimpie' sandwich..not nearly up to the subway quality we had been eating but it sufficed.  Observed the light rail that transverses thru downtown--nice bright rail cars, very quiet, decided we had seen enough went back to the parking garage--getting real good with those pay at the entrance self pay devices...they take both the receipt you get when you enter and then they grab your credit card, and you sorta hold your breath hoping the little metal monster gives them both back to you--so far so good.  We drove toward old town since we had 6 hours before the athlete party, found where to park down there and did a fast tour of all the tourist trap like places, walking by the railroad museum where the party was to be held later that night -observed them setting a large tent up in a flat packed dirt area and numerous small tents on the surround of the big tent...didnt think much about it since it was on the outside of the museum--this oversight would come back to haunt betty and all the ladies

200M--First race at Worlds OH MY!

Christa Bortignon B.C. dynamo

          Tuesday july 12th.  woke at 6 , scurrying around the motel getting everything in order to get to the track by 7:30 Check in at 8:10 and race at  9:00...Oatmeal -check, Protein drink-check...Quick breakfast , shower, makeup for betty, and I am a nervous wreck...Betty didnt sleep last night, ran her race about 50 times before falling into a semi-slumber...Oh Boy the handwriting is on the wall...We arrive at Sac State in perfect time, check in -Betty runs into another friend-Christa from Canada, a 74 year old dynamo from British Columbia who is Canada's national record holder in the sprints and triple jump and who humbled her in the 200m at Hayward earlier this year...She would eventually rake in the medals at this Worlds.  How i wonder does a 74 year old woman do the triple jump without fracturing every bone in her body? And she claims it is her favorite event. Exchanging pleasantries Christa tells Betty to not stress--in one ear out the other..After the first of probably 5 pottie breaks, ( we dont seem to be able to pass a toilet without betty wanting to visit it--sort of a pavlov dog type conditioning?-very bizarre) we make it out to the practice field and betty starts to do her thing with several hundred others who she is observing probably wondering if she looks like they do--athletes....Finally after spraying her foot 3 times with ethyl glycol ( numbing agent for her arthritic big toe ) and another pottie break we are at the clerks circle, with several others who are running in the 3 heats .  I leave her with a good luck and have fun, neither of which registers I dont think...After hanging back for a few minutes I notice she is finally moving in and getting to know several  of the ladies and I am thinking...that will put her at ease when she finally realizes they arent superwomen...or maybe they are? I hang around the clerks circle to take pics -none of which came out because the second camera I brought decided not to work for unknown reasons. Close to the start of the parade of athletes out to the start line, I notice Betty has gone MIA..I rush over to the tent, only to see her exit the pottie just as they are marching out--this would later be discussed as time management and self responsibility being so important so as not to rush oneself--not real sure that advice was appreciated. As a matter of fact I know for a fact it wasn't appreciated--really dirty look.  I get near the fence leading to the start of the 200m when 10 minutes prior to the race, the three heats of ladies are marched out in order of their lanes, my video cam capturing all of the action--Betty waves, AH a good sign, not stressed maybe.  I rush to the finish line stands to capture the entire race from about 10 rows up. With the start of the first heat there is a group of  4 ladies in Betty's heat who use the gun to start down the backstretch --betty is not among them, I had never suggested to use the starter on the heat prior to get your timing down.  Now they are taking their practice start.  After the one they are allotted, I see Betty getting into the set position, camera rolling and she explodes out of the blocks--best start I have ever seen her have, and then......she stops..Oh No..a false start, but wait, none of the other ladies are in the blocks?  I am to later learn that she decided she needed another practice start, and after she did the starter came over and asked if she was ready, realizing that she had held everyone else up since they were standing behind the blocks ( unlike her) and she was psyched out completely...game over--finally they all get in the blocks the gun sounds and betty is passed by lane 2 within 10m..worst start ever..stood straight up..and 4 of the 6 are ahead of her stagger within 30m..starts to make up some time when she hits full stride and coming down the homestretch team minnow is not exactly breaking records....She makes up a bit and form is great, but not running fast.  Times on the board 38 something..slowest time she has ever done, practices have been in the 35s, and those times in her big fat shoes...stress is not your friend.  Dave Turnbull  Summit Highs track coach always says a relaxed muscle is a fast muscle---later in the week Betty would understand this little ditty in its entirety.  We meet after the race in the finish tent, and she is just glad to get it over with, said her feet were in quicksand. i encourage her saying it is the big stage and her stage freight and failure to perform is perfectly normal, that it will only get better with experience..  We would hang around the stadium for a bit watching the following younger age groups run the 200m until the last one -35 year olds finish- was fortunate to see Willie Gault the former NFL , tennessee and olympic track great run a incredible 200m relaxed and backing off with a 20m lead to qualify for finals,.finally after what seems like 8 hours we head back to the motel where both take naps..that evening we were invited out to dinner at a very fine Sacramento restaurant with our friends Fran and Nancy Borcalli and their grandson Dakota .  Dakota and I hit it off right away especially since he had just visited the U of Oregon in anticipation of enrolling there after his senior year in high school--he was even more enthused when I mentioned that 'Animal House' the movie had been shot on location there--turns out it is his favorite movie and he was sold for sure...not certain if that is really a good barometer to choose a school of higher learning but it beats the way I did it....since we had no track the following day we could stay out a bit later, and we were given the tour of downtown Sacramento , where the capital building was, and where fran and nancy made their home when they aren't in Bend...a delightful evening and we turned in, full and tired...betty only had to run the 400m on friday evening and all the stress would be relieved..NOT!

