Jason Richardson will host The Flame, a weekly show dedicated solely to the world of track and field, from this Sunday at 8.30am (AEDST) on SEN 1116 and streamed live nationally.

Richardson will combine his current role as an esteemed radio and TV presenter with his passion and plaudits in athletics, including winning the Stawell Gift.

Listeners can expect to hear Richardson speak to the biggest names in athletics, fromacross the globe, as well as the latest news in the sport both at home and abroad, between now and the end of the 2012 Australian Athletics Tour.

Richardson said: “I’m a huge supporter of athletics, having been involved firsthand as an athlete and now as a fan, so I’m delighted that SEN have agreed to the show.

“With the addition of the SEN iPod app and the website’s ability to stream live it also means that this show won’t be limited to Victorians, it will be available all over Australia. Plus the Podcast will be available after each show as well.

“Athletics is one of the most diverse sports in the world, with hundreds of nations competing in it on a world stage and both men and women celebrated equally, so there will undoubtedly be plenty to talk about on-air. And of course it has one of the most recognised faces in Australian sport at the moment, in Sally Pearson.”

The opening Flame show will see rising star Regan Lamble (ACT), who finished in the top 16 at her first IAAF World Championships in the women’s 20km walk, join Richardson in the studio, as well as former 100m Olympic and three-time world champion Maurice Greene(USA) join them for an on-air chat, following his recent induction into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Returning features including, London-bound, will focus on how Australian athletes are tracking in their bid to make next year’s Olympic team.

Dallas O’Brien, CEO of Athletics Australia, added: “Without a doubt The Flame show is a huge boost to our sport as it gives us a regular mouthpiece and maintains a regular talking point on the airwaves.

“SEN’s unprecedented support to make this show work has been extremely welcomed and their digital offering means our fans across the country can enjoy the show as well.

“We also want it to be an opportunity for sports fans to engage with the show, so we will be utilising our social media platforms to allow listeners the chance to pose questions as well as win money-can’t-buy prizes.”

Listen to The Flame Show this Sunday at 8.30am (AEDT) on SEN 1116 or at www.sen.com.auand click ‘listen now’.

Set to battle it out for the sprints/hurdles, jumps, throws and distance titles, a myriad of Olympic medallists, Commonwealth and world champions will line up at the Western Australian Athletics Stadium as the race for the $10,000 winner’s cheque reaches an exciting climax.

Olympic silver medallist and Commonwealth champion Sally Pearson heads into the Tour Final as favourite for the sprints/hurdles crown, with the Queenslander in 2011 undefeated across 100m and 200m. Times below 11.40 (100m) and 23.27 (200m) will take her total point score to a solid 24 and with the addition of the 100m hurdles to her program for the first time since the Commonwealth Games she will headline the two days of blistering athletics action.

Standing in her way are 15-time national champion Tamsyn Lewis, national 400m champion Ben Offereins, Commonwealth Games 4x400m relay gold medallist Brendan Cole and Flame athletes Lauren Boden and Aaron-Rouge Serret. The quintet head into the Tour Final with a minor placing all but secured and conditions permitting are capable of not only taking it up to Pearson but also etching world championships qualifiers next to their name.

Adding spice to an already outstanding sprints/hurdles start list is Jana Rawlinson in the 400m hurdles. Set to compete for the first time in Australia since 2006, Rawlinson is a dual world champion (2003, 2007) and has the 2011 IAAF world championships and 2012 London Olympics in her sights.

A seemingly unbeatable leader with 28 points, world and world indoor championships medallist Mitchell Watt is the jumps champion in waiting. Two world championships qualifiers in the past ten days suggests he is once again capable of an 8.35m plus leap which would take his final point score to a perfect 38, the most possible for an athlete competing in one discipline.

The challenge for Watt, though, comes from world indoor and Commonwealth champion Fabrice Lapierre and newcomer to the top ten of the Australian All-Time list for triple jump Henry Frayne.

Lapierre, who together with Watt provides arguably Australia’s best head-to-head athletics duel, on the same runway last year soared an unbelievable wind assisted 8.78m leap to become national champion whilst Frayne will look to stake his own claim for world championships selection with qualifying performances in both the long and triple jump.

Reigning world discus champion Dani Samuels currently sits atop the dais in the throws division, but local favourite and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Kim Mickle is hot on her heels.

