Age might have wearied them just a bit - although to be fair it was 35 years ago - but that didn't stop five former elite Queensland track runners getting back together to recreate a famous photo of the 1986 State 5000 metres title at QSAC on Sunday (Feb 14).

The photo appeared in The Courier-Mail the day after the race (February 16, 1986) and captured the early stages of the race showing the bunched lead pack of Michael Inwood (gold medallist 14 mins 34 secs -Mt Gravatt club), Ian Eckersley (silver medallist 14.44 - Mitchelton club), Gary Mayor (bronze medallist 14.59 - Thompson Estate club), Don Campbell (Nundah club) and Bill Hunter (Thompson Estate).

What started as a bit of good-natured social media banter in late 2019 between friends when the 1986 black and white photo was posted online, resulted in plans for the five runners - who all still live in Brisbane and have kept in contact - in reuniting for the photo, almost 35 years to the day.

Inwood and Eckersley went on to run for Australia while all five runners represented Queensland in track, road and cross country events in the 1980s and 90s.

Four of the five athletes have been lifelong runners with Mayor running two sub-2:50 marathons in 2018-19 and Eckersley running the Boston Marathon twice in 2016 and 2018. Hunter (a grandfather of six) still regularly does Parkrun.

All runners agreed that they were honoured and felt lucky to have run in such a golden era for Australian distance running, inspired by the international feats of Rob de Castella and Steve Moneghetti.

"Running was such a massive part of our formative years in our late teens and early 20s. We loved training hard and racing against each other and just trying to be better every week and seeing how far that would take us to national and international events," said Ian Eckersley.

"I think we all agree that athletics has been an important part of forming our characters and personalities throughout our lives. It was a lot of fun back then and continued to be fun for several decades after that as we kept running. And it was great for the five of us to get back together today to recreate the photo."

The five runners had to dig through old running attire to come up with original club singlets and some of them even managed to find their old racing spikes. Much to everyone's amusement, Eckersley even donned his moustachioed look from 1986 with a dodgy costume shop moustache that struggled to stay in place!!

There's now even talk of a 50 year reunion!!

By Ian Eckersley

Photo Captions (race photos - old and new)

Left to right:Michael Inwood, Ian Eckersley, Gary Mayor, Don Campbell, Bill Hunter

Group Photo:

Left ro right: Gary Mayor, Ian Eckersley, Bill Hunter, Don Campbell, Michael Inwood

Photo Credit: Tertius Pickhard (2021 Images).