The old Madeira Magic - Ron takes Gold in M70 10K

2021 Our 50th Anniversary – more on our history in the newsletter

Editorial

Sadly, following the last newsletter, Lou Satterthwaite who has been assistant editor for many years and had taken on the editor role this year has stepped down along with Kate Satterthwaite who took the minutes at committee meetings. As some people will have seen on Facebook the club made a donation to Brake in memory of Anthony Satterthwaite who was sadly killed whilst cycling by a speeding motorist in 2018. The donation was to offer our support to Kate and Lou who were recently devastated by the lenient sentence of a 6 months suspended sentence given to the driver. Our thoughts are with Kate, Lou and their family as they go through a difficult time. Anthony was an exceptionally keen cyclist and remembered for his huge smile, his laugh and his friendly demeanour. We will miss Lou and Kate’s contribution to the running of MMAC.

With Lou stepping down, I have taken on producing the newsletter short term, sadly, as you see, I don’t have the design skills of Lou. If there are any budding editors out there who are interested in taking over producing the newsletter just email me.

More sad news with the death of Edgar Nicholls in November at the age of 96. Edgar joined MMAC in 1977 and in 1979 took on the Road and Cross-Country Secretary role getting Irene involved with him. He held this role until 1987 when he took on the secretary role until 2006. Although he then stepped down from the committee, he would still help Irene at all our events until the last few years. Edgar was a fine athlete being a reserve for the 1948 Olympics, known for his barefoot cross country running on what was his favourite surface. We will print more details of his atheltics achievements in the next newsletter. We send our thoughts to Irene and her family.

We have decided to award an Edgar Nicholls Trophy annually for Endurance performances, this will likely in the future be for Cross Country. This year it will be awarded to the Winner of the Virtual Grand Prix, that started in November and runs until February. We hope Irene will be able to present the trophy at the MMAC Track and Field Championships.

With the virus numbers increasing we have seen a further cut back in potential events. There were encouraging signs in late summer with the open competitions taking place across the country and with Nuneaton leading the way in the Midlands. It’s difficult to be certain if we will have any indoor competition or cross-country events over winter. However, we know that as spring comes, we would expect the virus cases to drop and we could see a track and field schedule and the progress on a vaccine could see us moving closer to normality this summer.

In the newsletter there is a report from Madeira, where MMAC members took medals, a bit on our history as we look to celebrate our 50th Anniversary and some more articles from Matt Long one on masters training and two interviews with members. We have reduced our membership rates for the Anniversary and thanks to those that have already renewed. More details of this in the newsletter.

Well done to the recent winners of the Atheltics Volunteer Awards. In the East Midlands. Wendy Kane took Official of the Year. In the West Midlands Sam Cater took the Coach of the year Award and I took the Run Leader of the Year Award.

As the Christmas season draws nearer, we will all be getting busy. If any of our readers find they have some time to spare they may like to tackle ‘Joyce’s Quiz’ (either frivolously or seriously!). For several years the quiz has raised thousands of pounds for charity and to support this MMAC makes a donation. Individuals can submit their entry, if they wish, for a donation of £ 2. In addition, Jill Lamb has written a word puzzle to keep people amused

MMAC officers and committee send Christmas Greetings and all good wishes for 2020 HAPPY CHRISTMAS

MMAC COMMITTEE - MAIN CONTACTS 2020/21

PRESIDENT Sue Kneill Boxley suekb@outlook.com

CHAIR Graham Lamb 07790 495115 grahamhlamb@gmail.com

SECRETARY Jill Lamb 07779 102555 jillchlamb@aol.com

TREASURER Martin Wilkinson mmac.treasurer@virginmedia.com

MEMBERSHIP SEC Graham Lamb as above

ACTING EDITOR Graham Lamb as above

MIDLAND MASTERS AC COMPETITION VESTS AVAILABLE FROM SUTTON RUNNER

The MMAC vest is white with a red vertical band and the MMAC logo. This is a must for your kit bag. The mini-mesh vest is £14.99 (plus postage and packing) Women’s vests to order at the same price. Please send your order to: Sutton Runner, 268 Jockey Road, Sutton Coldfield B73 5XL https://www.suttonrunner.com/shop/ Telephone first to confirm sizes in stock (0121-355-2901) Shop open: MON-SAT 9.00am – 5.30 pm

We welcome these new members

Mark Illingworth Stratford Upon Avon AC Richard Huthwaite Midland Masters AC Bryan Vaughan Midland Masters AC Michael Horton Telford AC Michael Barrie Stratford Upon Avon AC Anthony Warner Bromsgrove and Redditch Georgina Smith Midland Masters AC Liza Bradshaw CLC Striders

Membership is now due

Firstly, many thanks to the 150 plus members who have renewed already.

This year is our 50th Anniversary as the forerunner of MMAC was formed in October 1971 and so as we go towards our 50th celebration, we have reduced our membership fees £5 for 2nd claim membership. £20 for 1st claim membership and then an extra £6 if you want a posted newsletter in preference to reading the online version.

