2011 World Masters Athletics: 800/1500 Meter Gold!

The World Masters Athletics Championships were held the past couple of weeks in Sacramento. I headed out to sunny California to support one of the Smart Sport athletes that I coach – Canadian team member Rita Quibell. Two events – the F55 800m and 1500m - would be the culmination of a lot of hard work and training on her part.

The World Masters Athletics championships are held annually, with indoor championships alternating with outdoor championships. This event attracts the world’s best athletes age 35 years and older. Athletes compete in 5 year age groups – for example, F55 is women age 55 to 59. Age groups this year extended up to age 100! I can say without hesitation that there is something absolutely surreal and exhilarating watching a 90 year-old athlete run for his country. It speaks to the power of human will and the wonder of human physiology.

Rita and I have been working together for 3 years. It was evident from the outset that there was one primary goal: a gold medal at the World Championships in 2012. Better yet, how about doubling in the 800m and 1500m?

Rita’s preparation for Sacramento was a long journey. The final few weeks of training were certainly a good sign of what was ahead. At the Ontario Masters Championships she won the 800m and 1500m, and in the process broke a 23 year-old meet record in the 800m. She won the 800m and 1500m at the Canadian Masters Championships. On her way to the win in the 1500m, her 5:17.97 broke a 22 year-old meet record. It was time to head to Sacramento and race.

There would be a semifinal and final in the 800m and a semifinal and final in the 1500. Fortunately, all of these events were separated by a day between each of them. The schedule would make an 800/1500 double tough but certainly possible. The weather cooperated as well. The temperatures, expected to be in the 90s, never went above 85 degrees on her competition days.

On Saturday evening, Rita ran a smart 800m semifinal. She paced herself well, let the race unfold, and finished a comfortable second in her heat. Top 2 times in each heat (plus the next 8 fastest times) would advance. She was easily into the final, and was able to do so without expending too much extra effort.

Her 800m final on Monday night was definitely exciting. Rita possesses a strong 400m effort and high top end speed, so if anyone was going to take this race, they were going to have to do so from the outset. Kathryn Martin, one of the most celebrated women in Masters running, took the race out at a fast pace. Rita stayed with her, along with Maria Fernandez Penafiel from Mexico. With 300m to go, Rita surged ahead. Martin attempted to stay with her, as did Penafiel. But Rita held on for the win – a 2:37.00. Next stop: the 1500m.

Wednesday morning’s 1500m semifinal was rather anti-climactic. Why? Because it didn’t happen. There were to be 2 heats, each having 13 runners. But once all of the runners had arrived at the call room, only 13 were in attendance. The semifinal was canceled, and all runners advanced to the final. This gave Rita another day’s recovery without a big effort. We stayed at the track to do some very short power intervals, and headed back to the hotel to prepare for the final on Friday morning.

And then it was upon us: the 1500m final, on a beautiful Friday morning after a full moon shone brightly over Sacramento the night before. The first 700m were relatively slow. This would be a tactical race, which would favor Rita’s finishing pace. At 700m the race started to open up a bit, and at 1100m it was down to a three horse race – Marianne Fullove of the United States, Maria Fernandez Penafiel of Mexico, and Rita. With a strong 76 second final 400m, Rita took the gold. The double was a reality.

The week was a rollercoaster of emotions. It was full of adrenaline highs and lows. There was a build-up towards the event, a scant few minutes of competition, then the post-event calm. But after it was all said and done, it was mission accomplished – Rita was double World Masters Champion, the fastest F55 at 800m and 1500m.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I certainly feel the emotion of the athlete’s victories and defeats. There is a beauty to watching an athlete prepare for something that is truly, deeply inspiring and personal for them. As a coach, it becomes a part of you as well. Watching the event unfold, watching the athlete strive for that which they have been training for, coaxing every last bit of mental, physical, and spiritual power out of themselves – that is the wonder of athletics. And what a wonderful week it was.

Photo credits: Doug Smith