Joy Upshaw-Margerum

Photos courtesy of Ken Stone

Upshaw-Margerum started track in fourth grade and has been running and jumping since, through middle and high school, through California State University-Hayward where she was an All-American, and in the decades since.

“With masters there is not that pressure – not that time limit. You don’t just have only four years of track like in college. It’s great! ….When I turned 30 and heard that you could do masters track- I was so excited. I thought: ‘Cool! I can do hurdles and jumping until I am 100!’

“The beauty of masters running is that you may have a series of great workouts, be healthy and doing real well then all of a sudden hit some bumps or setbacks-whether it be in the job, family, etc, or an injury, but that’s ok with masters because there are new age groups. With masters if you get hurt or go through transitions or bumps, you can still find your training groove and set new goals or new age group or personal records.

“As Phil Raschker said to me, ‘Honey, you have to think of every year as a new personal best. It’s ok – hey! We are aging.’- so from that statement-maybe we can’t do better than five or ten years ago, but we can still try. “I just get motivated trying to improve my own times. Sometimes I just can’t get my own records,” she said. In the end, achieving personal goals is more satisfying than winning. “It is about racing and doing well,” she said, “but I am happier having better times than just winning.”

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Still, she’s been winning plenty as a master. In Canada, she won world masters gold medals in the 80 meter hurdles, the long jump and the 4 X 100 meter relay. She won the world masters gold medal in Italy in the long jump, jumping 17’3”. She’s also set several American records in the hurdles and long jump, including one in the 400m hurdles (W35-39, 64.12), long jump (W45-49, 17’7 ¾) and the 80-meter hurdles (W45-49, 12.07).

What’s her secret? Upshaw-Margerum is modest. “I don’t think I’m that good,” she responded immediately. Her experience and training help. Generally, she trains five times a week. She still does “lots” of plyometrics – though fewer than in college.

She also sees genetics as a major contributor to her success.

As she says, “Thanks, Dad, and Grandpa!” Her maternal grandfather ran 9.6 for the 100 meter dash in the 1920s.

Her father Monte Upshaw broke Jesse Owens' national scholastic record in the long jump by leaping 25 feet 4.25 inches at the 1954 California state championships.

She has three siblings, all of whom have excelled in track and field. Her sister Grace was a two-time Olympian in the long jump (’04 & ’08). Her brother, Chip, was a hurdler and long jumper. Her sister, Merry, was a sprinter, long jumper, hurdler and 800m runner.

So do you think Upshaw-Margerum’s daughters run and jump? Yup. They’re the family genes in motion, continuing the track tradition. Eighteen-year-old Sunny is a sprinter, hurdler, and long jumper. She holds her high school record in both the 100 and 300 meter hurdles and she jumped 18’10” as a sophomore in high school. Her success earned her a track scholarship for this coming fall at the University of California at Berkeley. Her younger daughter, Windy, is also a long jumper and hurdler.

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This article was originally printed in National Masters News.

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