The Individual
Events

When I was 11 years old and attending a small country school, the headmaster wanted to see the fastest boy and girl run against each other over about 100m. The whistle blew and we started running. By half way I was in front and my opponent quit. That one race gave me the confidence to participate in the athletics carnivals when I reached high school.

In my early thirties I saw a story on the ABC about 'veteran' athletics and I thought I'd love to participate. So, I joined the sport when my young family moved to Brisbane. A wise veteran member advised me that it would take three years for my body to adapt and gradually improve.

They were right. Each year my sprint times gradually improved and eventually on a synthetic surface I ran faster than my schoolgirl times. Plus, it was fun meeting other runners, jumpers and throwers. Many were older than me. They were also inspiring and showed me that athletics was possible at any age.

Some people did little training and enjoyed the camaraderie. Others trained seriously. The great thing was that you could compete regardless of ability. For many years the 100m was my favourite event on the track but now I am rather partial to the 60m. Once the 100m was over in a flash but in later years I found I had time to plan the shopping list.

I had a vision that if I was running late to catch the bus I could always break into a sprint and get to the bus stop in time. I haven't missed a bus yet.

What advice would I give from my years of running?

1. Every five years one enters a new age group and can set new goals 2. Buy decent shoes, the cheapest are not the best 3. Gradually increase the training load. Don't try to be 16 and invincible 4. Train with others when possible. 5. Being underdone and on the start line is better than overdone and injured 6. Check out 'Masters Rankings'. It can be motivating to see your performance listed and aim to climb a few placings up the rankings 7. Practise running relaxed 8. Take advice on how to start and use an observer for feedback 9. Keep a record of your progress 10. Try new events. You are never too old to learn and adapt

I always participated in school athletics carnivals but I started training for athletics in grade 11. I made it to Zones for sprints, middle distance events and cross country, Regionals in the 400m and 800m, and I ran in the final of the State Championships in the 400m.

I was excited but really nervous to run the 4x100m at Zones in grade 12, as our girls team had won the event every year since grade 8 and this was my first time in the team. Thankfully we won – phew, it was a relief and it sparked my love of relays!

I didn't continue with athletics after school but I still did some running on and off as well as doing dance classes and teaching group fitness. In my early 30s I was keen to do athletics again and someone suggested Masters. I had so much fun at my first QMA competition and I started training with the SAF group the next week. I competed regularly in sprints and also some middle distance and cross country events.

I continued to improve over time and even won some medals. I enjoyed the camaraderie and relays were also lots of fun (thanks to some fast people in my relay teams, I even ended up with a couple of Qld relay records!)

I took another break from athletics in my 40s and focused more on my other love – dancing. I also became a regular at RPM classes at my gym: instead of the track, my sprint fix was on a stationary bike for many years instead! My love for athletics remained though and I returned to QMA again in my post-menopausal 50s!

60m is great but always feels too short for me – it's over before you blink! I love that feeling of the 100m and trying to run as fast as I can but as well as speed, I can't seem to ignore my love (love-hate!) of speed endurance – it's the sense of achievement when I finish that keeps me hooked! I've always loved the challenge of 400m, and 300m is my favourite masters sprint event – the fun of a 400m without the lactic – but the longer sprints are even tougher if you have limited training sessions!

I still dance and have a very active lifestyle, so with the limited athletics-specific training time that I have, my new focus has been on the shorter sprints.

That's where the 200m comes into play. It's a happy medium! I've always loved running the bend – the excitement of the curve when you can't quite tell who is in front or you can't see who is approaching from the back. The 200m still has the thrill of running as fast as you can with the added excitement of trying to maintain that speed when you hit the straight and finding the strength, power and endurance to keep pushing through until the finish!

The 400 metres is a unique event that sits between pure sprinting and speed endurance.

Training encompasses speed, speed endurance and maintaining under fatigue.

300 and 150 reps are our squad rep staples. Nothing reduces you to your knees like a split 400 training session.

Racing the 400m is also highly tactical. My coach always says everyone can run a good 250 and it's on from there. The aim isn't to sprint as hard as possible from the gun, but to distribute effort effectively. Balancing going out hard enough with not gassing and slowing down too much in the final straight.

Classically we are aiming to build speed through the opening bend, settle into rhythm down the back straight, maintain through the final bend and hold/survive when fatigue and lactate accumulation mean the legs are in a world of pain. I personally question my life choices from the 80-metre mark most 400 races!