If in Perth Samuels reprises her IAAF Melbourne Track Classic form (first, 61.00m), the national champion will boast a 24 point total and guarantee a minor placing.  To ensure victory she needs to win and throw further than 64.49m in turn taking her final point score to 28. Mickle, however, threw a personal best 63.82m at the Sydney Track Classic and on her home track later a similar performance is likely to take her point score total to 28.

Unable to make a play for prize money, but an exciting addition to the throws start lists is Commonwealth champion Benn Harradine. Competing domestically for the first time this year at the Go for 2&5 Australian Athletics Tour Final, Harradine arrives home in Australia in blistering form having only a fortnight ago heaved an IAAF world championships qualifier of 65.60m for second at an indoor event in Sweden.       

The race for the distance crown is heating up with the current top five - Ben St Lawrence, Lachlan Renshaw, Georgie Clarke, Tamsyn Lewis and Jeff Riseley - split by only two points. As St Lawrence is not competing, Riseley, Lewis and Commonwealth Games representative Kaila McKnight, who to date has only one performance next to her name, look set to challenge for the crown.

Riseley will line up for the 800m and victory in a time quicker than 1:45.61, a personal best, could take his final point score to 23 for an almost unbeatable lead, whilst McKnight is capable of a sub-4:10 run in the women’s 1500m to finish her domestic season with 22 points. Lewis is the only athlete in the race for prize money in two divisions (sprints/hurdles, distance) and an 800m time below 2:01:50 will almost guarantee a top three finish.

The Go for 2&5 Australian Athletics Tour Final will be held in Perth on Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or at the gate.

To download and view the current Australian Athletics Tour leader boards, please click here.

To find out more about the Go for 2&5 Australian Athletics Tour Final including current entry lists, please click here.

Go for 2&5 Australian Athletics Tour Final
Thursday, March 31 & Friday, April 1
5:30pm (8:30pm AEDST)
Western Australian Athletics Centre

ENDS

The new-look domestic series, which was launched by world, Olympic, world indoor and Commonwealth Games pole vault champion Steve Hooker and Australian Flame teammate Jody Henry in Perth today, will kick off with the Brisbane Athletics Classic at QEII Stadium on Friday, February 11 next year and comprise four competition rounds as well as a two-day final in Perth, where four Tour champions will be crowned in the sprints/hurdles, jumps, throws and distance divisions.

The State Government of Western Australia today announced its support in staging the all-new Tour final, to be held at the Western Australian Athletics Stadium from April 1 to 2, 2011.

Eventscorp Executive Director David van Ooran said he was thrilled Perth would be hosting the Tour final.

“We recognise that this is a great opportunity for Perth and the benefits for us are significant, with the event expected to attract about 1200 visitors injecting $1.45million into the State’s economy,” Mr van Ooran said.

“The final will showcase Western Australia’s new $73million athletics stadium and also gives us the chance to illustrate the many extraordinary experiences on offer in WA.

“Eventscorp aims to strike a balance between sporting and arts and cultural events and the Australian Athletics Tour Final Perth certainly adds strength and diversity to our events calendar.”

The Tour final will be a feature of next year’s stellar domestic athletics schedule, where a record $430,000 will be up for grabs for participating athletes.

Winners of each of the four divisions – sprints/hurdles, jumps, throws and distance – will receive $10,000 cash, with further prizemoney to be awarded to the top six placegetters in each points race.

The new format sets the stage for an intriguing summer of sport, with world discus champion Dani Samuels set to take on Commonwealth Games champions Jarrod Bannister (javelin throw) and Benn Harradine (discus throw) in the throws division, Commonwealth Games gold medallists Sally Pearson (100m hurdles), Joel Milburn (4x400m relay), Ben Offereins (4x400m relay) and Sean Wroe(4x400m relay) to go head-to-head in the sprints/hurdles race, world, Olympic, world indoor and Commonwealth Games pole vault champion Steve Hooker to take on world indoor and Commonwealth Games champion  Fabrice Lapierre (long jump) and world championships bronze medallist Mitchell Watt (long jump) in the battle for the jumps crown and track stars Collis Birmingham, Ryan Gregson, Craig Mottram and Jeff Riseley all in line for the distance trophy.

Points will be awarded to placegetters throughout the Australian Athletics Tour, with bonus points up for grabs at the Australian Athletics Tour Final and for world-standard performances as per the 2010 IAAF world rankings lists. A maximum of 10 bonus points will be awarded for a top-four world standard performance.

Throughout the season top-10 ladders for each of the four divisions will stir up fierce rivalry between competing athletes and, with all four divisions likely to go right down to the wire, the bonus points on offer at the Tour final in Perth will weigh heavily into the final standings.

