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This page was last edited on Sunday, 12 October 2008

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Eat spuds and win the World Mountain Running championships 

Posted 15 September 2005 (taken from Scoop and Vegfed press release) Melissa Moon, double World Mountain Running champion, has served as inspiration in the development of the Moonlight potato, New Zealand’s latest dual-purpose main crop potato, positioned to be a huge market success.

The name Moonlight was chosen to honour Melissa Moon, who represents Vegfed (the New Zealand Vegetable and Potato Grower’s Federation) as spokesperson for New Zealand’s fantastic potato, promoting its position as an enviably nutritious and high-energy food source. Melissa is a total potato fan and uses potatoes as an integral part of her training regime. She eat copious amounts of potatoes and it is her preferred carbohydrate food - Melissa will often eat a cold baked potato prior to training or racing, following up with one directly after to replenish energy stores.

First selected as a field-grown seedling at Pukekohe, Auckland in 1988, Moonlight is the result of a Crop and Food Research breeding programme aimed specifically at achieving resistance to a wide range of major pests and diseases.

“Its vigorous growth means it makes more efficient use of fertiliser, particularly nitrogen, making Moonlight a very grower-friendly potato. We are delighted that Melissa has done so well and performed so consistently, and are pleased that we have been able to honour her with a potato variety that is doing the same!” says John Anderson, Potato Breeder for the NZ institute of Crop and Food Research.

Moonlight has quickly gained a reputation for versatility and is being harvested in different areas of New Zealand almost all year round.

“As a fresh market potato it has excellent flavour and can be used successfully for all methods of preparation; boiled, mashed, baked, microwaved, roasted, fried or in salads. Moonlight is a total winner. Just like Melissa Moon, it performs amazingly under pressure!” says Ian Corbett, Moonlight potato grower.

And the new Moonlight potato is supporting Melissa in defending her title at the upcoming World Mountain Running Championships being held on Mt Victoria in Wellington, Sunday the 25th September. The potato will be core to her diet and packs are going to be given out to spectators at the event.

“The carb factor is essential for my mountain running as I need to be mentally and physically energised to deal with the competition. For a person who is exercising, about 60% of their daily energy (calories) should be from carbohydrates. I swear by potatoes. They’ve supported me nutritionally all around the world, providing unfailing energy, and a nutritious natural carbohydrate source that is safe for my body,” says Moon.

According to John Anderson, the way you cook potatoes physically impacts their nutritional constituents, which in turn shapes the energy and nutritional content supplied to the body. Melissa Moon has discovered these benefits and puts them to good use in her sport.

“Cooled cooked potatoes are best pre-race – as cooling cooked potatoes lowers GI significantly, and low GI is best for competition as it provides sustained energy release. However, hot mashed potato having a higher GI, is rapidly and easily digested to absorbable glucose, making it ideal for recovery. So potatoes make the perfect food for athletes!” says Anderson.

Getting a Wriggle on for a quarter century

PW’s PBs

Matt Dravitzki: The Naki boy you can bank on

By Grant McLean, Bush Journo-at-large

He is one of the club stalwarts of recent years, being Todd Stevens's chief A team strategist, and one of our most consistent elite runners, yet in many ways Matthew Dravitzki remains a shadowy figure around Scottish, preferring to let his meticulous planning and results on the roads do his talking.  Being such a doer, he has been harder to get an interview with than Salman Rushdie … until now, that is, when I managed to catch-up with the man himself the only way I know how - via e-mail.

So Matt, how long have you been running? I think I was born running! Seriously, I’ve run ever since I was a young kid. I can remember doing a half marathon when I was eight (not something I would recommend to a kid today). Dad would go out running and I’d just tag along around the farm, etc.

Why did you get into running? I started running because I just enjoyed going for a run. If and when I stop enjoying it, I’ll throw my shoes away.

I heard that you were running quite well at an early age. I ran a 1:29 half marathon at 11. I just beat this guy from New Plymouth who moaned that I elbowed him in the knee cap with a couple of hundred metres to go! However, I think that the achievements by kids get too much recognition. As long as they’re enjoying their sport and stay in it, that’s all that counts. Running as a junior is just serving an apprenticeship. If you’re coaching/advising a kid, you should think about whether you are encouraging them to be in the sport for the long run. Are they learning about the training they’re doing, and ensuring that they’ll continue to improve in their early 20s. That’s when it matters.

And your family has been a strong influence too. The fact that my father and uncle ran was inspiring. I watched my uncle run 2:14 for a marathon when he was a vet. After a slightly uphill section at about the 12k mark, he ran past us and was puffing hard - but he maintained his pace until the finish. My uncle had limited ability (like myself), but he trained hard and put a lot of thought into what he did.  I learnt that if you did that, you could achieve some reasonable results. Dad showed me that you you’ve got to enjoy the sport. He would race as hard as anyone, but he always enjoys a beer and a yarn with his rivals afterwards.

What has been your best running moment so far? Helping Todd and the Scottish boys win the National Road Relay.

What are your running goals? One, to break 2:20 for the marathon. Two, to help New Zealand’s elite runners get world-class times and perform in major championships. And three, to make sure that Grant ‘Macca’ McLean never beats me at anything (the interviewer responds that this is a rather forlorn goal, as Matt came off second best in a tense game of championship mini putt at Taupo in 2001). (Sounds like the exception that proves the rule! - Ed)

What is your training regime and attitude to diet, etc. Training: I start with the philosophy that I’ve got to get fit before I get fast. I’m yet to get fast, but I haven’t given up hope! This means putting in 6-8 weeks of good mileage and hills, etc. before I start quality/speed work. You have to build a strong aerobic base first. If I’m not fit enough to run two hours at a steady pace over a few hills, I’m not fit enough to start any quality training.

My next objective is to raise my AT (anaerobic threshold) as much as possible. It is THE key to running fast in middle and distance running. All of the quality training I do has this goal in mind. I like to understand what I’m doing and how I’m going to go about it. If you’re not going to use your head, don’t take it with you. Put some thought into it, come up with your plan and then get the job done.

I supplement key days (long runs, AT runs, quality sessions) with easy recovery days. The body improves not when you place stress upon it, but as it recovers from stress.

Okay, let’s have your weekly schedule. Well, an average week for me, once I’ve established a sound aerobic base, would be:   

Total distance is about 160k per week including all recovery and supplementary runs - I do about five 30-35 minute morning jogs a week. These are slow (slower than Rob “Angry” Hanratty completing an Ironman).

Diet: My opinion is that diet is overrated in terms of improving sporting performance. I believe in eating lots of good food (carbos, fruit and vegies, a decent amount of red meat, fish and chicken). I drink plenty of water and don’t worry about having a reasonable amount of rubbish (sweets and high fat food) and a few beers, etc. As a distance runner, you’ll burn it off and you need a reasonable amount of fat in your diet anyway. Food is your fuel.

