(Spoiler alert.)

Also, I need to correct a mistake from my previous post, wherein I stated Mom was going for the WORLD record. That one, turns out, is WAY beyond reach (a ridiculous 3+ minutes faster, currently held by an amazing Japanese woman). But the US 1500 meter record for women 85-89? That’s the one Mom had in her sights.

Yes, my attendance at the US Masters Track Championships in Sacramento was part of a mini-road trip with The Mate. But you don’t want to bother with the road trip now, right? Let’s cut to the chase.

Up first, though: the 800, not her best event (Mom was always more of a 10k or marathon-type gal). It was scheduled for Saturday afternoon. At 2:15. In Sacramento. In July.

At race time, it was 104.

*not pictured: bleachers that were too hot to touch, let alone sit on*

Actually, she was lucky–by 5 pm, the temp had risen to 109. And we were pretty shocked to find that the organizers had no cooling tents set up for the athletes–no fans, no misting machine. Nothing. Welcome, Senior Athletes: you’re on your own!

But Martha Klopfer is smart; she played it cool. Stayed indoors all day. Stayed hydrated. No need for warmups, right?

For the 800, I took videos, not stills, but really I was just praying Mom’s North Carolina-based heat tolerance would be kicking into high gear. And it did.

She ran a 5:33…breaking the American record by 35 seconds! HOWEVER, that woman in the green up there? That’s Lynne Hurrell. She ran 23 seconds FASTER, and she’s the same age! So extra kudos to Lynne, who got the gold.

Next day, thank GOODNESS, the 1500 was scheduled for 7:30 in the morning. There was SHADE on the campus of American River College, where the meet was held.

The 1500 is harder to keep track of (no pun intended), as it starts on the far side of the track, just past the curve, so you can’t quite tell when they’ve run exactly one, or two, or three laps. I spent the race alternately narrating the action to my dad and my sister on the phone in NC, and cheering so loud Mom said she could hear me on the back stretch.

Her splits seemed even…but slowing slightly. Would she break 11:00? Not without a kick.

Just in case it made a difference…I screamed myself hoarse. (j/k; I couldn’t help it.) And Mom crossed the finish line in 10:54.45. She broke the record by less than a second.

I had to give up running before 60, thanks to my knees and back. My mother has literally outrun me. When I’m asked about her ongoing running prowess, I sometimes say, “Good genes, good habits, good fortune.”

Way to go, Mom. Now how about those 90-94 records, next year?

[Next post: the actual road trip!]