An all-star Australian cast will headline the 2011 Tour alongside a swag of international names set to take it right up to our biggest stars en route to the 2011 IAAF world championships in Daegu (KOR). Further information regarding international athlete arrivals will be made available in coming months.

2011 Australian Athletics Tour

Round 1: Brisbane Athletics Classic – Friday February 11, 2011
Round 2: Briggs Athletics Classic – Sunday February 20, 2011
Round 3: Melbourne Track Classic – Thursday March 3, 2011
Round 4: Sydney Track Classic – Saturday March 19, 2011
Australian Athletics Tour Final Perth: Friday-Saturday April 1-2, 2011

Media activity: Australian Athletics Tour launch

The official launch of the 2011 Australian Athletics Tour and all-new Australian Athletics Tour Final will be held at UWA Sports Park/McGillivray Oval in Perth at 10:30AM (1:30PM AEDST) on Saturday, November 20.

Commonwealth Games gold medallist Steve Hooker (pole vault) and teammate Jody Henry(4x400m relay) will attend the launch.

Who: Commonwealth Games gold medallist Steve Hooker (pole vault) and teammate Jody Henry(4x400m relay)
What: Launch of the 2011 Australian Athletics Tour and all-new Australian Athletics Tour Final Perth
When: Saturday, November 20 at 10:30AM (1:30PM AEDST)
Where: UWA Sports Park/McGillivray Oval
McGillivray Road, Mount Claremont WA

Please note: Photographs of the media activity will be available immediately following the launch via Getty Images.

ENDS

1500m - Queensland,Australia Classic men's

It took only 8 minutes and 1 second for Ryan Gregson to go from being a solid young distance runner; to the best junior 3000m runner Australia has ever seen. Since breaking that record of Craig Mottram's, Gregson has gone on to compete at the World Youth Championships, finishing 5th in the 1500m final, the World Junior XC Championships in Edinburgh, and finished his track season with the Australian u/18 1500m (3:43) and 5000m (14:14) records, just for good measure. It's hard to believe that Ryan only turned 18 last month. We managed to take some time out with one of the next big things in Australian running for a chat.

RunnersTribe: Ryan thanks for your time. To kick things off, how's the preparation for World Juniors going?

RG: No, thank you. It's great that there is a new website dedicated to running. I love it. World Junior preparations are going well. I'm the fittest I've ever been so physically everything is on track for Poland.

RT: RT: At only 18 years of age, you've bettered Craig Mottram's 3000m junior record, two years younger than when he set it. Is there any key ingredient that you can put your success down to?

RG: Obviously a lot of people will say that it all comes down to natural talent, but I work bloody hard for my results. From a young age I have always wanted to be successful at something, whether it be cricket, hockey or running, so I just applied myself and I was successful. I have a great coach in Ian Hatfield (Skip) who has been coaching me since I was six and has made sure I never worked too hard. There are a whole heap of reasons why I have been successful, but it all means nothing unless I can turn it all into something productive as a senior athlete.

RT: You're down to run the 1500m and the 5000m in Poland. Are you setting your sights on choosing one race closer to the event, or confident of running well in both?

RG: I will target the 1500m. It is a 6 day program so I thought if I was going to be over there, why not have another race? The 5000m is a straight out final, and it's after the 1500m final, so it won't affect my chances in the 1500m. Even though I will be training mainly for the 1500m, I have worked hard on my endurance due to World Cross Country, so I should have enough strength to last 5000m.

RT: Edinburgh. A lot has been said about the Australian results, some full of praise, some critical. For the benefit of our readers can you take us through the race?

RG: A few people bagged me and said I under-performed, but I was happy. I came 31st and I am still in the junior race next year. My goals next year are to make the top 10. I think it's achievable. World Cross Country was a tough race but it was tough for everyone. The course was terribly muddy and the heavier people like Mottram and Birmingham seemed to suffer. Birmingham didn't run as well as expected, but then he came out and ran 13.21 for 5000m a few weeks later. Mottram didn't run as well as he may have hoped but he is still the King, and will be for awhile. The big guys just seemed to really sink into the mud in those conditions, with the lighter runners excelling. It's in Jordan next year though, so it shouldn't be too muddy over there!

RT: Being in a team with the likes of Craig Mottram and Benita Johnson must have been a great experience. Did you manage to learn much from them?