They say it takes 9 years to fully master sprint hurdles. And that's starting with youth athletes. Add to this some age-related challenges and truly mastering hurdles could be nothing more than a fantasy for a masters age athlete. But despite the challenges of this highly technical event, there are proven methods of technical development that when implemented and rehearsed, can help the masters athlete achieve enough rhythm to 3 step their way through the sprint hurdles race.

Hurdles is about rhythm. Rhythm with speed and timing. And a good hurdler is quite artistic to watch. But it can often feel like there are too many things to execute all at once. Hence the long learning curve I suspect. Hurdle Specifications cater for gender and age with hurdle height and pitch diminishing over time. It's one of the few events masters athletes are rewarded for each decade we age.

In sprint hurdles as in life; to fail is to learn. I've failed many times in sprint hurdles, to the point of absolute embarrassment. But small gains in mastering this challenging event keep you engaged enough to try again and again. Just bring the resilience and endeavour, the willingness to train and embed the technical aspects. Because with so few willing to tackle such a technically demanding event, there lies a great opportunity for those that do.

Standing on the start line of an 800m race comes with a distinct thrill. It is a brutal yet enjoyable distance. I love that the 800 is unlike any other event where the success comes down to a combination of race tactics, speed, strength, endurance and courage to embrace the pain during gruelling training days.

A defining moment of the 800m comes as the bell sounds for the second lap. At the 400m mark, with fatigue already setting in, the real test begins as you stare down another full lap of relentless effort. But nothing beats the satisfaction of executing a fast tactical race and leaving it all on the track.

Ultimately, my drive to run this event comes from the process of mastering it.

My running journey began when I was just 8 years old, when I joined Little Athletics. What started as something I enjoyed as a young girl soon became a passion that has stayed with me throughout my life.

As I moved into senior athletics, I competed in Cross Country, the 1500m and the 800m. I loved the challenge of racing and seeing what I could achieve, but there was something special about the 800m that kept drawing me back.

In 1998, I joined Masters Athletics, and the 800m continued to be my event.

The 800m is not an easy race. It is a brutal combination of speed, endurance and speed endurance. You need the speed to run fast, the endurance to keep going, and the mental strength to hold on when your legs are screaming at you to stop.

That's what I love about it.

Every 800m is a challenge. You know it's going to hurt, but you step onto the track anyway. You line up beside your competitors, take your place on the start line and tell yourself, I've trained for this. Now give it everything you've got.

As the years have gone by, running has become so much more than just competing. It's given me friendships, goals, memories and a reason to keep challenging myself.

There have been good races, tough races, wins, disappointments and plenty of moments when I've wondered why I put myself through it!

But then I get back on the track.

At my age, I don't run because it's easy. I run because I still have goals. I still want to improve. I still want to see what I can achieve.

And after all these years, the 800m still gives me that feeling — the nerves before the start, the excitement of racing and the satisfaction of knowing I gave everything I had.

I took up running 20 years ago, after the children finished school, as a way to fill my time with something rewarding. What started as a simple hobby quickly grew into a passion, opening doors to travel, meet like-minded people, and achieve goals I never imagined. I've competed in events from fun runs to marathons and was delighted to break a few records in my age division along the way. The 1500m, though, remains my favourite, offering a perfect mix of challenge, focus, strategy, and the thrill of a strong finish—always giving it my all.

The 5,000m is an interesting in-between distance, not too far to run but also a long time to hold a solid pace.

My running history includes 10km to half marathons over more than 20 years and then I decided to give the 5,000m a go. I also play Masters hockey.

It has been a great year for me, and I encourage anyone else considering it to give it a go!

It is a great group of people and also good to have a new challenge!

I started Little Athletics at the age of 10. Whilst not the fastest or strongest, I did find that I could jump well. I enjoyed most of the athletics events yet found a natural affinity with long jump. I went on to do athletics until I was about 24 and stopped doing it due to work commitments. When my children started Little Athletics, I became a coach and did that until the children outgrew Little Athletics.

A work colleague knowing of my involvement with Little Athletics suggested Masters Athletics. I started doing Masters and really enjoyed the competition, fitness and the people I was doing Masters with.

