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Michael Shelley delivered a surprise to Australia’s track and field team at the Commonwealth games in Deli last year when he streaked to silver in the marathon. Buzzing after his medal, Shelley continued with his success by posting two sub 2.12 performances, running 2.11.38 in the London marathon and 2.11.23 (PB) in Amsterdam in October. Other contenders for the available spots for the marathon include 2011 World champion representative Jeff Hunt. Driven to prove critics wrong after finishing his 2011 season on a low note, Hunt is a true contender. Making his debut at the marathon distance in 2010, Hunt posted a 2.11.00 performance at Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon (JPN), which saw him come 3rd, running the fastest marathon on debut and breaking the NSW record. This season, we should once again see this aspiring Olympian run another sub 2.12 Olympic A qualifier.

Lee Troop made the switch to marathons, after representing Australia in the 5000m at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and at the 1999 World Championships. He has also represented Australia in the marathon at three Olympic Games. Troop is one of only five Australian marathoners to have broken the 2:10 mark (2:09.49 at Lake Biwa marathon in 2003). 

Other contenders looking to book themselves a ticket to London in this event is Shaun Forrest, Marty Dent (2.13.27), Scott Wescott (2.12.56) Clint Perret and New Zealander Paul Martelleti who already have B Olympic standards.

Women

For the first 5 months of 2011, Commonwealth bronze medalist Lisa Weightman had a significant amount of time away from training due to injury. Moving forward again Weightman achieved in October 2011, an Olympic A qualifying standard of 2:29:23 well under the 2.32 mark set by Athletics Australia. Shy of her personal best of 2:28:48 which she set in winning the 2010 Nagano International Marathon, Weightman will have to wait for confirmation from selectors to see if she will make her second Olympic team. Others in a hunt for a place in the Olympic team include 2008 Olympian Kate Smythe (2.28.51), Lisa Flint who burst onto the Australian running scene in 2009, running 2:34.08 to win the Melbourne Marathon and secure a Commonwealth Games A qualifier and three time Olympian Benita Willis (2.22.36) who finished 21st in the marathon at the 2008 Olympics.  Kim Smith New Zealand’s national record holder over the 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, halve marathon and marathon (2.25.21) smashed the Olympic qualifying time in finishing 5th at the recent New York marathon and looks to make her second Olympic games team for New Zealand this coming year.

It would also be great to see Anna Thompson in marathon shape once again trying to lower her 2.33.20 PB and also 2006 Commonwealth games representative Lauren Shelley running again close to her 2.33.42 best.

Do not discount possible marathon debutants and World half marathon representatives Nikki Chapple, Jess Trengrove, Cassie Fien and World university half marathon representative Clare Geraghty who made her marathon debut in Melbourne in 2011. 10,000m runner Lara Tamsett also has aspirations to become a marathon runner and has been quoted saying  “I’ve had a few thoughts about if I’m not fast enough for the 10,000m in London and should I just bite the bullet now and try a marathon early next year and see what happens?”

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Last week on a windy day in Toronto, two handsome Canadians qualified to run the marathon at the Olympic Games in London next year. Around the same time in the Dutch capital of Amsterdam, the 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medalist in the marathon, Michael Shelley of Australia, proved once again that he is fast becoming Australia’s best marathoner by clocking a personal best time of 2:11.23 – another Olympic qualifier.  Australia could still very well have three men in the marathon in London, with Jeff Hunt and Lee Troop just two of the men who have proven they can run the time.

New Zealand is similar to Australia and Canada in many ways. We are all part of the Anglo-Saxon historical experience – arguably making us genetically alike, while each governing body of athletics shares similarities. Most notably a system characterized by government funding based upon medals at major championships. Yet New Zealand will have no men on the start line in London for the marathon, the same situation as Beijing in 2008, and the 2006 Commonwealth Games. By next year it will be almost a decade of decline for male marathoning in New Zealand, an event that we like to think resonates with the toughness and work ethic of kiwis.

