Daniel competed in the 2011 USATF Region 2 Junior Olympics at Adamson Stadium on July 9 and 10, 2011. This took place at California University, California, Pa., about 37 miles south of Pittsburgh, Pa.
It has been over 15 years since I talked to John Barber; the couch of the TRI County Express Track Club based in Pottstown, Pa. John has been working with the USA Track and Field Organization (USATF) for over 20 years. Professionally, he is a probation officer.
On Saturday July 9, 2011, we got a chance to talk over old times specifically about some of the politics of the USATF. In the old days, some of the track clubs stole children from other track clubs. In the early 1990s, I created the Greater Paxtonia Track Club with the help of Pennsylvania State Representative Ron Marsico because of the in fighting among parents and City officials dealing with summer Track and Field programs in the City of Harrisburg, Pa. I took children from a track club in Harrisburg because parents were not happy with the politics surrounding Track and Field in the City. Among some of the stars that came out of the Greater Paxtonia Track Club was Jenifer Harris and Olympic Silver Medalist and world class athlete Hyleas Fountain, just to name two.
The “United Stars” Track Club was always in the middle of such controversy. While my grandson was getting ready to run the 400 Meter Trials, John decided to start teasing my daughter Stephanie about the “United Stars” Track Club. Stephanie is now 28 and has not run in USATF for over 12 years. But she still has feelings against the United Stars.
Acting like a 6 year old
I just hate it when Daniel starts acting like a six year old instead of a 30 year old. This is Daniel’s first year in amateur track and field. John Barber told me that I should let him be a child. I ask John “OK, at what point do I train him to start being something other than a child?”
The 400 Meters is not Daniel’s race. It is not long enough. I can’t wait until we can move him into the 3000 Meter Run. That will not be until he turns Eleven years old. At the Association meet, the timing equipment broke down and they had to use less reliable inexperienced timers. So we can expect the times to be off. Daniel came in eleventh in the 400 Meters with a time of 1 Minute 52.67 Seconds. This time was way off from his Association Meet time of 1 Minute 44.56 Seconds. Both his 400 Meter times were off and his 1500 times were off from the Association meet. But never the less, his time could have been better in the 400 Meter Run.
His defense! Daniel is less than 6.5 years old. He is running against 8 and 7 year olds. Daniel is the youngest of all the people running in sub-bantam. So in most cases, he is not as strong or as fast as most of the children that he is running against. But as I taught his mother Stephanie when she was 9 years old, you never give up in a race and run slow just because you are not going to win. The only time you stop in a race is if you died.
When you run a race, you are running against people and time. If you can’t beat people, beat your best time. If you continue to do that, one day, you will beat people.
Day Two of Regionals
On Saturday night we stayed at the Days Inn in New Stanton. On Sunday, July 10, 2011, we just got out of the car at the stadium at California University when one of Daniel’s friend’s father came up to me and told me that they just had first and second call for the 1500 Meter Run. We were on our way to the “check in” tent when one of the couches of a USATF Wilmington, DE. Track Teams came up to Daniel, gave him a big hug and told him that he has come a long way since he started running the 1500 Meter, last winter at ago 5. This couch now has at least 2 children of her own and ran against girls on the Greater Paxtonia Track Club 15 years ago.
The Region 2 Record for the 1500 Meter was set by David Bellefleur on July 11, 2010 with a time of 5 Minutes, 22.91 Seconds. Daniel has two more years in the sub-Bantam Division. He has a shot of breaking this record.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLCuh6K7T9Q
1500 Meter Part 1 – the start
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=723djWmOALI
1500 Meter Part 2 -- positioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn3sYysl9aQ
1500 Meter Part 3 – the ending
In this race, Marcus Cheema, age 8, of the New Jersey Striders in Haworth, New Jersey came in first with a time of 5 Minutes, 59.45 Seconds. Second place was Alan Manjarrez, age 8, of the New Jersey Striders in Haworth, New Jersey, time 6 minutes, 25.45 seconds. Third place was one of Daniel’s friends, Nikolas Toocheck, age 8, unattached living in Chester, Pa., time 6 minutes, 32.59 seconds. Fourth place was Brian Dipalma, age 8, of the New Jersey Striders in Haworth, New Jersey, time 6 minutes, 34.35 seconds. Fifth place was Brandt Patterson, age 7, of the Mountain Top Track and Field, Lilly, PA. Sixth place, Daniel Tulloch, age 6, unattached from the Harrisburg area, Pa., time 7 minutes, 23.63 seconds. Seventh place, Noah Shepherd, age 8, of the Juniata Valley Striders, Lewistown,PA., time 7 minutes, 26.06 seconds.
Last Race of 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FO2eWDZ0rU
800 Meter Run at Cal U, USATF Regional Meet on July 10, 2011
Daniel ran the 800 Meter Run and came in seventh with a time of 3 minutes, 49.78 seconds. That is far better than his Association time of 4 minutes, 46 seconds. After that, Daniel was ready to go home. He got what he came for, a good time meeting new friends and a metal in the 1500 Meter run.
This week Daniel will go swimming. He will not have track practice until Thursday, July 14, 2011. At that time, he will start preparing for his one mile Cross County Run in Harrisburg. That will be his one year Anniversary running track even though he started practicing at age 4.
He did not qualify to go to the USATF Nationals. Even if he did, rule 100c says that only children age 7 (by December 31, 2011) and old can go to Nationals. Daniel will not be 7 until next year. Nationals will be in Baltimore in 2012. Maybe we will see him there!
Holy starting blocks Track Man! You are so slow. That is correct boy wonder! I am old.
Information on Track and Field
Many of you have noticed already that school districts are starting to cut back on sports programs. You may want to get your children involved in organized sports outside of your local school. Here are USATF Track and Field Organizations in the United States that can help our children develop.
http://www.usatf.org/clubs/search/info.asp?associationNumber=8
USATF Mid-Atlantic Association Clubs
http://www.usatf.org/clubs/search/info.asp?associationNumber=11
USATF Three Rivers Association Clubs
http://www.usatf.org/clubs/search/info.asp?associationNumber=4
USATF Association Niagara Clubs
http://www.usatf.org/clubs/search/info.asp?associationNumber=7
USATF Association New Jersey Clubs
http://www.usatf.org/clubs/search/
If you are searching for a club and you are not in the Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware areas, use the link above to find a club near you.
http://www.usatf.org/associations/index.asp
USA Track & Field is comprised of 57 associations that cover the full geographic territory of the United States.
What does the Doctors Say?
Many people have told me that I am destroying Daniel’s legs. By the time he is 20 years old, he will have trouble walking. I sat down and talk to a foot and ankle doctor at Harrisburg Foot and Ankle Center, Inc. 4033 Linglestown Rd. Suite 1, Harrisburg, Pa. 17112. 717-651-0000. I asked the doctor about Daniel running at this early age. The doctor told me that as long as he likes to run and is not being forced to run, he can’t see any medical reason why Daniel cannot continue to run.
He may have done so well because he was acting like a 6 year old again. Daniel knew that when he finished the race, he could play in the Air Castle. He could see it as he ran down Front Street. As he approached the finish line, he was really moving. The Flash never slowed down going across the finish line. Instead he blew past me in the 90 plus degree heat and proceeded out of the race area and down the side walk toward the Air Castle. 
It was too hot for me to run after him and he would not slow down when I called his name. Fortunately for me, he stopped when he entered the play area. 
