Silent Sports Sounds Off

I'm still recovering from Boston, so I'll be on the sidelines sipping wheat beer, but here's to a great weekend for alll of you running in the Wisconsin, Illinois, and maybe LaCrosse and Eau Claire marathons, the Southwest, Great Western, Hawthorn Woods and maybe Door County Half-Marathons and all of the other shorter races, including Run to Remember. And here's a special salute to close friends who are in the Ironman Utah this weekend. Seize the day. We're all very fortunate to be able to do what we do.

After The Race That's Good for Life 5K in Oak Park this year, several older runners, including two who are 85 or older, asked me why CARA does not have an 85-89 age group in the Runner's Choice Circuit. As it is now, there is an 80-plus category. If you go to the current CARA standings, three of the top five male runners in 80-plus are 85. How would you feel if you were 45 and had to compete against the 40-44 crowd? You get the picture. I know my (Elmhurst Running Club's) 4 on the 4th (4 on the 3rd this year) will have an 85-plus group for the second time this year, and I saw the Shamrock Shuffle had one this year. Maybe others do, too. I think it's time to salute our super seniors and provide the same fair competition the rest of us get. While I'm at it, I'd like to propose that runners in 80-84 and 85-plus only be required to complete five Circuit races to be counted in the final award standings. I don't think these fine people want to run too many 10-milers, half-marathons or the marathon in order to get 10 finishes. The fact that we've got a growing number of super seniors is living evidence that this fitness thing is really working. That's my take on this. I've been meaning to write this for quite a while.