Apart from Mike Aish running 2:13.20 to win the Arizona marathon in 2008, no kiwi has run under the IAAF A-standard of 2:15.00 since Dale Warrander and Jonathan Wyatt qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games. Aish might as well have run 2:30 to win the race that day because Athletics New Zealand (ANZ) pretended it never happened anyway. Moreover, despite the IAAF standard being set at 2:15, ANZ have continued to set the bar higher and higher each year, despite no one achieving the previous standards. Like Nic Bideau recently said, “I don’t see why we need to place the bar higher than the IAAF set it at. We don’t make our tracks longer down here do we? If we want to encourage people to put their lives on hold to pursue this sport we should be selecting them if we can.”

So does New Zealand have what it takes to match Canada and Australia and produce some decent marathoners? Remembering that we are excluding those athletes that ANZ doesn’t like, then absolutely. Lets use Canadian Reid Coolsaet as the model for success.

I know Reid; I have trained with his group and have seen what they do. They don’t have massive contracts (although if it hadn’t been for the wind Reid could very well have been $36,000 better off), world-class facilities, or even good weather. What they do have is an amazing work ethic, an ability to grow awesome moustaches, and a fantastic coach that has created a model for distance running success that is very much outside the governing bodies bright ideas. Overall, Canada has a pretty similar set-up in terms of governing-body infrastructure to NZ, although they actually have harder standards. What Canada has is a group like Speed River Track Club set up independently of the governing body – headed by an enigmatic coach and supported by private sponsors, most notably New Balance. The closest thing to this in NZ is Paul Hamblyn’s Stride Academy, although that is at present a university-level program.

There is plenty of funding for New Zealand’s top-level athletes. Kim Smith and Nick Willis have no trouble paying the bills and receive a significant amount of money every year from ANZ (and of course from Reebok). Yet how do the rest of the country’s athletes get there? If a group like Speed River Track Club popped up, ANZ would undoubtedly want their name and all over it, but would never take the ‘risk’ of putting it together themselves. Yet the quintessential product of this model - Reid Coolsaet, is going to be an Olympian. He ran 2:10 on a windy day by going out with balls as big as a hockey goalie. He is a superstar. He also ran 14:12 for 5,000m at the age of 23. Would ANZ believe like his coach Dave Scott-Thomas did that he could one day be an Olympian? No. In fact, based on ANZ’s ‘indicators of potential’ to compete at the 2016 Games, Reid would had to have run 13:29 at 23 to receive any kind of support in his endeavors.

Because of the government funding structure, ANZ is like the current global economy - all the wealth is in the hands of a few. In regards to funding, it is far better for ANZ to have Nick Willis’ silver medal when they go hat in hand to the government than three men on the line in the 10,000m and the marathon. But is it better for the sport? It all depends what your definition of “better” is. The trickle down effect of half a dozen guys who have run an A or B standard, been to a major championships and are living and training in NZ is arguably far better for the future of the sport. They might not be medalists, but they ran the IAAF time and they competed. It’s not nostalgia – it happens. As a 19-year-old I was (and still am) far more inspired by athletes like Paul Hamblyn who showed that regular guys can do it too, not just the guys who ran 4:00min miles in high school. What’s funny (or shit, I suppose) is that Paul didn’t actually get ANZ support until after his Commonwealth Games 4^th place, not before. He got there by his own means and with the support of his coach Chris Pilone.

I’m not saying that every man and his dog who has run 30:00 for 10k in their 20’s is good enough to be an Olympian – far from it. What I am saying is that potential is measured by more than just the numbers. The current system provides support almost purely on talent, leaving untold numbers of potential stars swept under the rug. Many will (and have) head to the United States, only to come home and realize that there is stuff-all infrastructure to become a decent athlete and throw it in. At present, my generation has a better chance of making it to the Olympic Games by marrying a Canadian and jumping in with the New Balance-Speed River group in Guelph. Hey Sheila Reid – are you keen?

New Zealanders are as tough and talented as Canadians, and far better looking. There has to be a Reid Coolsaet floating around in NZ. I have seen dozens of gingers on the streets of Wellington; surely one of them could run a 2:10 marathon. What we need is a figure like Dave Scott-Thomas: someone outside of the system who actually understands development and is prepared to create his own team and pathway to success. So far two men have qualified for the Canadian Olympic team in the marathon, (Reid Coolsaet and Eric Gillis) and both of them are part of Dave’s team in Guelph.

