2023 Season Highlights

The Good, the Very Good and the Not so Good…

Reflecting on the past year, a fellow master’s athlete recently remarked that 2023 had been a particularly extended athletics season. From my perspective, the journey commenced in December of the previous year, gearing up for the World Indoor Championships. Although the championships, hosted in Toruń, Poland, didn’t take place until March, months of meticulous preparation and rigorous training were essential to mold the body and mind into peak condition.

Part of this preparatory phase involved indoor racing at the Scottish and British Championships in Glasgow and Sheffield. These races not only served as a gauge for fitness and race sharpness but also provided a crucial opportunity to gain much-needed experience on the smaller 200m banked indoor track. Racing indoors presents distinct challenges compared to outdoor events, and acquiring track experience proved challenging, given the absence of indoor facilities in the North East of England.

The World Championships unfolded, delivering a truly remarkable experience. I consider myself fortunate to have been part of a mixed relay team that clinched a silver medal for Great Britain and Ireland. The personal victories continued as I reached the semi-finals and secured top 10 performances in the 200m and 400m, setting three new indoor personal bests. However, post the exhilarating highs of competing in a world championship, and perhaps due to the immense focus over several months, a noticeable dip in motivation ensued. It was uncanny how many of my GBR colleagues returned with injuries or health issues. While I avoided injuries, I eventually succumbed to Covid.

It took some time for the motivation to resurface and for training to transition from a necessity to something eagerly anticipated. When the outdoor season finally kicked off in May, the joy of racing reignited, serving as a timely reminder that all the sacrifices and suffering endured for the sport stem from a genuine love for what we do.

Even before the outdoor season began, I decided to treat it as two distinct parts, recognizing the difficulty, if not impossibility, of maintaining peak performance over an extended period of many months.

The first half of the outdoor season went exceptionally well. Despite not undergoing as much training as usual, a purple patch emerged, and I found myself running faster than ever before. Setting new personal bests in the 200m and 300m, matching my PB in the 100m, and breaking the elusive 60s barrier in the 400m, all contributed to success at the North East Championships, Scottish Championships, and North East Masters League in all three sprint disciplines.

The second half of the season commenced after the Scottish Championships on the 8th of July. While continuing to participate in the local Masters League, I decided to reduce track sessions for a few weeks to allow for rest. Simultaneously, I returned to the gym to condition my body for the latter part of the season.

As August unfolds, the primary focus shifts to the European Championships in Pescara, starting on the 21st of September. Alongside ramping up training, the run-up to Pescara includes two more North East Masters League meetings, a UK Masters Inter-County event in Nuneaton, and, of course, the British Masters Outdoor Championships in Derby on the 2nd and 3rd of September.

The Inter-Counties event went reasonably well, securing two second-place finishes against Mike Vassilou. However, an injury surfaced, initially dismissed as inconsequential. With the British Masters Championships merely three weeks away, I sought help from various physios and a sports therapist, with valuable assistance from fellow M60 athlete Mike Vassilou. Training became nearly impossible as the back eased only for the groin pain to return.

Despite not being in optimal condition, I decided to proceed to the British Championships, hoping for a miracle from the British Masters Medical Team. They made adjustments to my back and hip flexors, providing relief, though I still struggled to get up quickly from the starting position without pain. Withdrawal from the 100m and 200m became a necessity, but the hope lingered for a shot at the 400m from a standing start.

At the start of the 400m, a comical moment ensued as my lack of experience with a standing start nearly led to a topple. When the gun went off, so did my back, going into spasm in the initial strides, easing temporarily, only to spasm again on the home straight. The agony persisted, but miraculously, I managed to reach the end, earning a silver medal. The returning back pain necessitated a visit to the Medical Team the next day.

The European Championships, a mere three weeks away, found my body in complete disarray. Numerous visits to physiotherapists, a sports therapist, and a daily routine of bending and stretching exercises ensued. As the back gradually improved, a gentle track session revealed persistent pain in the adductor and hip flexor on my right leg, prompting an immediate halt to the session.

The European Championships arrived, and despite the lingering hope of competing, a visit to the Medical Team revealed a less-than-ideal condition. Withdrawal from the 100m was decided to allow for additional rest days. Another visit to the Medical Team ensued, providing more adjustments, soft tissue work, and additional taping, albeit with more tape than skin visible on my thigh. I was as good as I could be for the 200m.

Race day arrived, having gone through my warm-up routine, feeling reasonably good—though not at 100%. However, the moment I summoned maximum power, my adductor tore, causing excruciating pain across my pelvis. My European Championships journey ended abruptly, lasting a mere three seconds.

While disappointed, the preceding eight weeks had prepared me for such outcomes. Instead of competing, I utilized my time to support friends and fellow GBR athletes. The 4x100m relay, a race I missed the most, witnessed the M60 GBR team being crowned European Champions.

The next phase involves a period of rest and rehabilitation. Given the nature of the injury, a slow rebuilding process over months is crucial to prevent future complications. Determined to adhere to the plan, I aim to return healthier, stronger, and, hopefully, faster than before.

Whether I discovered sprinting or it discovered me remains uncertain. Like many other Masters Athletes, I harbor a few regrets about not taking up sprinting earlier in life. Nonetheless, discovering it at 58 and now, at 63, it has become a significant part of my life. Grateful for the ability to improve and the support from coaches, running buddies, competitors, friends, and my wife and family—who endure my constant chatter about it—I look forward to what lies ahead.