1. When did you start to become interesting in running and what influenced
you in those early days? What is it that motivates you to put the shoes on
each day?
Well I started running when I was about 10 years old competing in school
cross country's and found myself always finishing in the top 3 and it felt
really good to be good at something. I played lots of other sports at the
time and through my early days but didn't excel at them like I did running.
So when I was 15 yrs old I decided to join a running club ( Huttons Frankton
Athletic Club) and threw away all other sports I was competing in. Right up
to 20 years old I never really did much training but enjoyed competing and
wanted my long skinny frame to develop a bit before hammering the body with
lots of mileage. My Dad coached me up until I was about 20-21 yrs old and I
needed someone like him for motivation and a pat on the back more than
anything else. I think now what motivates me to my running shoes on everyday
is self satisfaction. I want to look back when I'm 40 years old and know
that I gave it a good shot to run my best and be satisfied.
Events like The Olympics, Common Wealth Games and World Champs are all big goals as well as the NZ 10km record which is not far away.
2. You made a big break through one year at 3k champs knocking a big chunk
off your 3k PB and sending a message to others you that you were no slouch.
What bought on this improvement?
I admit that I was not known very well as a junior. I was only running 70-80
km's a week in my last year as a junior and had just started to do some
weights. I ran 8m 40 secs to finish 5th at the 3000m in the Nationals. The
following year as my first year as senior I ran 8.06 finishing 5th at the
National and that's when Richard Potts came along and said "who the hell are
you?".
The weights were a huge contribution to this improvement in my 3k time over that year. I was still only running about 80 - 90km per week. Of course now Graham has me doing about 120-135km per week and now I'm strong enough to handle it and a lot of the mileage is quality mileage.
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3. Is there someone you admire in NZ athletics or world athletics that has
been an inspiration to you? Is it true you and El G are good mates?
I probably admire all my training partners and close rivals in New Zealand.
That's about it. All these big names overseas I can not admire with all the
drugs in our sport. I'm not saying there all on drugs but the world records
these days are getting pretty ridiculous. They should be getting harder to
break , not easier. As for myself and Al G being good mates. Well I did have
a chat with him and a photo at Frankfurt Airport in Germany in 1999.
Something tells me that he wouldn't remember my name if he saw me again
though.
4. What is a typical average mileage for you in a build up phase? What sort of
track session would describe as a bread and butter session? What sort of
times would you do these when things are going well?
A typical bread and butter session that I would do with training partner
Jonathan Wyatt would be a 3 mins on, 2 mins float session x 8. It's the
float which is the key in this session. On the track a session would be 8 x
400m with about 500m recovery jog between each. Jono and I will whack them
out in low 57's when we are in good race form. Jono and I really work well
together feeding off each other in our work-outs and it's easy to see why
Lydiard did so well with his talented group of athletes years ago. It's so
much easier when you are sharing the work in a track session.
5. Tell us a bit about your recent win in the NZ champs over 10,000m when
you ran one of fastest times ever in NZ by a Kiwi. What was it in the weeks/
months leading up to this race that resulted in you running so well?
It wasn't really a surprise to break 28 mins but I was aiming for about
28.10- 28.20. The pace-makers were not set up for me but set up for everyone
to get close to that 28min barrier. Having the pace-makers in the race saved
having to fork out the money for a major race overseas to run a fast time.
It wasn't only good for me but great for our sport where competition is thin
and money is thin. It was the consistency of my training over the last 5
months that lead me to this result. Also a few changes in training like 2
track sessions including races instead of 3. The 5000m in Melbourne a week
before was my big blow out and then I was ready.
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6. What is the plan for the next 6 months leading up to World Champs? Having
run such huge negative splits in Inglewood what do you think you could run
over 10,000m on the right day in the right race?
My plan now is to get back into the build up. I'll be back on the track in
June, racing in July in
the U.S and ready for the 10km in the World Champs in August. My aim is to
make the final. If things go to plan then maybe I will have a crack at the
NZ 10k record at the Zatopek Meet in Melbourne in November. I think it's a
lot closer than 15 secs away considering my big negative splits in Inglewood
(14.10, 13.47).
7. You seem to be one of the only athletes I have ever come across who is
regularly plagued by injuries to your toes, any comments?
Well unfortunately I was born with horrible feet. I'm a heavy pronator and
my big toes which suppose to do most of the work get a free ride which
stresses my smaller toes. I wear a wedge under my 4th toe on every run on
one foot and strap down a big toe sometimes on the other foot. Stretching my
calves are the key for remaining injury free for me. ed: (I have never seen you
stretch them in my life!)
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8. What factors do you think restrict our top NZ athletes from achieving
world class performances and competing with distinction at Olympic level?
There are many factors which stop our athletes reaching world class times.
One I mentioned before. Not enough top athletes training together - like
Jonathan and I. (No Lydiard training groups) Not enough talented athletes
doing athletics anymore. Rugby is sucking up all our talent in sport. Most
kids in secondary schools don't even know running clubs exist. We need to
identify talent in schools more and get them into clubs with coaches.
There are also no heroes for young kids to aspire to in athletics. Lack of
media attention also contributes to this.
I think we need to come up with a plan for the Olympics in 2008. We need to start right down the bottom with intermediate school kids working with P.E teaches at schools and coaches in clubs and linking the two.
9. How long to you think you will run for and is there a quick marathon
tucked away somewhere?
I will probably run a marathon when I slow down like everyone else.
Cool Running 11.04.01.