We shouldn’t leave it up to our Commonwealth cousins of Canada and Australia to have successful marathoners. New Zealand can be just as good, it just needs a shake-up. 


Daniel Wallis for The Runner's Tribe

 
By Jeff Hunt

Photo Courtesy of Tim Mcgrath/Jeff Hunt

The New Year always brings new opportunities, and hopefully 2011 is no different. I am currently at Falls Creek, halfway through a four week stint of altitude training, ahead of my return to Japan for the 2011 Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon.

 

It’s been great training here at Falls, just like every year. With such a large contingent in attendance, it means there is always someone to run with, whether I feel good or bad. The large numbers can make the sessions a little crazy, with so many people in such a small area, but sticking to simple road rules like keeping left, it works itself out.

 

Since arriving on the 27^th December, training has really picked up. I’ve come to realize that training follows stages. You start back up after a break, you struggle for a couple of weeks, and then it gets easier. After a few more weeks, you get stronger before your body starts to feel tired from the routine again. A few weeks later everything is as good as it was before your break. Fortunately, I hit the final stage just as the annual trip to Falls Creek began, and everything just seemed to fall into place.

 

Over the last 6 weeks, I’ve worked back up to averaging over 180km per week and the body has been having its ups and downs. While here at Falls, I will get a further four weeks at 180km+ before beginning my taper for Beppu. When you first get to altitude, your body doesn’t quite know what to make of it. It takes a few days to adjust to running with thinner air, but the body adapts quickly and effectively. Before you know it, you are training as well as, if not comparably better, than when you are back at home.

 

I’ve knocked out a good long run the last two Sundays, 2hrs 30mins for 38.5km, feeling great, so my fitness for the long stuff is there. My first session at altitude was the Thursday regular 8 x 400m with 200m float, for which I ran a controlled 15:51. A week later, I lowered my “Falls Creek PB” for that session to 15:23, which means I am improving my change of pace (not that it was very remarkable to begin with). On the Tuesday just gone (4^th Jan), I ran the 8 x 1km with 60secs recovery for the first time ever up here – I normally run them off 90secs recovery. I was very happy with the session, as I ran it relaxed and consistent at the back of the lead group that included Benny, Collis, Marty and Shelley, running between 2:55 and 3:00. If I can keep up the consistency and slight improvements I’ve been seeing while I am here, I will depart a happy camper.

 

Over the next two weeks, the numbers will start to dwindle as people leave the mountain. I suspect I will be one of the last to depart on the 22^nd January, heading home via Canberra to race the World Cross Trial at 7am the following day. This will be my last hit out before my marathon, and hopefully it’s a great confidence booster. Everything is going great. I feel stronger, fitter and faster than this time last year. Deek's phonebook theory is paying off. I have not missed any training unexpectedly for a couple of years now, and this is definitely showing in my training and racing.

 

For those that may be interested, I thought I’d provide a snippet of a typical week here at Falls Creek. It will look like below, totalling approx 180-190km per week:

 

Monday:               AM Fitzy’s Hut (16km)
                            PM Baby Aqueduct (8km)

Tuesday:               AM Session (8 x 1km or Mona Fartlek)

                             PM Baby Aqueduct

Wednesday:          AM Spion Kopje (23km)

                             PM Baby Aqueduct

Thursday:               AM Session (8 x 400m, 200m Float or 12 x 400m)

                             PM Baby Aqueduct

Friday:                   AM Tower Run + Baby Aqueduct (15-16km)

                              PM Baby Aqueduct

Saturday:                AM Session (10/10 or 10/20 or 20min efforts)

                               PM Baby Aqueduct

Sunday:                  AM 2hr 30m – Pretty Valley>Langford’s  
                              West>Village (38km approx)

Keep running, and enjoy the Australian Summer.

 It feels like only moments ago that I authored a blog for Runner’s Tribe, Reflecting on the Past. This blog took me back to what I achieved in 2009 and the importance of rest and reflection.

