From Sam Maxwell Sports Management

Australian marathon runner Lisa Weightman has attained an Olympic qualifying time and a twelfth place finish at today’s BMW Frankfurt Marathon.

While her time of 2:29:23 is shy of her personal best of 2:28:48 which she set in winning the 2010 Nagano International Marathon, it is well under the 2:32:00 mark set by Athletics Australia for qualification for next year’s London Olympics.

In a strong international field, Weightman ran conservatively in the first half of the race, crossing in 1:13:20.

Although a significant time away from training in the first five months of the year due to injury contributed to a slower second half split, the time was still Weightman’s second fastest of her career.

Having spent the last few months training at altitude in Boulder, Colorado, Weightman said that she was looking forward to returning home to Australia to begin preparations for 2012.

“Now that I am getting fit again, I want to move forward,” Weightman said.

“This year before I got injured we had a lot of plans to tackle two marathons, do some other road races and really catapult to the next stage.

“However because of the injuries it obviously didn’t happen, so I am very grateful for the opportunity to get the qualifying time under my belt in a short and intense preparation.”

Weightman’s success is the second time in as many weeks an Australian has posted an Olympic “A” marathon time, with fellow Dick Telford-trained athlete Michael Shelley recording 2:11:23 at the Amsterdam Marathon on 16 October.

Pending confirmation from the selection panel, Weightman’s appearance at London next year will be her second Olympic Games after Beijing in 2008

2010 was my busiest and most successful year to date, athletically, professionally and personally. In the lead up to the Commonwealth Games I raced 5 times and won all 5, breaking records in 3 and setting personal best times! Apart from the Bronze not being Gold in Delhi I couldn’t have asked for more out of myself.

Reflecting on 2010 I had a few hiccups which a glass of water wasn’t enough to fix! A few nights in the Alfred Hospital, twice a foot injury, twice a dodgy adductor, a 3 week sinus inflection and last but not least, a quad strain a week before CWG. Given 2010 was my biggest year of mileage and fast paced I have grown to realise that injuries and illness are part of the management and recovery process. If you respect the warning signs early they actually help you in the long run, remain consistent and keep the passion.

The key mantra which has taken me 16 years to embrace is “Run Hard, Rest Hard”.

Post Delhi Commonwealth Games I’ve had a few false starts in the return to running hard. I’ve rested hard for a number of weeks and now I am on the campaign trail to hard running once again. I’m excited 2011 is here and making the most of being faster than Lachlan for a few sessions while he returns from a bout of Osteitis Pubis. I better get my scalps while I can!

I hope you’ve had a good break and are looking forward to achieving your personal bests and getting your scalps!

Check out Lisa's Website HERE

Congrats on your bronze medal

What were you hoping for going into the Comm Games?

Thanks Runners Tribe!  I was so pleased and so relieved when the race was over.  I went into the event hoping for a medal.  I would've loved to have followed in Kerryn's footsteps and brought home the Gold, but I had some tough African opponents who tried hard to drop me on many occasions.  I fought back many times, but they were just too strong in the conditions.  To win a bronze medal at the Games means the world to me.  It represents so much to me, my coach Dick Telford, my family, my friends and my support network who have taken the journey with me!  It is hard to imagine I've trained half my life for that medal!

How was your training going into the race?

My training was exceptional in the lead up to my PB at Gold Coast half.  I then started doing sessions in the VIS Heat Chamber and picked up a sinus infection which took a month to finally disappear.  I also had some adductor soreness and quad soreness, but I think that is part of the marathon preparation.  When you push yourself in training you can't expect to be a million dollars and if you are (like the lead up to Nagano) you bottle it !!  Key thing is to be able to get the consistent miles done and listen to your body when it cries out for help!

What were your non-race experiences of India like?

Michael Shelley and I spent two weeks (including the first week of the Games) in Cairns/Palm Cove with Dick, his wife Sue, my husband Lachlan, sister Jodi and nephew Thomas.  The conditions were perfect for acclimatisation and we managed to fit in an afternoon with the crocodiles too!  When we arrived in India we didn't leave the village until we got on the bus for the race.  It was all a bit surreal to be honest as there wasn't a spectator in sight. 

