Triple Wellington Champion 1983

A week after the disappointment of the Cross Country Trial the Wellington Track Champs were held.

On the first day of competition I was preparing to take on the 800m, 5000m double. I had run the 800m plenty of times but never competed at the championships over 5000m before. To win this double I would have to compete in three races in the one day: heats and final for the 800 and a straight final for the 5000.

Brian Turnbull had been the Wellington 800m champion for as long as I'd been competing but on this occasion he was a no show. Brian had such speed he could run the first lap of the 800 in around 52 seconds. If I'd tried that I would've been running a PB, so I'd be left floundering way back in about 56. The difference was I could do another lap at around the same pace whereas Brian would be running around a minute. This meant I'd catch him on the home straight but he'd dig in and hold me out. So with no Brain I sensed an opportunity.

I successfully negotiated the heats in 2:02.7 and in the final Alastair Leslie made the pace around the first lap in just under 56 seconds (much more comfortable than Brian's normal pace). He didn't slow down either and we both kept up the same pace, leaving the rest of the field behind, until the home straight. I then lifted my pace and eased past Alastair to win in 1:52.5, which was a personal best by nearly two seconds. Alastair also clocked a PB of1:52.8 (I suspect these times remain our best).

Winning the first of my 1983 track titles, the 800m from Alastair Leslie.

40 minutes later the 5000m final was due to be held. Knowing I wouldn't need much of a warm up I just tried to keep my legs moving by doing an inverted bicycle. I swapped my spikes for a pair of racing flats and I was ready for the 5000.

Winning this was never going to be easy as in the field contained Dallas McCallum and Derek Froude (who had gained selection for the cross country team after the trial the previous week). Derek's tactics were sensible: make the pace too hot for me and the title would be his. I knew that's what he'd be doing so just hung in there. Try as he might, he couldn't shake me and once into the home straight I sprinted away from him to win in 14:25.3. Derek clocked 14:26.4 and Dallas came home in third with 14:33.4.

A few years later I was approached by sports statistician Peter Heidenstrom who suggested it may have been the fastest 800m/5000m double ever run in New Zealand. I never did find out whether he was able to confirm that.

The second day of the championships was a week later. Buoyed by my double success of the previous week I foolishly attempted another: the 400m/1500m double. This would mean running four races in one day.

The 400m was not a success. I drew lane eight and had nobody to run off so just went as hard as I could. Barry Mayo and Stu Hildreth both slipped through inside me off the final bend and I finished third in 52.3 (which incidentally is a personal best). Barry, who I'd beaten many a time over 800, won the race in 51.7.

In the 1500m final Steve Walshe made the early pace, completing the first lap in 60 seconds but the pace was not to last. Alastair took up the pace with just over a lap to go and I confidently went with him. Once we reached the home straight I called on the legs to deliver their usual finishing burst but something was wrong, they weren't responding. I suspect it was the effects of the 400 allied with the pace of the 1500 that had finally got to them (curse my arrogance). But I was not to be outdone, I kept on as hard as I could and finally over the last 20m Alastair's legs had come to the end of their run whilst mine were still functioning. I crept past to win in 3:48.9. Alastair was given 3:49.1 and with Steve Walshe third in 3:52.4 this was the fastest Wellington Champs 1500m I'd been in.

Just got there. Pipping Alastair in the 1500m.