Membership is now due and can be paid at bmaf.opentrack.run, it really helps me if this is done before the end of the year as it confirmed automatically. Otherwise it takes me about two minutes to process every renewal. So, if 500 members pay after the end of the year that’s about 17 hours when I can’t train!!!

I know a few people don’t like to pay online and there are options to pay by direct debit to our account at Lloyds, MMAC account Bank sort code - 309757, account number 00496325 or pay by cheque which you can send to the treasurer, Martin Wilkinson at 249 Boldmere Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B73 5LL. Make it payable to Midlands Masters Athletics Club . We use Lloyds, so it’s even possible to email a photo of the cheque which we can then scan to mmac.treasurer@virginmedia.com.

We are hoping to arrange various celebration events during the year

Medals in Madeira

A couple of reports from our members who took part and came back with medals

Ron Cattle – V70 10k Gold Medal

With the COVID-19 virus disrupting Athletics and with race after race being postponed, what better than to fly to Madeira and run in the European Masters championships non-stadia, this is what I did in the last week of October. Madeira itself is a beautiful island and with temps in the 20s perfect for running, it is a very mountainous and if you head inland the roads get very steep. The competition was over 4 days starting on Thurs Oct 29th and had 10k, 20k, 30, walking races, cross trail relay, Nordic walking and a 10k run and half marathon, everything seemed to be very organised from picking up numbers to race day.

My race the 10k was on the Thursday, with the 10k walks first then at 8-30 pm the 10k run, it was about 20 degrees and quite humid, the course was 2 x laps and started on the seafront at the C Ronaldo museum, a flat first 1km, then a 500mt hill, and after that which is probably worse for runners was stretches of cobbles for the next 3km with a downhill back to the front. There were about 150 runners in all age groups and we were put in 6 blocks, according to age -group, and had a staggered start. My race went ok and after the first lap I was leading by 20secs in my age -group with a Spanish Athlete in second place, and eventually won by 24 secs in a time of 43-05, with the Spanish 2nd and 3rd. The medal ceremony started about 10pm and was a great experience with the anthems and flags of the winners. The GB team won 8 Gold, 7 Silver, 6 Bronze, which was a superb haul for a small GB team. Just to say how organised and safe we felt in Madeira and how well the race was organised considering the limitations of COVID.

Julie Bellfield Gold and Lynn Bellfield Bronze - 10k walk

The course was quite tough and the weather very warm and walking on the evening was quite strange. Lynn and I both found it enjoyable if not a little bit hard as neither of us had done any training for this event as we did not know whether it was going ahead until the last minute and due to back problems, we had both not done the mileage. If ever there is a normal life and there are events in Madeira, I suggest that people give it a go it was a tough course (not as tough as the half marathon which was quite hilly and warm) and the Madeiran people are wonderful.

Well Done to Ron, Julie and Lynn. I went on a holiday to Madeira several years ago and I found several good runs but it was hilly!

Grand Prix Winter League

During the first lockdown we started the MMAC Grand Prix and now we have a Winter League running from November until the end of February.

Just a reminder if you want to take part, all you need to do is join the Midland Masters AC group on Strava, this is a closed member only group. We have 150+ members in the group. Then enter the Strava 5k and 10k challenges and from the months challenge lists, we then will see all the people have taken part. Martin has volunteered again to work out the age grade for all the results. Most watches and phones can be linked to Strava and any runs you have already done this month will count when you join the challenges. Just remember Strava takes average times for the run so if you run 7k your 5k time will be based on the 7k average time. There will be prizes for the overall winners but each month there will be a voucher for someone drawn out of all the runners who competed in the month.

Midland Masters Memories

By Martin Wilkinson

Once again, we are dipping into old MMAC newsletters to discover the early history of MMAC or Midlands “Vets” as it was then. These memories are from 1975 to 1980. For me personal knowledge of veteran athletics during this period is sparse. I was at university and had only just taken up running, so this has been a real history lesson. The late seventies included some historic Midland Vets moments including our first walking events, the first “lady” members and the hosting the world veteran championships – there is lot to choose from. A constant plea echoing in these newsletters is that the committee was in dire need of “official officials” or volunteers to help and support veterans’ athletic events – a plea that is still true today.

The overarching national body for veterans’ athletics was the British Veterans Athletic Federation (or BVAF, later to become BMAF). In 1975, the BVAF only just got off the ground, as it soon was bogged down with athletic politics – has anything changed? The inaugural meeting took place in Saffron Lane Sports Centre, Leicester where there was lively, possibly heated, discussion about amateur status and the its new constitution. The Scottish Veterans Harriers Club refused to join BVAF and Northern Ireland was supportive but had “not bothered” to obtain a mandate to join. There was no mention of Wales. Therefore, initially this “British” federation consisted of just two English clubs: SVCAAA (Southern Counties) and MVAC. BVAF then had the embarrassment of having it application to join the Amateur Athletic Association refused with “the ludicrous suggestion” that BVAF, a national body, affiliates with the local area amateur bodies. A strongly worded second application was eventually accepted and the BMAF was affiliated with the AAA for the princely sum of £2.

