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James Kaan: Back on Track for Glory
by Chris Wainwright
In the history of track and field in Australia there have only been two athletes who have ever broken 1.45.00 in the men's 800m, Ralph Doubell (1.44.30 Australian record) and Peter Bourke (1.44.78). Over the last 20 years there have been other quality 800m runners line up in the green and gold, including Lachlan Renshaw (current National 800m champion - PB 1.45.73), Grant Cremer (PB 1.45.21) and Brendan Hanigan (PB 1.45.03) just to name a few, although we are still waiting patiently for an athlete who can close in on Doubell's National record.
In 2010 we have already seen nine Australian athletes break 1.48.00, with 20 year-old Ryan Gregson leading the way with a quality 1.46.04 PB set at the Melbourne Track Classic in March. Another quality performance came at the Australian Championships, where an athlete on the comeback trail, James Kaan, made his mark with a PB performance of 1.47.04 (to place second behind Renshaw's 1.46.66).
Although Kaan is a long way off that magical mark of 1.44.30 there are certainly some signs that suggest that he can soon make his mark on the international scene. Also boasting a PB of 3.40.80 over 1500m, Kaan has made a remarkable comeback to the track over the past 12 months.
We catch up with the 19 year-old World Junior finalist (2008) and discuss his path to a silver medal at the recent Australian Championships in Perth and his immediate plans for 2010 and beyond.
(above - Kaan training with his training group, which includes Nick Bromley)
RT
James Kaan
RT
JK
Claiming 2nd at nationals after such a roller coaster season was massive for me. I had only managed to break 1.48 for the first time that season the week before nationals, with my previous season best being a low 1.49. I felt ready for a good 800 after all the work I had put into the 1500 throughout the season. Finishing 2nd and running a ‘B’ qualifier for Delhi really highlighted the comeback for me and has given me no end of confidence for the coming seasons. Ending the season with two PB’s from my last 2 races is true to the quote.
(above - Kaan - slightly obscured - finishes 2nd to Renshaw at the 2010 Australian Championships)
As the season progressed I was able to build strength through my training and put the performances down to the hard work I was doing. And with the switch from solo training to squad training with Jimbo mid season I got a lot of help from guys like Bromley. In terms of 2010 I would love to have worked towards Delhi in October, but realistically I would just be filling numbers on the start list at this stage. My main goal at the moment is getting as fit as possible. Because this may be the last full winter I get at home for a couple of years. I will aim to kick my summer season off with a 3k at NSW 3k champs and then a 1500m at the Zatopek Classic.
JK
A week before I left for WJs I got a call from doctor saying I had to go in due to some abnormality to my blood test, at the time just figured it had something to do with iron levels. When I went I to see the doctor I was totally surprised when he unofficially diagnosed me with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). A rare autoimmune disorder where blood doesn’t clot due to the very low number of platelets in the blood. It wasn’t till a week after I got back from WJs when they officially diagnosed me. I guess I didn’t really think about it much when I at WJs. I hadn’t realized to what extent the condition was effecting me.
Knowing that I had made the final and placed 6th the year before at WYs gave me no end of confidence and having a 1.47.6 under my belt just boosted that. I remember standing on the start line for the Final and looking at the guys in the field, I had Kaki, world indoor champion and 1.43 runner, Kibet, the world youth champion and a hand full of 1.46-1.47 runners. It excited me to think that I was at this level of competition now. Unfortunately I didn’t race as well as I would have liked in the final. With ITP bruising and bleeding is one of the main symptoms, at the time of WJs my body was trying to fight through this condition, muscle repair was delayed and I still managed 3 rounds. Looking back now, that was a massive accomplishment.
JK
Definitely running 1.47.57 the week before nationals furthered my confidence but I think it was a combination of the training I had put in since January and the continual improvement of my 1500m PB which was a major factor for my performance at nationals. I did think about running the 1500m, looking back at the way the race was run, it may have suited me well. But I am glad a I chose the 800m, I had to prove to myself I could still race and run fast times over the 2 laps after having a poor start at the Hunter Track classic. In some ways I’ve always favored the 800m over the 1500m in the last 3 years but after switching my training up I’ve gained a lot more confidence over the longer distance.
RT
JK
The midseason switch was more an opportunity for me to train with a group and to try out some different methods of training. It has paid off immensely. My dad still does and always will have an input to my athletics career and after getting me to a WY final and WJ final I don’t question his abilities as a coach at all. But after 13 years of training solo I was well over due to start training with a squad. Training has increased a lot over the last few months, being the winter, but it is more than I have ever done before. Having the squad makes it so much easier though.