That afternoon we took a trip to the Closing Ceremony and received our medals at the stadium.  Apart from the airport that's about all we got to see.  Many laps later of the village in the lead up...that was our Delhi experience!

Complete focus on the reason we were there...to bring home some medals!

How did the race go for you?

The first 15k was like jogging.  I was happy to move out of the way as they had their fall and fight early on.  I wasn't about to get involved in all that hoo haa!  I didn't have a time in mind, in fact I didn't know what time I'd ran until later that afternoon when I checked my garmin!  The constant surging and team tactics by the Kenyans were a lot harder in the polluted and hot climate, but it was a race which taught me so much.  I was not prepared to give in...my motto 'nothing beats persistence' got me a medal!

You came through the field well, did you have an eye on a medal the entire time?

I had not thought about coming anything but a podium finish for the entire race.  I would've been devastated to miss out on a medal.  I wasn't prepared to settle.  I was even hoping that once I passed the girl in third at the later stages of the race that I'd be able to catch first and second.

But that wasn't to be.  All you can do in that situation is try your little heart out.  It was funny running next to the winner as her legs came up to my bib number!!  I know how small I am, but gee I felt small next to her!  ;)

At any time did you think you were closing in on the gold?

Quite a few times, but they surged again every time.  That's racing and I am a better person in general life and in sport for the experience.  So many people saw the race and have told me they just don't know how I do it and also why I do it to myself.  They do say it smiling of course after feeling proud.  I just can't describe why, only a marathon runner can understand why, it is internal.  I wasn't going to give up on my pursuit that day as it meant so much to me to know that whatever happened I did everything I could under the circumstances.

I later found out that the winner ran her PB in Nairobi so it explains her talent.  She should go on to run a quick marathon at her next race if it is in more “friendly” marathon conditions.  Hopefully no one gets in her way at the water stations!!!

You've run through the field a number of times in your last major Championships, is that a conscious strategy?

It was in Berlin.  It was very hot in Berlin also, late 20s.  I did so in Beijing as I was very new to the event and Athletics Australia had put their faith in me in selecting me so I didn't want to hit the wall.  London was just a time trial to get the Olympic Qualifier.  With Nagano I ran to win.  I was in fantastic shape and had only thoughts of Gold.  It was a funny experience to be honest as I said to Lachlan after the race, at no stage did we ever discuss anything but winning a medal.  I guess that tells you how important confidence is in sport. 

My plan for every marathon I run now will be to test myself, take a risk and if I meet the wall then so be it.  There isn't time now for safety first and Dick and I have learnt so much in the last 2 years about what I am capable of.

What's it been like for you since the marathon?

My family and friends have been wonderful.  I have received hundreds of Facebook and Twitter posts and numerous emails from IBM and ANZ colleagues. I finally returned every one of them!  I even got recognised at a restaurant bathroom and was let ahead in the queue which was a new experience!!

My supporters adidas, Ascend and IBM have been fantastic.  I had lunch with the Ascend team last week and they are like my family!  Everyone knows how much this medal means to me and I am just so glad everyone can share in the experience and excitement.

Have you gotten any more recognition?

I don't run for fame, I run for 3 reasons. I love getting the best out of myself. I love to be fit and healthy, and I know I can have an impact on women and girls in sport (men too hopefully!). 

Sam Maxwell and I have set up my new web site at www.lisaweightman.com and we hope to launch a few offerings of assistance to marathoners or distance runners looking for training, guidance and support. (A small plug, but sign up to my newsletter and we’ll send you the details!! - http://www.lisaweightman.com/newsletter)

I enjoy speaking to groups which is something I have started doing in an official capacity.  I hope I can share my experiences with others and be remembered in Sport for the positive impact I make by example.  That's all the recognition I need.

Are you back into training?

Hmm...depends what you classify as training.  Lachlan has been suffering with Osteitis Pubis for 6 weeks and a stress reaction in his pelvis so we both had 2 straight weeks off after the race (he had 4 prior) and now we're running 30-45mins per day.  We'll graduate to an hour and keep progressing as the weeks go forward.  I am not rushing the return as I don't have time to get back for Zatopek so I will just let the body work back into full training for the 2011 year!