On the world stage, IAAF was also burdened by international politics and amateur rules formulated “in an age when society was structured differently”. The argument about professional vs amateur status was still a hot issue and a left over from 19th century sport for the privileged few. Leading athletes worked part-time or not at all, trained full-time and received sponsorship. At the time sponsorship was slowly becoming more subtle in order to carefully evade amateur status rules. Club athletes who were forced to train in the evenings and weekend felt that sponsorship brought an unfair advantage. The Olympic committee had already relaxed the rules on amateur status in 1972. In 1979, at the IAAAF congress, a proposal was made that veteran competitions would be made open to all athletes regardless of any other consideration than age i.e. amateur or professional status. Eligibility for would be left to the discretion of the host veteran’s organisation. MVAC therefore took soundings to determine the prevailing attitude in allowing professionals and ex-professionals to compete in MVAC events. BVAF surveyed its members by a postal questionnaire. There was a broad welcome to ex-professionals competing but overwhelming unhappiness with current professional athletes competing alongside BVAF members – it was unfair. Some members “cringed with embarrassment” with this outcome. Unfortunately, most members remained in the dark about the behind the scene contentions and did not fully understand what was happening in the sport or unintended consequences of their decision at the time. To quote Wilfred Morgan in a letter to the newsletter “Our movement was viewed with envy in many quarters and it was said that veteran athletics was the best branch of the sport, that participants are mature balanced individuals free from petty free spirited motives, and moved only by a desire to compete together, at an age when it is a pleasure to perform athletically at all.”

Female athletes were very much a minority in the seventies and were not considered eligible for membership when BVAF formed in 1971. There was an ongoing debate about the wisdom of “lady athletes of a certain age” competing especially after the incredible old age of 35. BVAF had already decided to recognise women as veterans but not on equal terms, they became a veteran

at 35 whereas men were deemed older athletes at 40. There were a number of issues including the safety of training and competing for women over 35. The American College of Sports published a report stating that, in their opinion “females should not be denied the opportunity to compete in long distance running. There appears no conclusive scientific or medical evidence that long distance running is contraindicated for healthy, trained female athletes”. Women did compete but only as “guests” in veteran events so could not be awarded medals or prizes. A momentous decision took place at the AGM in November 1978 when it was decided that “ladies” could join the club and participate in events. When votes were counted there were 53 votes in favour, 1 against and 2 abstentions. The first event that included women was the Leamington 10km road race in November 1978, a handicap race but women were not identified in the results but possibly ran as guests. Our first female member was Barbara Brookes, City of Stoke who joined in February 1979.

BVAF hosted their first world veteran 10,000m and marathon championships in Rugby on the 15th August 1976 starting at 9am with 544 competitors. This was the 9th vets' world championship and 5th world vets' marathon over 26 miles and 365 yards. The competitors included 12 women of which 4 were English (Brenda Cook, P Day, N Campbell and P Norrish). Brenda Cook of Wolverhampton and Bilston ran 03:43:03 and was the 4th women overall. E Austin of Tipton was first overall in a time of 02:20:50. The English team took the gold medal (E Austin, P Hampton and S steed), Holland the silver and Germany the bronze. The staging of world vets’ championships by Mid Vets received worldwide acclaim with letters received from all over the world.

We would love older members to correct any of the above and provide their own memories at the time. Please write to Martin Wilkinson.

Future Fixtures - After Madeira there are some potential international events, at the moment these are

24-28 Mar 2021

European Masters Athletics Championships Braga, Portugal Events: Winter Throws, 1Mile, 4x800m relay, road race-walking (5k+10k), road running (10k, 1/2M), 1Mile, 4x800m relay, road race-walking (5k+10k), road running (10k, 1/2M), cross-country Announcement

28-30 May 2021

European Masters Mountain Running Championships - Val Tramontina (ITA)

3-10 July 2021 TBC

World Masters Track and Field Championships Tampere, Finland Announcement

3-5 Sep 2021

World Masters Mountain Running Championships - Telfes, Austria Details RESCHEDULED from September 2020

17 Oct 2021

England vs Celtic Nations Masters International Marathon University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD Event Details England Selection Process

13 Nov 2021

British & Irish Masters Cross-Country International - Ireland - Santry Demesne, Dublin

TBC Mar 2022

World Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships - Edmonton, Canada Details TBC

16-26 Jul 2023

World Masters Track & Field Championships - Gothenburg, Sweden

Braga were hoping to host a delayed event in January but have decided not to proceed with an indoor event at this time. Instead they are combining winter throws with some road events. For throwers this could be warmer than normal! There are discussions for them to host the European indoors in 2023, as the Worlds in Edmonton has moved back to 2022.

Tampere were due to host the Europeans this year but with the Worlds at Toronto cancelled this year. They have been asked to make this a world event; however, they will make a definite decision in early January dependent on the situation with the virus.