California here we come !

Minnow at 'The Well"  checking in

DAY 1;   WOW;  back from Sacramento and the Masters World Championships.  Spent 7 days of delightful track and field experiences following my awesome wife thru her first time stressful valleys and peaks...And what a trip it was...When we arrived on sunday 10th, after an all day drive from Redmond Or-9 hours-checked into the Residence Inn Rancho Cordova and hit Olive Garden then crashed.

Becky Sisley from Eugene

  Up and going on monday we drove 7 min. to Sacramento State and the track stadium , where we were met with a whole lot of fit people in the gate going in thru the sales tent..opening out to bright sunshine and lo and behold track races in progress.  Asking questions as we walked eventually found our way to "The WEll" , registration check in.. Painless, and after a few minutes and questions we had Bettys bib number and several really cool bags that would serve as spike and garb bags with the WMA log on them. we also received our athlete party tickets , something I had missed when I went to the Worlds Swim Championships at Stanford and vowed I would never do that again after hearing of all the great times...  We then searched out the stadium stopping at the clerks tent and finding out how to check in when to check in etc. followed by a trip to the practice field behind the Well building...Thats when it hit "the minnow" all the different languages, Russian, French, Spanish, German , and numerous others we had no idea of---we weren't in Oregon anymore Toto !!  Watching some of these people warm up you could swear that you were at a World Championships of some sort--well I guess we were....from age 35-100 and most were not of different shapes, they were almost all in incredibly svelte shape..One of the requirements of running is that on the back of your jersey you have a bib # also..in Bettys case it said F60 ( Female 60 years of age) comes in handy when you wonder how old someone is, just walk around to their backside and look at their number...especially with the language barrier it came in handy..and there were alot of 'age' surprises...many people who look younger are actually far older than one would expect...speaks well for the sport.  We spent about 2 hours wandering around to the different tents, particularly scoping out where all the porta potties and porta trailers were located in case of stress emergencies which seem to happen with frequency with all masters athletes.. and ran into Becky Sisley who is from the Oregon Track Club as is Betty--Becky and I know each other from the fastpitch softball days in Eugene and she has helped Betty in several of her earlier meets, and always friendly. Becky was also the womens Athletic Director at Oregon  as well as the Softball Coach for the Duck women for several years- not to mention the world champion in hepthalon for her age group...She was excited to see us, but not nearly as excited as Betty to see her as it help to know there was at least one person we knew in this throng of athletes.  After Betty had gotten thoroughly excited, nervous and beyond apprehensive we figured we would leave and take it easy the rest of the day since her first race was the following day at 9 in the morning, figuring she could rest and be ready....after all there were 4900 athletes from 93 countries and she felt they were all going to be running against her--it would get worse...