Australian Masters Athletics Championships Brisbane 5000m 1st 60+ 17:12 ; Steve 3rd 50+ 17:46 ; Yassine 1st M70+ 19:47

Today the start of the Australian Masters Athletics Championships in warm, sunny and today windy Brisbane. For distance runners it's the morning of the 5000m. It's been 3 years since the last championships could be held (COVID).There were races of 5000m across the sex and ages with up to 25 in each race, sub-age groups within the race. I ran with M50-M65 at 9:30am. Steve was in the same race. With 25 entrants we had a staggered start, I was in the front echelon. That gave me a good look of where to slot in when we hit the main straight. I went to 3rd then 2nd behind eventual overall race winner Jason M50-54. We built up a sizeable lead in the early laps. Jason took all the wind in the main straight until I snapped after 2km. Jason finished with 16:43. I ran 17:12, an upgrade of my existing M60 ACT club record. My splits(500m):1:36,1:37,1:38,1:39,1:42,1:42,1:44,1:45,1;46,1:43. My friend Peter ran 19:14 recovering from a fall a week ago. Yassine won M70+ in 19:47. We all suffered in the hot conditions. Tomorrow is an 8km XC. The course is boggy by some reports. The afternoon will be spent fueling up to recover for tomorrow.