What do you consider as the most prestigious events in New Zealand running? NZ Cross Country Championships (12k) and the National Road Relay Champs.

Who do you respect most in the running world (if anyone)? The people I have the most respect for are the likes of Todd Stevens and Chris Pilone - guys who trained hard, enjoyed their running, gave it their best shot as runners and who have also put something back into the sport. I also have a lot of admiration for people who put a bit of thought into what they did and got the best out of themselves (like my uncle Gerald and Robbie Johnston) - too few of us do.

Would you include Paula Radcliffe as someone who has thought carefully about what she wants to achieve and succeeded, when she may not have had the natural speed/talent of some of her peers?
Paula Radcliffe is definitely someone I have a tremendous amount of respect for. Your comments are spot on, but there are the other reasons I rate her so highly: She's so gutsy, for one. She also trains damn hard (120-130 miles a week) and sticks to her plan. Alberto Salazaar said, "I'd rather lose a fast race than win a slow one". Radcliffe has always pushed the pace and run on the edge. Perhaps it has
cost her one or two races in the short term, but the sport and her own running have benefited in the long term. Compare her 14:31 at Manchester with very little competition to the Kenyans mucking around in the steeples. She wouldn't have earned any more money, etc. for running fast, but she doesn't know how to give anything less than 100% - for that she has earned a lot of respect.

What is your view on the current state of athletics in New Zealand? New Zealand running at the competitive level is in a sad state and it’s going to get worse. It is partially a result of changes in society (kids doing less exercise) and partially our failures as a sport. We lack:

• a large base of athletic talent.

• a national body that has a well formulated plan and the individuals with the ability and initiative to help the sport go forward.

• the right marketing to sell what could be an exciting product.

• sufficient depth (B graders like myself keeping the real runners up front honest)

• a high profile amongst the public and the media.

And where do you think New Zealand athletics is heading? Downhill. I don’t want to sound like a pessimist, because I’m not. There are some positive things happening in the sport - but, by and large, we’re just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Also, much more TV coverage. Athletics is an exciting sport to watch (which sport has the highest Olympic TV ratings?).  But it’s so easy for people to sit on their butts these days and watch TV. We’ve got to bring athletics to them - not wait for them to come to us. A star in the Snell/Walker mould would help get more kids out running.

Do you think New Zealand has the capability to once again achieve at the international level (i.e. secure medals)? New Zealand’s chances of winning three track and field middle distance medals like at Rome in 1960 again are about as likely as Mike Wells being the first P teamer home in a half marathon. We have the capability to do that, but we don’t have the administrative support, talent base, coaching structure, etc. We will have one or two individuals who will achieve at the highest level.

Apart from being a good keen runner what other interests do you have? Other interests: all sports (especially Naki rugby), racing, reading (including running biographies and analysis), the share market. Fave music: Cat Stevens. But I’m also a big fan of New Zealand music (Dave Dobbyn, Neil Finn, etc).

As a man who is aware of the running literature, then, are there any running books you would recommend? The two best running books out there are "Running with Lydiard" and "Daniels' Running Formula" (by Jack Daniels). They're more for people who have done a reasonable amount of running and are looking to improve. One thing I would say: You've got to be careful reading any book by a coach/ runner who says do this or this is what I did. People often present their "ideal" week/training block. They won't write down the week they got injured/ill, etc. Individuals are different and you've got to be a bit flexible. Also, you've got to be patient, as distance running is a long-term thing. Look at Jonathon Wyatt running a 22 second PB at 30 years of age after more than a decade at the top of NZ running.

Runography

So there you have it: some insights from the perspective of a runner who likes to think about how he can get the most out of his running and who is also trying to do his bit to ensure that New Zealand’s elite athletes have the opportunity and support to perform at the highest level. For, while you won’t get Matt saying much about it, along with Simon Panckhurst, he has once again done a great job in providing New Zealand and Australian athletes with a top quality 10,000m race to pursue and achieve world-class times. This recent meet at Inglewood (15 February) resulted in a couple of fine personal bests for Jonathon Wyatt (27:56) and our very own Blair Martin (28:08). Matt, while disappointed with his run, ran a 3 second PB to record 30:04. And let's not forget the top runs from Australians Lee Troup (27:51) and Dean Cavuoto (27:54).

We look forward to seeing what Matt can achieve in the future in his own running career, as at 27 he is only a spring chicken for a marathoner.  We can also expect to see other improvements in the New Zealand athletic scene if Matt is given the opportunity to put his stamp on the future direction of our sport - New Zealand athletics going downhill? - perhaps not.                                             22 February 2003

Michele Allison:  Taking no prisoners on the Makara loop

By Paul Rodway

It’s a common sight on weekday mornings around Wellington: Michele Allison running with her friend Dan Powell pedalling on his bike and Sumo, the family terrier, scurrying along beside her. This regular regime, along with long Sunday runs and Saturday club races, has given Michele a long string of marathon titles in a distance running career that covers two decades and countless running diaries. 

It all began in 1979, when Michele’s sister Bernie Portenski (six years older) went to Rotorua to support her husband Dick and their brother Terry in the marathon. Bernie was inspired by the race, signed up with the Wellington Marathon Clinic in 1980 and ran her first Rotorua that year. She told Michele that she had the right body shape for running marathons and she should give them a go. Michele started running in October and ran the Nelson Marathon a year later. She was 25.

At the time, women were still a rarity in the longer road races. “We ran marathons, halves, and the occasional 10ks and often got top placings.”   After a few years of this, they thought they’d move on from the Marathon Clinic and improve their speed by joining a harrier club.  Scottish club members made the then well-known, road-running sisters feel very welcome on opening day in 1985.  “Our first race was the Dorne Cup. We were absolutely floored by these fast women runners. We had no idea they existed.”   Very few women racing in that Wellington season 17 years ago are still running: Lee Berg, Vicky Humphries and Anne Hare are the only ones that spring to mind. The sibling running rivalry between Michele and Bernie has gone on for a couple of decades.  Michele sometimes gets the better of Bernie, and at other times Bernie has the upper hand.  “Michele can get grumpy about being beaten by Bernie,” says a friend, “but at the same time, she’s incredibly supportive of her older sister.  Criticise Bernie and you’ll feel the sharp edge of Michele’s tongue.”

A couple of Scottish terriers Dan Powell recalls an incident one morning recently when he was biking with Michele along the footpath beside the Old Hutt Road when an aggressive cyclist came up and gave Dan a push from behind. Instantly, Michele took the cyclist on and forced him out into the middle of the road. “She’s a fighting creature, is Michele,” says Dan.

