A beautiful breezy and sunny Sunday afternoon provided a perfect backdrop to the Canadian Masters Athletics (CMA) and Athletics Canada 2021 Don Farquharson Memorial 4k cross country race hosted by the Newmarket Huskies Track Club and held at the Town of Aurora's Sheppard's Bush Conservation Area. 

Held annually by the CMA/Athletics Canada, this event is a wonderful opportunity to remember and recognize the long-lasting impact that Don Farquharson had on the beginnings of Masters Athletics programs throughout Canada and around the world.  His accomplishments included being the founder of the CMA, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the first World Masters Athletics Championship in Toronto in 1975, and the first President of the World Masters Athletics for 12 years.

(Photo Source: https://canadianmasters.ca/don-farquharson-xc-archives/)

A Masters event open to all ages

Normally, the Don Farquharson Memorial 4k race is a cross-country event highlight for Masters racers aged 35 years and over.  However, over the last two years, this event has been open for registration to all ages and not just limited to Masters age categories.  By doing so, organizers - this year's Race Convenor was Chris Deighan along with key support from his wife Sue - were able to provide everyone with the opportunity to experience a competitive event given the limited racing opportunities due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.  Consequently, medals given out at this year's event included categories for women, men, girls and boys winners in addition to the Masters medals that are given out for every incremental 5 year age category beginning at 35 years.

A family affair 

A number of extended members of the Farquharson family were on hand at this year's race and wore custom white t-shirts that identified them as part of the Farquharson clan.  Don Farquharson's son, Don Farquharson Jr., joined Don's long-time friend and current World Masters Athletics Vice-President of Competition/ Athletics Ontario Official Brian Keaveney as official starters of the race. 

To meet COVID-19 safety protocols and requirments, racers started the race in pairs and wore timing chips that would record their times electronically at the start and finish.  Prior to the race itself, Brian Keaveney took some time to speak to the runners about Don Farquharson's passion and commitment to Masters Athletics in Canada and throughout the world and to share memories of their time working together.

Once the race was underway, many of Don's extended family took part in the run and together covered an impressive range of racer age categories.  From the youngest member to the oldest, the smiles on their faces and their interactions with many of the runners present truly showed that the commitment to Masters Athletics runs deep across multiple generations of the Farquharson family.

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