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 Bryan Green

It's been an interesting first couple weeks in the new year.  Deena Kastor came back with a sub-70 half marathon in Arizona, while Ryan Hall got crushed by Simon Bairu on the same course, running only 64 and change.  There was an announcement that the state of Oregon was considering eliminating team qualifying for state meet cross country.  (Say what?!  Dyestat covered the news here.)  Indoor track kicked off with the New Balance Indoor meet and Haile Gebrselassie went for another world record at the Dubai Marathon but failed because he slept on his stomach.  (Seriously, get that man a Snoogle already!)

We were also treated to two fine debuts one week ago, with Shalane Flanagan running her much anticipated first half-marathon and Brett Gotcher's surprisingly fast debut for the full marathon.  (We should also mention the solid debuts by Brent Vaughn and Tim Nelson in the half marathon, who ran 62:04 and 62:11, respectively.)

Shalane won her race in a course record 1:09:41, which was good enough to put her 6th on the US all-time list for the distance.  She controlled the race from the beginning and there was little doubt as to the final outcome.  As she said after the race, "Yeah, I was thinking, or guessing I would run 1:10, and that would be very comfortable for me. To dip under 1:10, I think, is a solid performance."

Gotcher finished 7th in a field of solid foreigners, running a surprise 2:10:36.  He ran much of the race alone, and was on pace for sub-2:10 until the final two miles.  Still, his time is good enough for the 4th fastest debut marathon by an American and it puts him 27th on the US all-time list.  It's also just six seconds slower than Frank Shorter's personal best!

As he says in this interview, however, he's not entirely satisfied with the time: "Late in the race, I thought I was going to run a lot faster. Even though I am really happy and excited with my time, there is still a bittersweet feeling that I can go out and run 2:09 or maybe even under 2:09 on a really amazing day." 

So we have two performances, both slower than what the athletes felt they were capable of, and yet because they were debuts, they've gathered quite a lot of attention.  What is it about debuts that make us ooh and ahh over them?  After all, doesn't every athlete have at least 5 or 10 debuts in their career?

The fact is, we're only really concerned with two types of debuts: the Superstar Debut and the Overachiever Debut.  The Superstar Debut matters because the athlete has already proven herself over the course of her career at other distances, and built up an expectation of excellence.  Most debuts we remember are Superstar Debuts.  They are recognized by their publicly announced date, fervent debate as to what to expect, and generally, a slight feeling of letdown after the fact.  Flanagan's debut in Houston is a great example of this.

The Overachiever Debut comes about a different way.  The athlete is usually known or recognized in a general sense, but does not have high expectations placed on his debut performance going into it.  He then goes out and runs a time nobody thought possible.  It's not the case that he has actually overachieved, of course, as that would imply he performed better than he was actually capable and that's impossible.  But the fact that he surpassed expectations so greatly makes his debut something to celebrate.  Brett Gotcher's marathon provides us with a fantastic example of this.

Of course, there is also the extremely rare Superstar Overachiever Debut, in which everyone excitedly awaits the performance and yet the athlete still manages to exceed expectations.  A couple examples of this include Ryan Hall's 59:43 AR half marathon debut and Alan Webb's 27:34 10k debut in which he outkicked Dathan Ritzenhein.  I'd probably include German Fernandez's 3:56.5 indoor mile debut as well.  These performances were so stunning that they completely shifted expectations of what we thought the athlete was capable of in the future.  Many of us were hoping to see this from Shalane, but she opted to play it safe (hence the slight feeling of letdown).

For fun, I put together my Top 10 US Debuts of the past decade.  These were the races that made me sit up and say, "Wow".

What makes these debuts so fun, of course, is that they are pretty rare.  There are very few opportunities for big debuts on the track, since everyone usually enters their first 5k or 10k in a low-key meet.  It's incredibly rare for a top athlete like Leonel Manzano to go his entire career never having run a 5k, or Matt Tegenkamp never succumbing to the 10k's siren call.  (Will they ever move up?)  We pretty much have to settle for college freshmen going for it at Stanford, so here's to hoping Jordan Hasay does something special this year.

The rest of the hullabaloo, however, is largely based on a misconception, I believe.  There's a general assumption that no matter how fast an athlete runs in their debut, they'll run significantly faster once they've got a few races under their belts.  A middle distance runner stepping up to 10k isn't supposed to nail it on his first try, and neither is a track athlete stepping up to the half or the full marathon.  As such, a blazing fast debut is supposed to signify a bright future, one filled with further improvement.

