Ever since the South Florida Grand Prix Running Series ended in March, Gary Bloome has been training for the USA Track and Field National Masters Outdoor Championships.
The biggest problem Bloome, 45, of Boca Raton, one of the state’s top masters runners, found was the lack of track meets to sharpen his racing skills. With the help of friends Andrew Greenidge and Gary Gates, he did the next best thing.
“It was damn near impossible to find quality track races during the summer months,” Bloome said. “So those guys would come out to the track and take turns racing me. Andrew would run the first two laps and Gary would jump in and race a quarter mile. I would do the whole thing without stopping. They were pushing me pretty hard, so hopefully it will pay off.”
Bloome competes in the preliminary heat of the 1,500 meters on Friday at Walt Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista.
Last year in his debut in Orono, Maine, Bloome finished sixth in his age group in a career-best 4 minutes, 12 seconds. He is one of the favorites.
“Last year it was baptism under fire,” Bloome said. “I didn’t have the race experience on the track. Now I am really up for it. I’m hoping the race simulation will be the difference.
But what’s in it for Gates, coming back from injury, and Greenidge, reigning South Florida Grand Prix champion?
“I buy them beer,” said Bloome, who would like to run under 4:10. “I’m not going for time, I’m going to win.”
Bloome has been competing in masters meets and road races since he turned 40.
“I am a road race guy,” Bloome said. “Once a year, I like to go out and see how much better I can do in track. The amount of mileage training for a 1,500 is less, but the intensity really burns you out.”
Bloome will be joined by a strong South Florida contingent for the four-day meet that begins today. Pole vaulters Jim Pedley of Fort Lauderdale, Harry Hackett of Boca Raton and Nick Greene of Hollywood, racewalkers Rosie Sidelko and Bob Cella of Fort Lauderdale, milers Kent Burno of Lantana, Roberto Castillo of Miami, Dan Healy of Pompano Beach and sprinter and pole vaulter Joy MacDonald of Fort Lauderdale are medal contenders.
More running
South Miami-based Team FootWorks will compete Friday and Saturday in the 19th Hood to Coast Relay race on Oregon’s Mount Hood. The 195-mile relay race begins Friday at Timberline Lodge near Mount Hood and continues through Portland and finishes on the beach in Seaside, Ore. Among those competing are Laurie Huseby, 48, of South Miami and Moises Sztylerman, 41, of Miami Beach.
Nancy Frey, 38, of Delray Beach (18:52) and her coach, David Collins, 40, of Boca Raton (17:49), training for the Chicago Marathon in October, won overall titles in the Buitoni Running Series in Siesta Key last weekend.
