Masters Hall of Famer Phil Raschker of Marietta, Georgia, happened to be in SoCal, so she joined the guests.
Date: 11/24/2008
M80 thrower Arnie Gaynor (right) enjoyed an animated chat with Magdalena Kuhne's husband.
Date: 11/24/2008
Doug and wife E.L. Smith were among the 40 Striders and others present for the annual dinner.
Date: 11/24/2008
Chris Stone (left) sat with fellow San Diego County Striders Debbie and her dad, Jim Selby.
Date: 11/24/2008
Al Escobosa, with wife Betty, is a longtime Striders member and Meet of Champions organizer.
Date: 11/24/2008
Jumper/sprinter Robert Richardson (left) and world-class sprinter Stan Whitley are longtime Striders.
Date: 11/24/2008
Brenda said her mother (left) received a college basketball scholarship 70 years ago -- a rarity in that era. At right is Brenda's daughter Terri Steele.
Date: 11/24/2008
Stan Whitley, a world champion sprinter, introduced Jim Brownfield, retired football and track coach at John Muir High School in Pasadena.
Date: 11/24/2008
Stan passed the mike to Jim, a legendary coach whose athletes included Inger Miller.
Date: 11/24/2008
Jim told how Inger, daughter of Jamaica Olympic medalist Lennox Miller, camr to run track at Muir High.
Date: 11/24/2008
Jim said students pointed out Inger as a potential speedster when she arrived as a sophomore.
Date: 11/24/2008
Inger's lunch was stolen one day by a track team member, Jim recalled, and Inger nearly ran him down in a chase.
Date: 11/24/2008
Jim recalled his delight in learning that Inger was the daughter of a world-class sprinter.
Date: 11/24/2008
Jim and Inger were coach and athlete 20 years ago. She credits him for her great start in the sport.
Date: 11/24/2008
Inger told of how she had never run track before Muir, despite her famous father. Jim had to show her how to use blocks, she said.
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Now 36, Inger is the CEO of Miller Hawkins Productions, an event management company in Altadena.
Date: 11/24/2008
Inger shared memories of the 1996 Olympics and the 1999 world championships, where she won the 200.
Date: 11/24/2008
Asked about recent problems with U.S. women's relays in the Olympics, Inger traced the problem to primadonnas who didn't run as a team and train enough in relay camps.
Date: 11/24/2008
Inger declined to answer the question: "Why did Marion Jones need to use drugs?" But she was clearly angry about Marion.
Date: 11/24/2008
Striders President Brenda Matthews, herself a world-class sprinter, thanked Inger after her talk.
Date: 11/24/2008
Inger was the most recent celebrity guest at Striders. In previous years, members heard Long Beach State coach Ron Allice and former Olympic coach and Masters Hall of Famer Payton Jordan.
Date: 11/24/2008
Rick Muth, an M55 long sprinter, joined others in quizzing Inger on her storied career.
Date: 11/24/2008
Striders Vice President Stan Whitley congratulated W60 jumper/thrower Annelies Steekelenburg on her Outstanding Female Athlete award.
Date: 11/24/2008
Stan recognized new M55 sprinter Damien Leake, an accomplished movie and TV actor who clocked a remarkable 12.61 100 this season.
Date: 11/24/2008
Stan accepted the Dr. Robert Watanabe Award -- the top Striders honor -- on behalf of unable-to-attend Myrle Mensey, a W55 thrower who ranked first nationally in many events this year.
Date: 11/24/2008
Jeanne Bowman and Brenda Matthews flanked guest Phil Raschker, a two-time finalist for the AAU Sullivan Award as a masters athlete.
Date: 11/24/2008
Rodney Johnson, who videotapes many Striders events and put together a slide show for this banquet, photographed Jeanne, Phil and Brenda.
Date: 11/24/2008
Rod and Stan joined the ladies for a group shot near the end of the awards banquet, where members feasted on prime rib, among other dishes.
Date: 11/24/2008
Stan displayed this year's gift to Striders' Pride receipients -- a sophisticated outdoor blanket.
Date: 11/24/2008
The Striders logo graces the blanket, as it has covered foldable chairs and rolling backpacks of previous years.
Date: 11/24/2008
Stan handed out the blankets, which are soft on one side and waterproof on the other for use on grass and other harsh outdoor surfaces.
Date: 11/24/2008