But in the big picture, spectacular debuts ultimately mean very little.  A letsrun reader, malmo, posted the list of top US marathon debuts on a forum thread and it's amazing what it shows.  Of the 39 he lists, 20 of them also serve as the individual's personal best.  Half of the fastest debutantes never improved!  That number is really surprising on the face of it.  It seems to go against the common belief about debuts, especially at distances like the full marathon.

I don't have the data for the 10k or half marathon, but I would be interested to see what it says.  I'm pretty sure Ryan Hall's 28:07 10k PR was run in his debut, and Anthony Famiglietti's 27:37 10k debut is still his PR.  Of course, neither of these guys have focused on the 10k since then, so we have to be careful in reading too much into this.  But on a lesser note, it still took five years before Dathan Ritzenhein was able to lower his 27:38.5 debut 10k time by more than four seconds.  I know I expected much more much sooner, simply because it was his debut.

I think the most we can say is big improvement after a fast debut simply isn't a given.  Not only does one have to continue to step up their training, they have to now perform with the weight of increased expectations.  Not everybody can live up to it and not everybody is willing to dedicate themselves to the distance long enough to do it.  Here's to hoping that Shalane and Brett are able to do so.

Images: Photorun.net

by Chris Wainwright

 Well it's the end of another year of track and field and there were certainly some fantastic performances from our junior athletes. With major championships such as the Commonwealth Games and World Juniors set to take place in 2010, there will again be the opportunity for our athletes to shine on the biggest stage.

My reviews commence with the Australian junior women, with the highlights coming from athletes such as Amy Pejkovic and Emily Brichacek. So who did I rank as my top-5 performers of 2009? Well click below for my top-5 as well as a comprehensive review of the 2009 track and field season.

I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all readers of runnerstribe.com a Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

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." 

This is part 1 of a 2 part article. Stay tuned for the second half of the story...


Copyright 2009, The Runner’s Tribe. All rights reserved.



'But most importantly, we learnt that I have a lot more improvement to make''
Lisa Weightman

� 2008 The Runner's Tribe, all rights reserved.

2008 has been a stellar year for 29 year old Martin Dent. A win at the world's biggest foot race, the Sydney City to Surf, a victory at the Australian Cross Country Championships, and gold in the 3000m Steeple at the Australian titles, to name just a few of his victories. We catch up with Marty as he gears up for a crack at the Fukuoka marathon this December.

RunnersTribe: First off, congratulations on your results so far this year. It must rate as one of your best years ever?

Marty Dent: Thanks very much. It's been a pretty amazing year so far. There has hardly been a race that I have been disappointed with. It's very pleasing for me, that at 29, I am still consistently running best performances in a lot of the races.

RT: How was winning the Sydney City to Surf? Do you class that as one of the highlights of your career to date?

MD: Winning the City to Surf was amazing. It is definitely my career highlight to date. Considering that the Olympics were on at the time, the amount of recognition I received was a bit of shock. During the following week I did numerous interviews and now months later, people are still coming up and congratulating me. I am pretty sure I would have had to medal in the Olympic steeplechase to match the same level of recognition I have received.

I was very motivated to run well at the City to Surf after a disappointing race at the Gold Coast Half Marathon (Michael Shelley put more than a minute into me). It was also pleasing that, despite the absence of Team Tanzania, I ran about the same time that they have been winning the race with over the last 5 years.

     

RT: Congratulations on becoming a father last May. This new addition to your family definitely doesn't seem to have had a negative affect on your running! You seem to take juggling work, running and family commitments in your stride?

MD: Being a father has been great. Elye is now 5 months old and is getting bigger and learning new things all the time. It is also great having another purpose to your life motivating me to be my best even more. The support from my wife has also assisted me so I can to pursue my training with out compromise.

I have had to learn to be even more organized and this has assisted in ensuring my training is very structured. I was a bit slack getting up for morning runs before Elye arrived, but now I find it a lot easier getting out, especially as I am often awake anyway! I work for the Government (like most people in Canberra) at the Department of Finance. I work part time (30 hours per week) which makes getting to training easier, especially in winter. I also do some of my running in my lunch breaks.

