Records Dropping at Masters : New Zealander Runs Best in 800 Meters, and Final Still to Come

There were several U.S. and world age-group records set at the second day of the TAC/USA Masters National Track and Field Championships at San Diego State Friday, but perhaps none was as surprising as that of 62-year-old Derek Turnbull in the men’s 60-64 800 meters.

It was surprising because the race in which Turnbull set the world record of 2:14.90 was only a qualifying heat, in which one usually breezes to the final, where it’s then time to kick in the afterburners.

Surprising, too, because Turnbull would have been expected to save something for the 400-meter final he was to run just a couple hours later.

And finally, it came as a surprise because it would be assumed that Turnbull must conserve some energy for today’s 1,500 and 5,000 meters, both of which he is scheduled to run.

So why, then, would Turnbull go all out so early in the meet?

“Well,” a somewhat bashful Turnbull replied, “I didn’t intend to . . . I knew I’d have another chance on Sunday (in the finals), but as I was coming down the stretch, I saw the clock and knew I was within reach, so I decided it was worth a lick.”

And besides, it wasn’t that much of a chore, at least not compared to the work on Turnbull’s 600-acre farm on the south island of New Zealand, where he herds 2,000 head of sheep and 150 head of cattle. Herds? Actually, that’s how he trains, and he claims the farm work is the secret of his success.

“If you enjoy your training, you’ll get your results,” he said. “But if you don’t enjoy your training, you’ll become bored and get no results at all.”

Unlike Turnbull, the records broken by San Diego’s James King were somewhat expected. King ran in his first Masters Championships in the 40-44 age group and set two world records on the day.

The first was in the 400-meter hurdles, where he ran 53.56; the second was in the 400 meters, which he won in 48.61.

Another American, Irene Obera from Palo Alto, also ran her first races in a higher age group, the 55-59 group, and claimed one American record and one world mark.

Her U.S. record came in the 100 meters. Her 13.84 missed the 13.6 world mark of Australia’s Shirley Peterson.

Later in the afternoon, Obera managed a world record of 1:08.41 in the 400 meters, beating the 1:08.6 run by Australia’s Daphne Pirie in 1987.

While Turnbull was apologetic about his record, Obera didn’t even want to acknowledge her’s.

“My main goal is to just try to get loose for next week (when the World Masters Championships will be held in Eugene, Ore.),” Obera said after her 100-meter victory.

Then, after her 400 win, she said, “I run to place, not for a record.”

Added her coach, Enver Mehmedbasich, “Irene runs to place. Records are there if it is required she runs that fast.”

What runner and coach prefered to speak of was the fact that the races were her first of the year after she battled some heel problems during the winter.

“To run her first quarter (400 meters) of the year at that pace,” Mehmedbasich said, “is quite an accomplishment. Hopefully she’ll do even better next week.”