RG: Mottram and Benita only arrived in the village 2 days before the event so not that much was said. It was interesting to see that with only about 1 and a ? hours until her race, Benita was reading a British women's magazine, taking note of different cooking recipes. So I guess that you have to be relaxed and not think about the race too much.

RT: The old mileage question pops up in every interview these days, so I may as well ask it. How many km's a week would you run over summer, and winter?

RG: Winter would be about 110km and Summer about 100km. I do that for 4 weeks and then on the 5th week, I drop my mileage down by about 50% as part of a recovery week.

RT: And session wise, what sort of things does the Coach incorporate. For a young athlete, you seem to have developed not only a terrific aerobic capacity, but also speed!

RG: Skip incorporates the basics. Regular long runs, threshold runs, short and long interval work, recovery runs, speed work, gym sessions and core sessions. It's a very basic looking weekly program. I can't give too much away or Courtney Carter will start beating me!

RT: Rewind a few years back, you were involved in quite a bit of mountain running, and competed for Australia at the World Championships - how different was the training for this event compared to track/cross country running?

RG: Haha. I actually didn't train for Mountain Running. The main reason why I did it was to go and travel to Turkey with my Dad. It was the greatest trip I have ever been on. The long run I do with the local Bulli boys is called 'Devil's Peak'. It's 20km long and is nuts. The hilliest thing you will ever do. The Victorians always say that runs like the Dandenong's or the You Yang's are great runs, but they are nothing compared to the Peak.

RT: A lot has been said of young runners who come out and run fast at an early age, and then fade away as a senior. Are you worried about not developing at the same rate you are now later on in your career?

RG: I just see it as that I have given myself a solid platform to work off. People always say to me that they hear rumours that I do ridiculous mileage and other nonsense, and that I am going to burn out. I am not flogging myself by any means. I think the fact that I have been able to remain un-injured is the fact that I have been doing less than my rivals. All credit to my coach Skip. He is a wizard.

RT: What are the plans for the next few years? Have you been thinking about the idea of going away to college? Or are you happy to remain in Australia?

RG: I'm staying put in Australia. I have a great coach, family, friends and girlfriend here in Australia, so I think going away would actually be a backward step. If it ain't broke, don't fix it I guess. There are a fair few Aussies who can still whip me in a race so there is still plenty of competition here in Australia. Over the next few years I hope to get fitter. That's what I need to improve on the most. Speed is irrelevant unless you are fit, otherwise you will be too tired to use it. So that's the main goal, just keep building that base to set me up for the future.

RT: Sounds like you've got it sorted Ryan. All the best for the upcoming World Junior Champs, we'll be sure to follow your successes!

This interview has been brought to you by Courtney Carter, from The Runner's Tribe
This interview is not to be published or used in the public domain in any way, without prior written permission from The Runner's Tribe

'The greatest stimulator of my running career was fear'
Herb Elliott

For our first ever interview, The Runner's Tribe catches up with Chris de Boer (CDB). CDB burst onto the scene in late 2007- early 2008, winning the Ron Clarke Classic 800m (1:51.3) and the Zatopek classic (1:48.89). He also placed 4th in the Sydney track classic (1.48.78), and 3rd in the Canberra Grand Prix ( 1.48.26 ). Chris finished the year ranked 6th for the 800m and stands as being perhaps the biggest improver on the domestic scene, he ran a total of 9 straight personal bests. Furthermore, his PB for the 800m fell from 1:53 to 1:48.26 and his PB for the 1500m fell from 3:58 to 3.47.

RunnersTribe: CDB, thanks for agreeing to this interview. You made some huge breakthroughs this year, why this year?

CDB: In contrast to previous years where I have gotten really fit only to get injured and lose my base work, overall 2008 has been an injury-free year making a huge difference. It has allowed me to increase the number of K's I am running and to focus on running pbs over the longer 1500m.

Running in The Ron Clarke Classic in Melbourne was one of my best experiences in terms of running against a much stronger field and in less windy conditions than Perth. The race went out really slow, over 55secs at the bell and as the large field bunched up I decided I didn't want to hang around and get boxed in so I just took off with 300m to go. I really surprised myself with the close win which gave me a lot of confidence in my training.

The Zatopek Classic also proved to be a major turning point. Initially, I was only planning to train with some other squads including Richard Huggins' who trains Jeff Risely, but unfortunately Risely was still recovering from a stress fracture and I was unable to train with him. A few days after I arrived I got a call that the 800m was put on the Zatopek program. This was the turning point for me as I ran a massive PB and without that race I wouldn't have gotten a run at the Sydney or Canberra Classics or the Melbourne GP. I would have been stuck in Perth probably struggling to run under 1.51. I was very lucky that race was put on! It has changed a lot for me and now I'm running as fast as I believed I could and wanting to go faster.

