The M&B Transmission Geezer Mile is a truly unique event. It is the only running event in our province (and in Canada?) that is open only to those who have reached, or passed, the tender age of 50 years. If my memory serves me correctly, this was our 7th annual, always a part of the Aileen Meagher Track Classic. And, dare I say, it’s the most popular event in the meet.
My goal had always been to have 50 runners register for the event. Last year we had 16 participants. Although my quest for 50 may have seemed to be a preposterous dream, it became a reality this year.
Fifty runners in a one-mile track race was assumed to be an unmanageable situation by the skeptics. They were wrong. There were a few blunders but, overall, things went well. The speedsters lined up in the front row; the rest of us took up our rightful positions behind them. Shortly after the starter’s pistol cracked the still evening air, we were formed into a manageable stream of runners looping the track.
The Aileen Meagher meet was held at Metropolitan Field in Lower Sackville this year. It’s familiar home, at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, is unavailable this summer due to the ongoing renovations at Husky Stadium. A warm day, on Sunday, July 18, turned into a pleasant, calm evening. Our race was run at 6:20.
We had a lot of newbees this year, and many of them barely past their 50th trip around the sun. Ah, but they couldn’t keep Boston Brentie out of the winners circle. The old warhorse was always up front for the four laps of the track, finishing second overall (5:27.3) in the male division. Dale Corkum, a familiar name from the mid-1980’s running scene, made his comeback in fine style by winning the male division (5:24.4). Jack Clothier, another familiar name from past Run Nova Scotia seasons, claimed third spot (5:37.9).
In the female division, Louise LeDuc demolished the course record, bringing it down to an impressive 6:21.0 from it’s previous mark of 6:36.1 set by Gaby Gough in 1999. Karen Hughes took second spot (7:03.9) while third place was claimed by Ann Hennigar (7:24.4). The Hennigar name is famous throughout our running community with Ann’s three offspring making their names known in Nova Scotia and in Canada. It was so nice to see Ann participating in a meet after so many years spent as a coach and track Mom, and to see Dan, Heather and Toby all there to watch their mother’s performance.
Some view the Geezer Mile as a novelty event. That’s an unfortunate and narrow-minded opinion. Those people would have done well to pay heed to the track announcer, Derek Dempster, one of the best sprinters to ever come out of Nova Scotia. As the Geezers circled the track Derek made mention that our particular race was his favourite event of the entire meet and he went on to give us credit for being “athletes”. OK, our times may be slower than the younger folk, but there’s something to be said for remaining active past 50 years of age. Thanks for recognizing that, Derek.
The Geezer Mile has several purposes. We were there to compete; we were there to have fun and we were there to demonstrate that competition, and the quest for fitness, has no upper age limit. Our age range was from 50 to 73.
Arnold Robertson started running in 1946, and he’s still a competitor. His 7:28.5 finish is, indeed, impressive for a 73 year-old. On the female side, at age 72, Bela Casson was simply amazing. I marveled at her 8:30 finish last year. This year she brought her mark down to 8:20.4. She’s still improving!
Other notable performances over last year’s results came to Ann MacDonald who turned her 7:46 into a 7:30.5 this year and to Bernie Levy. Bernie started running last year and our Geezer Mile was his very first race. His 2003 finish time was 7:38. This year he lowered his mark 7:08.5. Look out next year.
There were many first-time milers in this year’s event. It will be interesting to compare their next year’s times to their 2004 performances. One match-up to watch for in 2005 will be the Tony Armson/Leo Kennedy duel. Tony’s pre-race prophecy that he would “kick Leo’s butt” would have been a reality had he not finished .7 seconds behind Leo. Sparks will surely fly next year.
It was a great event and a good time. I would like to, again, thank Kevin Heisler for including us in his Aileen Meagher Track Classic. Our sponsor, Bob Brake of M&B Transmission, was back again this year to support us. Not only does Bob back the event as a sponsor, he is also an annual Geezer Mile participant. Much appreciated, Bob, for all you do for the running community.
We had a volunteer crew who came out to assist in the background. Many thanks to Bruce Duffy, Gordon Warnica, Gail Bruhm, Linda Banks and John LeDuc for producing an accurate list of finishers, no minor feat given the number of participants in a track race and the fact that runners were being lapped. Unfortunately, there was a glitch in the recording of the finish times that were presented to our crew, leaving us unable to post times until after the meet was over. We’ll do something to rectify that next year.
Thank you to Run Nova Scotia, Nancy Holland and Marlene Reid in particular, for promoting the Geezer Mile in the events calendar and on the Web Site and for getting the results out via e-mail distribution and posted on the Web so quickly.
Last, but not least, I would like to thank the participants who ran the 2004 M&B Transmission Geezer Mile. I hope you all had as much fun as I did and I look forward to hearing your valuable constructive criticism. Send your comments to me at geezer@ns.sympatico.ca.
By Jerome Bruhm
Reprinted from Run Nova Scotia’s Newsletter, The Raconteur
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Many thanks to all of the participants and volunteers, and especially
to Bob Brake for sponsoring our Geezer Mile once again.