Long jump is a fairly simple event, you run up along a runway and jump off one foot as far as possible into the pit full of sand. The runway can be up to 40m long, the take off board is usually made of wood, painted white and [is 20cm deep and runs] across the runway. To be a legal jump you have to take off prior to the end of the take off board. Once landed in the long jump pit you have to exit the pit in front of your jump, if you walk back through the sand the jump will be measured from the closest point in the sand to the take off board.

To do long jump well you need to have both good speed and the ability to jump so that the forward speed can be converted into distance into the pit. The run up is very important in long jump. The closer you can take off to the front of the take off board the better. A consistent run up is required for good long jumping. To maximise the distance achieved when jumping you have to be running as fast as possible at the point of take off and the body should be upright at take off to enable the best height in the jump. If you take off while leaning forward in a normal sprinting motion the result will be a flat jump and over rotation with the feet hitting the sand earlier than the optimal required. The next skill is to keep the legs up as long as possible, horizontal to the ground. Good core strength is required to do this. One of the most common faults seen in long jump is the legs falling too early to optimise distance. The ability to keep the legs up will add significantly to the distance jumped.

Tips for masters athletes doing long jump would be to recognise that it is an explosive event so don't push too hard at the start until you are fit, as injury may result. Get fitter and stronger incrementally as you will enjoy Masters Athletics more. Don't expect to be able to do everything as you did in your youth. You will get better. Ask for help if unsure or just need some advice, Masters athletes are very willing to give assistance at all levels of competition from the local competitions to the National Championships.

I find Long Jump is one of those events that don't require a lot of technical knowledge to start with and still see decent results. Everyone knows the basics and it's possible to build on those.

If you have never done it before I would recommend to start with learning to run up in a consistent style. If you can keep it the same for the majority of jumps then it's not that hard to adjust mistakes at the board.

The run up doesn't have to be long. If you find running difficult start around 10m and build up from there. Remember to always start your run up with the same foot. If the length of your steps is consistent you (should) arrive at the board with the same foot for every run up. Example: if you have the left foot at the start marker, make the first step with your right leg and run 10 steps then you arrive at the board with the left leg. If you don't want to jump with the left leg all you have to do is start at the marker with the opposite foot. If you don't hit the board in the perfect spot, you just need to adjust back or forth the same length at your marker. Now you have a run up.

A few simple things to remember at take off are to look up to the sky not at the board. Trust your run up. Bring your arms up in a backward swing, stay tall and keep your legs up as high as possible. Now you are a Long Jumper.

To improve from there all sorts of Plyos [plyometrics] and jumping exercises will be helpful to build strength. Core exercises will assist with keeping the legs up high and sprint training might be needed to improve the run up speed.

To me the rest is all about having fun.

I would watch my kids at Little Athletics doing high jump thinking that I'd love to give it a go but hadn't done any athletics since I was a kid myself and thought I was too old. Kicking the footy or trying to run a lap of the oval would leave me sore for days. I had no idea that people into their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond did sports like high jump until I stumbled upon QMA online.

I joined a training group at QSAC thinking it'd be a good way to get fit, while also having some fun. Competing was the furthest thing on my mind. I started off with some light sprint and conditioning sessions and as my body got stronger, I found myself joining in and learning as many other events as I could manage. I eventually found my way into high jump.

High jump is one of the most technical events, and one which uses speed, coordination, flexibility and explosive strength. The feeling of clearing the bar for a new PB (or age PB) when it all comes together is so addictive. It's a difficult event to master but easy enough for anyone to learn and it's never too late to start.

My training includes a weekly gym and track/plyometrics session, some jumps at least once a month, and most importantly, daily stretching and plenty of recovery days. One thing I have learned is not to set the bar too low. Age is definitely not a barrier to making ongoing improvements and clearing new heights. Within a year I'd far exceeded my own expectations. Consistency is key!

For those wanting to get started or get back into it, I'd recommend jumping right in. I guarantee the only critic will be yourself, and with QMA, you'll be training and competing in a fun, inclusive environment with like-minded people who are looking to have fun and be healthy. My only regret is not starting sooner! An added bonus has been getting the chance to train and compete with my kids.

High jump was always the most fun field event in school and is just as much fun as a masters athlete. Why let the kids have all the fun?