What's your plans for the next year or two, heading towards London 2012?

Next year is all about getting the Olympic Qualifier for the marathon and running and racing fast in preparation for the tactics which may present themselves at the Olympic Games.  2 flat and fast marathons in April and October will slot in perfectly.  Lac and I are really excited about 2011 as we have some exciting things planned.

For more news and information about Weightman and her thoughts on the Commonwealth Games, read her blog (http://www.lisaweightman.com/category/blog) or visit her photo page (http://www.lisaweightman.com/gallery) on her website (http://www.lisaweightman.com/)    

by Lisa Weightman

What an awesome weekend for Team Telford!!  A course record and pb for Shelley (Michael Shelley), pbs for Andrea (Andrea Ilakovac), Louisa (Louisa Lobigs) and Michelle (Michelle French) in the 10k, a debut 2hr39m marathon and gold medallist in the Oceania Championships for Sarah (Sarah McRae) and a 69min Half for me, including running the fastest 10k time of my career in both the first and second 10k of the race!  All I find myself saying these last few months is ‘knock on wood.’.  Everything is going so well, ‘knock on wood’.  Running and life in general is so much fun and I just don’t want the excitement to end. 

Since Nagano the focus switched from riding the bike during recovery (I hope no one saw me walking it up the hills!) to building on what I have achieved in preparation for the Commonwealth Games.  Despite the strong focus on achieving my very best at the Games, my passion is firmly fixed on enjoying the journey with Lac. 

Despite the gloomy Melbourne weather in the lead up to Gold Coast we completed some amazing sessions on the Melbourne Uni Track and out on the Yarra trails.  Sessions which have given me great confidence in my ability and have been fun (once they were over of course!)!

Slogging it out on a long run in the rain and mud sounds horrendous for some, but underneath all that we can laugh about our crazy antics!  The fun is all about the people you have around you, making each run more than just a training session.  Out on the track with Hamish (Hamish Beaumont) one of the stars from AV’s Behind The Tent cheering Lac and I on, lap after lap of a Tuesday.  Warming up before Saturday morning sessions with Buster (Craig Motram), who provides inspiration after having such a long lay off with injury.  Laughing our way through the warm ups and cool downs with Kyles (Kylie Dick), Al (Allan Faila) and Dicki (Lisa Dick), not to forget the new addition Jules (Al and Dicki’s dog).  These are the moments in life that we remember. 

Lac and I are fortunate in that the recent success of the McWeightmans has brought about greater opportunities to make new friends and share new experiences.  Our first race since the trip to Nagano produced not one, but two course records in the Mallee12 in Mildura.  Lac broke Mona’s record for the 12km course by 7secs and surprised everyone in Mildura (my not so secret weapon)!  They didn’t realise that every run he beats me home, which means I am always on dishes that night!! 

Our trip to the Mallee was more about eating than running I think, brunches at Sumo Salad Café (thanks Mark!), freshly baked scones at Wamberra Station and an opportunity to share running experiences, catch up with family and enjoy a break from our fast paced lifestyle!  We are now the proud owners of his and hers Mallee Root trophies to ‘knock on’ and Tracey (Tracey Lee) your fruit cakes didn’t last long!!

After struggling with getting up before 6am on a few occasions over the last few weeks due to cold temperatures and just plain old tiredness, the effort has been well worth it after the successful weekend on the Gold Coast.  To then find out the time was fastest on Australian soil by a chick and currently 17^th fastest in the world just puts the icing on the cake.  If only I’d have ran that one second faster for a 68:59! 

Back to work this week (IBM), back to training at 6am and 6pm each day, Monday massages with therapist Brigitte Egan and soon back with Danielle (Danielle Stefano, VIS Sports Physiologist) in the VIS heat chamber, all in aid of a performance to be proud of at the games this year, with a lot of fun along the way I hope!  The journey continues.  Knock on wood…

[Congratulations to Cassie Fien and Jessica Trengrove for their outstanding performances at the Gold Coast.  Well deserved pbs for such wonderful girls.]

By Edward Ovadia. 

