Athena Track Club celebrates new record at 100th Millrose Games. From left to right Caren Ware, Terri Rath, Lorraine Jasper, Joan Hunter and Julie Hayden (kneeling).

There is something special about running relays, being part of the team. Everyone loves them, young and old. It inspires you to try to perform well against all odds. Often the combination of four good runners can evolve into something far greater than anything they could achieve by themselves. A year ago, reviewing the results for the Women's Master's (40+) 4x400 Relay at the Millrose Games the winning time of 4:38.59 appeared to be within the reach of our newly formed all-women's team, Athena. We were confident that we could set a new mark in 2007. As our focus was set on achieving that goal I told the group, "Next year, we are going to be there."

Race officials were going to follow the rules and eligibility requirements for all of the women's team in the 4x400M Relay. Each team was carefully checked for compliance and Athena, was within the requirements.

The winter weather forecast for the East Coast did not materialize for our drive and we found ourselves at the entrance to "The Garden" with hours to spare. Starbucks provided a warm sanctuary for Joan Hunter, Terri Rath, and me from Northern Virginia, to meet up with the other squad members. Caren Ware had flown in from California, while Lorraine Jasper, a familiar face at the Sportsplex Indoor and Potomac Valley Track Club (PVTC) outdoor meets, had the shortest trip from Pennsylvania.

Time evaporated and delays in allowing the athletes to enter the arena meant that race preparations were not leisurely. Despite what we had been told from previous years, we were not even permitted to see the track, let alone run on it before the race. So much for getting acquainted with the tight bends and steep banks of the 145 meter track! The warm up area consisted of the concrete floored hallways surrounding the stands and a taped off area of two narrow strips of rubberized track. Open elite athletes shared the area with kids and masters. With no advance warning, the Masters (40+) 4x400M relay runners were called to be marshaled and ushered out onto the track.

Indoor tracks are normally 200 meters. This one is squeezed into the available space and hence is smaller. The runners for each leg were placed in different places around the track, running approximately 2 and 3/4 laps for their 400 meters.

Athena's lead off runner Caren Ware started aggressively, and headed the field until the final stages of the first leg when the early pace began to hit. Within seconds of receiving the baton, Lorraine Jasper caught the runner ahead and accelerated away creating a substantial lead over the rest of the field before handing off to Terri Rath (in Photo). Feeling good and inspired by the occasion, the third leg runner was flying in the early stages, with me nervously on the sideline yelling at my training partner to relax. Settling into the race, Rath increased the lead before handing to Joan Hunter, the anchor runner. Hunter completed the relay in style, finishing more than a lap ahead of the second place team with a new meet record of 4:27.28

After the celebratory hugs and photos, we jogged the concrete hallways for the obligatory cool down passing the door to the doping control room and an athlete on a stretcher en route. There was no grand medal ceremony or congratulations, just a handing over by the USATF officials traditionally dressed in their tuxedos.

Now it was our turn to watch the youth and elite. We found empty seats near the sprint and hurdle starts and immediately became caught up in the excitement of the track races, high jump and pole vault. Apparently Bill Cosby and Rod Stewart, the Scottish rock legend, are big track and field fans. Sitting only a few rows in front of us Rod and his companions had quite the party. We, however, were not among those seeking his autograph, preferring to return briefly to the warm up area to see the milers, including Alan Webb warming up and get photos with and autographs from Maurice Greene and Gail Devers. They were both very patient and friendly. Of course Gail is right, forty is the new twenty, as she showed, beating world-best athletes twenty years her junior to win the Open 60 meters hurdles race. What a wonderful opportunity and experience- a great excuse for spending time in the "Big Apple". Finally, as I read my souvenir program, I see that one of Mary Slaney's dogs, that to quote her, "can run and run and run" is called Athena. Now that has to be a good omen!

Results

1 Athena Track Club             4:27.28 
2 Bohemia Track Club            4:57.00 
3 Nike Central Park Track Club  5:03.97 
4 Long Island RRC               5:22.11 
5 Northport                     5:38.43