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I worked the finish line and chute at the Cowboy Jamboree Saturday. 5500 runners, 15 races. I was hoarse from calling uniform colors in the close finishes. Beautiful day, 50 F at 0700, 70 by noon. Coach Smith held Fernandez and Vail out... says neither is injured or ill, he just though a little rest would be more beneficial than another race before the conference campaign.
This was the 60th anniversary of my first Cowboy Jamboree. I missed some in the 50s and 60s while I was off living life but have made most of them since early 70s. Same course, although in 1949 it was still the Okla A&M golf course. The greens and sand traps have all sorta melted into the ground but the turnstyle over the fence on the west end is still there. And, the wood chips in the four places the course crosses the mid-course ravine are a welcome improvement over the muddy slopes when it is wet.
The oh-so-slightly downhill 440 yard straightaway at the top of the hill that was kept closely mowed is now knee high prairie grass. Big mistake. We ran some terrific times on that strip. If you have ever run the 220 on a straight and thought the finish line would never get there, try a 440 straightaway.
This was the 60th anniversary of my first Cowboy Jamboree. I missed some in the 50s and 60s while I was off living life but have made most of them since early 70s. Same course, although in 1949 it was still the Okla A&M golf course. The greens and sand traps have all sorta melted into the ground but the turnstyle over the fence on the west end is still there. And, the wood chips in the four places the course crosses the mid-course ravine are a welcome improvement over the muddy slopes when it is wet.
The oh-so-slightly downhill 440 yard straightaway at the top of the hill that was kept closely mowed is now knee high prairie grass. Big mistake. We ran some terrific times on that strip. If you have ever run the 220 on a straight and thought the finish line would never get there, try a 440 straightaway.
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