Sumo, the Jack Russell terrier and the fittest dog in Karori, goes on the runs two or three times a week and has occasionally been hit by a car.  “Bumpers are made of softer plastic now. Well, Sumo generally flies up in the air, lands on his feet and trots off,” recalls Dan. “When this happens, Michele goes nuts, ‘That bloody dog,’ she screams. But she’d be mortified if he was really hurt. She’s a softie at heart.”

For a few years in the late 1980s, Michele took up triathlons, but as the family grew, the demands of training in the three disciplines took up too much time, and the gear got too expensive.

Of her 52 marathons (four under 2:50), Michele singles out a couple of memorable races. Her best marathon was the 1999 Fiji marathon when she ran 3:01 in muggy conditions (and pipped Bernie by over five minutes). The other was the New Plymouth marathon in 1993 when she set her personal best time of 2:43.

It's in the genes Another memorable marathon was Invercargill in October 1994. Bernie went to Auckland on the same day and ran that marathon at the same time.  Afterwards, when the sisters rang each other to see how they had gone, they were surprised to learn they had both run 2:50, but even more surprised when they found the seconds to be identical at 52s. One for Ripleys.

Michele is well known for her Makara loop training runs. She has the distance markers in her head, comments a fellow looper, and gets frantic if she falls behind her target times, and ecstatic if she’s ahead. In the club, she’s regarded as a fearsome competitor and a master tactician for the women vets road relay team. She pays close attention to detail in preparing for races: for last year's cross country championships in Carterton, for example, she measured the jumps and built one in her backyard to perfect her technique.

“This is a mess,” she bluntly told the local schools. “I’ll bloody well organise it. We’ve got to stop this shambles.”  And so the event has had the Allison treatment for the past six years, with national champion role models organised to present winners’ certificates.  

There was a time when someone would just have to announce a race and Michele would be there, more often than not winning her age grade. Over the years, she’s been lucky in avoiding major injuries. 

This year, she is going through a flat patch and is being more selective about races. “I looked at the Vosseler this year and thought back about all the races I’d done and said to myself, ‘You know, I can’t be bothered.’”

Michele works 30 hours a week for the Stock Exchange and is taking the NZSE diploma.  

What will you be doing in five years’ time?  “I like being fit. I hope I’ll still be running. But if not, I’ll be doing something, cycling or perhaps swimming. I swim now as a backstop when I’m injured. Yes, perhaps I’ll work on my technique.”  

Dan Powell tells a story about one of those morning runs. Michele, Howard Harman and Dan were taking a break at Pt Jerningham when a plane passed overhead on the way to the airport.  It was a Fokker Friendship (the old NZ Post plane). Howard said on that plane the wings were below the fuselage. Michele disagreed. The conversation ended and the run continued. The next day, Michele came up to Dan and said triumphantly, “Hey, I was right.” 

“I had no idea what she was talking about,” says Dan. “I’d completely forgotten about the plane. But she’d gone home, and immediately called the air-traffic control people and demanded the name of the plane and the location of the wings. That’s Michele, she likes to be right and she’s always competitive.”  

Adds Michele: "I only argue when I know I'm right." Exactly.

20 July 2002

Jim Kerr: It’s not about the bike shorts

By Paul Rodway

“See you.”   That was the dismissive comment Jim Kerr heard from a competitor when he stopped mid-race to take his running spikes off his blistered feet at the cross-country champs a few years ago.  By the time he stood up, the runner was 500 metres ahead. Jim gritted his teeth, and said to himself, “Right, I’m going to beat you.”    At the last hurdle, the Scottish bare-foot runner passed his foe and sealed the result with a streak towards the finish, looking like more a 200-metre sprinter entering the straight than someone who has just run a hard 12k cross-country race.   Another runner had learned that it’s not a good idea to rile the Scottish all-rounder with the thunderous sprint finish. Until two seasons ago, when a wrist injury meant he couldn’t throw, Jim Kerr had been the Scottish track and field participant who relished giving most track and field events a go, racking up club points in the league events.     Jim began his athletics career almost four decades ago, when his parents would drive him from age five from the farm to Dannevirke for Monday night children's athletics.

Jim of all trades  Jim picked up the ability to throw, jump, hurdle and sprint over the years at children's athletics. His coach/mentor in his youth was a very dedicated man - Ray Goggin (his son Stephen ran for Scottish some years ago) - and they still meet up for a chat at the Central League meetings. Yes, Ray is still coaching!  

As a teenage athlete, at one of those league meetings decades ago, Jim recalls having had eight events in one day (three sprints, two hurdles, high and long jumps and a race walk for good measure), collected 26 points and got a write-up in the local rag. While boarding at Dannevirke High  - or was it the year after? - he held a Hawkes Bay Colts 400m title (53 seconds). 

Then at 19, he gave athletics away. “I found I was enjoying the social aspect of rugby and cricket more than the individualism of athletics.”  He had a job in the Bank of New South Wales and over the next few years went from posting to posting around the North Island. He was then asked to go to Wellington. “I insisted on only an 18-month posting here. That was in February 1981.“

In Wellington, he kept up the team sports, adding basketball, and indoor cricket at the top local level.  Then at age 37, he switched from team sports to triathlons, doing the Fay Richwhite event in February 1997. After the race, he found a yellow pamphlet under his windscreen wiper, suggesting he could improve his running through the winter by joining Wellington Scottish. By the following spring, he had lost interest in triathlons and had returned to athletics as his main sport.

Injuries kept at bay Jim has been lucky in avoiding running injuries. He attributes this to keeping his training light: "quality over quantity," plus core strengthening and stretching. As a vet, he runs only three times a week: one long/strong run (of around an hour) and two hard sessions of rep training. The intervals could be 1k repeats at race pace or 400m reps - either at the track or around the coastal roads of Miramar. “I don’t really enjoy doing long slow runs,” he says.

This training is backed up with an exercise regime that stretches and strengthens his hip flexors and abs. He has also improved his basic sprint speed by studying/applying the biomechanics of running, and the role of legs, hips and arms in driving you forward.

Why the trade-mark bike shorts? A laugh. “They’re actually not bike shorts. They’re running shorts. For any event over 5k, I found I chafed badly. These shorts are excellent for stopping chafing.”  

His running philosophy is: “One year older, one year faster.”  So far, he's been successful. Aside from winning the inaugural P Team Trial trophy (a proud moment), his biggest achievements have been the two national age-group decathlon titles.  After that with throwing out of the question for now, he has concentrated on his running and has seen his PBs come down each year.  His 5000m track PB is 17:24, 3000m is 10:06, and the 3000 steeples is 10:48 - all achieved in the 2001 season. “I still haven’t perfected the water jump yet,” he sighs. 