At a national level this is the current schedule (see over)

The indoor Championships is now over 3 days to meet the restrictions on numbers and to follow COVID-19 rules, there is hope that this and the Cross Country will go ahead. Dates may change. Keep an eye on the BMAF Facebook site.

4 Jan 2021

BritishMastersIndoorPentathlonandSouthofEnglandMastersChampionships Lee Valley Athletic Centre Meridian Way London N9 0AR

14 Feb 2021

BritishMasters10MileChampionship Lytchett Minster Sports Centre, Post Green Rd, Lytchett Minster, Poole, Dorset BH16 6JD Details BMAF Competitors who entered in 2020 will be entered in this year's race unless they claimed a refund of their entry fees less any administrative costs. More information to follow.

6-7 Mar 2021

BritishMastersIndoorTrackandFieldandWinterThrowsChampionships Lee Valley Athletic Centre Meridian Way London N9 0AR

14 Mar 2021

EnglandAthleticsMastersIndoorInter-AreaTrackandFieldChallenge Lee Valley Athletic Centre Meridian Way London N9 0AR

20 Mar 2021

BritishMastersCross-CountryChampionships Tonbridge School, High St, Tonbridge TN9 1JP

18 Apr 2021

BritishMasters10kRoadChampionships Grangemouth Stadium, Kersiebank Aveneue, Grangemouth FK3 0BS BMAF Competitors who entered in 2020 will be entered in this year's race unless they claimed a refund of their entry fees less any administrative costs. More information to follow.

30 May 2021 TBC

BritishMastersMileChampionship Westminster Mile, The Mall, London. Assemble in Green Park London SW1A 1AA This race is also the VAC championships FurtherInformationon2020Cancellation

20 Jun 2021

BritishMasters5kChampionships Horwich Festival of Racing Horwich Leisure Centre Victoria Road Horwich BL6 5PY

27 Jun 2021

BMAF30kTrailChampionships Cascades Leisure Centre, Thong Lane, Gravesend, DA12 4LG. Start = 10:30 am BMAF Competitors who entered in 2020 will be entered in this year's race unless they claimed a refund of their entry fees less any administrative costs.

18 Jul 2021 TBC

BMAF Half Marathon Championships Redhill Aerodorome, Redhill, Surrey RH1 5YP

17 Oct 2021

BritishMastersMarathonChampionships University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD

30 oct 2021

BritishMastersCrossCountryRelays Long Eaton

At a Midlands Level, we are now looking for a date for the Track and Field Championships. The Colin Simpson handicap we normally run inside a Centurions event, has yet to be scheduled. When a date is known we will circulate that

TOO MANY MILES ON THE CLOCK? MATT LONG ENCOURAGES YOU TO LOOK UNDER YOUR BIOMECHANICAL BONNET AS AN AGEING RUNNER SO YOU CAN STILL DRIVE ON THE MASTERS MOTORWAY CIRCUIT:

I would be at risk of the accusation of teaching you to suck eggs by simply telling you that as an older runner you will be at greater risk of certain running-related injuries than you would have been if you were involved in the sport a decade, two or even three or four ago. Unless you’ve been extremely fortunate, you are probably no stranger to the odd bout of plantar fasciitis, an Achilles tendinopathy and/ or some kind of meniscal injury between the shinbone or thigh bone. But let’s dig a little deeper into what recent sports science research into kinematics and fundamental movement patterns can teach us.

The sports science literature has consistently demonstrated that that biological aging influences running biomechanics. More specifically kinematic analyses of Masters athletes compared to those of junior and senior status has revealed that on average as a Masters runner you are likely to have a shorter stride length and increased cadence. One of the causes of this will be a reduction in the ability of your ankle to produce force and thus propulsion.

Kinematic analyses of Masters runners

In a recent journal article, published in Human Movement Science, Harrison et al. (2019) conducted laboratory studies of different aged athletes and assed their inter-joint coordination between hip, knee and ankle. Guess what? There’s good news and there’s bad news! The good news for you is that they found that coordination patterns were similar between groups for the majority of running stance phase which indicates that most of us Masters runners are largely able to preserve running ability into our 60s and beyond. Having given you the good news, alternatively the study found that masters runners appear to display different coordination patterns during the specific mid-stance phase, compared to senior athletes. More specifically the Masters runners in the sample displayed different coordination patterns among the hip, knee and ankle during periods of mid-stance. This may be indicative of what Harrison et al. (2019) reference as, “protective biomechanical adaptations”.

The biomechanics of the mid stance phase

According to the study, the mid stance phase is worthy of attention in biomechanical terms because this is the phase where runners experience the greatest amount of loading on the body. At the mid stance phase of the running cycle, if we follow the correct technical template, our centre of mass should be over the stance foot. Forward lean should be minimalised because if it’s pronounced, this could be indicative of a tendency to over-stride. The pelvis should not drop too much to one side and thus minimising contralateral pelvic drop and likewise there should be minimal hip adduction in order that the knee does not cross the midline of the body. The problem is that as Masters runners we are more likely to deviate from this technical template compared to when we were juniors or seniors due not only to our biological but also our training ages. If we were cars, we’d be told we had the proverbial ‘too many miles on the clock!’.