Athletics was my first sporting love. From the age of six to thirteen, I competed in Little Athletics, with javelin and discus as my favourite events. In high school, I discovered a natural talent for shot put, but my focus gradually shifted to hockey and AFL, both of which I continued to play well into adulthood.

In January 2020, while preparing for knee surgery, I found myself talking with my anaesthetist about my sporting background. I mentioned that athletics had been my first love and that I missed the challenge of competing against myself and striving for personal improvement each week. He asked a simple question: "Why can't you do athletics now?" That conversation stayed with me.

When COVID-19 restrictions arrived shortly afterwards, I used the time to research opportunities and discovered Queensland Masters Athletics. Nervous about returning to the sport after many years away, I attended my first competition intending to throw discus and quietly leave if things didn't go well. Instead, I was welcomed by a supportive throwing community who encouraged me to try hammer throw and weight throw, events I had never attempted before. Despite my nerves, I was instantly hooked.

Today, athletics has reconnected me with the sport I loved as a child, while allowing me to focus on the events I enjoy most: the throws. Shot put remains my favourite because it combines power, technique, timing and momentum. I thrive on the challenge of refining my skills, learning new techniques and continually improving. Nothing compares to the feeling when every element comes together and, at the moment of release, you know you have produced your best throw.

I am rediscovering discus and it remains an ongoing challenge for me, fair to say, not my best event, but I'm enjoying the challenge of improving against myself.

I am also enjoying the amazing group of masters throwers I have met along the way and the way each of us encourage, support and coach each other. If you have never thrown before- we will teach you. If you are like me and threw as a kid- come back- we will be your biggest cheerleaders.

For twenty years, Kylie's athletics career had exactly one event: driving. Roughly 600km a week of it, ferrying her three lads to training, meets. She wasn't the athlete, she was the pit crew, the caterer, the roadie, and, above all, the world's loudest No. 1 fan.

The investment paid off handsomely. Two of her boys went on to represent Australia at Oceania level in pole vault and hammer throw, then the boys grew up and Kylie made an executive decision: her turn. She picked up hammer throw at fifty after fifteen years of watching her middle son sling it around a circle had turned her into an accidental expert, so the throws circle seemed a sensible place to start. Then, because apparently one fiendishly technical event wasn't enough of a challenge, she started pole vault at fifty-five. She fell head over heels for both. (Occasionally, it must be said, literally.)

The roles have now officially reversed. Her grown-up lads coach the masters' throwers and dish out vaulting advice to their own mother. Satisfying bit of payback, presumably, for two decades of "have you got your spikes?"

What Kylie loves most about masters' athletics is the squad. Everyone competes, sure, but the whole vibe is give it a go, try your best, and cheer each other on. Celebrating every PB like it's Olympic gold, whether it's yours or your squad. You don't have to be the best; you just have to rock up and have a crack.

Career highlight? Competing at the Oceania Championships with all three of her sons in the crowd, cheering her on for a change. A lovely bit of payback after two decades of doing the cheering herself & living proof that the pit crew can, eventually, make it onto the podium.

I started my athletics career a long time ago as a sub junior in Sydney, with the Northern Suburbs Women’s Athletics Club. I won NSW state Junior and Open titles in heptathlon and 400m hurdles in the late 70s and early 80s. However, I was plagued by hamstring injuries and always felt frustrated that I never reached my true potential. By this time, my mum, Gloria Seymon, had taken up Vets athletics and was very involved in the early vets/masters movement in Victoria and Australia.

After moving to America in 1988 and while living there for 30 years, I dabbled in masters throwing events sporadically at local USATF comps, but just never had the time to take it up or train seriously with two young boys and busy working and volunteering.

It wasn’t until my hubby and I retired and moved back to Australia in 2018 that I decided to take it up again and see how far I could go. With dodgy hammies, I had decided to concentrate on the throws, with my preference being the javelin, though I do also love the throws pentathlon (which includes hammer, shot, discus and weight throw in addition to javelin).

I train with throwing twice a week up here on the Sunny Coast with my training buddies, Heather and Sandra - two other masters of the same age that live locally, and have the same passion in throwing as I have. I love our training sessions - they are so much fun and fulfilling. I also try to walk at least 12-15 km every day, as well as daily sit-ups, and leg and arm strengthening exercises.

The highlight of my masters career so far was breaking the Australian W60 javelin record last year.