Goals for the future - definitely! Short term - 2002 - run more PBs, participate in the Club Away trips (a must), break 17 minutes for a track 5000m, plus perhaps another age-group national decathlon title with a Wellington record of 5000 points this summer. Long term - keep fit and healthy - still running and enjoying life for many, many years to come. Oh, and keeping something in store for the sprint finish.

The Stevens Dynasty: 

Winning team formula from the 1934 Marton-Wanganui Road Relay to the 2001 Takahe-Akaroa Road Relay

By Paul Rodway

The Stevens family hasn’t always been associated with Scottish. There was a period of a dozen years after the founding of the club in 1915 when Scottish didn’t have a Stevens among its membership. But for nearly three quarters of a century since then, the Stevens name has weighed heavily on the honours board in the clubhouse: Alf  (A.L.), his sons, Graeme (G.R.) and Alan (A.R.), and Alan’s son, Todd. In their day, they were all club champions, led winning Scottish teams and later administered the sport. So far, only one, Alf, has represented New Zealand overseas as an athlete.

Alf Stevens arrives from Southland The story of the Stevens Dynasty in Scottish begins with the arrival of 25-year-old Alf Stevens from Southland in 1927 to work in the Post Office in Wellington. Scottish Harriers had teamed up with Olympic and Wellington to form Trinity Harriers through and after the war. After separating from the other two in the early 1920s, the club went through a lean period marked by low membership, and personality conflicts.

Within a few years of Alf’s arrival, however, Scottish runners were placing highly in the interclub events. The names of the top placers often included the Scottish “3Ss”: Stevens, Silver (Fred, who had joined in 1924), and Sinclair (Les).

Many issues in athletics return through the decades. In the ‘30s, tensions ebbed and flowed between those who competed in track and field in the summer and those who ran as harriers in the winter. Even though Scottish Harriers had many fine athletes competing successfully on the track (for example, Fred and Alf were first and second in the Wellington three-mile track championships in 1929), the club was often excluded from selection and funding because of the dodgy word “harriers” in the club name.  

First provincial teams race victory, 1931: From left. Les Sinclair, Alf Stevens, Fred Silver and Herb Ellis.

By the early 1930s, the other harrier clubs were taking the “Kilties” seriously. In 1931, for example, Scottish teams won the Provincial Cross Country Championships, the Bennett road race, Dorne, Vosseler and the Shaw Baton, a team sent to Christchurch came second to the Dunedin Civil Service team in the Kennett Cup. Alf won the Bennett (fifth time), Vosseler (fourth time) and the inaugural 20-mile cross-country Phipson Trophy. The 3Ss competed in Auckland. These successes were repeated for several years in the Depression, despite the departure of Les Sinclair.

In 1933, Alf became the club captain, a position he held for four years. Through this period, the club went from strength to strength. The club reps kept harping to the Harrier Sub-Committee about holding a marathon in Wellington. This persistence paid off and the race was finally held in 1934. Alf Stevens came second. On the NZ Amateur Athletics Association, he was responsible for the first NZ marathon championships in 1939.

In the early decades, harrier running was a senior men-only sport. However, in the 1930s Scottish set up a junior men’s squad (late teens). Women began joining the track and field side of the club by 1933, but they would have to wait a good 30 years to be accepted in cross country. This happened in the inaugural NZ championships in 1966.

In 1935, the club won every A and B grade interclub race in Wellington. Alf Stevens and Jim Riddington (who had joined in 1933) were picked in the New Zealand Cross Country team to team to compete in Australia. Alf was appointed team captain.

In the following year, the club cleaned up most of the interclub competitions, while Alf won the 20-mile event and finally the marathon. His best marathon time was 2:44 (an excellent time for the period).

At the start of World War II, many runners joined up and the numbers attending club events fell. Older runners were encouraged to continue to be active in the sport by the formation of the “idle-along” pack. Nevertheless, the club continued to win many interclub events. In 1941, it notched up its 11^th straight win on the Dorne and Vosseler. As numbers dropped, older members stepped up to fill places on teams: Fred Silver came third and Alf Stevens, now 39, came fifth in the Dorne Cup.  

Alf went overseas with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force as a Post Office volunteer in Cairo for three years. He was elected a life member of Scottish Harriers in 1945. After the war, some of the runners who had shown promise earlier returned, but seemed to have lost their form in the war.  According to one commentator, “The war left a mark that would never be defaced as if some spring deep down inside had run down.”

The club did poorly over the next few years, losing its vice-like grip on the Vosseler, Dorne and provincial championships. 1946 was the inaugural year of the Wellington-to-Masterton Relay, Fred Silver’s brain child, in which Scottish was overpowered by Auckland’s Lyndale Club. On that team was a certain Arthur Lydiard.

Alf stepped up as club president of three years after the war. A gifted organiser with a good head for finances, he had already served in most of the other administrative positions in the club. In the early 1930s, Alf began his administative career with the NZAAA. He was the resident delegate variously for Hawkes Bay Northland and Southland until 1958. He was also a national selector. 

Back in Wellington, Alf also served as Scottish president from 1960-65, 1965 being the year the club celebrated its first 50 years. He also held many positions in the Wellington Centre, including president and life member.

The next generation: Graeme and Alan  But let’s turn back to the late 1940s. The club spirit remained high, and the colts pack was formed (under 16 boys) by Fred Silver. One junior to shine was Graeme Stevens, who finished eighth in the Provincials, and is the second Stevens to appear in our story. This was also the year that Alan Stevens joined the club.  

The Stevens boys had, of course, been associated with Scottish practically from birth. Alan’s association with the club began earlier than most. Among his most prized possessions is a photo taken in 1937 of club opening day. One-year-old Alan is being held up in the back of the photo. What other sport could have ever had a chance with a Stevens?

As a youngster, Alan sold programmes at athletics meetings at the Basin Reserve. Unlike many others, he made money at athletics, by collecting the empty soft drink bottles and claiming back the deposits.

A senior club champion in the mid-1950s, Alan ran in the Scottish team at the Akaroa relay in 1955 when the club came third. From 1959-62, Alan took off on an OE in England and joined the Blackheath Harriers.

Alan recalls the time he beat 1974 Commonwealth Games marathon silver medalist, Jack Foster. It was during the 1966 20-mile Gold Cup race, when Jack moved into the lead pack with Alan and his Scottish clubmate Grant Wheeler. "Grant said, who's this guy behind us? I said, I had no idea. We slowed down and said, what's your name? He said, Jack Foster, we introduced ourselves, shook hands, and got on with the race."

