Mastering our self, mastering the sport: we walk for many reasons.  Most of us walk for health.  Some of us also walk for competition and enjoy going to races around the nation and world as well as locally.

It is interesting if disheartening to notice that the violence of our society has invaded sporting events.  We like to think that a small family group like race walkers could be immune.  Unfortunately that has not proved to be the case for some of us.

How can we deal with this kind of behavior?  A person who would hurt another person has many problems: extreme narcissism and selfishness.  Violence begins when a person values power and control above love and compassion.

Sometimes extreme views on having exclusive control of the "truth" have led people of principle to forget human worth and integrity.

Am I angry?  I don't have the time or energy to spare on such negative feelings. There is too much to do to change race walking and the world to become a more enlightened place to have time for it.

We Master race walkers walk for pleasure and exercise.  If difficulties or unpleasantness occur what can persuade us to continue on.  Certainly not the great financial reward we receive nor the great praise for being an Olympian!

Only a rigid purist could be pleased with the results of the new judging rules for master walkers.  I have personally observed much discouragement of walkers who have marginal concerns; who with just a little work could be "legal".

A master walker walks for fun and for a health program; most do not have ambitious goal nor do they like unpleasantness.  All too often the fear of being judged and disqualified discourages people from our great sport.

There is a need for greater common sense especially in the judging of master walkers.  Perhaps judging could be tailored to the age and expertise of the racers and the quality of the race.  What is the purpose of judging?  To ensure a fair contest?  To make sure everyone is perfect?

After all, what is the point of having a race?  Let's try to train our master race walkers to be the best and most efficient walkers they can be and have fun doing it! Masters of our self, masters of the way, masters of racewalking!