Now that the 2011 edition of Outdoor Masters Nationals is in the books I can sit back and say it was an unqualified success.
I've said it b4 but feel it bares repeating,for me Masters Nationals is "track camp for grown ups" it's not just about what happens on the track but off the track also.
At my first Nationals in Charlotte 06 I knew a handful of athletes from my 18 months on the Masters scene,in Charlotte I made new friends who I then saw 8 months later at Indoor Nationals in Boston and subsequently made new friends or got to know runners who eventually became friends and so the masters running "circle of life" turns.
I 've always said one of the things that makes the weekend fun for me is that we as a team at Greater Philadelphia Track Club all enjoy each others company and are a team in every sense of the word,for example on Thursday Ray Parker showed up at 9.30am to watch my race even though he didn't begin to compete in the Pentathlon till 12.30pm,I in turn was all done by 9.55am but stuck around till 4pm when Ray was all done his event.
There were some great soundbites all weekend between us,Ray insisting on paying for dinner after winning the silver in the M45-49 Pentathlon,Delvin getting some good natured ribbing from the team after he was selected for a random drug test after his 800m final,Nick giving me a hard time for all the meat on my plate after I hit the USATF Masters awards dinner for seconds on Saturday nite,the list goes on.
I for one look forward to the 2012 Indoor Nationals in Indiana in March(16th,17th and 18th..oh what a happy paddy I'll be !!!) and Outdoor Nationals in Illinois in July(dates yet to be confirmed)
Till the clans all gather together again...........................................................
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