The Amazing Nolan Shaheed

If you checked the results of the IAAF World XC Championships, you know that the best XC runner the world has ever seen, Keninisa Bekele, overcame a dislodged shoe early in the 12km race to win his 12th World XC title, and his sixth long-course title in the last seven years. (He failed to finish last year in the heat of Mombasa, after being in the lead much of the race). I imagine that elite male runners of a certain age have spent the best years of their competitive lives looking up at Bekele and wondering when they would have their chance.

This weekend was also the U.S. National Indoor Track and Field Championships for Masters athletes. Technically, anyone over 30 was eligible to compete, but the real action was on the North side of 40. Among the competitors was the amazing Nolan Shaheed, who won gold in the 1M and 800m in the 55-59 age group. The presence of Shaheed on the track, like the presence of Bekele on an XC course, produces a kind of despair among his contemporaries.

Never heard of Shaheed? Ok, here's a short course:

- He is an accomplished musician and music producer who toured with the Count Basie orchestra as lead trumpeter, and has played with Nat Cole, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, and others.

- He is 58 years, old, and in truth, he has lost a step or two. For example, he "only" managed 2:09 for 800m and 4:43 for the mile. Oh, wait a minute. his 800m time was faster this year than last year.

- In 2007, he won the 800m, 1M, and 3000m for his age group. He does this triple a lot, as long as his plane arrives in time for him to compete in the 3000m Friday night. He almost always wins every event... by a lot.

- He holds five age group world records, including the M55-59 indoor and outdoor 1M records, and the M50 outdoor 800m record (1:58.65)

- He has won over 30 national championships

- He is a fearless racer who takes the lead and pushes the pace whether he is in a tight race or leading by half a lap.

on Saturday, Shaheed won the M55 mile by 30 seconds. On Sunday, he won the 800m by 0.6 seconds, beating another world-class masters athlete Alston Brown, who had just turned 55.

2:09 for 800m at age 58. Amazing.