In technical terms, Masters runners were observed by Harrison et al. (2019) to be moving in an in-phase ‘propulsion’ pattern, while young runners tended to maintain an in-phase ‘collapse’ pattern. This finding suggests that Masters runners transitioned from ‘collapse’ to ‘propulsion’ earlier than the young at the ankle as their body’s way of protecting itself from potential injury. Elsewhere in the kinetic chain, greater and prolonged hip adduction, where the femur moves back to the midline, was found to be a compensatory mechanism habituated by many Masters athletes in order to absorb the force during loading. This affects the ability of Masters runners to effectively transition from the ‘loading’ to ‘propulsion’ phase of the running stance and is thus one of the reasons we tend to be slower as Masters athletes than we were a few years ago.

Conclusions – So What?

So, the research findings of Harrison et al. (2019) are a double-edged sword in the sense that our bodies intuitively develop a practical sense of adaptation in order to help us keep running despite the ravages of middle and old age but by doing so our running efficiency and thus ultimately our speed is compromised. More specifically, the lack of the ability of the ankle to produce force, as reported above and resultant shorter period of pronation are functional in preventing injury but there is a price to be paid with slower times on the stopwatch.

Now What?

If we have identified specific biomechanical differences between how we run these days compared to when we were younger, in terms of hip adduction and dorsi and plantar flexion of the ankle, it would be easy to simply focus on strengthening exercises for these two areas of the body. Indeed ‘Clamshells’, ‘Wide Leg Squats’, ‘Low Lunges’ and ‘Fire Hydrants’ could all be used as part of your S and C programme to build adductor strength. Likewise, ‘calf raises’, ‘lateral hops’, ‘ankling’ and ‘A-skips’ can all be used to facilitate ankle strength. (See forthcoming videos on our Facebook page). This being said what is occurring at both the hip and ankle are effects rather than causes of our biomechanical decline so don’t fall into the classic teleological trap of mistaking an effect for a cause.

The moral of the story is therefore that we have to work on trying to maintain functional movement patterns for the whole of the kinetic chain rather than simply focusing on the effects of our perceived weak points in the body. So, this is why as Masters runners simply plodding mile after mile may keep our cardiovascular systems healthy but we risk simply reinforcing incorrect motor patterns as we pound the pavements. This is why we need to once again return systematically to the base of the pyramid of the long-term athlete development model and work constantly and diligently at the ABC’s of Foundational and Fundamental development. In many ways we need to rediscover our childhoods when we twisted and turned playing football in the street or when we hopped and jumped on the netball court of the school playground. The answer lies in a renewed focus on agility, balance and co-ordination which can be developed through cross training and looking beyond the silos of our own event group as endurance athletes.

Spend an extra 5 minutes before your next session on drills even if it means cutting back on the mileage recorded on Strava. After the session don’t just statically stretch to restore Range of Motion but later on try and get a hot bath and the stretch once again when you are recovered from your session and when your muscles are warm. This time effect the same stretches as you did straight after your session hut this time hold them for around 30s so that you are now stretching to increase range of motion.

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of coaching a group of talented athletes at Birmingham University alongside our star guest for the day- Jenny Meadows. In her mid-30s at the time, the former world championship 800m bronze medallist was herself at the point where she would have been eligible for Masters competition. I will never forget saying goodbye to her as she prepared to make the long journey home from Birmingham to Wigan after a day at the track. She still had a 5-mile run to do that evening plus a stand-alone stretching session. She told me she would ditch the run in favour of an extensive stretching session because this was more important given her biological and training age in the sport. Don’t be fooled for this was no act of laziness by the way- she was pacing a Diamond league event later that month and was in great shape. How many of us would do that? Be honest. Have you ever, like me, dashed back to the office after a lunch time run having crammed the miles in only to ignore your stretching whilst bolting a sandwich down your neck? It’s a question of priority and Jenny’s view was that given the choice of dropping a session due to time constraints, flexibility was more functional compared to the steady run which had already been habituated through years and years of aerobic development.

The above being said, athletes I have worked with often make the mistake of thinking that technical development is restricted to the warm up and cool down phases of training sessions. Some endurance based athletes fall into the trap of thinking that the main fitness component of the session is all about an exclusive focus on training the energy systems. Of course it is but it can be more than that. As someone whose coaching has been inspired by the philosophy of the late, great Arthur Lydiard, let me give you an example from the repertoire of the New Zealand legend. Hill work is traditionally used by runners to facilitate strength endurance and when done in repetition format it has considerable demands on the lactate energy system. This being said when undertaking modes of hill springing and hill bounding, as advocated by Lydiard, one can ease the demands on the lactate system whilst focusing on the kind of lower limb strength which will help aid running efficiency. Lydiard teaches us that by running more slowly up hills we can make biomechanical improvements which ultimately make us run faster!

