World Masters Virtual Championships 2021

By chance recently I came across a notification that the World Masters Virtual Championships were being held in the summer of 2021.

I used to participate in World Master Athletics competitions and really enjoyed them. Then work and life got in the way, and I went to work overseas where there was not much contact or interest in such sporting pastimes, or the same regular and consistent athletics events organised relatively locally to where I lived.

I returned to the UK in 2020 after many years of working in different countries, and although it never stopped me training or even competing, i got out of the habit of training and competing as intensely as I had for many years when i was living continually in the UK, which was until January 2010.

From February 2010 to March 2013, I was living continually in Azerbaijan, and continued to train regularly but pressure of work meant that my fitness level deteriorated over that 3 year period. I did do a few competitions during that period especially the Baku Triathlon a few times, and also the Kazbegi Mountain marathon in the Kazbegi region of Georgia, a neighbouring country to Azerbaijan.

I was even pleased to win a top 3 place in the first Kazbegi Mountain marathon that i did in 2011. Since it was an overall placing and not just an age group placing I was even more pleased with my performance. I call recall speaking to the organisers of the Kazbegi mountain marathon about age groupings and placings, but it was a level of sophistication and difficulty to organise that they were not interested to try to do that at the time.

I expect that policy will change but that was the situation at the time. So, i was 1st place in the over 60´s age group (3rd place overall), but not recognised for the age group placing because it was not recognised.

When i get the chance to step back from my extremely busy work commitments then I will definitely spend more time on my athletics, cycling and swimming training. I will get back in shape for the World Master Championships in future years, and here is my first New year´s resolution of 2023, I am going to make 2023 the year that i do come back to athletics.