Loudoun athletes breaking records

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
By Ben Ledbetter - Easterner Assistant Editor

Three Loudoun athletes have certainly been excelling as they have been setting record-breaking marks in their respective events.

Ashburn residents Julie Hayden, 46, and Terri Rath, 42, ran on the Athena Track Club's 1,600 meter relay team in the Penn Relays last month in Philadelphia.

Sterling attorney Bruce McBarnette set a record in the high jump at a meet earlier.

Athena’s team finished seventh with a time of four minutes, 23.48 seconds in the Masters Mixed 4x400 division.

That time was good enough for a pending record in women’s mile relay teams in the 40-49 years-old age group.

Although the Athena team that towed the starting line for the event had not ran together, Hayden knew the team could do well by its performances in training.

“The four of us had not ran together as a team before,” she said. “Three of us had never ran at Penn Relays before. We all knew our potential from the times we ran in training.”

One thing Hayden noticed at the multi-day meet was the precision involved in moving the meet’s events along.

“I think it’s very unique in that because it’s a big event, it’s well organized,” said Hayden. “You move from one station to another before you run. You don’t get any time to warm up on the track at all. That’s a little bit unique. You have to do all your preparation outside (the track) before the final stages.”

While this was her first at the Penn Relays, Hayden certainly wants to come back.

“I consider it a great honor to be accepted to run there,” she said. “It’s certainly something given the opportunity to do again, I’d jump at it.”

McBarnette, 48, set a new American record in the outdoor high jump for 45-49 year olds with a mark of 6 feet, 6 ¾ inches at the Southeastern Masters Track and Field Championships held at Duke University in Durham, N.C. on Saturday, May 6. His best performance is 7-1.

Click here for more actual story.