A RaceReady customer, Don Crouse of Texas, is planning on logging many miles during the final 7 months of this year. He is running miles and hoping to raise money to help his friends Gina Madison was in a tragic accident in March, in which she nearly drowned. She is currently in a coma, but is making improvements.
I applaud Don for using our sport of running to help.
Shirley Matson ran her first 5K race in 1977 when she was in her mid-thirties. Now nearly 30 years later she holds the American record in several distances for many of the Master Age Groups. As recently as a year ago, she won the Paul Spangler Memoral 8 K, which is a race for runners over 50years old. Shirley won the race at age 64, running a 34:24 race. She happens to hold the course record when she ran this 8K race in a time of 28:55 in 1991.
Here's some more facts of her astonishing running career!
Personal Records:
Mile: 5:02 at El Sobrante Masters Mile, 1991
1500: 4:48 at World Vets, Eugene OR, 1989
5K: 17:27 at Carlsbad 5K, 1991
10K: 35:32 at San Diego, 1984
Half Marathon: 1:19 at Hayward Half, 1988
Marathon: 2:50 at Mission Bay Marathon, 1984
Other: 59:08 10M at San Juan Batista 10M, 1991
Other:: 28:35 8K at Moving Comfort 8K, 1986
Other: 54:33 15K at River Run 15K, 1991
Awards/Honors: USATF LDR Runner of the Year (age-group)
1984, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003.
RUNNING TIMES Age-Group Runner of Year 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988,
1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003.
RUNNER'S WORLD American Master of the Year, 1996.
USATF Female Cross Country Runner of the Year 2003; Masters Track
Age-Group Athlete of the Year F45 1986; F50 1992; F55 1996;
Outstanding Single Performance by Master Athlete 1992 (10,000m 37:28 for F50).
Gwilym Brown Award (Outstanding Female T&F Athlete) 1992
USATF Masters Hall of Fame, inducted 1998.
Senior Athletes Hall of Fame, inducted 1993.
Dipsea Race Hall of Fame, inducted 2002. (First woman to win Dipsea three times:
1993, 2000, 2001)
USATF PACIFIC ASSOCIATION: LDR Grand Prix Champion, 2000, 2002, 2003 (short course);
Female Age-Graded Performance of the Year, 2002 (Heritage Oaks Bank 10K, 40:20, age 61,
WAVA age graded Score: 94.32%)
USATF National Masters Cross Country Championships,
Top Age-Graded Female Runner 6K ('02), 10K ('02), 6K ('03).
TAMALPA RUNNERS: "Road Racing Runner of the Year, 2000," "Female Runner of the Year, 2001, "
Female Veteran Runner of the Year, 2002." SAN DIEGO TRACK CLUB "Master Runner of the Year 1984."
Natl Honors: Qualified for first women's Olympic Marathon Trials, 1984, age 43, Mission Bay Marathon,
2:50:03, San Diego, January 15, 1984.
As impressive as these statistics are, Shirley is Inspirational in my book not just because of her running accomplishments, but because of her wonderful personality. I've met her on a few occasions and she is always such a pleasant cheerful person. Recently she took the time to offer Gerry & me some unsolicited advise and help regarding our current running injuries. Shirley is a very modest, talented person with a big heart! Long may she run!
We were in Vegas last weekend for the Las Vegas Marathon Expo. I was very happy to chat with a fellow runner and friend of ours, Al Becken, from San Antonio TX when he came by our booth.
I met Al several years ago, I believe it was in 1995 at the RRCA Convention in Knoxville TN. At the time he was still doing marathons at a high frequency. Al did his first marathon at the age of 43. His marathon PR is a 2:39! Wow!
When I talked with Al this weekend, I asked him what "number" the Las Vegas Marathon was going to be. He modestly replied it would be his 284th marathon!!!! So I got out my calculator. Let's see. Al is 77 and he started marathoning at 43. That's 34 straight years of marathons at the tune of 8.36 marathons per year!
Al ran great, finishing in 5 hours and 5 minutes!!! I don't think Al checks e-mail, but if any of his San Antonio pals see this, please let him know he is a great inspiration and RaceReady wishes him plenty more years of running!