TI Track and Field Team Past Results

2004 Houston Regional Meet

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Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2004 1:53 PM
Subject: [ti-track] Houston Regional 2004 Track Meet Results

 

If you've followed the messages you know we had some horsepower missing from the Houston Regional and I was begging for help.  It will become obvious how just one person really can make a difference. 

 

Results and splits are below and posted on the web at http://www.enerjazz.com/track/history/2004hou.htm

 

Super big thanks goes to Eric Stotzer in Houston who recruited some help, arranged for the tent setup, and stocked us with snacks and fluids.   It makes all the difference and is greatly appreciated.

 

We were short on men, especially younger men, and I got a call on Friday night from Sam Wu who was working late and would try to drive down very early Saturday.  He would miss the 3K, but be there for the team.  Sam made it for the track events and went faster than anyone on the team.  Unfortunately, the speed was in his car on I-45 and it was a police officer who awarded him a certificate for his achievement.  Way to take one for the team Sam.

 

3000-METER TEAM RACES    

Men's 3K -  3rd PLACE

5 guys ran for TI.  Scoring is place by 10-year age groups.  The top 5 places are your team score, so everyone counted.  With Rio unable to attend we lost our 1st place 60 AG score and ended up in 3rd. Rio would have put us in a tie for 2nd, but Exxon would have won the tiebreaker anyway.  Note, these are the official meet times which were 10 seconds slower than my watch time for some reason.   Good effort by these guys on a hot morning and thanks to Michael Robinson of Houston for coming back to the running scene and contributing.

20-29

Robinson, Michael

12:11

3

30-39

Stotzer, Eric

11:15

3

40-49

Drumm, Jim

10:54

2

50-59

Iles, Robert

10:48

2

50-59

Jenkins, JJ

11:06

4

 

3rd

points>

14

 

Women's  3K -  2nd PLACE

The Women also run in 10 year age groups and the top 4 places score for the team.  We had one extra because you never know how the age groups will pan out.  The girls edged ExxonMobil by one point to take second.  Mary Salter couldn't make it so we lost our age 60 1st place.  That would have put us in a tie for first, but again we would have been edged out on the tie breaker.   Next year, we need to try to find men and women to flood the age groups.   Shell won both 3K events giving them a strong early lead.  These times are also official, but were still 10 seconds slower than my watch.

20-29

Harvey, Laura

13:22

5

20-29

Thummel, Allison

13:15

4

30-39

Shockley, Beth

13:01

2

40-49

Samilton, Cynthia

14:13

2

40-49

Sulser, Dianna

14:02

1

 

2nd

points>

9

 

JUMP RELAY -  3rd PLACE 

We found Patrick Taylor just a few weeks ago and he leapt almost 19' and jumped almost 6' high.  Robin Toliver, who last jumped in high school over 20 years ago stepped up to help secure a bronze.  Scoring is decathlon style against the record for your age group and a couple of older guys from Exxon made some good jumps to help them take the gold.

HJ

Taylor, Patrick

5'10"

736.8

HJ

Toliver, Robin

4'0"

666.7

LJ

Taylor, Patrick

18'11"

656.1

LJ

Toliver, Robin

13'2"

617.2

 

3rd

points>

2676.8

 

WEIGHT RELAY   -  1st PLACE

I don't know why anyone else shows up to challenge these guys.  Dave and Lonnie just keep whipping them. Dave had far and away the best discus throw and Lonnie did the same on the shot.  Vital team points from these two gentle giants.   The TI Team starts climbing back.

shot

Lewis, Lonnie

45'4.5"

775.6

shot

Rothenbury, Dave

37'2.87"

625.9

discus

Lewis, Lonnie

101'8.2"

501.7

discus

Rothenbury, Dave

140'6.9"

684.3

 

1st

points>

2587.5

 

MEN'S MILE  - DROP

We need young male sub 5 minute milers.   We don't have any.   Skipped the event.  The top 3 times were 4:40, 4:40, and 4:43.  Shell won this too.   The mountain was looming large.

 

SUBMASTER'S DISTANCE MEDLEY   -   1st PLACE

When it comes to old people we are unbeatable.   If it has a "Masters" or "Submasters" in the title you can just mark it down for TI.  We beat Shell by almost 30 seconds.   Mark Johnson in his second season is making great improvements.  Beth Shockley was barely recovered from the 3K and ran great.   Stotzer solidified the lead and rookie Steve Money ran a 5:02 all by himself.

