Image of a Masters Athlete!...The Hardened Veteran
We all know the image, that of the ‘old bloke’ doing the race, wearing old trainers and a retro vest. The vest however is original, not some hipster throw back 'wanna' be vest bought from the local GAP!
As part of this blog and to keep my self ‘researching’ I tend to buy or have access to a lot of fitness/running magazines, as I want to know what’s going on what there is that I can use to improve my own performance or fitness etc.
This weekend I was racing (60/200 you can see how I went in the Forum section, where I log my training and racing results) and took with me something to read, this occasion ‘Men’s Running’ as I thumbed through the pages I came across a single page info-graphic, pic attached.
In nice little info boxes was general comments as I said above about the generic stereotype of a ‘Vet’, Obviously as I am a Masters Athlete aka “Vet” I thought this is a little bit unfair. As I Looked around the event I was at I could see a fair few other ‘Vets’ on show and if anything we were the kitted out athletes.
From the masters athletes I have met both at world championships and closer to home even at my own club, the ‘vet’ runners are looking into the science and training methods just as much as I am, just because we may be past our prime we are still looking to get the best out of ourselves that we can, only now we have been around the block a time or two. Our desire to be the best we can be hasn’t changed, and that includes the latest trainers, the latest sports kit and recovery techniques.
From what I see, we have the largest amount of disposable income that we use on Athletics and sometimes can give the impression to youngsters of ‘all the gear but no idea’ (generally believed because we are not as fast as them etc)
I believe the world of being a ‘Vet’ ’Master’ and the imposed image is changing, as we live longer and stay fitter, healthier and competitive further into our lives, the image of ‘Master’ will actually be…. MASTER! of athletics.