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Carline MacDonald will be seen without fail at interclub events in Wellington,
and where Carline's involved, the tougher the better. While competitive at
national level in road or cross country, it is in mountain running that she
has really made her mark.
Third place in the 2000 national mountain running championships was good enough to see her selected to represent New Zealand at the World Mountain Running Championships in Bergen, Germany, where she was part of the gold-medal winning team. In 2000 she won the Vosseler Shield, generally regarded as the roughest and nastiest cross country race in Wellington, and also finished first in the notorious 'hill from hell' - the Wainuiomata Mountain 'Fun Run'. In 2001 Carline took on the massive Holdsworth-Jumbo course in the Tararua Ranges for 3rd place, then hit the heights in Te Aroha to win the National Mountain Running Championships. A week after taking the national title she was back on home territory scoring second place (and first vet) in the Vosseler Shield. Carline is a hard person to catch up with in more ways than one - her approach to running is one of total commitment, yet she is equally active in three other sports, as well as hacking it as a full time parent. I managed to stick with Carline long enough to prise some information on just how she does it... |
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When did you become interested in athletics and why?
When I was 14 my friend who did athletics asked me to run in the school cross country
with her. I beat her but only because she walked up the hill!
How much training do you do in an average week?
In a week I do two long steady runs, on Friday I do an easy run or have a day off.
I do a long Sunday run and a race or pack run on Saturday with my club, Wellington
Harriers.
What motivates you to train?
Well of course I enjoy it, but also getting better times and improving, and
being fit all motivate me. After having an injury you notice small differences,
like when you climb a set of stairs and you feel puffed, it's not a good feeling.
Do you find it difficult to work your running round family
commitments?
No not really, during the week I train early in the morning and my husband
Martin trains evenings after work, because we both run it's part of our
lifestyle.
What is your focus for the upcoming nationals (cross country)?
To improve my time and have a good performance. I'd like to keep in the top 10.
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Do you have a lot of competition in the Wellington region?
Lots! I just try to stay in front of those around me and catch the ones in front!
DO you play any other sports?
Yeah I do fencing, hockey and rock'n'roll. I also train junior hockey and junior
runners. For running I train whoever is interested, some kids aren't even in a club
they just want to be fit for other sports.
What are your most satisfying achievements of highlights so far?
The World Mountain Running Championships in Germany, Bergen, in 2000 and winning
the mountain running champs this year. Also beating Nyla Carroll in the Vosseler
Shield last year and beating Jill Westenra's (multi sport competitor), time in the
Wainui Mountain Fun Run by half a minute.
What are your plans for the future?
Just to keep improving my times, get in NZ road relay teams and get into the moutain
running team a few more times. I don't think I'll ever get to the Olympics, I'm just
not good enough!
Do you have any advice for budding young athletes?
Keep at it! If I had given up, I would never have got in the NZ team, I kept at it.
Don't get put off if you don't get the results you want straight away and don't over
train!
Cool Running 04.07.01.