RT: You get coached by Olympian Susan Andrews, how important has her role been in you break throughs?

CDB: Susan has definitely kept me focused on my goals this season and has been a big factor in my improvement. She competed at the top level over 400m as well as 800m so she knows what I should expect in big competitions on and off the track. She always has very good advice and helps me stay confident and focused going into races. She spends a lot of time planning individualised programs and I appreciate this because she knows my strengths and weaknesses and uses this to plan my training.

RT: Last November (07) did you have any inkling that this season was going to be as successful for you as it ended up being?

CDB: No, my aim for the season was to improve two seconds and qualify for the Olympic trials. My training indicated I was on track but I never expected a five second PB! I was confident of doing this, but I had no idea I would be within 2.3 seconds of the A, or 1.3 off the B qualifier for the Olympics. I had never qualified for nationals over the 800m and had only competed in open once in 2004 in the 400mH. It is much different competing in a race where everyone ends up running in the same lane, this is an area where you constantly learn. Zatopek was a big shock for me as well as my coach, and it changed my outlook on the season. Up until the Sydney classic in mid-January I had the fastest time for the season. Other athletes were wondering who I was and the media wanted interviews, all of a sudden training became really purposeful.

RT: Can you give us a brief description of your winter/base type training?

CDB: Winter training for me is a lot different than most people. Until the end of September I had commitments training as a WAFL boundary umpire which required me to train with them twice a week on a Tuesday and a Thursday. This was difficult with my program as Susan never knew what I had on those days. Often I would train easy on those days as my track type sessions were on Monday and Wednesdays. The problem was they expected me to train hard on those days to be a leader in the group and push for AFL selection. They wanted me there because I was an athlete, but wouldn't allow me to train as one. It was hard on my body doing four days in a row of track type training. Friday I would mostly have the day off before a game which totaled 16-20kms a game of varied pace running. Sunday was always an 80min run. Sessions over winter varied from threshold running like 8x3mins, 15 x 500m or 6x1km (3minR).

RT: How long are your Sunday long runs?

CDB: Mostly 80 minutes throughout the year or down to 60 or 70mins during the season. Locations include Pickering Brooke, Helena Valley, Kings Park, Herdsman Lake and the Swan River. I think that I would prefer to increase the speed of these runs rather than run for longer, 80 minutes is enough for me.

RT: Do you have any track sessions which stand out as being your favorite or most worthwhile?

CDB: As an 800m runner it's always good to be running fast and relaxed at race pace. I enjoy doing 200m reps. A session that I have continued to do since December in Melbourne is a continuous 800m with 300m (aim 39), 300m float (aim 57), 200m (aim 27) x 3. I have a good rest (10 or so minutes between sets). By the third set it definitely feels like finishing an 800m. Strangely at the end of winter I enjoy starting track work (on grass) with 12-15 x 500m as it is a good distance to run relaxed without being too long. Otherwise my sessions often vary, but remain intense and demanding. Usually prior to a race I will do a 500m fast (1.04-105) and float another 50m on the end. This kind of speed work, being just faster than race pace, helps me feel relaxed over the first lap of a race. Now, mentally, my race starts on the second lap while the first is almost on auto pilot (51,52). This is a shift from previous years, where, it felt like the race had ended before the second lap.

RT: What is your opinion on the old debate of endurance vs speed for an 800m runner? Do you think it is more vital for someone aiming for sub 1.46 to be able to run a 400m in 46 seconds or a 1500m in 3 minutes 40 seconds?

CDB: There is no question that both are very important for 800m running. The strange thing is I'm really not that good at either. I haven't broken 49 for 400m (although I can go through in 50.0 in a 600m time trial easy), and the 3km I did this season wasn't under 9 minutes. I've learnt how to run relaxed at a fast pace and I think I'm going to be able to improve more on the endurance side than the speed side. Renshaw runs 46s and even a 45 relay split and has a pb of 1:45, whereas the 1500m guys who run 3.37 have this year all run 1:48s/1:49s. The 800m is very tactical and if someone is fit enough to be there in the last 200m then I would much rather have a quick turn of speed. Also someone who runs 46 going through the bell in say 51 is going to feel very relaxed and have the extra few gears over the last lap.

