Tennessee State Finals

 Eleanor is why the Senior Olympics exist--hope for everyone to achieve their best.   She participated in the 800 and 1500 meters events at this last weekend's Tennessee Senior Olympics State Finals. She spent 20 years in a wheel chair and finally had both knees replaced with artificial joints two years ago.  During her recovery, her trainer-- that she hired , encouraged her to get into the Senior Olympics.  Here she is, going round the track in stifling heat, loving it.  I heard her yell out " these zippers in my knees are coming loose" and knew she had knee replacements.  I told my wife about her and they had a good cry together.  Compete?  Why not, Evelyn is living proof.   

In the middle is George Speros and on the right is Charlie Baker.  I am not sure about the gentlemen on the left.  George does most of the track events and gives maximum effort the entire event.  He is the classic bulldog that is not gonna let go.  I just love watching and yelling for him.  When you talk with him, he is never "feeling" that good, but wins a lot.   Charlie holds a bunch of state finals records in track and is just a class act and he wins a lot as well.  He has also collected a lot of medals at the National meet.  These two have been at it forever and I actually saw them trading phone numbers, I hope they  can continue forever.  These two are my all time  favorite male athletes at the Finals and really demonstrate the true essence of the games--compete at your best, root for everyone to do their best, win or lose-- no regrets.  They are real treasures of the sport.

 



Ok, now for this guy.  It was hot, I like it hot, but it was hot!!  I ran the 400 meters Saturday morning and got smoked by Jerry Crowe from Kingston.  It is the first time he had made it the State Finals and he was in great shape and smoked me by 4 seconds.  I ran in the mid 64's.  We chatted some on Sunday, he had done his research and knew who could put up some fast times and he was prepped.    I skipped the 100 meters Saturday night, I am snake bit for this race and won't race it at the Nationals any ways.  Linda and I went to a party and I had some cake--yum.  Cake is always a big deal for me.  Of course,  pie is too.

On Sunday, the 50 meters was first out of the gate in the morning.   I won it by an eyelash.    Mr .  Bean and I have been locked in a dead heats for years in the 50 and 100 meters.  It was my turn this trip.  I ran a 7.46 second time on a great start out of the blocks.   I still hold the state record in this age group in the 50.  I defended  it one more season.  It won't be long before it is lowered, but I have held it for 3 years running (since we started running it) and I am pretty proud of that.  The 50 meter race in the young men group was also a great race as well- 4 guys within a step. 

 

The best race of the day, for excitement,  was my heat of the 200 meters.   PJ and Jerry Crowe were in the heat.  PJ beats me on a regular basis and Jerry just smoked me in the 400 the previous day.  It was going take some real effort to win this race.  Jerry was in lane 7 and PJ was in 5 and I was in 3.  Great draw for me, I could see everyone as we ran through he stagger.  At 60 meters, I was in third by a long ways and made my move and stood on the gas at the 80 meter mark.  This is one of the races where you got to get on it early and keep on it the rest of the way, that is what I did.     PJ had a problem at the end of the curve and pulled up, I hope he is OK with nothing serious.  PJ had his entire family cheering for him at this meet and  he was forced to pull up.   That bites.  Jerry had a sizable lead at the end of the turn and at the 150 mark, I don't know how, he started to come back to me and I ran him down and outleaned him for the win.  By an eyelash again!   Linda videoed the race and I made up 5 meters in the last twenty for the win!!  Wow, that was exciting!! When I finished, it was unclear to me who won, I really put on a major lean job and was worried about not wrecking as I finished.  I know it was pretty intense, because my entire body was really alive with adrenaline and I was really pumped up at that point-- maximum effort buzz I guess.  I don't think Linda's feet were touching the ground, she was really excited as well.  I got a lot of congrats from the other competitors on this finish--they got their money's worth on that one. I ran a 27.52 , which the fastest time in the last two years for me.  But it was just a great race.  It feels good to win one like that. 

 

I chatted with Jerry after we caught our breath, which could have been 10 minutes later, who knows.  He said he did not see me coming, which is probably why I ran him down.   Hopefully,  Jerry makes it back, he is very fast and a great competitor.    I would love to have another race like that--it was exciting. 

 

All my finishes will qualify me for these three events in Minneapolis next July for the Nationals Finals.  I will train like I am going and hopefully I can make it Up North. I will be the old guy in my class, but I like to race, and you never know what can happen.  It is a fun meet.    More later, but I hate to bore my faithful followers.