Craig Huffer Is Back: Runner's Tribe Interview

Youngster Craig Huffer, surprized all but a few, when he recently ran a 3 second 1500m PB overseas (3:36), after a long injury layoff. We caught up with Craig to find out the inside happenings of this talented miler.

RT: Craig thanks for your time. You disappeared for a while, and then out of the blue you popped up in America and broke the 4min mile for the first time. What’s the story? Were you injured for a while?

CH:  It has been a rollercoaster ride the last 12 months. I had a good winter base where I had taken my training to another level. However around November just before the NSW 3k champs everything started to spiral downwards. Leading into NSW 3k I had been struggling with plantar fasciitis. A few days before the race my plantar started really take a turn for the worst. I didn’t realise at the time but I had actually torn it and continued training through the pain just thinking it was a bad case of plantar fasciitis. In the race I could hardly put my right foot on the ground after the 3^rd lap… I battled on for a bit but I ended up having to DNF.

After a week of rest and no relief I had some scans done which showed the tear and with that it meant 10 weeks of no running. In the pool and on the bike I went, training desperately to be fit again for the Commonwealth Games trials. Finally… … … … I was back running. After two weeks of gradually getting back into it… Tragedy struck again when I rolled my ankle. And with that went my season. It took two weeks to heal even though the problem was only some bone bruising and bad inflammation. Now it was March and we felt it wasn’t worth rushing back at this stage of my development for Nationals. We decided to have the next couple of weeks off and to fly over to Alamosa, Colorado to train under the eye of my coach Dean who attends college at Adams State. The rest did do me good and I grew another 2cm. 

Above: Nashville Sub 4 Mile – 3.59

RT: Since coming back from injury, have you changed anything up? Who is coaching you?

CH: Yeah, there have been a few changes made. Being out for so long gave me plenty of time to reflect and I definitely have a different outlook on my whole running biz now. Since my return I have been a lot more relaxed about it all and I am really enjoying being back running and most of all racing. I kind of got to the stage last year where I was desperately reaching out for something more all the time instead of just enjoying the moment.



Training wise, the big change was moving to Colorado. Training at 2300m in Alamosa Colorado has meant I have had to make certain changes to my training as you just wouldn’t survive if you tried to train the same as you do at sea-level. Being able to train with other runners, having facilities and working closer with my coach Dean has been a big bonus. It definitely has made the comeback so much easier.

I am coached by my brother Dean (3:45 1500m runner). It can’t get much better than having your brother as your coach. Dean is doing his Masters in Human Performance/Exercise Science and is a very in-depth kind of guy that never takes any decision lightly. It works well as he knows and understands me so well.

With my running there has been a plan set out since I have been little. The legend Joe Carmody was the man who set out the foundations of my running and it has been Dean’s job to follow through the plan since Joe passed away when I was 14. Dean also works closely with Coach Damon Martin his collegiate coach who is one of the most respected coaches in American distance running.

 
RT: How long have you been overseas for? And where are you based?

CH: I arrived over in Alamosa, Colorado late March and based myself there till early June when I moved down to Oklahoma City while I raced my American circuit. Following my last race in America I flew to London and based myself in Twickenham. Thanks to an English mate I was set up with accommodation about a 5min jog from St. Marys University athletics track.  After a few weeks in London I traveled to Uden, Netherlands for my first race and since then I have been traveling from race to race.

Above: Barcelona International 2010- 3:36

RT: The 3:36 in Barcelona is an awesome PB. Talk us through the race?

CH: All week leading into the race I thought I was in the B race but a few hours before the race I saw the start lists and they had me in the A race (the slowest man in the field). I was absolutely pumped… this was my chance. I was expecting it to be fast from the start and one of those races that I would have to cling on but it turned out to quite the opposite. I kind of stayed back a bit all race and I felt as relaxed as anything. The race just got gradually faster. The splits were approximately for me 58.4 (58.4)  1:56.8 (58.4), 2:54.2 (57.4) , 3:36.35 (42.15) so as you can see we just got faster and faster. About 150m to go I was feeling like I might have chance at a win… but at the moment I don’t quite have enough strength to close like those guys, but that part of my race is definitely on the improve.

RT: Did you feel that a 3:36 was on the cards?

CH:  After running 3:39.98 at the Sydney Track Classic last year Dean and I set a goal of 3:36 for this year.  Unfortunately I was not able to do it this domestic season due to injury so I have had to wait 4 months later to achieve this.

I ran a 3.41 1500m solo in America in mid June and I won a tactical race in 3.41 against some solid competition in Netherlands; both races gave me the confidence that I could do it.

RT: What sort of training have you been putting in to knock yourself into 3:36 shape?

CH: Since the time I started back training late March I basically did easy jogging with a tempo once a week. We gradually built mileage back up and started to implement other areas of training as my body got stronger. At the end of May I started to hit some 90mile weeks. These were some massive weeks for me as I hadn’t done this mileage ever before. (When I ran 3.39 last year the most I ever did was around 40miles a week.  Over last year’s winter I gradually built my mileage to around 70). Being at high altitude you can’t hit as high intensity so you tend to run slower and longer to compensate. It was easier to run that sort of mileage because my house and training mate English runner Luke Cragg is never on the wrong side of a 100mile week.  I spent a good period of time training at Oklahoma and in London training at sea level where I was really able to do some specific work at race pace. When I combined that training with my strength I had gained training at altitude I was ready to fly again.

RT: Are you traveling around by yourself? Do you have some training or traveling partners?

CH:  I did travel around with Dean on my American circuit and I also traveled with some guys from Oklahoma, Sam Dech, Frezer Legesse and Silas Kisorio a 3.57 indoor miler.

I have traveled around Europe by myself.  Traveling around solo has been different. I am normally a very quiet kind of guy so over here I have had to come out of my shell. Traveling alone is always a bit tougher when things go wrong. But in the end it was all a part of the fun. 

Above- Liege 800m

RT: What is the plan for the rest of 2010?

CH: This is it for my season. Short and Sweet. However, I can return home content as I hit new Pb’s - 800m 1:48.09 (1.23 off),  1500m  3:36.35 (3.63 off), Mile 3:59.66 (2.61 off).

I have loved my time in the U.S. and in Europe and I would love to go back.  I am going to have a bit of down time and then work out with Dean a plan on how best to qualify for the World Championships next year.

RT: To leave us. Come London 2012, where do you see yourself being at time wise? What is the goal?

CH: London 2012 is definitely a big goal of mine and I am sure it will be a competitive task to make the team based on the current depth of Australian middle distance running. In the meantime I’ll be working hard to make next year’s World Championships as I see this as a stepping stone to the 2012 Olympic experience.

RT: Thanks Craig, all the best.

CH: Cheers mate.