In the 1966, 20-mile Gold Cup, Alan Stevens leads Grant Wheeler. Grant went on to win. Right:  Todd Stevens shows the same determination in the 2001 National Road Championship in Hamilton.

Grant won, leaving Alan with another runner-up slot. He also finished second in the 1958 cross-country championship and the Wellington marathon, with a 12th in the national cross-country his best effort.

In the late 1960s, led by club captain Garnet Nelson, Scottish built the present clubhouse with the squash courts attached. These plus a liquor licence meant the club prospered for many years, until squash courts became more common and use of the Scottish courts dwindled.

Alan became involved with the adminstration of the sport in Wellington and nationally in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, Allan convinced the International Amateur Athletics Federation that New Zealand should host the world cross-country championships which it did in 1988 when Alan was president of Athletics New Zealand. That was the high point of his administrative career.

This year, Alan's 30-plus years of volunteer work on Athletics New Zealand and for international organisations was recognised when he became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM, formerly the MBE) for services to athletics.

A calculated assault on the national road relays Todd Stevens was born in 1970 and first ran for Scottish as a seven-year-old. He was club champion in all the junior grades (U14, U16, U18 and U20). He is the current senior men's club champion.

In 1988, Todd won the Under-20s Vosseler. Since his first Vosseler in 1977, he has run the event 21 times, with fourth being his highest placing in the senior race. His junior win echoed his grandfather's win of the senior Vosseler in 1928, and that of his father in 1958. Other parallels occurred as well. Like his father, Todd has taken on the marathon and like him can run the event in around two and a half hours. Todd's best time of 2:23 came in 1993 at the New Zealand marathon championships which were held in Invercargill.

Todd's administrative involvement with the club began in 1988 as the club's junior captain.  He has captained the senior men's A team since 1990. Todd was elected club captain in 1994 and last year become the club's general manager. As a chartered accountant, Todd was quickly collared to look after the club's finances, a role he still holds today. His prudent management of the finances sees the club in a healthy financial position. In 2001, Todd was awarded the Bank of New Zealand's Badge of Gold, which recognises contributions to sports administration.

Under Todd's leadership and motivation, the Scottish senior men have become the best team in the country. He directed the club's successful challenge for the National Road Relay title in 1999, unfortunately from the sidelines as an injury prevented him from competing. A further two years of planning bore fruit in October 2001, when the Scottish men's A team again won the national title, this time on the historic Takahe-to-Akaroa course over Bank's Peninsula. Todd ran this time, putting in the day's fastest time on the fourth lap. At a Wellington Centre level, Todd has been a regular member of the teams which have won the Shaw Baton relay for the past seven years and the Dorne Cup for the past four years.

The next generation The fourth generation of Stevens is already leaving its mark at the club. Two-year-old Anderley Stevens has been a regular attendee on Saturday club days.

16 October 2001  

The Stevens Dynasty
Alf Stevens (1902-1989)
Titles (a selection)	Years
Wellington Centre cross-country representative	1928-1936, 1943
New Zealand cross-country representative	1935
Bennett Road Race (6-7 miles)	1927-30, 1933, 1935
20-mile Gold Cup	1931-32, 1936
Vosseler Shield (10 miles)	1928-30
Wellington Centre track and field representative	1929
Marathon (2:44)	1936
Ballantyne Memorial Shield	1928-30, 1932
Ballantyne Memorial Cup (5 mile h/c)	1930, 1933
Positions held
President	1946-47, 1960-65
Club captain	1933-36, 1944
Secretary	1937-39
Elected life member	1945
NZAAA, various periods	1932-58
Graeme Stevens (1932-  )
Titles
Le Gay Rose Bowl	1946
Wellington Centre junior cross-country representative	1950
Wellington Centre junior cross-country champion	1950
Galashiels Trophy	1950
Wellington Centre cross country representative	1953
NZ Universities 3-mile track	1956
Cambridge University Blue	1957-59
Alan Stevens (1936-  )
Titles
Junior club champion	1954
Senior club champion	1958
Wellington Centre cross country representative	1955-58, 1963-67
Wellington Centre junior cross-country representative	1955
Ballantyne Memorial Shield	1958
Galashiels Trophy	1953,19 58
Baudinet Cup (4 mile h/c)	1962
Ballantyne Memorial Cup (5 mile h/c)	1955-57, 1971
Vosseler Shield	1958
Rotorua marathon (2:31)
Positions held
Patron	2002-2003
President	1975-82
Elected life member	1982
Delegate for Southland	1970-1986
Board member, Athletics NZ	1986-1996
Manager, NZ Cross-country teams	1977, 85
Convenor, executive committee World XCC	1988
President, Athletics NZ	1987/88
NZ rep on IAAF Congress, Oceania area rep on IAAF and Road Committee	1986-
Todd Stevens (1970-  )
Titles
Junior Vosseler	1988
Junior club champion	1988
Wellington junior representative	1988-89
Invercargill Marathon (2:23)	1993
Wellington cross-country and road rep	1992, 2000, 2001
Rotorua marathon (2:30)	2001, 2003
Senior club champion	2001
Positions held
Junior club captain	1988, 1989
Senior men's captain	1990-
Treasurer	1994-
Programme manager	1995-2002
General manager	2000-

Who is Mike Aish?   

By Matt Dravitzki

30 September 2001 At Akaroa this Saturday, our senior men's team will include US-based New Zealander Mike Aish. A lot of people in the club will be wondering, "Who is Mike Aish and why is he running for Scottish?" Here is a bit of background about Mike. He is coming back to run for Scottish, but also to take a break in New Zealand, to see his family and especially his mother in New Plymouth.  Mike and I went to the same high school in New Plymouth. When Mike was 15, my dad and I were putting together a team for the annual Round-The-Mountain Relay. My brother Brent, who was in Mike's class at school, came home and told us, "There's this little Maori boy in my class and he can run." Dad and I were a bit skeptical at first, but decided to give him a couple of 5k legs.  Well, the Saturday of the race came around and the team met at the start. Mike rode his skate board down from his mum's house, had his cap on backwards and Dad and I wondered why the heck we were running this kid! With no warm-up and sporting a walkman, Mike hit the road in baggy shorts and knocked out a couple of 16 minute something 5ks.  The rest as they say is history. Within weeks (no exaggeration!), Mike was running for two hours with us over the hills at a solid pace (not something that I would now recommend to 15-year-olds) and entertaining us with jokes and his Billy T James impersonation.

He won the National Junior 5k title and qualified for the '94 World Juniors with a great solo 30:59 (the qualifying time was 31:00). I remember that because marathon legend Paul Ballinger told him he didn't have a sh#! show of qualifying and a fiercely determined 18-year-old Mike used those words as motivation over the last few laps. 