A normal week of training looks something like:
RT
JK
For the rest of 2010 I would just like to get my fitness levels up more, as this may be the last opportunity I have a full winter base at home. I would like to have a crack at racing state 3k at the end of the year as I have not raced a 3k on the track since I was 13.
RT
RT
Interview with Kaan at the Christchurch International Meeting in 2010
JK
In terms of the current crop of middle distance athletes in Australia at the moment I think it is amazing there aren’t full spots in the 800m for the commonwealth games this year to go with the overflowing number of candidates that there were in the 1500m. We are lucky to have so many talented 800/1500m runners at the moment and coming through from the junior ranks, hopefully by 2012 we do have a full team of middle distance runners.
This year alone there were 4 guys under 1.47 and another few in and around 1.47 which is good. And having that many who can run those times will always make for a good national final. I didn’t actually see much of the 800m down in Melbourne as I was racing the 1500m but I do remember seeing Rudisha run phenomenally from the front and thinking, ‘ that’s the bench mark now’. For the coming summer season I would like to think 1.46 is a realistic goal, it is a time I’m going to have to run if I want to qualify for World Champs and if I want to be competitive next year at nationals.
RT
JK
I used to put a lot of emphasis on speed work and used to do a lot of ‘sharpening up’ type sessions but I’ve learnt that I am always going to be close to speed and that my strength is actually my endurance. I believe that every athlete is different though and what might work for me might not work for anyone else. I used to think I was like Seb Coe and could train like him. I couldn’t. I had to suit my training to me. At the moment I’m doing around 120-130k a week in 3-4 week cycles with one week down around 80-90k just to pull it back to recover. I’m becoming stronger in terms of fitness but can still push out a 39 second 300m at the end of a hard session.
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RT
JK
I am studying a Bachelor of Business and Commerce with a major in Sport Management and I work in a shoe shop.
RT
JK
Like any kid I would love to win the Olympics and be remembered for that. With so many dominant Africans at the moment, being white and Olympic champion would be massive.
RT
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In the history of track and field in Australia there have only been two athletes who have ever broken 1.45.00 in the men's 800m, Ralph Doubell (1.44.30 Australian record) and Peter Bourke (1.44.78). Over the last 20 years there have been other quality 800m runners line up in the green and gold, including Lachlan Renshaw (current National 800m champion - PB 1.45.73), Grant Cremer (PB 1.45.21) and Brendan Hanigan (PB 1.45.03) just to name a few, although we are still waiting patiently for an athlete who can close in on Doubell's National record.
In 2010 we have already seen nine Australian athletes break 1.48.00, with 20 year-old Ryan Gregson leading the way with a quality 1.46.04 PB set at the Melbourne Track Classic in March. Another quality performance came at the Australian Championships, where an athlete on the comeback trail, James Kaan, made his mark with a PB performance of 1.47.04 (to place second behind Renshaw's 1.46.66).
Although Kaan is a long way off that magical mark of 1.44.30 there are certainly some signs that suggest that he can soon make his mark on the international scene. Also boasting a PB of 3.40.80 over 1500m, Kaan has made a remarkable comeback to the track over the past 12 months.
We catch up with the 19 year-old World Junior finalist (2008) and discuss his path to a silver medal at the recent Australian Championships in Perth and his immediate plans for 2010 and beyond.
(above - Kaan training with his training group, which includes Nick Bromley)
RT
Thank-you James for taking this opportunity to speak with RunnersTribe.
Firstly, it’s been an interesting last 6 months in your athletics career, which has culminated in new PB’s in both the 800m and 1500m. What were your expectations upon resuming competition in December last year after such a large layoff? You only resumed training (after having 5 months off due to having a spleen removed) in February 2009, but by the end of 2009 you had run a 3.44.44 1500m PB from the Zatopek Classic in Melbourne.
James Kaan
It’s actually been a very interested last 18months. After such a long absence from training and competing in 2008 it has taken a lot to get back to the form I was in around the time of World Juniors. Leading into the 09/10 season I had pretty high goals, knowing that I had a solid 10months of base behind me gave me immense amount of confidence. However, missing a season of competing during 2009 meant that I had lost my way with racing and when I stepped out for the 1500m in Zatopek I had very little confidence and it took me a while to get going within the race. It was only in the last 300m that I realized how much gas I still had in the tank, and managed to finish the race of strong.
The funny thing about Zatopek classic is that on that exact day 12 months earlier I had my spleen removed and was laying in a hospital bed while the meet was on. I remember saying to mum and dad that in 12months I’ll be racing there and I will run a pb.
The funny thing about Zatopek classic is that on that exact day 12 months earlier I had my spleen removed and was laying in a hospital bed while the meet was on. I remember saying to mum and dad that in 12months I’ll be racing there and I will run a pb.
