Diane: A Talented Original or An Original Talent?
I first met Diane about 10 years ago. We're members of the Longwood Cricket Club. She was, and still is, a dynamo -- an original and a talent. As to which adjective describes her better, it's hard to say.
I learned about her athletic background when writing about women athletes for MOVE! How Women Can Achieve Athletic Goals At Any Age. She's a profile in the book. At the time (2011) Diane was in her eighties and had an outstanding tennis resume. She had won multiple national championships in singles and doubles. In 2007 she won national championships in both singles and doubles in her age group. In 2005, she represented the United States in the Queens Cup in Turkey, helping the Americans win a doubles championship. That year she earned a No. 1 in the world ranking in doubles and a No. 2 in the world ranking in singles. That summary doesn't count all the New England tennis championship titles and numerous other tournament victories.
Diane came to the book signings for MOVE! in 2011 and for Mastering Running in 2014. She was excited about the topics: athletic performance at any age. Agile on the tennis court, she was not yet a runner. That was not in her plans.
Fast forward to last year. "Cathy, can I have just one session with you for advice on how to run a race?" she asked. "My son wants me to run the 100 meters." He had noticed her speed when they were taking a walk together. She is a fast walker - faster than her son, at least.
I was surprised. "No, Diane. You are my friend, not my client. Let's just talk while I'm aquarunning at the pool."
So we did talk there ("I am not getting into the pool!" she said - wanting me to be clear that she WOULD NOT do that.)
Later she convinced me to have one session in my office. So we met. I gave some advice about stretching, warm-ups, sprint acceleration, sneakers, starts....and whatever else I could think would help her in a single session for someone who didn't want to train formally in her nineties....:) . Her training involved some occasional runs a few times a week across the grass tennis courts for an indeterminate distance while being timed by whatever Longwood member was around. No formal speed work. No formal strength training. "I hate the gym!" she said, adding "I love tennis". She fell in love with tennis when someone put a racket into her hand at age 42.
Fast forward to last year, 2018. Diane ran in her first track meet, the New England masters track and field championships "because my son wanted me to."
Do what your children tell you to do! She ran the 100m and set an American age group record (W90 - 94) in 24.22.
Diane is still listening to her son, Matt. (No coach necessary when your son gives you such good advice.) He encouraged her to attend the New England Masters Track and Field Championship again this year. He enrolled her not only in the 100m but also in the 200m and 400m. It was held last Saturday on July 27th.
As you can see from the recent social media (Runner's World, USA Today, The Boston Globe, etc.) following the meet, Diane should continue listening to Matt.
Last Saturday she set a new U.S. record for women (W90 - 94) in the 100 meters, breaking her own record by 3/100s of a second with a final time of 24.19 seconds. She set an American record in the 200m as well, crossing the finish in 56.33. And she set a world record in the 400-meter sprint, running 2:44.25, breaking the U.S. record and also the world record of 2:46.56 set in 2015. Like all fresh records, Diane's are pending ratification from USATF and the World Masters Athletics (WMA) association.
I don't want to write any more here. There's a lot more to say, and I'll save it for an article on her due shortly for New England Runner. So that's it for now except to say that Diane is back on the tennis courts.
She has no idea whether she'll run again. For that answer, I should probably interview Matt.
Thank you, Diane, for your performances and thank you (as my dad used to say) for being you.
- Cathy Utzschneider
I learned about her athletic background when writing about women athletes for MOVE! How Women Can Achieve Athletic Goals At Any Age. She's a profile in the book. At the time (2011) Diane was in her eighties and had an outstanding tennis resume. She had won multiple national championships in singles and doubles. In 2007 she won national championships in both singles and doubles in her age group. In 2005, she represented the United States in the Queens Cup in Turkey, helping the Americans win a doubles championship. That year she earned a No. 1 in the world ranking in doubles and a No. 2 in the world ranking in singles. That summary doesn't count all the New England tennis championship titles and numerous other tournament victories.
Diane came to the book signings for MOVE! in 2011 and for Mastering Running in 2014. She was excited about the topics: athletic performance at any age. Agile on the tennis court, she was not yet a runner. That was not in her plans.
Fast forward to last year. "Cathy, can I have just one session with you for advice on how to run a race?" she asked. "My son wants me to run the 100 meters." He had noticed her speed when they were taking a walk together. She is a fast walker - faster than her son, at least.
I was surprised. "No, Diane. You are my friend, not my client. Let's just talk while I'm aquarunning at the pool."
So we did talk there ("I am not getting into the pool!" she said - wanting me to be clear that she WOULD NOT do that.)
Later she convinced me to have one session in my office. So we met. I gave some advice about stretching, warm-ups, sprint acceleration, sneakers, starts....and whatever else I could think would help her in a single session for someone who didn't want to train formally in her nineties....:) . Her training involved some occasional runs a few times a week across the grass tennis courts for an indeterminate distance while being timed by whatever Longwood member was around. No formal speed work. No formal strength training. "I hate the gym!" she said, adding "I love tennis". She fell in love with tennis when someone put a racket into her hand at age 42.
Fast forward to last year, 2018. Diane ran in her first track meet, the New England masters track and field championships "because my son wanted me to."
Do what your children tell you to do! She ran the 100m and set an American age group record (W90 - 94) in 24.22.
Diane is still listening to her son, Matt. (No coach necessary when your son gives you such good advice.) He encouraged her to attend the New England Masters Track and Field Championship again this year. He enrolled her not only in the 100m but also in the 200m and 400m. It was held last Saturday on July 27th.
As you can see from the recent social media (Runner's World, USA Today, The Boston Globe, etc.) following the meet, Diane should continue listening to Matt.
Last Saturday she set a new U.S. record for women (W90 - 94) in the 100 meters, breaking her own record by 3/100s of a second with a final time of 24.19 seconds. She set an American record in the 200m as well, crossing the finish in 56.33. And she set a world record in the 400-meter sprint, running 2:44.25, breaking the U.S. record and also the world record of 2:46.56 set in 2015. Like all fresh records, Diane's are pending ratification from USATF and the World Masters Athletics (WMA) association.
I don't want to write any more here. There's a lot more to say, and I'll save it for an article on her due shortly for New England Runner. So that's it for now except to say that Diane is back on the tennis courts.
She has no idea whether she'll run again. For that answer, I should probably interview Matt.
Thank you, Diane, for your performances and thank you (as my dad used to say) for being you.
- Cathy Utzschneider