A little over three years ago at 21, Mike was going from one part time job to the next and felt he wasn't really going anywhere, employment-wise. He decided to take up a scholarship with Western State in Colorado. Western is now almost a de-facto Kiwi running school. Hamish Smith, Phil Spratley, Steve Willis, Rees Buck, Carl Jackson, Rubin McRae, etc., are just some of the Kiwis who have been to Western. It was at Western that Mike's running really blossomed. 

Mike trains HARD. For a period over our summer, he was running three times a day, up to 150 miles a week (in three sessions), all done at Colorado's 7,000-8,000 feet altitude. In 1999, Mike won the Division 2 National Crossy (Rees was second), and in 2000, ran 28:08 and 28:09 and was selected for the Sydney Olympics. He was gutted with his poor run at Sydney, but had run too many 10,000s that season, done too much traveling, and there was too much indecision about his selection. 

He is coming back to New Zealand, because he wants to compete in New Zealand as well as see his family. Mike is very good mates with myself, he knows Rees well, flatted with John Henwood and is friends with Blair Martin and Andrew Peskett. He has heard a LOT about Scottish from myself and Rees, and so on and is really looking forward to running for the club. 

Mike is a likeable character - a breath of fresh air in a sport dominated by conservative sorts like myself. I know he will be proud to run for Scottish and I know our club will continue to make people who are proud to run for it feel welcome.

The Blair Martin Story: The Angry Ant speaks out

Blair Martin joined Scottish three years ago. Now living in Sydney and working as a physio, he regularly flies over the Tasman to compete in the NZ track, roads and cross-country championships. He returned to New Zealand for the National Cross-Country in Clareville on 11 August. He spoke to Matt Dravitzki on the phone from Sydney.

Where did you grow up and how did you get into running? I grew up in Dunedin, and lived there until 1999 when I moved to New Plymouth with my girlfriend, Heather, for a year. We have since moved to Sydney. I stumbled across the sport when I was at Intermediate, age about 10. I knew that my oldest brother was in the Kings High School Harriers Team. Not really knowing what "harriers" were (I had a vague idea it was related to running, but I also had strange visions of birds and planes), I chose harriers as my Friday afternoon sport / club.  Over time I seemed to do OK on the runs, and won a membership to Caversham Harriers as a prize in the school cross-country. The rest, as they say.... Dunedin is a fantastic nursery for distance runners--the off-road training within a stone's throw of the city centre is in my opinion the best in the country. It is a shame about the weather. Blair Martin (left) running with Alan Bunce in the  2001 National  Cross Country Championships

You and Heather moved to Sydney a couple of years ago now. Have you two enjoyed your time there? I have really enjoyed living in Sydney. I think Heather has, but I haven't really asked her in a while.... We certainly have enjoyed the warmer weather, the lifestyle,  beaches, and we have a supportive training squad who have become our good friends. As for the city itself, if you were looking for good training venues and terrain, I wouldn't leave New Zealand. Dunedin, Wellington, New Plymouth, Rotorua, are all miles ahead of anything I have seen here for long running. It has also been difficult for Heather's triathlon cycle training, she is getting used to sucking pollution and dodging cars (not Kangaroos). 

The other negative is that Australia is a fairly grim place to be a Kiwi at times--in particular, the AB's indifferent recent record combined with the Wallabies recent successes has been making life tough (the only thing worse that a losing Kiwi is a winning Australian)! However, the reason that we moved here is to train in a high quality training group, essentially completing the same program, and Sydney has certainly provided that. Another plus is that I see my coach, Ken Green, on a daily basis, and it is great to run at the Olympic venue each week.

Why do you run? What motivates/drives Blair Martin? Aside from the obvious--weight loss, that is a difficult question to answer. Really, I think it boils down to personal gratification, a sense of achievement. I have a competitive nature (my training partners call me "Angry Ant"), so naturally I enjoy racing people, and the accomplishment of the occasional win. I also really enjoy beating the clock, being competitive within myself and chasing PBs, and I often find this more satisfying than winning races. The camaraderie in the sport, the friends I have  made, the exotic places I have visited and the interesting countryside I have run through all contribute to my enjoyment of the sport.

I certainly would not be able to give running away before I could say to myself that I had fulfilled my potential, and I could improve no further. To me, that would be such a waste, as it is not in my nature to give up without giving 100%. I want to shake that favourite tag that running magazines give runners like me, "another talented junior who hasn't fulfilled his potential."

Is there a person/runner/mentor that has especially inspired you? I am not a running historian, so I would not say that  I have been especially inspired by any one individual. Of course, I am amazed by the athletic feats that Walker, Halberg, Snell, etc. all achieved, and as any Kiwi is I am proud to hail from the same country. 

There are, however, many contemporary athletes that I greatly admire, and not just because I regularly get a whipping from them, either! Two classic examples spring to mind. I have seen first hand how much hard work Dale Warrander puts into his running, and I really look forward to him going on to gain the glory he deserves. The other is Jonathon Wyatt, purely because of the fact that he has chosen the direction he has wanted his running career to take, rather than conforming to what others expect he ought to be competing in. It is clear that he is an athlete driven by personal satisfaction. I also really admire the mature decision that Phil Costley has made to not compete in the World Champs Marathon, and wish him luck for Fukuoka.

In recent years some disappointing performances by our distance runners have led to comments by commentators and some former greats that our current elite crop have "gone soft" especially in terms of training--what is your opinion of this? With the utmost respect to our former greats I find comments such as this particularly hurtful. Let's face it,  athletic "freaks" such as the John Walkers and Peter Snells usually only come along once in a lifetime. Where is Great Britain's current Seb Coe? New Zealand sport has been "spoiled" by our history, because we produced a half dozen such athletes in a 20-year period. 

I train as hard as my body will allow, to push it further (as I have done on many occasion) results in it breaking. The John Henwoods, Dale Warranders and Richard Potts of this world I would imagine will have learned the same thing. Perhaps a comment that is nearer the mark is that New Zealand hasn't recently produced have an athlete with such extraordinary, world-beating talent. I don't think the hard work by the athletes is lacking. Again, I think it comes down to why we compete as athletes. The media accolades are nice when they come, and the criticism from former greats is hurtful when it comes. Regardless, I am in this sport for myself, for my own satisfaction. I hope others are able gain enjoyment from the achievements that I have made, but in reality who cares what others think?

After a couple of years in Aussie, what have you seen done/not done that you would like to see replicated in NZ? I think the training camp concept, such as the one the Aussies have at Falls Creek each year, is a winner. Because my  squad had attended Falls a number of years in a row before I came here, over Christmas 2000 "Team-Green" spent a couple weeks in Noosa, Queensland for a change. 