I love the competitions as well as the training sessions - you meet so many interesting people with similar passions as yourself. The camaraderie, friendliness and banter of these competitions is amazing!

One thing I have learned though that I would like to pass on to other “more mature” masters athletes is listen to your body. We aren’t as young as we like to think we are, and injuries take longer to heal. When your body is warning you it is tight or cramping, pay attention. Another word of advice is to set yourself realistic and attainable goals - sometimes hitting a new PB is even better than winning a competition…

I am looking forward to ageing up soon, and taking a crack at the new Aussie record. I am also looking forward to competing at more international competitions, but waiting for my body to get fitter and stronger before I take on that challenge.

I competed in school athletics and little A's growing up and played every sport I could.

It wasn't until I was raking the long jump pit at an Ipswich Little Athletics carnival for my daughter that I met Marty Stolberg. She mentioned to me this wonderful organisation called QLD Masters Athletics and that I should come along with her. I was aged 44 and hooked from my first Saturday morning meet.

Now I couldn't pick just one event so I did them all. (Jack of all trades master of none). This led me to the Heptathlon. Seven events over two days. I do have my favourite events of course, hurdles, high jump and javelin but I always say out of the seven events at least one is going to be good.

The camaraderie of combined events is unmatched in any other event. Everyone shares an understanding of the bad days and the good days. They encourage and celebrate all the milestones. You seem to be able to just look at someone and understand how they are feeling because who doesn't want to finish with an 800m.

Heptathlon sounds like a crazy event but it is worth having a go at. By the end of the second day you have just finished the 800, you feel so proud of what you have accomplished. You are ready to sign up for the next one.

Get out there and give it a go, you might just be surprised how much fun it is.

Ten Events. Zero Excuses. Why to focus on one event when you can enjoy 10? For master athletes, the decathlon isn't about chasing Olympic gold; it's about proving that your best athletic years don't have to be behind you. If you are tired or bored of a single sport or discipline, this is your ultimate playground.

"You try it, you like it, you keep at it." Many master athletes assume they are too old to learn technical events like the pole vault or discus. But the moment you nail the timing on a throw or clear a bar, that youthful spark ignites. You don't need to break world records; you just need to beat your yesterday. It is a continuous loop of testing your limits, mastering new skills, and realising your body is capable of far more than you think.

"You do it because just one event is not enough." Focusing on one thing in your masters years often leads to boredom and repetitive strain injuries. The decathlon is the ultimate antidote. It forces a total-body workout. If your knees are tired of jumping on Tuesday, you can focus on throwing technique on Thursday. It keeps training fresh, exciting, and highly functional.

Crucially, the decathlon is as much a mental puzzle as it is a physical challenge. It is the ultimate test of resilience. If you foul your long jumps or clip a hurdle, you cannot let it ruin your weekend. You have to instantly reset, pick yourself up, and channel your focus entirely into your next event goal. You learn to forgive your mistakes in real-time.

Best of all, the masters decathlon is designed for longevity. The hurdles get lower, the throwing implements get lighter, and the age-graded scoring system ensures you compete fairly against the physics of your own age bracket.

Beyond the competition, you gain an unmatched community. Masters multi-events are essentially weekend festivals for people who refuse to grow old. Because you all survive the mental and physical roller coaster together for 48 hours, rivalries vanish. By the final 1500m run, total strangers are sharing recovery advice, cheering your victories, and celebrating at the finish line.

Step onto the track. Try it. You'll keep at it.

I had run as a teenager and enjoyed competing in QA and school competitions until year 12. I had tried to get back into it in my mid-twenties but was plagued with lower back issues due to a weak core. I then ventured into road cycling a few years later but then gave that up due to a couple of bad crashes once we decided to start a family.

Fast forward a few years to my eldest son starting high school and telling me that he wants to start training for the cross country. I knew I had my core sorted these days so I thought what a great opportunity. We started off jogging a few times a week. We continued building our base and by track season I had joined the kids up to Little Athletics.

The following winter I joined the QA side of the club and then we all competed around the South East racing cross country.

I love the fact that the cross country pathway starts at school level and every school competes. I feel very blessed being able to run again and to enjoy it with my children even though there is only one who competes now.

The cross country competition is very welcoming. It caters for all different levels including ages. There are six-year-olds all the way up to grand masters. The distances also cater to your level of fitness. There are races as short as 1km all the way up to 8km.