Lisa Weightman has a record in the marathon that almost anyone would be jealous to have to their name. After years of stress fractures, Weightman has - in the space of three marathons - finally found her distance and cemented herself as Australia's top marathon runner.

Weightman came to running relatively late in her childhood. "It wasn't until secondary school that I started to give running a good go. My Dad encouraged me to run cross country to build strength in my cardiovascular system as I was born with a weak chest.  I didn't enjoy it back then – running around muddy Bundoora Park for fun on a cold day, where's the fun in that!"

But she began to taste success immediately, even without any proper training. "In my late teens I made it to the State Championships for the 1500m. I didn't train and finished 7th, racing in heavy trainers and a netball skirt - the school sports uniform." One race changed it all. "After that, I said to Dad that the next year I wanted to win a medal."

Weightman started training with the boys team at Preston Athletics Club under the guidance of Jeff Hawkins a few days per week, and the following year she won the State Championship 1500m and made the Victorian Junior team.

"The closer I got to winning and running better the more I committed myself to the next stage," says Weightman. "But I had a few false starts along the way and lacked a lot of confidence through my early 20s due to lack of preparation with injury in the lead up to major races."

Her first big breakthrough came when she made her first Chiba Ekiden Relay team. "I ran a PB in the 10km and absolutely loved the event! I gained a great deal of confidence from being part of the successful Australian women's team that year." Weightman used that confidence to continue her progress and made her first World Cross Country team in Kenya a few years later.

"I struggled with recurring stress fractures for many years - 7 fractures! - and the idea of being able to run a marathon seemed increasingly impossible." Most of her stress fractures coincided with track training, so she turned her attention to the more forgiving surface of cross country. "I became a better cross country runner for it."

But despite being a successful track and cross country runner, Weightman knew that her future lay on the roads. "I always thought that if I was to represent Australia it would be in the marathon," she says. "The marathon is definitely my fit. I love the training. I love the racing and I am really excited about the coming years."

But Weightman's story can't be properly told without knowing the story of those three, life changing marathons. The debut occurred in London in April 2008, where Weightman ran amoung some of the world's best. She placed 13th in 2:32:32, and a marathoner was born.

Then there was the Olympic Games. Weightman's brilliant London run qualified her for Beijing later in the year where, in tough and hot conditions, she made her way through the field to come 33rd in 2:34:16. It's testament to her Championship ability that she always runs at or close to PB pace, even when the Championship pressure and tactics are on.

"The Olympics was a surreal experience," says Weightman. "Everything about being an Olympian is exactly what athletes dream of. [I realised] that I belong here. Prior to completing the race I still didn't feel like I was one of them. After the Olympic race I knew I could do well at the marathon. I knew I had the right fit."
 
And then came the third, and best, marathon - this year's World Championships in Berlin. "Berlin was a dream. My training leading into the race was great. Unfortunately I tore my hamstring during my first training block for the marathon which set me back a couple of weeks, but apart from that I trained better than ever before in the lead up." 

Having learnt from her success in Beijing, Weightman, along with her coach Dick Telford, decided a conservative start would be the best approach, given the blistering heat. It was a tactic that payed off as Weightman sat in 43rd place after 10km; moving up to 34th place at halfway in 1:15:12; and then continuing strongly to grab 18th place in 2:30:42, a new personal best, and a perfectly split marathon. Weightman had arrived on the international scene as a big player, who had confirmed her ability to perform in when the pressure is on.

"I learnt so much from Dick about the marathon and about myself while preparing for and racing the marathon at Berlin," says Weightman. "I learnt that I can cope very well in the warmer climate, with the right preparation. I know exactly what my body responds to training-wise and from a nutritional perspective. I learnt the importance of earlier pace setting to conserve glycogen stores. But most importantly, we learnt that I have a lot more improvement to make. The marathon is an exciting event! If you run too fast in the first 10km it can set you up for a disastrous performance, but if you run too slow then you never reach your full potential." 

Lisa Weightman Berlin World Champs Interview

© 2009 The Runner's Tribe, all rights reserved. Published Tuesday August 18, 2009

Brought to you by Edward Ovadia who is in Berlin with official IAAF accreditation covering the championships for Runnerstribe.com