Back on track, for the first time

Starting back in kindergarten, I was a baseball kid. It stayed that way through high school …when I became more of a softball guy.
At no point did I even consider going out for the track team. Mostly because I’m not what you’d call “fast.”
But with some free time on my hands Tuesday evening, I thought I’d see how I stack up on the track. So I made the quick drive to Scappoose High School to compete in one of the open track meets held there every Tuesday this summer (until July 28).
I was easily the best in my class. Unfortunately, that was because I was the only male competing in the high school/open division.
Had I been 20 years younger, the competition would have been mighty stiff. There were about two-dozen kids ranging in age from about four to 10 or 11. And some of them were pretty quick, even if mom had to run along side them to make sure they knew where the finish line was.
I went with the intention of competing in a few events. My friend Dennis, who ran track when we were at Philomath High School together, set some over/under marks for me: 32 feet in the shot put, 5 feet in the high jump and 14 feet in the long jump.
The first event of the day for me was the shot put. My first throw fell under the mark, measuring out at 31-6. Without any spinach to gobble up, I somehow still found a way to add a couple feet and tossed the next one 33-4, which ended up being my best toss (the other was 32-1).
So far, so good.
I strolled to the high jump pit next, where all of the kids were gathered. Most of them were attacking the bar with a somersault leaping technique. It didn’t lead to a lot of success, per se, but it was highly entertaining for all.
Once the kids took to the track for the hurdle races, I decided to try my luck.
Being wise, I thought I might as well set the bar at 5 feet and just go for it.
That’s too high.
I was able to get my back over it, but my bum nailed the bar on each of the three attempts.
We lowered it to 4-6: same results. Then I quit.
I stumbled by the turbo jav area and decided to try that out. Middle schools have adopted the turbo jav as a replacement for the javelin to increase safety. It looks like something made by Nerf.
Once I learned how to throw it, I was able to toss it out about 60 feet or so, but I didn’t get an official measurement.
The kids crowded the long jump pit, with most of them leaping upwards of 5-7 feet.
It turns out people weren’t that interested in running in any of the events that were longer than one lap, although there were a couple of brave souls who made it around twice for the 800.
No chance you were getting me to do that on a hot day.
A respite from the high temperatures came when Scappoose High baseball coach and teacher Robert Medley, whose kids were competing, brought Otter Pops for the crowd.
I never did end up long jumping, as I had prior arrangements to get to, but there’s no doubt I would have PRed.
If you haven’t made it to one of the open meets yet, you still have one more chance. July 28 is the last meet, and it will begin at 6 p.m. with warm-ups at 5:30. One dollar gets you as many running events as you can handle, and it’s a dollar per field event. All of the money goes to the Scappoose High track and field program.