Pahrump resident Marvin Caperton conquered a new world March 23, bringing home three gold medals from the Mesquite Senior Games.
“This is the first time I went there,” Caperton said. “I think this is the 19th year they’ve had this event. I was told there would be some good competition, so I went. But there wasn’t.”
If running against other humans doesn’t provide enough motivation, for a sprinter there is always the task of running against the clock. In that area, Caperton did quite well.
“I was expecting some people out of Utah that didn’t show, but I ran real good times,” he said. “I ran faster than I ran last time.”
Caperton was especially happy with his time in the 200 meters, running it in 26.1 seconds, a time he called “phenomenal for me.” He won the 100 in 13.2 seconds and the 50 in 7.1 seconds.
“It’s coming,” he said. “I’ve run some of the hills, I’ve worked on some starts. Still not there yet. I still need three or four-tenths of a second to be really competitive at nationals.”
The National Senior Games are scheduled for June 14-25 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Caperton said he felt good heading into the Mesquite event.
“First time I’ve been 100 percent in a long time,” he said. “It’s always something. You get a little nag or some minor strain or something, but this time I had nothing.”
Caperton said his training might not be fun, but it gets easier when he sees results.
“It makes me feel good when the work pays off,” he said. “I don’t like doing the work, but when it pays off it’s worth it.”
Next on the agenda is the Bay Area Senior Games, which begin April 13 with badminton and wrap up the first weekend in June with soccer.
Last year, Caperton, competing in the 60-64 age group, won the 50 at the Bay Area Senior Games in 7.08 seconds, finished second to Ken Wun in the 100 with a time of 13.40 seconds and also placed second behind Wun in the 200, running it in 28.36 seconds.
“I’ve got some revenge to take over there,” Caperton said. “I’m running the times that the dude beat me with last year, and he knows I’m gunning for him.”