CDB punching out some power work at a training camp, late September 2007.

RT: You injured yourself in the Melbourne Grand Prix 800m and couldn't finish the race and subsequently missed nationals! Do you know what happened and are you now over the set-back?

CDB: I was concerned it was Achilles related, but ended up a deep soleal strain. It was sore four days prior to the race so I rested for two days before. My morning jog and warm up prior to the race felt fine up until the second last run where it felt a little tight. I was in really good shape as I had been doing speed work for the previous three weeks, but I was a little nervous on the line. I took off at the gun and it slowly felt tighter over the first 200m (which was very fast). During the second bend it got worse as my lower leg tried to stabilize the rest of my body. Near the end of the bend I heard a 'ping' and could no longer land or push off. It was very depressing to watch such a great race with so many fast times and pbs with 10,000 people watching knowing that I could have also run a personal best. Even worse, the nationals/Olympic Trials immediately looked unlikely even though I was confident of a medal after five seasons of not even qualifying.

RT: You have been selected for Tim O'Shaughnessy's American development tour! In the face of your injury what are your thoughts on the tour?

CBD: I was off my feet for just over three weeks, working in the pool which was boring and depressing. Afterwards, I did another three weeks of off and on jogging before doing any sort of quality sessions. Another 2-3 weeks would be perfect but I'm back to running similar times to what I was prior to the injury. Hopefully by the second or third race, I'll be close to running a PB and I would be disappointed if I didn't by the end of the trip.

RT: Talk us through the tour, which races are you targeting?

CDB: The first race is Mt SAC (This race have just been run, CDB finished 6th in 1:50.98) followed by a meet in Oregon, then Stanford invitation and another one at Oregon. I've looked up some of the results from previous years and they vary from year to year, however, since it is an Olympic year, I am sure a few of the big guns will be out trying to get some times on the board prior to their trials.

RT: Do you have any financial backers or sponsors at this stage?

CDB: No, not at this stage. I had some assistance from my club UWA towards flights to the Sydney and Canberra meets which was very important as I would not have made it to Sydney without that. I've been at the club almost 10 years so it was nice to be recognized and assisted in this way. Mizuno have assisted a little with discounted shoes and a bit of clothing, but hopefully more financial support will come in the future.

The mate I live with Haden Martin (400m runner) has been great and didn't charge me rent through the summer season or when I was away. Hopefully I can repay this in the future somehow. Also I'm building up a rather large tab with my parents that I would like to pay back this year. Other than that, I have been a big sponsor of Bankwest through my credit card which I no longer can use as it is maxed out and costing me even more. It would be great to be able to just work a few days a week and get some financial assistance.

It is an awkward situation in that to get sponsorship I will probably need to run faster, but without the assistance it is going to be more difficult. It is not a highly televised or popular sport until the Olympics are on. It used to be back in the 50s and 60s when Aussies were breaking world records and 4 minute miles. Swimmers get a lot of financial support as Australians are always on the news for breaking records and winning world champs. Unfortunately for athletics, the whole world is able to compete and the competition is so much harder.

We are not sure what exactly this has to do with running, but an impressive jump nonetheless.

RT: You are a newly graduated school teacher. What are your plans on the working vs training front?

CDB: There looks to be enough relief work that allows flexibility with travel to competitions and even training. I still need to work enough days to be able to eat, travel and buy shoes etc. I've found working a full day on my feet shouting at kids is really draining and by the time I get to training I am physically and mentally exhausted. Athletics doesn't pay at all so I have to work. I just need to make sure I get early nights, stay hydrated during the day and eat healthy. Where possible I try to sleep for an hour before training, but my track sessions are usually 4.30pm so this isn't possible. This may be something I need to speak about to my coach next season. Working full time is something that I am adjusting to and hopefully it won't affect my training too much.

RT: You have a reputation for being a bit of a ladies' man, for the ladies out there, are you still fair game?

CDB: In Australia, or when I'm in America ? Just joking. I had a girlfriend for 3 years until recently so am in no rush and am enjoying the free time and extra sleep. Athletics is a sport that not many people understand which can be difficult. Saying you kicked 10 goals makes a lot more sense than running 1.48. The response is usually "is that good and what is the world record?" It can be very frustrating. It seems that if you play football it is expected you don't play AFL, and if you do athletics you are expected to run at the Olympics and always win.

RT: Chris, thanks for the interview, all the best for the American tour and we look forward to catching up with you later.

'The greatest stimulator of my running career was fear'
Herb Elliott