M&B Transmission Geezer Mile
Aileen Meagher Track Classic
Metropolitan Field, Lower Sackville
Sunday, July 18, 2004
Results
Female Division
Louise Leduc, Halifax, 6:21.0 (Meet Record)
Karen Hughes, Newport, 7:03.9
Ann Hennigar, Port Williams, 7:24.4
Maureen Stiner, Dartmouth, 7:26.0
Maureen Baikie, Fall River, 7:27.8
Ann MacDonald, Halifax, 7:30.5
Jenny Keenan, Halifax, 7:32.9
Barbara Hall, Beaverbank, 7:39.5
Bela Casson, Truro, 8:20.4
Lori Hodder, Halifax, 8:51.6
Liz Evans, Dartmouth, 9:23.0
Male Division
Dale Corkum, Louisdale, 5:24.4
Brent MacDonald, Hammonds Plains, 5:27.3
Jack Clothier, Blanford, 5:37.9
Michael Wills, Halifax, 5:46.9
Wayne Rose, Bedford, 5:48.2
Leo Kennedy, Halifax, 5:50.1
Tony Armson, Halifax, 5:50.8
Steve Moores, Wolfville, 5:51.8
Steve Chipman, Dartmouth, 6:05.3
Bruce Murphy, Dartmouth, 6:16.2
Malcolm Pain, Bedford, 6:19.7
Brian Anderson, Brookfield, 6:20.5
Wayne Banks, Timberlea, 6:21.4
Roy Hopkins, Halifax, 6:29.0
Jerome Bruhm, Halifax, 6:30.0
Doug Archibald, Enfield, 6:39.8
Alan Knight, Halifax, 6:40.9
Ross Mitchell, Dartmouth, 6:41.6
Rex Young, Greenwood, 6:45.1
Ron Kaszor, Lr. Sackville, 6:49.1
Bill Lobban, Dartmouth. 6:51.0
Bob Brake, Windsor Junction, 6:54.9
Greg Vail, Bedford, 7:00.9
Alf Baldwin, Fall River, 7:08.1
Bernie Levy, Lr, Sackville, 7:08.5
Caleb Durling, Fall River, 7:23.2
Arnold Robertson, Hantsport, 7:28.5
Bryan Darrell, Halifax, 7:31.9
John Rideout, Halifax, 7:33.2
Jack Poroznuk, Newport, 7:37.5
Ralph Deamond, Bridgewater, 7:41.4
Greg MacDonald, Halifax, 8:02.8
Age Bracket Breakdowns
Female Division
50 - 54
Louise Leduc, Halifax, 6:21.0
Karen Hughes, Newport, 7:03.9
Ann Hennigar, Port Williams, 7:24.4
Maureen Stiner, Dartmouth, 7:26.0
Maureen Baikie, Fall River, 7:27.8
Ann MacDonald, Halifax, 7:30.5
Barbara Hall, Beaverbank, 7:39.5
55 - 59
Jenny Keenan, Halifax, 7:32.9
Lori Hodder, Halifax, 8:51.6
Liz Evans, Dartmouth, 9:23.0
70 - 74
Bela Casson, Truro, 8:20.4
Male Division
50 - 54
Dale Corkum, Louisdale, 5:24.4
Jack Clothier, Blanford, 5:37.9
Wayne Rose, Bedford, 5:48.2
Leo Kennedy, Halifax, 5:50.1
Tony Armson, Halifax, 5:50.8
Steve Moores, Wolfville, 5:51.8
Steve Chipman, Dartmouth, 6:05.3
Bruce Murphy, Dartmouth, 6:16.2
Doug Archibald, Enfield, 6:39.8
Alan Knight, Halifax, 6:40.9 54
Alf Baldwin, Fall River, 7:08.1
Bernie Levy, Lr, Sackville, 7:08.5
Bryan Darrell, Halifax, 7:31.9
Greg MacDonald, Halifax, 8:02.8
55 - 59
Brent MacDonald, Hammonds Plains, 5:27.3
Michael Wills, Halifax, 5:46.9
Brian Anderson, Brookfield, 6:20.5
Wayne Banks, Timberlea, 6:21.4
Roy Hopkins, Halifax, 6:29.0
Jerome Bruhm, Halifax, 6:30.0
Ross Mitchell, Dartmouth, 6:41.6
Ron Kaszor, Lr. Sackville, 6:49.1
Bill Lobban, Dartmouth. 6:51.0
Greg Vail, Bedford, 7:00.9
Caleb Durling, Fall River, 7:23.2
Jack Poroznuk, Newport, 7:37.5
60 - 64
Bob Brake, Windsor Junction, 6:54.9
Ralph Deamond, Bridgewater, 7:41.4
65 - 69
Malcolm Pain, Bedford, 6:19.7
Rex Young, Greenwood, 6:45.1
John Rideout, Halifax, 7:33.2
70 - 74
Arnold Robertson, Hantsport, 7:28.5
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