Finding a way at San Jose: Gold at masters nationals

Masters Hall of Famer and former U.S. Olympic coach Payton Jordan sets world M80 record of 30.89 in the 200-meter dash at the San Jose masters nationals in 1997.

Photo by Ken Stone

Published August 13, 1997

By Ken Stone

SAN JOSE -- Nobody likes the long sprint hurdles. They hurt like hell.

But here we are, awaiting the starter’s commands for the 400-meter intermediates at the masters nationals.

I’m in lane 2, not the best. Four-time champion Mike Pannell of New Mexico is in lane 1, even worse. Outside me are six other middle-aged athletes, including Stan Vegar, a former assistant track coach at San Diego State.

Only eight brave souls checked in for this race in the 40-44 age group Saturday at the 30th annual USATF National Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

So this is it: the finals.

“Gentlemen, take your marks,” the starter says.


In the late 1960s, gray-haired track athletes were a rarity. Aging Australians and Europeans would still run, jump and throw. But Americans were not part of the veterans athletics movement.

Enter lawyer David Pain of San Diego. Under his pioneering guidance, U.S. masters (over-40 men and over-35 women) finally could exercise their love of the sport.

Beginning in 1968, the first six masters nationals were held in San Diego. The meet returned to San Diego in 1989, and 1,500 athletes competed. That was the last California-hosted nationals until last week’s event here.

Fine time to win my first national championship.


So why run this grueling event at age 43?

It’s part of my self-image -- maybe written in my DNA, the same force that left me 6-feet-3 and 152 pounds more than 20 years after running this race for Kansas. I train only twice a week, doing lots of stretching and laps before donning spikes for repeat dashes at MiraCosta or Palomar College tracks.

More weight training would help, especially for arms and back.

It surely aided many of the 1,000 athletes congregated at this sky-blue track over four days last week at San Jose City College -- professionals and plumbers, parents and retirees.

One muscular specimen was Payton Jordan, an 80-year-old former Olympic coach (Mexico City 1968).

On Saturday, he ran the 100-meter dash in 14.42 seconds, a world record for his age. On Sunday, he demolished the 200-meter standard with a stunning 30.89.

Jordan’s been active in track since youth. But other men and women began competing in their 60s. And forget about upper limits.

Burt DeGroot of San Clemente managed only a bronze medal in his discus group -- beaten by a Santa Barbaran, 86, and an Angeleno, 85. So what.

DeGroot is 90.

Track is for life.


Crack goes the gun. I safely attack the first hurdle. Pannell powers past, but my rhythm is good. I take the next 36-inch hurdle in stride.

Then the wind starts to play havoc. I fear I won’t reach the seventh hurdle with the correct foot. I hesitate and lose momentum.

Off the final turn, I’m ahead of only Andy Hecker of Ventura, my recent nemesis. I feebly hop the 10th and struggle home seventh. Pannell wins in 58.92.

But my time of 65.86 is only 0.3 second off my year’s best despite the wind and choppy steps. I’m very pleased.

The next day is Sunday, when I’d normally rest my protesting bones. But relays are scheduled, and I’m handed two chances for victory.

I run the second legs of the 400- and 1,600-meter relays for an all-California quartet called the Webmaster Track Club (after my masters Web site). My friend Hecker is a teammate on both.

With solid baton exchanges, we rain on Monsoon TC, our lone rival.

Less than an hour later, I run a 57.0 leg as the WTC dusts a 4x400 Arizona squad by seven seconds.

We climb atop the victory stand twice to receive gold medals.

This is heaven.

Mike Pannell of New Mexico trades handshakes on the medal stand after winning the 400-meter hurdles in his age group at the masters nationals for about the fifth year in a row.

Photo by Ken Stone

Winners of the M40 400-meter relay at the 1997 masters nationals: Webmaster Track Club foursome including Ken Stone (second from right) and Andy Hecker (right).

Photo by Chris Stone