Age: 30

Event(s): Marathon (5,000m and up)

Club: Thames Hare & Hounds (in the UK) Peninsula Road Runners (in Australia)

Coach: Kon Butko (Australia) and also advised by Duncan Gaskell (UK)

Occupation: I'm kind of a CEO/ Entrepreneur/ Business Developer for Basis Technologies and a semi-professional runner.

Other Sports Participated in as a Youngster: Little Athletics, Volleyball (very badly), backyard cricket and general outdoor beach activities.

Years of Running Experience: 17

Greatest Achievements: In a pure sense, my first ever race outside Australia - International Chiba XC (Japan) 1993. I was a junior and finished second by 0.5 a meter. It made me want to continue running.

Apart from winning races and running PBs, sticking to what I enjoy and being able to run in some strange and exotic places. A great feeling was to hand a pair of NB racing shoes I’d warn in a Korean marathon to a young, poor runner from Malawi – they were sweaty and smelly, but when he put them on they never left his feet and neither did the smile.

Representative Honours: Australian rep and both Junior (1993) and Senior (1996) World Cross Country, plus various international non-championship representations in marathons, road relays and cross-countries.

Targets for 2005: At the beginning of 2005 it was to run a fast London and then onto World Championships in the marathon. An injury (fractured toe) put paid to that and instead of a couple of weeks out during January, it took over 3 months to correct. Looking 12 months out, the goal is to run a fast marathon in September (Berlin if preparation goes well) then run New York Marathon in November. If all well and I’m selected, the Commonwealth Games Marathon in Melbourne, 2006.

Long Term Goals:
- To run my best ever marathon, and to know that I could do nothing more.
- To run in some more exotic places coupled with some more traditional and big races.
- To work with younger athletes and pass on any knowledge and guidance I can.

Favourite Racing Venue: Probably Hamburg for the Hamburg Marathon – a great atmosphere, great course and intimate feeling. On the track it would have to be Olympic Park in Melbourne – it’s a venue that I grew up knowing that I had to perform in; and one where most of my track PBs have been set.

Favourite Race Event: Hamburg Marathon for the above reasons.

Favourite Training Venue:
1. Falls Creek (Victoria, Australia) – 1600-1800 meters altitude, pristine air and great Australian landscapes.
2. Airey’s Inlet (Great Ocean Road, Victoria, Australia) – Coastal trails, forest and surf - the sea breeze in my face; just can’t beat it!
3. Richmond Park (London, UK) – the park and surrounding parks and trails, makes living in London both practical and really enjoyable to train in.

Favourite Training Session: A tempo 10mile.

Least Favourite Training Session:
20 mile – comfortable first 10 (5.45-6min pace), 9 (4.50-5min pace) then a mile comfortable. It’s usually early/mid-week when I’m still tired from weekend efforts, and not the most pleasant. Occasionally, I finished this session on the track in a 5000 race – that was hard!

Favourite NB running shoe: I really love the RC330 – can run everything from long runs to races.

Piece of kit you would never be without: Love my NB hats, be it a beanie or cap.

Favourite Meal, night before the race: Pasta Napolitano

Favourite pre-race meal: Porridge or toast with Vegemite, and a pre-race Red Bull.

Favourite post-race meal: Mars bar

Favourite post-season holiday venue: Italy

Why do you run? I run as a lifestyle choice - it lets me free my mind, problem-solve and get a natural high. I race for the challenge, and experiences in culture and geography.

Tips for new runners:
Pick your hard days and make sure your easy days are easy. Natural progression is the key, where it’s much better to train at 80% all year than to be 100% for a month or two then sidelined with injury or lack of motivation. Keep yourself hungry for bigger challenges and share them with your running friends and family. Oh, and when training gets a bit tough and you’re searching for motivation, sometimes it’s the simple things like putting on a new pair of socks that help you get out there. Above all, do whatever you enjoy.