Masters
Welcome to the BCA Masters Page
In this section:
Masters News
Canadian Masters XC Championships, Nov 26, Vancouver
November 18/11: Masters Outdoor T&F Records Updated
Masters Outdoor T&F Records (PDF) as of Nov 15/11
2011 World Masters T&F Championships - BC Results
Jul 6-17/11. BC Results at World
Masters Track & Field Championships (Sacramento CA) (PDF)
Report/Summary of BC Results (PDF)
2011 BC Masters T&F Championships Results
Jun 17-19/11. BC Masters T&F Champs at the Pacific Invitational (Langley)
Who is a Master?
Your entry to an Athletics event could be simply to have fun, have a healthy workout, pick up an attractive t-shirt, support a charity or, as a serious competitor, attempt a personal best performance.
The only requirement for being a masters member in any BC Athletics sanctioned event is to be 35 years of age or older.
Age group results—age graded results
Proposed and Unapproved New Masters Age Graded Tables: 2006
Competition results can be calculated on an overall performance basis where athletes compare their performance to how other competitors in their age group performed. Some events now provide age graded results. These results are generated from tables developed by reviewing the performances of a large number of athletes over a long period of time, in each of the age categories, as well as the world records by age groupings. The tables then indicate an ultimate performance that could be expected from any age. There are separate tables for males and females.
Age graded results can be used in several ways. Using these tables, each athlete's performance can be calculated as a percentage of these extremely high standards for both male and female at each age. New results are then processed based on percentage achievement. Hence the playing field is leveled by compensating for age and sex. These age graded results can be very different from the overall results. It's possible that a 45-year old woman would displace a 28-year old male overall winner as the age graded winner. This, of course, is competitive and many (in fact most) participants don't enter events solely for competition. There are other effective ways of using performance percentages.
For example: if your performance in a 5K race was @ 78.3%, you could apply this percentage to the table for 10K at your age and calculate your expected finish time at 10K for the same effort. This would enable you to establish your mile pace to ensure that you don't go out too fast in the 10K event.
As you age you can use age graded results to compare your fitness and conditioning from one year to any other year. It's also useful in tracking your progress over any number of dissimilar events.
Reasons to join BC Athletics - Masters
- Receive the annual publication of the Events Calendar
- Liability and Sport Injury/Accident Insurance
- $3.00 deduction from entry fees at BC Athletics sanctioned events
- Discounts on merchandise from selected sports stores
- Registered member of BC Athletics
- Branch member of Athletics Canada
Supporting BC Athletics through an annual membership fee of $50 + GST (for Masters athletes) helps to fund the governing body of our sport and helps to ensure that:
- BC Athletics sanctioned events meet standards for safety, officiating and organization
- workshops and seminars are provided to enhance the overall well-being of athletics as a sport
- there is co-ordination of the many volunteer efforts provided by the athletics community
- there is direct contact for Athletics information by telephone or the internet
As a member you are welcome to attend the Masters Committee Annual General Meeting or stand for election to the Masters Committee Board itself.
For coaching, for group workouts, for increased social activities and for team events such as the Whistler 50 Relay, there are a number of BC Athletics affiliated clubs that welcome all levels and all ages of Masters Athletes.
Masters achievements awards
These awards are in the form of pins in bronze, silver and gold which represent increasingly higher standards of performance. These pins are available for purchase by masters who have achieved the required standards. The standards are adapted from those that the Canadian Masters Athletics Association used to have for their crests, and cover a wide range of events.
The standards may be viewed by clicking on one of the following links:
- Masters 10k Road performance standards
- Masters 8k Road performance standards
- Masters women's T&F standards (incl. marathon)
- Masters men's T&F standards (incl. marathon)
To apply for a pin
Please print the Masters
achievement award application form (
16 KB) and mail (with the $9.04 fee) to BC Athletics, 120 - 3820 Cessna Dr., Richmond, BC V7B 0A2.
Masters Events 2012
- Front Runners Island Race Series begins January 8 with Prairie Inn Pioneer 8k BC Championship
- Lower Mainland Road Race Series begins January 29 with Steveston IceBreaker 8k
- "First Half" Half Marathon, Vancouver, February 12 - BC Half Marathon Championship
- Canadian Tire Interior Road Race series begins February 12
- Canadian Masters Indoor T&F Championships, Toronto ON, March 10-11
- USATF Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships, Bloomington IN, March 16-18
- BMO St. Patrick's Day 5k, Vancouver, March 17 - BC 5k Championship
- 5th WMA World Masters Indoor T&F Championships, Jyvaskyla, FIN, April 3-8
- Vancouver Sun Run, April 15 - BC 10k Championships
- Canadian Half Marathon Championships, Montreal, April 29
- Running Room Shaughnessy 8k, May 27, Vancouver - BC 8k Championship
- Canadian Marathon Championship May 27, Ottawa
- 2012 BC Masters Track and Field Championships, TBA
- Canadian Masters Track and Field Championships, Saint John, NB, August 9-12
- USATF Outdoor Masters Championships, August 2-5, Lisle, IL
- BC Senior Games, Burnaby, August 21-25
- BC Marathon Championship, Victoria, October 7
- BC Masters Cross-Country Championships, Abbotsford, October 27
- Masters Only Cross-Country, Vancouver, November 11
- Canadian Masters Cross-Country Championship, Vancouver, November 24
Records
- Masters Outdoor T&F Records set in 2011 (PDF) to Aug 1
- Masters Outdoor T&F Records (PDF) as of Nov 15/11
- Masters Road records (PDF) updated Nov 8/11
- Masters Indoor T&F Records (PDF) updated Apr/11
- Masters Outdoor T&F Records set in 2010 (PDF)
- Masters Outdoor T&F Records set in 2009 (PDF)
- Masters Sun Run records after 2008 (PDF)
- Masters T&F Records set in 2007 (PDF)
- Masters 2005 T&F records from AGM 2006 report (PDF)
- Masters 2004 T&F records from 2005 AGM report
- Masters road running record application form (PDF)
- Masters track record application form (PDF)
- Masters field record application form (PDF)