Questions for self-reflection

1. When was the last time I went for running gait analysis and what did the results tell me? 2. When was the last time someone videoed me so I can self-reflect on my running style? 3. The next time I am socialising at my club, why don’t I and my friends talk not about how

many miles we have run on Strava this week but on what we did in our last drills session? 4. What am I doing to think outside of the box and learn from sprinters, jumpers and throwers

in terms of how their work could aid my agility, balance and co-ordination? 5. How am I making sure I maximise the space provided in my warm up and cool downs to

work on running efficiency, be it through dynamic drills or static stretching?

The full reference for the research which underpinned this article can be accessed at: Harrison, K. et al. (2019) Inter-joint coordination patterns differ between younger and older runners. Human Movement Science. Volume 64, April 2019, Pages 164-170

Matt Long has tutored on courses dedicated to Fundamental Movement Patterns as a coach educator for England Athletics for a decade and is the author of more than 260 coaching articles. He can be contacted at mattlongcoach@gmail.com to discuss this article further.

A PAYNTER WHO IS AN ARTIST IN HIS FIELD DRAWS A PICTURE FOR MATT LONG

Before all our lives took a dramatic twist back in March 2020, in the early part of that month, M40 Mathew Paynter enjoyed what most of us would describe as a ‘purple patch’. Seven days after taking gold in the shot at the Inter Area indoor match at Lee Valley and having played a pivotal role in ensuring the team came home with all three trophies on that memorable day, he was back at the same venue in the capital bagging an incredible four medals (one silver and three bronze) in the BMAF Winters Throws Championships. I had the pleasure of catching up with him recently…

Matt Long: So, when did you get started in athletics?

Mathew Paynter: I started athletics quite late on really when I was 28 years old!

ML: You must have been ‘sporty’ at school?

MP: I never competed in sports as a youngster. Whilst I’ve always loved any kind of sport, my confidence just wasn’t there.

ML: What is your proudest moment in our sport?

MP: It was coming 2nd at the British Masters throws pentathlon in Hull in June 2019. I thoroughly enjoyed the day with everyone and considering I’d never even picked up the weight I had fun with it.

ML: Has your training changed at all since your senior days and if so how?

MP: My training has changed quite dramatically now from my younger days. My frequency and intensity have dipped a bit but every now and then I do try to act like a 20-year-old in the gym but I regret it in the days that follow! My recovery is much more important as I just can’t train every day like I used to. I’m beginning to bring in a few gym days specifically for powerlifting now.

ML: I believe you used to be an elite powerlifter?

MP: I used to compete for England in powerlifting and unfortunately at the world championships in 2014, I herniated my lower discs in my final event finishing 4th. This hindered my workouts and throwing in the years that followed but I definitely won’t let it stop me!

ML: What goals to you have in the future in our sport?

MP: I’d love to break a few Cannock and Staffs AC club records plus possibly a few Midland Masters age group records too.

So, what can we learn from Mathew’s experience?

Firstly, don’t assume that master’s competition is not for you just because you were not ‘sporty’ at school. In fact, because you will have a lower training and competition age compared to many other Masters athletes this can work in your favour as it may have done with Mathew. Secondly, if you have competed or indeed still compete in a second sport as well as athletics, make sure that this sport is functional to your track and field career. On this note Mathew’s powerlifting will have facilitated gains in his strength but has become dysfunctional to his progress at the point at which serious injury was incurred as he alluded to. Thirdly and finally, note that Mathew is clear he needs to take more rest within his periodised programme of training than he did when competing as a senior. You need to disaggregate your rest days into both passive and active modes of recovery.

Matt Long is a Midland Masters Team Manager and England Athletics lead for the National Youth Endurance Workshop Programme.

JAMES ROBINSON RAISES THE BAR AS HE CHATS TO MATT LONG:

Halesowen based James Robinson brilliantly won the pole vault at the Inter Area Match at Lee Valley in March and we start his journey down the runway with him telling us about his proudest achievements as a Masters athlete. Thoughtfully he responds, “I was going to say coming 4th in the Pole Vault at the World Indoor championships held in Poland last year. But on reflection what I am most proud of is that I'm just 5 cm away from breaking my lifetime record in the Pole Vault set 25 years ago. This is a big goal for me and is always on my mind and pushes me when training”. I then want to regress him by touching upon why he joined MMAC. With a smile he tells me, “I know Tony Porter, Lynne and Julie Bellfield of old who couldn't recommend that I joined MMAC enough. Not just for the competition but for the camaraderie. I just love competing in the regional and inter county champs and have made some good friends too”. I am aware James is a M40 category athlete but just as importantly I press him as to what his training and competition ages

our in our sport. He reminisces that, “I grew up with exercise and training with my older brothers being coached by my dad. One of my earliest memories is going down Tipton Harriers cinder track doing the long jump into rock hard sand. I competed from the age of 10 through to my early 20's. I then had a 16 year gap until my brother eventually persuaded me to get back training again playing Rugby on the wing. Until one day in my late 30’s the big kids tackled me and ended up in hospital with a broken shoulder. The wife came to see me and that's when I told her I was going to retire from Rugby to do something more sensible like Pole Vaulting. She thought I was joking!”.

