David Campbell gives runtrackireland.com an insight into his training group Down-Under !

Q Last year u started training under Nic Bideau and Sonia O Sullivian. Are they your fulltime coaches? Are you based fulltime in Australia or do you have another coach back here in Ireland?

Since I was a kid running NACAI, Schools and Community Games right up until I was 24 running at European Senior Championship level I was coached by my Father John. Over the years we were lucky enough to get help and advice from Jim Kilty, Dr. Zbigniew Orywal Jean Verster and Gerard Hartmann.

In September 2007 the opportunity arose for me to be coached by a proven World Class Coach in Nic Bideau. John and I jumped at the opportunity and Nic now solely coaches me full-time. Its great to have Sonia as a mentor. Her attitude in everything she does is second to none, you get energised and inspired just spending time with her. This year I’ll spend January through March training in Australia with the group and probably the rest of the year living at home in Kilcock, Co. Kildare or in DCU at the AAI High Performance House. I also touch base with the group in Teddington, London for a week here and there during the year and much of the summer is spent living from a suitcase racing around Europe. 

Q Where abouts in Australia are you based? How long are you gonna be there? 

Most of my time will be spent between Melbourne and Falls Creek, a high altitude camp, with a few races dotted around the country and maybe New Zealand. I’ll be down under for about 3months.

Q What are the facilities like there? 

At 1600meters altitude in Falls Creek its back to basics training. Every run is hilly and the terrain can be rough at times, a far cry from the canal bank I train on at home. There’s no track here, we use natures assets to get strong, a small gym that meets a distance runners needs and use streams as ice baths. I love it there, its where effort counts and splits go out the window.  

Melbourne is also a legend place to train in a very different way, with its ‘World Class facilities’. It’s a sport crazy city. The track and gym are hard to beat at Olympic Park. There are an abundance of parks to train in, not to mention the banks of the Yarra and the loop around the Botanical Gardens. The contrasting backdrops keep you stimulated and fresh. 

Q Who else is in the training group with you?

The athletes I will train with include Sonia O Sullivan(800m-Marathon), Australians Craig Mottram (1500m-5k), Benita Johnson (5k-Marathon), Collis Birmingham(1500m-10k), Paul Hoffman(1500m-3000m) Nick Bromley(800m-3000m), Jeffrey Riseley(800m/1500m), Victoria Mitchell(3000m steeple), Elouise Wellings( 3000m-5000m), Britains Andy Baddely(800m-3k), Becky Lynn(800m/1500m), and New Zealander Adrian Blincoe(1500m-5000m). Much of our training and workouts are very similar with slight variations to tweak the different engines we as individuals in the group have. 

Q How does your training differ under Nic from pervious years?  

Training has changed a lot.In fairness to John when he coached me I had my fair share of problems, I missed years through injuries and illnesses, so he never really had the full complement to work with. We tried a bit of everything in varying amounts, speed, heavy weights, aerobic work, plyometrics etc. Training wasn’t so much by structure but more by his intuition and it got me to 1.46.99, which is to his credit. There are very few Irish coaches who’ve accomplished this. John was as excited as I was when Nic offered to coach me, it was the next logical step.

Nic has added structure to my programme. Nic has a great eye for what I needed and what would work for someone with an engine like mine. We work very hard on developing my aerobic systems. It’s helped build my confidence no end churning out workouts and runs with the superstars that are in our group especially when you see yourself starting to close the gap. 

Q What’s your coaches’ philosophy when it comes to training for the 800m? 

I can run at least 24seconds for 200meters any time of the year, with zero speed-work and I don’t need to go any faster, so its about getting strong enough to use that speed in the closing stages of a race. We go down the aerobic route, Lydiard style, Its pretty simple. I’m never going to run 46seconds for 400meters so why work on speed?, but the scope for aerobic improvement is pretty much infinite.  

Q What things have you learned since you started training with them? 

I’ve learnt there’s no magic formula in becoming an international class athlete and then becoming a world-class athlete. It’s about working hard, staying focused on the job in hand and for me having faith in my own ability. Nic takes care of my training and racing schedule and that gives me the time to concentrate on getting the most out my training and recovery regimes. There’s a great attitude in the group, its always competitive and we keep each other on our toes. It’s taken me a while to stop seeing world-class athletes as something out there, out of reach, and the group has definitely helped me bridge that gap in my mind. 