I gained tremendous benefit (and lost many kilos) from training hard over that fortnight. I think that that contributed to my return from injury with reasonable racing form following a relatively short period of training. I think that there is a lot of merit in getting a number of athletes training hard together, in an environment that is conducive to running, as well as getting plenty of rest (lazing on the beach in Noosa). I think we ought to arrange such a camp for New Zealand athletes - perhaps in Rotorua or Queenstown?

You moved from a more Lydiard-oriented programme to a system-type approach with a change in coach about three years ago. What changes has this meant in terms of training and what benefits or disadvantages do you think you have got out of it? Is it really that different? There are a number of differences in the program that I have been following under Ken's system, compared to the traditional training approach that I used to run with Alistair McMurran. The major difference is the way that the training is periodised. Previously, I used to break my training down into large blocks within a major training phase (eg. 13 weeks). I used to have a several-week build-up (six weeks), transition / speed (four weeks), anaerobic (two weeks), and "taper" (one week). Now the periodisation occurs within the week. 

Throughout our entire build-up we are doing two long runs and three sessions, including either one or two track sessions, depending on the season. I am still running 130 to 140k per week, but to prevent my body breaking again, I am only running twice on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays (my session days), and Friday is a running optional day. The  reasoning or philosophy behind this approach is that running is a 365-days-a-year sport. At the level of running that I am currently at, I don't have the luxury to pick and choose the races I am going to win, or the times that I am going to run, or for that matter  even the events that I am going to compete in. It is far from guaranteed that I will run next year's World Cross Country, or Com Games, even though they may be goals for me. 

This has been perfectly illustrated recently, the World Cross Country and the Prefontaine Classic were both events that I managed to compete at with last-minute notice, when five or six months earlier I couldn't run a step due to an achilles injury. The training has to be geared toward such opportunities arising.

In recent years a number of our leading sports people have defected to overseas countries--so far you've continued to compete for NZ. Are we likely to see you in a green and gold strip some time in the future? No. Like a half-blind old dog, I am quite a loyal person, and am very proud to be a Kiwi. I do feel the financial hardship associated with being a sub-elite New Zealand athlete, and it is VERY disheartening to have to pay some of my own way to International and Grand Prix events when my training partners get full funding. However, I have been extremely fortunate to have a very supportive athletic network, and I am greatly indebted to the clubs that I have run for (especially Scottish Harriers who have been great over the last 2-3 years) for supporting me. The last thing that my conscience would let me do is compete for another country!

Aussie commentators tend to put more of a positive spin on their sporting performances whereas we Kiwis tend to be pretty quick to knock people back. Do you think this has contributed to their sporting success? I think that poor performances are able to be swept under the media rug here, because there are many more positives to talk about. Australia has a larger population base than New Zealand, and there is also more money being injected into sport from various sources, so therefore Australia will naturally be having more success at any one time than New Zealand. Media is able to focus on those successes rather than dissect the failures. The other positive spin that Australia has, is they have the infrastructure and funding system to be able to say "how can we improve?", rather than telling the athletes to just train harder. The "knocking machine" still exists here, however, with the commentators (Jane Flemming, for one) saying that it is time for Matt Shirvington to take another step up.

What does Blair Martin hope to achieve in running over the next three to four years? I want to get good enough to decline NZ Runner an interview! (I am still dark over that "talented junior who hasn't fulfilled..." remark!); to help Scottish to gold at Akaroa; to represent New Zealand at the the three big ones (Com Games, Worlds, Olympics). I also have some pretty significant time goals that I want to knock off, one I got close to over 3k in the summer.

If there was one thing you could change about NZ Athletics or one message you would like to send to our administrators, what would it be? Haha, are you trying to sabotage any chance I have of running for NZ again? I would encourage Athletics NZ to be a little more proactive about helping their athletes gain entry into meetings, to "stick out their necks" a little more. This is one thing that Athletics NZ can do for their athletes that doesn't cost money. An approach could be to utilise the profile of some of the former NZ greats of our sport to endorse our entries or submit the entry for us. Alternately, submit a short profile including Athletics NZ's hopes for the athlete with their entry (eg we anticipate XX will gain selection for the NZ Team following a top performance in your meeting). This will give to meet promoter / organiser more reason to accept the athlete in their field.

What's it like having a partner that's more of a top class/elite athlete than yourself? Matt, I was hoping you would be able to tell me--at least your fiancee has a decent half marathon PB.

Thanks very much Blair (due to space limitations, we may have to cut that last question and answer). We look forward to seeing you over here for the National Cross and Relay and wish you all the best for the future.

Statistics:  Blair Martin   Age: 27
Personal bests
Event	Time
1500m	3:42
3000m	7:53
5000m	13:40
10,000m	29:16
Half marathon	65:00
Records
NZ Junior 10,000m record holder (still!), World Juniors, 1994	29:41.74

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Kirkwood: International Runner of Mystery

By Matt Dravitzki

He was New Zealand's fastest half marathoner in 2000. In March 2001, he ran a fine 28:37 in the New Zealand 10,000m championships. But to most of us Craig Kirkwood remains somewhat of a mystery man. Who is he, where has this talent been hiding, where does he come from and perhaps most importantly where is he headed?

Craig actually spent the first few years of his life in the back blocks of Taranaki (I had to put that in, didn’t I!). His parents were teachers in a little place called Whangamomana which is about an hour's drive east of Stratford and whose buildings consist of a pub and a school. It is rugged character-building hill country.

The Kirkwoods, however, soon shifted south, ending up in Timaru where his parents still live to this day. It was Timmers that shaped Kirkwood in those early years and where he did his early running. Craig was a talented runner as a junior and got a number of national title placings in what was a very competitive period behind top class juniors like Phil Starr, Mark McKeown and Blair Martin. He remembers going on national trips with hard men like Rob Mulcahy and Grant McKewen and being made to skull a beer before you got on the bus on Sunday morning - even with a huge hangover!  Craig has never won a national title and this remains something that he intends to rectify within the next couple of years. This talent was recognised by the US athletic talent scouts and Craig was lured to the University of Oklahoma where he spent five years on a scholarship. Craig has mixed feelings about US scholarships. He believes they can be very beneficial if you go to the right school – with a good coach and a good programme. (What is a good and a bad school athletically can change in just a few years, though). However, the type of training/coaching and environment he faced at Oklahoma did little for his running despite producing some solid performances. He believes that you must treat each individual school on its own merits - including its coach, programme, division and fellow athletes. But most of all you must talk to other athletes and preferable ones who have been to that school in recent years - none of which Craig got an opportunity to do. He describes the coach at Oklahoma at that time as a "great salesman but not such a great coach."