800

M

35+

Johnson, Mark

2:20

400

F

30+

Shockley, Beth

1:13

1200

M

35+

Stotzer, Eric

3:50

1600

M

30+

Money, Steve

5:02

 

 

 

1st

12:25

 

WOMEN'S 800-METERS     -   2nd Place

Times got quite a bit faster since last year.   Beth ran an outstanding 2:30 but Shell had some very strong women and took the event.   Laura did a great job breaking 2:50. 

800

F

Open

Harvey, Laura

2:48

6

800

F

Open

Michalak, Beth

2:30

2

 

 

 

2nd

points>

8

 

3-LAP SPRINT   -  2nd PLACE 

The first big juggle of the day came here when we were missing a young 400m runner.  Patrick had been out in the sun jumping when I told him I needed to move him up to a 400m.  I wish I had a picture of his face - it wasn't a pretty sight.  Bernie Babinat from Houston came out to help where needed and I needed him. His recent running experience is in marathons.  I toss the 40 year old in against the kids in a 200m and he does well, then Joe DeLaCruz at age 44 puts us in position and Patrick ran the smartest rookie leg I have seen in years.  He was in 4th and he cruised on the first 200 for position.  At the 250m mark he shifted gears and moved us up to 2nd place.  We missed catching Shell by 4 seconds.

200

F

Open

McCreight, Terra

0:32

200

M

Open

Babinat, Bernie

0:29

400

M

Open

DeLaCruz, Joe

0:56

400

M

Open

Taylor, Patrick

0:56

 

 

 

3rd

2:53

 

EXECUTIVE RELAY  -  1st PLACE  

Mostly old guys again. Won by over 2 minutes.  Take that Big Oil Company! 

800

M

30+/25+

Bosshart, Pat

2:26

400

M

30+/25+

Westbrook, Paul

1:03

800

M

30+/25+

Drumm, Jim

2:28

1600

M

25+/30+

Wu, Sam

5:34

 

 

 

1st

11:31

 

DISTANCE MEDLEY RELAY  (1600-1600-800-800-1600) -  drop

We usually drop this event, and without any youth, we dropped it again this year.  Shell pocketed another 1st place and it was not looking good for our TI "three-peat" in Houston.

 

WOMEN'S RELAY   -  1st PLACE

Beth set the tone by getting out to a solid lead, Allison Thummel stretched it open, and Casey cruised to the victory 12 seconds ahead of Shell.   Casey just got some exiting news the night before the meet.  It involves little bronze track spikes - you figure it out.  Congratulations Casey.

800

F

Open/30+

Michalak, Beth

2:36

400

F

Open/30+

Thummel, Allison

1:14

400

F

30+/Open

Hyman, Casey

1:12

 

 

 

1st

5:02

 

SUBMASTER'S SPRINT MEDLEY   -  1st PLACE

This is an event for those over 30.   We don't have too many kids that young so we used 3 over 40 to put us out to a solid lead and rookie Steve Money brought it home for his second gold medal of the day.

200

F

30+

Gordon, Mariquita

0:29

200

M

30+

Wight, Randy

0:26

400

M

30+

DeLaCruz, Joe

0:58

800

M

30+

Money, Steve

2:10

 

 

 

1st

4:03

 

4x200 RELAY   -  3rd PLACE

The 4x200 is new this year and replaced the President's Relay (since TI kept winning that).  I had to tap Patrick again to fill in for the missing runner.   Robin got us off to a good start, but Terra ran up against two very speedy young ladies.  I got Patrick close and he closed to within 0.5 seconds of the photo finish leaders.  A fresher Patrick would have caught them.  Shell won.   

200

F

35+

Toliver, Robin

0:32

200

F

Open

McCreight, Terra

0:31

200

M

40+

Westbrook, Paul

0:24

200

M

Open

Taylor, Patrick

0:24

 

 

 

3rd

1:51

 

PYRAMID RELAY  (400-800-1200-800-400)   - 2nd PLACE

Another race for the young.  Rookie Sara Harmsen had been patiently (and nervously) sitting through the rest of the events.  She had never run track before and been training for only 6 weeks.   In her regular shoes she ran an outstanding 74 second 400m leg.  The rest of the team does a good job, but we are well out of this one and take third.  Shell won.  Two events to go and we are well behind.