Q Can you describe a typical training day. From dawn to dusk  

Today, the 8th of January, Falls Creek Altitude Training Camp

7.30 :wake up, have a cup of tea, 15mins stretching while listening to a few tunes

8.30: leave for training, warm up, strides and dynamic stretching

9.30: start workout, 6x1k, 1min recovery, average 2.58 and warm down, iced legs in river for 12minutes

11.00: breakfast, porridge and fruit

13:00: get massage for 1hour

14.00: some light lunch, soup and fruit

15.00: lie down for an hour

16.00: go on internet at café, read, have a tea with the group

17.20: stretching, easy run, 38min

18.30: Went out for bite to eat with lads at ‘The Man’,(steak, veg n spuds),

            Played some darts, pool and chatted to some of Australias up and coming                                                          Juniors

22.20: bed 

Q Describe the way you run an 800m race. 

If the pace goes 49/50 at the bell I would try and gauge not to be at the front and judge my effort and come through the field. Once the pace is any slower I have confidence in my ability to lead or sit back and come through, I reckon I’m quite versatile that way. 

Q What are your strengths and weakness during a race? 

Anything you could consider as a ‘weakness’ I train consistently hard physically and mentally to combat, and the aim is to eventually during my career turn them into strengths. I don’t focus on them. I see myself as developing all the time under Nics guidance and I still think there a long way to go. I feel I’ve got very good work ethic and a willingness to really push myself outside the comfort zone in order to achieve whatever my potential may be, I focus on that. 

Q So last year you ran a few grand prix races in Oz, called the Telstra Series. Can you describe the atmosphere at these meets? 

It’s a great series, and the boys down here are rolling because it’s their summer season in our winter. The two ‘Big Ones’ are Melbourne and Sydney. The meets are televised and there is a genuine buzz around the meets for people to see their local heroes run some great races. For me nothing I did was too memorable, I ran 3.41/1.48. I was deep into winter training and was still trying to adapt to the new workload. I’m blinkered before a race so I don’t take in on what’s going on around me so I didn’t get to see much. Of the races I did see, watching Craig ’Buster’ Mottram win the 3000 in Melbourne tearing up the last 500 waving fists at the 7000 strong crowd up the home straight was a highlight for me. The crowd went nuts. 

Q Will you be running these meets again this year and what distance will you be running?

I’ll run a couple alright, they will be a great indicator as to where my training is at. I will be in heavy winter training, so any win or fast time will be looked upon as an added bonus and not much more than that. My focus is firmly on how well I run when it really matters this year, qualifying for and at The Beijing Olympics! I think I’ll be running a 1500m in Hobart on 18th of January a mile in Wanganui in New Zealand the 16th of February and maybe an 800m on 21st February in Melbourne.  

Q Your coming off a pb year over 800m and 1500m, are you in shape to pull off some fast times early in the season? 

Training is going well, I’m feeling strong and I’m looking forward to sticking on the spikes and having a crack at the aussies. I’ll be trying to win and if times come, great if not there’s a long season ahead and bigger fish to fry. 

Q What sort of training session let’s you know that you’re in good shape and ready to race. 

Training is training, I never read into how it goes, Its about getting your head straight when the gun goes. I’ve had great sessions and raced crap and vice versa. 

Q Can you give us an outline of your schedule for the next few months?

After my stint Down-Under I’ll hopefully be heading back to the AAI High Performance House at DCU in Dublin. So that will be bring me through April and some of May. Then I’ll probably go the AAI pre-season training camp in Monte-Gordo Portugal for a couple of weeks and then the season will kick off the end of May. 

Q Qualifying standard for the Olympics is 1.46.00, only .05 off your pb. What’s the plan to achieve the standard? What specific areas are you working on in training to improve your times.

The key to this year for me was getting properly fit. This time last year I was still a bit soft looking and didn’t really appear like an athlete, I struggled a lot hanging onto the boys ( and sometimes girls) in training. This year I’ve just put in another layer and I feel I’m on my way to getting fit. I’m that bit closer to the boys but I still feel there’s massive room for development. It’s all new territory to me, I’ve never trained this hard before and I’m just looking forward to the challenges ahead. I’m in a very good position for getting the qualification time come the summer. I’ve no choice now anyways because my brother and mother already have their tickets for Beijing and I cant go messing up their plans no can I? 

Q Finally, get any surfing in over in Oz? What do you get up to in your free time over there? 

A few of the boys have promised to teach me how to surf, well at least boogie board, so that should be interesting, I’m half ashamed to say they’ve already shown me how to master beach cricket (better crack playing it than the bore-fest that is watching it! ) We went swimming the other day in a river at Mount Beauty and I managed to get myself swept downstream probably 50 meters with the currents. The rest of the time we hang out in coffee shops, go to cinema, surf the net, the usual stuff  really. I really want to dive in a shark cage but I’ve been informed there’s no where to do that where I am. Of course we’ll have a few bbqs along the way I’m sure.