USATF MN Master Track Meet Photos

I raced the 1500 at the USATF MN Master’s Meet a few weeks ago. Race buddy Tom R was there, and he took some photos during some of the events. He handed me his camera for a race he was in, but then his battery started to die. Here are some photos of his from the first (faster) 5000 meter heat (found here on Facebook):

Threatening sky as people gathered to start the meet.


Quite a pack early in the race


39 people in the first heat.


3.5 laps in about 4:20 for the leaders.


Suize and Angie.


The guys in yellow in the middle were lapping people like crazy.


Angie pulled away with a lap or 2 to go to beat Suzie by nearly a half lap.


I saw this happen - this woman tripped on the home stretch! She got
up and finished the race no problem. It was scary in that moment.


This was the finish. First through third. First didn’t even look like he had worked at all!


First through third were within 3 seconds! And all sub-15:30.


The lap splits of the winner (1st is a half lap). Sheesh!


The 2nd 5000 meter heat after 100 meters.


There’s Tom in the middle. (That means I was taking these photos for him.)


Kirt’s final kick.


Tom finishing behind the lap counter’s hand, as the
counter is telling a race-walker that she’s got 4 laps left.

A few events later was the 1500 (which I was going to run). I was in heat 4 out of 5: there were 2 female heats, then a “fast” male heat, and then I was in the “medium” male heat.

Fast females 200+ meters into the 1500.


Lead pack.


2nd heat of females.


Ann (who used to work at my gym) in blue.


Fast 1500 men.


Some of the fast 5000 meter finishers were back for the 1500.




I think this was the final kick.

And then Tom’s camera died. Right as the heat before me was finishing. Dang. But then I found another album on Facebook from someone named Jeff who had a few photos from the meet. Here were 2 of his from the end of the “fast” heat of 1500 runners:

A different angle of Tom’s photo from 2 photos above.


Another different angle of the finish from 2 photos above. With teammate Dan in the orange in the infield.

Then Jeff got some of my heat. (A few of which I used in my race report.)

At the end of our first lap. I’m back there in 6th.


Close up of me and teammate Jamie in that last photo.


300 meters in.


Close up of me and Jamie in that last photo.


I think this was just 1 lap later (with 2 laps to go).


Close up of Jamie and me in that last photo.

I think that was the closest Jamie got. He remarked post-race that I “found another gear” and pulled away a bit. I wasn’t happy with my 2nd lap time and was able to hit it harder for the last 2 laps to finish 0:03 ahead of him (but I had no idea where he was for the entire race - I was happy he was right on my tail!).

The last photo of Jeff’s was from the 100 meters. I was on the infield just off camera cheering for this heat:

I hope this track meet is part of the USATF MN Series again next year - it was pretty fun! Here’s my race report if you missed it, and here are some final thoughts from the track meet.