RT: I know many people in the distance running community were disappointed about the details surrounded the selection process for the Beijing Olympic Steeplechase. What are your thoughts on the matter as well as the inconsistencies with the whole process?

MD: In the end I accept that I didn't run fast enough to be selected, but there were numerous things along the way that really frustrated me. I felt the criteria was not applied correctly, consistently and communication to athletes was pretty poor. It seemed unfair that selector discretion worked favorably for some athletes, whereas for others (like myself) it did not.

I consider Youcef Abdi's performance in Beijing as probably the best of the entire team, two PBs in a distance event is awesome. Pete Nowill, Youcef and I have all beaten each other over the last 2 years a number of times and it was a shame that there weren't three of us in Beijing.

MD: That was even more disappointing than the Olympics. To run an A-qualifying standard in Australia then not get picked was hugely disappointing. I felt I had done as much, if not more, than many others who have been picked in Australian teams over the last 20 years. Then to be told that's its not good enough was not fair. Steeplechase is not like many other events where you get multiple qualifying attempts over and over during a season (some you get six in one night!). That season we only had one quality race in good conditions and I managed to put it together. It also meant a missed opportunity which might have assisted me for Olympic selection.

RT: You are self coached which is quite rare these days. Why is this so? Was it a matter of not being able to find an adequate coach?

MD: I have been training pretty hard since I was 13 years old and have had a number of great coaches. I have also trained with most of Australia's best runners over that time. So with that experience, putting together a balanced training program has not been that difficult. Especially as with my last coach I was very involved in setting my training. I am the sort of person that doesn't like getting told what to do, so these days it works best for me to set my own training.

I currently have a great training group. A couple of us put together a training program in advance and the rest of the group usually fit their sessions around what we are doing.

RT: You have a reputation as being a tough arsed trainer. Can you give us an overview of your common routine during an intense training period?

MD: My training is a mix of things I have learned from my coaches and training with other runners. I do not believe it is really that important what exact training you do, but more the consistency and intensity of training that makes the big differences. A typical week looks something like this.

Monday:    AM 16km
                   PM 8km often at lunchtime
Tuesday:    AM 8km
                    PM Track e.g. 16x400 or 8x1km
Wednesday:    Midday 20km
Thursday:    AM 8km
                      PM Grass e.g. 3x(2k,1k) or 5km then 6x300m hills
Friday:    AM 12km
                PM 8km sometimes
Saturday:    AM Road e.g. 7k solid, 7km hard, or 15km tempo
                     PM 8km
Sunday:    Long run 25-35km
 

This would give something like 160-190km. I don't often repeat sessions, as I find it difficult, and often unproductive, chasing PB sessions all the time. I usually put as much as I can into sessions, but every now and again I will roll through a session a bit easier. I see my long runs as strength building rather than recoveries. So they often get difficult towards the end, but usually from getting tired rather than running any faster (plus the courses we run over on Sunday's all finish with some serious hills).

RT: So what races do you have planned over the short to medium term future?

MD: At the moment I am focused on running well in the Fukuoka Marathon on 7 December. It has been 4 years since my last marathon in Chicago. I wasn't running anywhere near as well in the road races back then, so hopefully I can step it up in a few weeks time.

     

RT: All the best in Fukuoka. So is the marathon your main priority now, rather than the steeple or shorter road races?

MD: I will see how Fukuoka goes.

If I am fired up after it I will try and get into shape for a marathon in April. Now AA have released the World Champs selection criteria stating that the marathon team won't be announced until May, I will have to wait till then to see what I am doing in regards to the rest of next year.

If, after Fukuoka, I can't see myself doing another marathon for a while, I will just see how long it takes to get fit. If I get into shape by World Cross trials I would love to do that. I also wouldn't rule out defending my National Steeplechase title, it would be good fun to try and keep Youcef honest!

Nevertheless, I will race on the road when I can. Doing road races in Australia is always great fun and I always feel like the organisers really appreciate you being there.

RT: Marty, thanks for your time and all the best.

MD: No problem, love the website - its definitely in my favorites.