400

F

Open

Harmsen, Sara

1:14

800

M

Open

Tolbert, Danny

2:27

1200

M

Open

Stotzer, Eric

3:54

800

M

Open

Robinson, Michael

2:31

400

F

Open

Hyman, Casey

1:18

 

 

 

3rd

11:24

 

MASTER'S RELAY   -  1st PLACE . . and 2nd PLACE

We need to win and push the other teams back in the field so we fielded two Masters Teams and I had to declare an "A" team and a "B" team.  I evenly matched them so we could try for 1st and 2nd.  I told JJ he was on the "B" team and he couldn't beat our "A" team so we could gain the 1st place points in the right place.  JJ is all class.  Despite getting a lead into the last leg after Beth exploded for a 64 second 400m he waited for Mark to catch him and take the gold.  It might have been a spectacular race anyway but JJ became the ultimate team player.  JJ easily took 2nd and pushed Shell back to 3rd.   

800

 

40+

Iles, Robert

2:19

 

400

 

40+

Samilton, Cynthia

1:11

 

800

 

40+

Johnson, Mark

2:24

 

Team A

 

 

1st

5:54

 

800

 

40+

Bosshart, Pat

2:26

 

400

 

40+

Michalak, Beth

1:04

 

800

 

40+

Jenkins, JJ

2:25

 

Team B

 

 

2nd

5:55

 

 

SPRINT RELAY   - 1st PLACE

Down to the final event.  This is where I gaze into the stands to see who is still breathing.  People start looking away and try to avoid eye contact with me.  We had to have this race and Shell had to stumble.   Sara, shortly after her first 400m ever said she was ready to go again.  I had intentionally saved Mariquita for this race.  Randy starting doing 500m overdistance training in March and he was ready to accept the 400m challenge despite having to race against the youth.  I look to super rookie Steve Money for a 400m and he steps up.   Joe DeLaCruz is always ready to go and steps in for his 3rd event too.   Finally, I find Patrick hiding from me behind the ice chest and tap him one more time.  I like that kid.

 

Sara, running without spikes turned the corner and found a gear she never knew she had.  It was a beautiful sight.  Mariquita showed the young girls what a great athlete she is and gave Randy the baton in 2nd.  Randy gave it his all and held the spot to set up Steve.  Steve Money runs a great 400 and places Joe DeLaCruz in the lead.   The race is over as Joe and Patrick hold the lead and we win.  Shell does manage a 3rd place finish.

200

F

Open

Harmsen, Sara

0:31

200

F

Open

Gordon, Mariquita

0:29

400

M

Open

Wight, Randy

0:59

400

M

Open

Money, Steve

0:57

200

M

40+

DeLaCruz, Joe

0:26

200

M

Open

Taylor, Patrick

0:25

 

 

 

1st

3:47

 

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP

There are 16 events and you drop your lowest 3 scores.  It's 15 points for a 1st, 12 for a 2nd, and 10 for a 3rd.  The final 13 event total was extremely close:

2004 Team Totals

score

Golds

Silv

Bronze

Shell

176

8

3

2

TI

171

7

3

3

ExxonMobil

149

1

7

5

Lockheed Martin

26

0

0

1

ExxonMobile B

24

0

1

0

Shell B

21

0

0

0

TI B

12

0

1

0

ChevronTexaco

12

0

1

0

Shell C

11

0

0

0

ExxonMobil C

7

0

0

0

 

All last night I just kept thinking about that 0.5 seconds in the 4x200.  That much time could have moved us from 3rd to 1st and added 5 team points. Shell would have slid back to 2nd and lost 3 points.  The team total would have been TI (176) and Shell (173).  It was that close.  One person truly can make a difference.  Are you that person?

 

But let's not dwell on who wasn't there, but instead celebrate the outstanding performances by the folks who participated in the meet and build toward our 5th consecutive national title in Maine.

 

More news about nationals coming very soon.

 

Thanks for representing TI with such class and outstanding teamwork.  I am extremely proud of every one of you.

 

Paul
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