RT
You’ve been quoted as saying that “As the season is going on this year my training and performances are getting better”. This has lead to your new PB’s of 1.47.04 (when 2nd in the 800m at the Nationals in April) and a 3.40.80 (when 2nd in the 1500m at the Osaka Grand Prix in Japan in May). Firstly, what was it like to claim the silver medal in Perth and secondly, which event are you concentrating on in 2010 (are you still giving yourself a chance of going to New Delhi in October)?
JK
Claiming 2nd at nationals after such a roller coaster season was massive for me. I had only managed to break 1.48 for the first time that season the week before nationals, with my previous season best being a low 1.49. I felt ready for a good 800 after all the work I had put into the 1500 throughout the season. Finishing 2nd and running a ‘B’ qualifier for Delhi really highlighted the comeback for me and has given me no end of confidence for the coming seasons. Ending the season with two PB’s from my last 2 races is true to the quote.
(above - Kaan - slightly obscured - finishes 2nd to Renshaw at the 2010 Australian Championships)
As the season progressed I was able to build strength through my training and put the performances down to the hard work I was doing. And with the switch from solo training to squad training with Jimbo mid season I got a lot of help from guys like Bromley. In terms of 2010 I would love to have worked towards Delhi in October, but realistically I would just be filling numbers on the start list at this stage. My main goal at the moment is getting as fit as possible. Because this may be the last full winter I get at home for a couple of years. I will aim to kick my summer season off with a 3k at NSW 3k champs and then a 1500m at the Zatopek Classic.
RT
Many athletic fans first noticed the name “James Kaan” when you placed 6th at the World Youth Championships in 2007 (1.51.06 in the 800m). You then went onto make the final at the World Juniors in 2008 (placing 8th in 1.52.41 after running a 1.49.25 in your semi final). Prior to the World Juniors however you were first told of the fact that you had issues with your spleen, but still managed to run. Take us through the experiences gained through running at both the World Youths and World Juniors? Was it difficult knowing that you weren’t at your best at the WJ’s?
JK
A week before I left for WJs I got a call from doctor saying I had to go in due to some abnormality to my blood test, at the time just figured it had something to do with iron levels. When I went I to see the doctor I was totally surprised when he unofficially diagnosed me with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). A rare autoimmune disorder where blood doesn’t clot due to the very low number of platelets in the blood. It wasn’t till a week after I got back from WJs when they officially diagnosed me. I guess I didn’t really think about it much when I at WJs. I hadn’t realized to what extent the condition was effecting me.
Knowing that I had made the final and placed 6th the year before at WYs gave me no end of confidence and having a 1.47.6 under my belt just boosted that. I remember standing on the start line for the Final and looking at the guys in the field, I had Kaki, world indoor champion and 1.43 runner, Kibet, the world youth champion and a hand full of 1.46-1.47 runners. It excited me to think that I was at this level of competition now. Unfortunately I didn’t race as well as I would have liked in the final. With ITP bruising and bleeding is one of the main symptoms, at the time of WJs my body was trying to fight through this condition, muscle repair was delayed and I still managed 3 rounds. Looking back now, that was a massive accomplishment.
RT
After your excellent run at the 2009 Zatopek Classic you then ran another 3.44 1500m at the Melbourne Track Classic in March (3.44.24 PB) and you also lowered your PB in the 800m in Sydney in April to 1.47.57. You would have entered the Nationals, based on these performances, with great confidence? Did you always want to concentrate on the 800m in Perth, or did you have thoughts of just running the 1500m?
JKDefinitely running 1.47.57 the week before nationals furthered my confidence but I think it was a combination of the training I had put in since January and the continual improvement of my 1500m PB which was a major factor for my performance at nationals. I did think about running the 1500m, looking back at the way the race was run, it may have suited me well. But I am glad a I chose the 800m, I had to prove to myself I could still race and run fast times over the 2 laps after having a poor start at the Hunter Track classic. In some ways I’ve always favored the 800m over the 1500m in the last 3 years but after switching my training up I’ve gained a lot more confidence over the longer distance.
RT
You’ve only been with your current coach (James Fitzgerald) for just over 4 months. How has it been to have somebody else leading you in your training sessions, away from your father (Garry)? How have you stepped up your training over the past three months? What would be a normal training week look like?
JK
The midseason switch was more an opportunity for me to train with a group and to try out some different methods of training. It has paid off immensely. My dad still does and always will have an input to my athletics career and after getting me to a WY final and WJ final I don’t question his abilities as a coach at all. But after 13 years of training solo I was well over due to start training with a squad. Training has increased a lot over the last few months, being the winter, but it is more than I have ever done before. Having the squad makes it so much easier though.
