Ian Calder wins third World Masters Athletics title

The cross-country gold medal was Calder’s third World Masters Athletics title. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Whangārei local Ian Calder has won in his age group category at the World Masters Athletics Cross Country Championships in Bathurst, Australia.

Calder had entered the cross-country event as preparation for the World Masters Athletics Toruń Indoor Championships, to be held later this month.

“When this came up, I thought, ‘Six kilometres, I can add that in’,” said Calder. “‘That would not be too much of a major’.”

Calder was already running 75 - 80km a week as training towards the indoor championships. When he competes in Toruń, Poland, he will be racing in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m events.

The cross-country gold medal was Calder’s third World Masters Athletics title.

He previously won the 800m at the 2016 World Masters Athletics Championships in Perth. At the same event, he was also part of the New Zealand team that won the half-marathon team event.

Even though Calder had previously won world titles, he had not expected to win, even after crossing the finish line.

“When I had finished, I didn’t have a clue where I had come.”

It was only some time later Calder discovered he had finished first.

With almost 270 other athletes aged between 35 and 85-plus all starting at the same time, it is no wonder he was unaware of his result.

Calder’s 65-year age group raced three laps of the 2km course alongside the iconic Mount Panorama.

“That was a hard course,” says Calder - made even harder by the temperature, which was sitting in the mid-30s.

Calder did not do any specific training to acclimatise to the heat. However, his training around Whangārei prepared him well for the challenging course.

He regularly trains around the Tikpunga Sports Park.

Calder first runs 5km to get to the sports fields before doing his session. By the time he gets home, he has run over 20km.

His other favourite training spot is Mackesy Road, where he does hill repetitions.

Fifteen years ago, Calder took up running after selling his dairy farm in Mangawhai.

“We moved up here to Whangārei and I just wanted something to do. That was all.”

He then joined the Athletics Whangārei club, which he is still a member of.

The weekend before the Bathurst cross-country event, Calder competed in the 3000m on the opening day for the recently replaced Whangārei athletics track.

When asked what keeps him motivated, he says it is the competition.

“I don’t mind where I come. I don’t mind running against younger people and coming last. It is just the competition I enjoy.”

The World Masters Athletics Cross Country Championships were held on February 18 and 19. There were almost 270 masters athletes from 15 countries competing over the two days. A mixed relay event took place on Saturday and the individual races were on Sunday.

It was the first time masters athletes were able to stake their claim alongside the world’s elite cross-country runners.

The 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Championships for the U20 and Senior athletes took place on the same weekend and course as the World Masters Athletics.

Fellow Northlander, Bella Earl, represented New Zealand in the U20 Cross Country Championships, where she finished 36th.