In December '98, Craig finished his scholarship, packed his bag (note singular) and headed for London to work. It was mainly by chance that he stumbled upon world-renowned manager and coach Kim McDonald. Craig was actually trying to get a job with the London Marathon. He met the then race director Alan Storey who has since become Craig’s coach (Alan coaches a number of leading UK distance runners including Sonia O’Sullivan). Alan didn’t have any work going at the time but put him on to McDonald. McDonald coaches and manages around 100 top runners the majority of whom come from Kenya. Last year he had a staggering seven runners break 13 minutes for 5,000m! He coaches athletes of the calibre of Daniel Komen (World 3,000m record holder at 7:20) and Noah Ngeny (Olympic 1500 champion). Craig has worked in a sort of liaison role for McDonald helping with organisational and coaching work.

Craig was based in London for the next two years and it was here and under Storey that he really started to develop his potential as a runner. Storey is a straightforward common-sense coach. Craig was telling me recently about a period when he was overdoing things a bit. When he spoke to Alan his response was simple: "You’re in a hole, so stop bloody digging!" 

Last year he ran 8:01 for 3000m but struggled to maintain the same standard over the longer distances. "I lacked the miles and the strength over the longer distances." In the second half of last year he picked up the miles and the result was a blistering 63:43 in the Great Northern Half in October, beating runners of the standing of last year's London Marathon winner Antonio Pinto. In the New Year, he shifted to Melbourne to help McDonald in a training camp he has there in the southern parts of the city in the Australian summer. 

It was in Melbourne that he was encouraged to come back to the NZ 10,000m champs when he heard it was going to be a strong field. Kirkwood ran a fine 28:37, despite limited track work and knocked nearly a minute off his PB. But Craig’s real focus for the first half of the year remains on his debut marathon in London in April - a marathon in which Craig seems certain to excel.

We recently caught up with Craig and put a few questions to him:

Q: Craig – How did you get into running?

CK: Well I got into the sport when I was about 13. I had a soccer coach I really disliked and so I quit and joined the local running club, Aorangi Road Runners. Things just went from there.

Q: Who was the runner or person who inspired you most as a youngster, or even now, and why?

CK: Inspiration? Wow, that would have to be my grandfather. I watched him die as a result of smoking for all his life; he took his dying breath with a cigarette in his mouth. I told myself that I would never end up in such a pathetic state. I figure that running is how I thought I would cleanse my body - it seemed like a good idea at the time!

Q: Who is the most talented athlete you have seen/run against?

CK: Run against? That would have to be Moses Kiptanui. Two summers ago while at a training camp I raced Moses over 400m (he kicked my arse). Seen Run? Cornelius Chirchir (2000 World Junior 1500m champ). Watch for this name in a couple of years.

Q: You’ve done a lot of training with the Kenyans and flatted with the likes of Komen.  What makes them so good?

CK: To be honest, I think they are just very talented athletes who train very hard. There are many theories banging around about the African dominance. I think there are several reasons that make them as good as they are.

a. Genetics: Genes play a huge role in their ability to dominate the way they do. We have all heard it, but it’s true. They are a society of hunter-gathers turned agricultural - without the conveniences that we in the western world take for granted. They have had thousands of generations that they have been reliant on there own ability to survive.

b. Assistance: They are lucky enough to be assisted by the agent not just Kim but guys like Jos Hermann, Dr. Rosa, Gianni etc which allows them to physically get to race.

c. Social structure - The training camps that are set up in Kenya are almost always isolated away from distractions of home/family. Now, I can’t imagine many western wives/husbands allowing their spouses to be away from home for nine months of the year. The Kenyan social structure allows the men to do as they  please. Like it or not they are the boss of the family and there are no questions or argument raised.

d. Money- Now this is the big one. For those who are unaware, there are millions to be won on the grand prix circuit. But the big thing is this. If I, for example, decide to go full time and dedicate my year to my running, in my first big race, I win NZ$5,000, great. In the next race, I get injured and I'am out for four or more weeks. This is huge blow for me it may be six months before I return to form. I can’t survive on this kind of money, but for the Kenyans $5000 could keep them going for about 18 months.

Q. How big of a factor do you think altitude is and what sort of a lifestyle do the Kenyans live away from home?

CK: I think altitude is a significant factor in the Kenyan domination. Buts it’s a physiological superiority that has been built up over generations and unfortunately not something that we can fully replicate in a matter of months or even years. It's no secret that the vast majority of good Kenyan runners come from parts of the Rift Valley and were born and grew up at altitude. Given that these tribes are a real minority in terms of the population this has to be more than a coincidence.

The Kenyans generally lead a pretty conservative lifestyle away from home. You would be surprised how little money they can survive on even in London (just a few pounds a week). They basically train hard, eat and rest. They generally do an easy run at 6:00am, with their main training starting around 10am and then they relax the rest of the day. They consume no to very little alcohol and save their money well.

Q. What sort of diet do the Kenyans have?

CK: They eat a lot of a stuff called ugali – it is maize powder which they mix with water and turn into a sort of cake. It’s pretty tasteless but a good form of carbohydrate. They usually eat it with veges and sometimes meat which is often combined into a type of stew. The Kenyans also drink a lot of tea which they make with milk - and they add lots of sugar - it’s sickly sweet.

Q. Do Kenyans enjoy running more than we do?

CK: Contrary to what most people think the answer to that is no. Walking and running is a way of life for ordinary rural Kenyans. But for the Kenyans who chase the dream of racing the tracks and roads it’s a job for them. They scratch their heads when they see everyday people out for jogs or walks. These guys race to make money in search of the dream of a better way of life for themselves and their family.

Q. How does the Kim McDonald/Kenyan deal with work?

CK: Kim pays for young guys to make their first trip to Europe (most wouldn’t be able to afford it). After that they basically have to pay their way – including transport, accommodation, food etc. So they pretty much have to perform from the word go. Kim organises their training, gets them into races and takes a percentage of their earnings. This has been enough to make him a very wealthy man. Kim also has a camp in Kenya where young talent is first recognised and developed.

Q: What do you miss most about NZ?

CK: I really miss the relaxed life style and the availability of Speights.

Q. Where to from here for Craig Kirkwood?

CK: To be honest with you I don’t really know. At the moment I’m back in Aussie and concentrating on some hard training for the London Marathon. I may be helping out at a training camp that Kim has in Stanford for a few weeks from May. Beyond London my plans are pretty much undecided - although I’d like to come back and run the national relay for Scottish later in the year. You guys have a good club and some great people involved and it would be great to run well for Scottish and stuff those Bays boys.

Thanks very much for your time Craig and all the best for London. You’ve have certainly had an interesting past and those of us who have run with you recently know there’s some exciting performances coming up in the future. We hope to see you back in NZ sometime soon.