A normal week of training looks something like:
Sunday: am – Gym, pm - Long run
Monday: am – Threshold/Pace/Fartlek, pm - Recovery run
Tuesday: am – Easy run, pm- Aerobic session
Wednesday: am - Recovery run, Gym, pm – Easy run
Thursday: am – Easy Run, pm - Aerobic/Anaerobic Endurance session
Friday: am - Pool session, pm - Easy run
Saturday: am – Pace/ Hills, pm- Recovery run
RT
What are your expectations for the rest of 2010?
JK
For the rest of 2010 I would just like to get my fitness levels up more, as this may be the last opportunity I have a full winter base at home. I would like to have a crack at racing state 3k at the end of the year as I have not raced a 3k on the track since I was 13.
RT
Back in 2008, prior to your trip to the World Juniors, you placed 3rd at the Melbourne Track Classic in the 800m (1.47.62) and in the process placed in the Australian Junior all-time top-10. Was this one of the first times that you realized that you could mix it with the very best in Australia, and eventually make your mark on the international scene?
JK
Definitely the first time I realised that I was gearing up to take the next step into international athletic scene. I wasn’t expecting to run that fast as I had only run 1.48.98 a couple of weeks prior to that performance. And being up there with the likes of Renshaw and Bromley was massive. I guess that experience two years ago also played a contributing factor to nationals this year, knowing that I could mix it two years ago. Unfortunately due to the illness I had I’m still in the process of transitioning into the international scene.
Definitely the first time I realised that I was gearing up to take the next step into international athletic scene. I wasn’t expecting to run that fast as I had only run 1.48.98 a couple of weeks prior to that performance. And being up there with the likes of Renshaw and Bromley was massive. I guess that experience two years ago also played a contributing factor to nationals this year, knowing that I could mix it two years ago. Unfortunately due to the illness I had I’m still in the process of transitioning into the international scene.
RT
In Perth at the Nationals this year you defeated the likes of James Gurr, Tristen Garrett, Nick Bromley and Werner Botha. How do you rate the current list of Australian 800m runners? What was it like seeing Ryan Gregson run a 1.46.04 at the Melbourne Track Classic this year? How far do you feel like you are from running those sorts of times over the 2 laps?
Interview with Kaan at the Christchurch International Meeting in 2010
JK
In terms of the current crop of middle distance athletes in Australia at the moment I think it is amazing there aren’t full spots in the 800m for the commonwealth games this year to go with the overflowing number of candidates that there were in the 1500m. We are lucky to have so many talented 800/1500m runners at the moment and coming through from the junior ranks, hopefully by 2012 we do have a full team of middle distance runners.
This year alone there were 4 guys under 1.47 and another few in and around 1.47 which is good. And having that many who can run those times will always make for a good national final. I didn’t actually see much of the 800m down in Melbourne as I was racing the 1500m but I do remember seeing Rudisha run phenomenally from the front and thinking, ‘ that’s the bench mark now’. For the coming summer season I would like to think 1.46 is a realistic goal, it is a time I’m going to have to run if I want to qualify for World Champs and if I want to be competitive next year at nationals.
RT
Many experts suggest that you need to have good speed over the 400m to be a truly quality 800m runner. You’re coming from the other end (with strength from the 1500m), so how much do you concentrate on speed work versus strength work (km’s in the legs)?
JK
I used to put a lot of emphasis on speed work and used to do a lot of ‘sharpening up’ type sessions but I’ve learnt that I am always going to be close to speed and that my strength is actually my endurance. I believe that every athlete is different though and what might work for me might not work for anyone else. I used to think I was like Seb Coe and could train like him. I couldn’t. I had to suit my training to me. At the moment I’m doing around 120-130k a week in 3-4 week cycles with one week down around 80-90k just to pull it back to recover. I’m becoming stronger in terms of fitness but can still push out a 39 second 300m at the end of a hard session.
RT
Away from athletics what are you doing with yourself?
JK
I am studying a Bachelor of Business and Commerce with a major in Sport Management and I work in a shoe shop.
RT
At the end of your career what would you like to be remembered for? Is there a magical barrier that you would one day like to break in the 800m/1500m?
JK
Like any kid I would love to win the Olympics and be remembered for that. With so many dominant Africans at the moment, being white and Olympic champion would be massive.
RT
Well thanks again for taking the time to have a quick chat with Runnerstribe.com. We wish you all the very best in 2010 and beyond. Good luck, and hopefully we will be seeing you line up in a major championship final sooner rather than later!
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2 comments to "James Kaan: Back on Track for Glory"
Brendan Hanigan, what a champion!
I train with Kaanage. He is a great bloke, going great guns. One session he left out was his soy white choc latte with me and the boys doen at Bondi.