Interview with Melissa Moon

Story by: Abie Russ

Long a dominant force in New Zealand cross country running, Melissa Moon is renowned for her grit and determination. This year her career has hit new heights, with wins in the NZ marathon championships, NZ 10,000m track championships, NZ cross country championships and the Auckland Skytower stair race, and 4th place in the world mountain running championships. She stayed still long enough to talk to Cool Running just before leaving for Europe to compete in the 2001 London Marathon.

When did you first become interested in athletics?

I ran in 3rd and 4th form for school cross country and regionals, I was reasonably good at that age. I think at that age you gravitate to a sport where you do well at and out of all the sports running always seemed to be the one I did well at, I've tended to follow the path in which my talents laid. When I left school I gave it away for seven years and did nothing, I didn't get back into it until my early 20s, so I had a really long break.
Who or what inspired you to train so hard, knowing that athletics is one of the hardest sports because your reliant on your own effort to a great extent?

I think when I got back into it I was able to train with a really good coach, John Davies, that was quite inspiring to have somebody like him behind me and guiding me. I think although its quite hard and physically and mentally demanding, at the same time its rewarding, when you know you've pushed your body to that limit there's a great sense of satisfaction and achievement.
Melissa
Global-Pix

How much training do you do in an average week?

Because I'm building up for a marathon at the moment, my training's been quite heavy, quite hard. On an average weekly mileage would be between about 140-170km a week. Basically that consists of a really long run on Monday, 3 hours each Sunday and a 16km tempo thrown in for speed. Mainly lots of long runs building up to the London marathon.

What motivates you to train?

Many things, setting goals and achieving those goals, that's a motivational factor. It keeps you fit and healthy. I'm at the level now where I'm getting to the travel round the world and met some wonderful people. You find you met the same people as you go to world events and you build really good relationships. So that's just a few of the many reasons why I run.

Athletes talk about going through the pain threshold in a race, what does this really mean?

I think its when you've got to really dig deep in a race and I experience this a lot in my mountain running because its physically and mentally such a demanding race. You get to a point in a race were you can make a split second decision whether to give up or push through that pain barrier and keep going. Its just being able to dig deep and suffer a little bit, but to know there is a end to that suffering. Some people don't like to put themselves in that real position where there body is suffering. A great person who I think pushes herself through that barrier is a British athlete called Paula Radcliff, she's one of my role models in that area. I really admire someone who will push themselves through that threshold and I think the athletes who can, have got that edge over the other athletes.

What were your goals when you first started and what are your goals now?

I think when I first started back in '93, that's when I got back into it, I suppose to get a medal in a National event like cross country or track. I think I did better in cross country than track. So it was just to win a title. Now its to improve my international rankings and to get my times down even further. My ultimate goal is to make it to the Commonwealth games next year and my ultimate, ultimate goal is 2004 Athens, specially for the marathon, the birth place of the marathon would just be awesome.

Its often said its hard to excel in New Zealand due to lack of quality opposition, has this been a problem for you?

I think in track and cross country that's probably so, sometimes you show up to a race and there's only one or two who are willing to push you. We do have quality opposition three hours away, in a plane, in Australia. The depth in New Zealand could be better but having said that the depth in Australia is really good. Hard racing and being with someone who is a bit above your level is going to make you a better athlete.

What do you feel is your most satisfying achievement or highlights so far?

I think being 3rd in the world in mountain running was quite a big highlight for me, twice I did that 97 and 98, first times always the best. Being able to win the New Zealand cross country 5 times, because that's the first time a woman has been able to do that 5 times in a row, also being 24 in the world cross country because that's considered the hardest event in the world. Those three are my main ones.

Do you do any other sports?

No other sports, running seems to take up all my spare time. I love going to cafes and the movies, it seems with work and running it takes up a far bit of time but I look at it like this, in five years time its all going to be over, its a short term career, if you've got a limited time you've got to put all your time and effort into it, I don't mind sacrificing a few things.

What piece of advice would you like to give to children, particularly teenagers, keen to do well in the sport?

Well at the moment because your still in your teens, just enjoy it, don't put pressure on yourself. Its a great way to make friends and keep fit and healthy. You've got plenty of time, be a teenager. If you want to do well in it, like anything in life, you've got to commit to it, give it your best shot but enjoy it at the same time.

Cool Running 17.04.01.