By Martin Zeilig
As a competitive runner, Major Claude Faucher, who works at 1 Canadian Air Division, lives by a basic rule of life.
“Getting older doesn’t mean that you need to give up your sport,” he wrote in an article, Competing in athletics at 35 and older (Athletics Manitoba.com Spring 2023).
“Many older runners are now turning to masters’ athletics as a way to remain fit and competitive with age.”
In keeping with that timeless tenet, Maj Faucher competed at the 2024 World Masters Athletics Championships (WMAC) (2024wmac.com) in Gotenburg, Sweden, 13-25 August 2024. There were over 8000 athletes, ages 35-100 years, at the championships.
Maj Faucher, who was in the 55-59 age group, ran in the 200 metre race, 400 metres, 800m and 4x400m relay.
“This was my fifth WMA Championships. I was the only CAF member on the 208 member Team Canada,” Maj Faucher said during an interview on September 3.
“The members of the team competed in various disciplines. There were three of us from Manitoba. We have a pretty vibrant athletics program here.”
His first event was the 800m qualifying heats on August 15 in which he finished 17th/62 participants with a time of 2:15.89 (a seasonal best performance), just five positions short of advancing to the finals.
On August 18, Maj Faucher competed in the 200m qualifying heats, “where I finished 43rd/78 participants with a time of 27.64 seconds,” he said.
Then, on August 22, he ran in the 400m qualifying heats, minutes after a massive downpour.
“I finished 22nd out of 56 participants with a time of 59.58 seconds, good enough to advance to the semi-finals,” he noted.
“My time was another seasonal best performance and a new provincial record for M55.”
He ran the semi-finals 400m with a time of 59.74 in strong winds and rain on August 23.
“I did not advance to the finals,” he said.
Finally, on 25 August Maj Faucher ran the first leg of the 4x400m M50 relay team.
Team Canada finished in 6th place with a time of 3:57.02
“We were short one runner,” Maj Faucher, a member of the CAF for 39 years now, said.
“We ended up completing our team with an M50 runner, and so we ran in the younger age group.”
He started competitive running as a boy back home in Quebec.
At 10 years of age, he ran a 20 k race.
“I’ve been running all my life, from track to cross country both civilian and military competitions,” Maj Faucher commented.
“I never have run a marathon, and have given up that goal of ever running in one.”
Participating in Masters’ competitions gives him the chance to compete against world class athletes, including former Olympians, he said.
“A former bronze medalist in the Olympics was one of the competitors in Sweden,” Maj Faucher added.
“You have to manage your expectations as you age. You have to do a lot of cross training to manage your injuries. I train six days at week. Most of my training consists of running and rowing, and using different kinds of machines. This allows me to maintain my fitness.”
As he wrote in the article for Athletics Manitoba: “Just remember to set training goals that are appropriate for your age and fitness level, rather than what your younger self used to accomplish and don’t be afraid to be creative in your attempts to achieve higher fitness.”
Adapting to this new reality is key, if you are looking for longevity in your favorite sport, Maj Faucher insists.
His continued success as a competitive runner proves the point.
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