So, in being aware that he was/ is a proverbial ‘Rugby man’ I delve deeper into his sporting past to see you his foundational and fundamental movement patterns were developed. What sports did he do when he was younger? With enthusiasm he continues that, “I loved playing basketball at school and college but it was always athletics for me”. So, this twisting, turning and jumping on the basketball court would play dividends years later for the pole vault and beyond. As well as owning a massively impressive 4m26cm PB in the vault, James is a more than capable long, triple and high jumper. So, having dug into his past, attention turns to matters of the present in terms of uncovering how he has adjusted the frequency and intensity of his training as a Masters athlete compared to when he was younger. Thoughtfully he reflects that, “I now listen very carefully to what my body is telling me, I also concentrate a lot more on technique and what we didn’t have when I was younger was a wealth of data at our fingertips and the use of technology. Especially in the vault, being able to record and then view back in slow motion is fantastic and really helps visualise where I should be. I now train for shorter but more focused sessions mindful that the warmup and recovery is as important as the session. I will only do a full approach 100% ‘eye balls out’ pole vault session once a week, sometimes only once a fortnight. In between these sessions I’ll do heavy weights, circuits, stretching or plyometrics but will always do some form of exercise three times a week”. I want to know whether this ability to ‘back off’ is something he’s had to learn to habituate. With a nod he acknowledges that, “Being a Masters athlete, I’ll admit it’s been difficult to sometimes miss a session out, to not aggravate a niggle where in the past I would have just carried on through. You believe you are invincible when younger and it’s taken quite some time to realise, I’m not and after every training session or competition I mentally thank my body for getting me through without injury and never take it for granted!”.

Given his longevity in our sport I am keen to ask him what wider lifestyle choices he makes which he feels enable him to continue to compete at a high level. With eagerness and a grin, he explains that, “For me it’s a combination of HIIT classes in the gym, grasping any opportunity to have a good stretch and watching what I eat. I never use the word ‘diet’ but healthy eating lifestyle and everything in moderation. I'm strict in the week but enjoy the weekends. And if it’s been a really ‘heavy’ weekend I will fast (around 800 calories) for a day or so afterwards”. With a giggle and a wink, he offers the one liner that, “I can’t get too fat, need to think about that bendy pole not bending too much! I move on to ask him what one bit of advice he would give to a fellow Masters athlete, regardless of discipline specificity in terms of whether they run, jump or throw. With a sigh he pulls no punches in cautioning that, “I think the hardest thing for all us athletes is the inability to train or compete when injured. Where an injury has stopped us doing what we love to do and seems to be taking forever to heal. When I have been injured, I've felt alone, thinking ‘why am I injured where it looks like nobody else is?’ I am coming round to the fact there will always be a niggle, lack of energy or injury because as our bodies age our determination doesn't but we will always be pushing our bodies”. James draws our time together to a close by stressing that we are people with lives outside the sport first and foremost and athletes second. With a hint of emotion he points out that, “If it wasn’t for my wife Rachel unconditionally supporting what I love to do, believing in me and picking me up when I’m feeling grumpy about my performances, I wouldn’t be able to train or compete as much as I do and I’m forever grateful for this and never take it for granted”. The sentiments offered by James leave us with several questions for self-reflection whether we jump, run or throw.

1. Does comparing yourself to your former self as a senior in performative terms help you as it does James or would it demotivate you?

2. What other sports have you or do you still engage in which are functional for your track and field exploits?

3. In what ways could technology help facilitate the kind of feedback which would be invaluable to you in technical terms as it is when James records his vaults?

4. Why is it important to ‘back off’’ as James has learned to do in terms of taking more frequent days of both active and passive recovery?

5. How much attention do you pay to flexibility as does James with his habituation of stand-alone stretching sessions where he will be holding stretches for up to 30s to increase range of motion? Alternatively, do you simply rely on post session stretches held for 10s or so when you simply stretch to restore range of motion?

6. What role does diet and nutrition play in terms of your recovery and regeneration as a masters the athlete?

7. Whilst injury may be an almost inevitable part of being a Masters athlete, you can change your mind set in terms of how you deal with and embrace injuries? Do you tend to catastrophize psychologically when you suffer injury and if so, what might be a healthier response to your predicament?

Matt Long is a Midlands Masters Team Manager and editorial contributor to Athletics Weekly magazine.

