It’s the first weekend of September, 5 weeks before track and field season officially begins here. I am still recovering from my heel injury, but I’m now back on the track doing light work as part of my rehabilitation.
The coming season is looking like a bumper season. Firstly, it is my first season in the 50+/M50 age groups, which means mostly competing against different people, and more significantly, specifications for my hurdling and throwing events have changed. Secondly, there are some additional major meets.
First of the majors is the Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games, which are being held in Mandurah, Western Australia, which is about 80km south of Perth. I have held the Victorian 100m sprint titles for the past 2 years, and 200m for 3 years. Only reason I didn’t retain the 400m title was because I left early to compete at the Victorian Masters championships, which were on the same day, but looking at the results, I would have easily won that event too, had I been able to be in 2 places at once. :) The Games take place at the end of October, and there will be more announcements very soon about that.
My next major meet is the Victorian Relay championships, which are on November 24 in Melbourne. I have competed in these championships for the previous 2 years, but this time will be the first I will be eligible to compete in the 50+ age group. We are hoping to field a strong team for this meet in the 4x100 and 4x400m relays.
2019 starts with a huge weekend of decathlon action. There are literally 3 multi event championships on that weekend, all here in Bendigo. The first two are the Victorian and Australian Masters multis, which are the ones where I competed in the decathlon last simmer. But this year, there is also the Victorian Multi Championships, run by Athletics Victoria. I don’t know how these fit into the grand scheme of things, more to work out along the way.
At the end of January is one of the regular key meets of the summer season - the Victorian Country Athletics Championships. This year, these are also being held here in Bendigo, which means less travel this time around. Looking forward to seeing how I go in my new age group.
As usual, fire brigade competitions dominate through February. I’m not sure I will make the AV Shield Final, as I think it clashes with the junior fire brigade state championships, where I am normally an official, as well as one of those looking after the kids in our care.
Then in March, it’s back to the track for the Victorian Masters Track and Field Championships in Melbourne, and somewhere around that time, the Victorian Police and Emergency Services Games, also in Melbourne.
The final meet for the 2018-2019 season will be the Australian Masters Athletics Championships in the last week of April. This year, these championships are also being held in Melbourne, which simplifies travel arrangements, and I’m looking forward to taking part for the first time.
Anyway, it’s a long and exciting season ahead, and there’s more announcements to come as the season progresses. I’m looking forward to taking part. Stay tuned!
- Tony via Tumblr https://ift.tt/2NFsxsa
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