Christmas Quiz As it’s nearly Christmas, it’s time for Joyce’s quiz that we have supported for many years With all money raised going to Macmillan Cancer Support. First prize is £35, 2nd prize £20 and every one entering goes into a draw to win one of 3 £10 Marks & Spencer vouchers. The Closing Date: 6th January 2021, Answers out after 13th January 2021, You can donate online at - https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/joycesquiz2020 OR send a cheque payable to “Joyce’s Quiz” OR email us at joycesquiz@gmail.com for BACS transfer details. PLEASE SEND COMPLETED FORMS and cheques to: Joyce’s Quizc/o Y. Roberts, 40 Priorsfield Road, Kenilworth, Warks, CV8 1DB“. Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017) If you want to send an entry in the fee/donation is £2. Questions format The answer to each clue is a word ending in either A, I, O or U, for example

• A typical Mexican hat Sombrero • A wide view Panorama • A journey to see wild animals Safari • Flat mountain top Plateau

Questions

Question Answer 1. Goods carried by a ship 2. Large Australian bird 3. Ancient Roman garment 4. It has 88 keys 5. Eastern tiered tower 6. The ability to keep going 7. Vegetable affected by the 1845 blight 8. A dowry or bride’s clothing 9. The Abominable Snowman 10. Magical incantation 11. Cooked squid 12. Icehouse 13. Country “Down Under” 14. Large herbivorous ape 15. A restraint used by cowboys 16. Unleavened flatbread from India 17. Anything that reminds you of something 18. Used to transmit or receive signals 19. Product from leaves containing nicotine 20. A story proving innocence 21. Microscopic prokaryotes 22. Your idea of yourself 23. A cold Spanish soup 24. Lack of melanin 25. The space occupied by a flat shape 26. Word that sounds like its meaning 27. The main male character in a story

28. Lightweight modelling material 29. 17 syllable verse form 30. Highest female voice 31. A juvenile form of many insects 32. The fastest growing woody plant 33. A desk 34. An atoll site of nuclear testing 35. Played slowly 36. A small role 37. A complete disaster 38. Building with a gambling licence 39. Its states include Kashmir and Tamil Nadu 40. Dry pasta shaped like narrow tubes 41. Lived with two ugly sisters 42. Basis of chocolate 43. A nut used as an ingredient of soft drinks 44. Punctuation to denote a sentence pause 45. A brood parasite with a famous call 46. Brown, striped and spotted 47. Hard choice between two undesirable outcomes 48. Physical, mental and spiritual practice from India 49. Where people dance to popular music 50. Molten rock from volcanoes 51. Caused by sound bouncing back 52. Australian kingfisher 53. The result of a fertilized egg 54. The lowest pitched brass instrument 55. Used to wash hair 56. Docile lizard 57. A bound collection of folded paper 58. A wart on the hand or foot 59. Fear of something 60. Britain’s favourite cuppa 61. Musicians' ensemble 62. Sprayed on urban walls 63. Unusual object 64. Abnormal exit of tissue through a cavity wall 65. His main friends are a rabbit and a skunk 66. Bacterial cause of food poisoning 67. Needs a helmet, mallet and ball 68. Bejewelled headwear 69. A deep violet blue 70. A loud bellicose patriot 71. A place where animals are kept in captivity 72. Outdoor swimming pool and surroundings 73. Based on Vlad III

74. Tropical fruit with a large flat stone 75. Includes yeasts, moulds and mushrooms 76. Large fish, much sold in tins 77. It could be à la carte 78. A mercenary in feudal Japan 79. A lavish classical musical 80. Bear that only eats eucalyptus 81. Grilled sandwich with Italian bread 82. Green vegetable from pods 83. Musical instrument needs humming 84. Fixed quantity 85. Device once called the wireless 86. Worn by ballet dancers 87. Bareback riding and steer roping event 88. A long historical story, originally from Norway 89. Beethoven’s Moonlight is one of these 90. To move slowly along the runway 91. Plucking a stringed instrument 92. Kettledrums 93. An unofficial court 94. Facts about things which don’t matter 95. A folding canopy supported by ribs 96. A requirement to enter most countries 97. A rich layer cake 98. 18th century decorative arts 99. Military musical display 100. Prefix to indicate seeming

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ATHLETICS WORDSEARCH by Jill Lamb

RUN DISCUS BLOCKS JAVELIN FIELD TRACK

SHOT THROW HAMMER START SPRINT STEEPLECHASE

BAR DRILLS VEST FINISH STOPWATCH KIT

CROSSCOUNTRY HURDLES

Find all the words, they are horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards and backwords

E S A H C E L P E E T S J Z E Q U R S L D R U N F V D B N M P I H A C E G J L K Z O Y A S R C V H I E D R W O P F A K M H W A M I M E D I S C U S R T Q B V F J O T L L D C S L E J M J L Y P E R E V B Q S L C W D V E F C B R G S K C O L B N T S H M S Y J U K R F T L O S V C I S W S A V H J H X G E O R T D B A R V N N H L J O F D S A M B S Z H V H U I C S H H H T A D P S K A X S E R A R T D Z O C N L M B E Q C X R T C I O F M V H S F T T E N R C A D L F M O M W S D M F V D A S W R R R T Y U K I U J C B S A E D F W W B X T S K I T Q E N U J V R H G R B P P N H T M G A D U S T I R A E W E R T O O A S N D F I E L D R F S G H S J K L T Z D X I C V B N M P Y O I H Y T T R E S S V F R E B G R N H T M J Y K U T R A T S G S P T Q S S E L D R U H E N D H V G S T L S O H A D G A S D W V B T U B X V Z