Runnerslife
Meet The Guest
Neil Speaight
Neil Speaight Has won British Championship track titles, represented Great Britain at many events and England at the Commonwealth Games has some very fast times to his name including 1.45 for 800m but probably his best would be 3.38.65 for 1500m indoors which is still the 5th fastest time ever by a British athlete. Neil is a straight talking, hard trainer who for a number of reasons which is covered in this interview couldn't quite achieve his target of an Olympic Games ... so far!
Personal Bests
600m - 1:20.22
800m - 1:45.81
1000m - 2:20.79
1500m - 3:38.33
Mile - 3:58.49
Q. Do you like to train alone or in a group?
A. I prefer to train in a group because it can help you relax and have a bit of banter before the hard work starts. Sessions tend to go much faster
if you have other guys taking there turn at the front. However, although I have a few training partners who sacrifice themselves to help out my
training, I still do far too much on my own, but that's life and have to get on with it. If you look at my history, I have always been running really well
either away on a training camp, or just back from one. I think this is due to the group, and have suffered from drifting a bit when alone, as much as you
put the effort in, its just not the same. I think that it is important that people also be careful in a group. Some can have a tendency to race, especially
if its a big group and there are some big personalities, as there may be pride at place. On long runs, you must remember that the pace is only ever right
for one person! therefore you need to be careful that if you are supposed to be running easy, you don't get too involved if the pace heats up.
After all, on any given day depending on the workload you may have done or others have done, someone is going to feel better than others, so may speed up.
You have to be disciplined enough to do what's right for you.
Speed Work
Q. Give an example of some of you speed work training sessions?
A. When I was running 800's I used to pull tyres, drills and short sprints to help my speed every Sunday. This year for the 15 I did a 15 x 20 second hill
at least once a week(has to be steep!)
Q. What's your favourite Session?
A. All training is tough, and you need to work on the sessions that you find the hardest to improve your weaknesses, not continually do the ones you like.
However, I used to love doing 10x200 off 2mins rest Average 25 points. I knew then I was ready to race if it was easy, and that I could throw in a 23
if needed. I have missed that type of training doing 1500's and think that I suffered this summer with no change in pace!
Q. Do you have a race tester session?
A. As above was a good indicator for me to race well over 800, but I think that as you repeat lots of sessions over the years, you just know when your ready.
Training for different seasons
To be honest, most of the training is pretty standard. Its about getting fit up to Christmas, without going overboard. In the past I have been guilty
of being too close to a peak at anyone point early on in the spring. I used to be on the track 3 times a week 52 weeks of the year. Consequently, when I came to
the middle of the summer I was starting to struggle in holding my form.
Racing
Q. How often?
A. I have raced a lot this year, maybe too much, as I was flying on the roads early in the year(for me anyway!)
To be honest retrospectively I would have liked to have done a little less, but when you are chasing times it is difficult to get the right
compromise, especially when it is so tough to find really good races, so you take the opportunities as they land in your lap.
Q. Do you ever race as training?
A. This winter I used cross country and road races every few weeks as training. Especially as doing a lot on my own, it enabled me to
use them as a fast tempo in a crowd!
Q. Is cross country important to you?
A. There is actually a funny story about this, in that I did used to do a lot, even came 11th at English Schools, but my old coach was not that big a fan.
At Uni I used to do all the London College League races and the Leeds relays which were important to our Uni team. We decided to put in an
old boys team the year after I left. It was horrible conditions and I fell half way round. I still finished the race, and then went out on the beers.
It wasn't until the following day that it had swollen up so much I went to the hospital and found I had broken my ankle!!
When I changed coaches to John Bicourt last year he asked if I raced cross, something I hadn't done since the aforementioned race. "Did it heel" he asked
"yes, but.." "Well you can get on with it" Actually really like doing it, great for strength and mental toughness, although I do like winter road
races also. You can still run fast on a road, some cross courses are a waste of time for me if they are too muddy. I sink in it, and feel like I'm walking.
Racing
It doesn't matter how much you train, you cannot replicate the nerves and tension you get in big races. It is very important to keep that competitive
edge, so in my opinion racing is crucial, although at certain times of the year it doesn't matter what surface you race on.
Easy Runs
Q. Do you do them?
A. Yes
Q. How often?
A. Most mornings are easy
Q. what sort of pace?
A. 6-6.30 milling pending how I feel and how fit I am!
Steady Runs
Q. How often?
A. Evenings whenever I am not on the track
Q. What sort of pace?
A. no worse than 6min milling
Personal thoughts on steady runs?
Training is all about fitting the pieces together, steady runs are a major part of that. When I am going really well, you just float round a run
and it helps give me confidence that I am fit. When I am not, they are such a chore, but I know things are getting better in line with the
effort it takes to get round a run. as you do them so often, they are daily indicators for me. This last year I have done more steady runs with various
tempo efforts (sub 5 min milling) in the middle. That has been the key for me dropping my 10k pb from 31.02 last year to 29.45 this.
Q. Is Massage important to you?
A. It would be but I can't afford it, I have never received any funding, and have never got any help. As such you have to prioritise, which
in my case means paying the rent, fuel and food. When I was regularly running for Great Britain, that was the only opportunity I had to have massage and
have the physio's look at me. Not a very professional way of doing things, but I had no choice, you gotta eat!
Q. How often would you have one?
A. twice a week
Q. Weights?
A. I like weight training, and have always done so. This past year I have had the opportunity to use the guys at Core Cambridge
who took over my training programme, and gave me their time and facilities for free which really helped. One on one training, unfortunately I
was trying to get a four year cycle into 6 months! Although I have always done weights on my own, there screening showed up massive weaknesses
in certain area. Just wish I had more time to work on it!
Q. How often?
A. Twice a week
Q. Circuits?
A. Good in the winter to help with your general fitness. I always used to start with circuits after taking a break, Was tough but I could see
weekly improvements
Today's Runners
When I started out, I used to try and get as much information and experience from older guys in teams, like John Mayock, Anthony Whiteman, and
the coaches. It seems to me that the current crop think they have already made it. Speaking from experience, just because you run a couple
of fast times does not make you successful. When I ran 1.45, I thought that it would be easy to jump to the next level but staying consistent
and regularly improving is very tough. It may sound like sour grapes as I never got any, but I think lottery is a bad idea. By giving youngsters
money gives them the false security they have made it. Support yes, money no! The other major problem I have is that although I am absolutely for
developing, athletics is such a tough sport that you have to take those who are the best at the time. The development standard that was introduced is
complete bollocks! One young athlete who shall remain nameless told me before one season that he only had to get the development time and he was on the
team for a major champs, yet there were 3 or 4 guys quicker than him. He should have been saying I'll take these top guys out, it enables people to set
their sights lower.
I do like Mike Rimmer though, he is talented and aggressive. I was gutted for him that he was ill at the Olympics, I sympathise after going to the Euro Indoors in the shape of my life
only to get the flu on the plane. I was quarantined from the team and told not to run, although being competitive I did anyway and came last by a long way
People don't always understand the circumstances, just look at the results. As this year was wide open, a fully fit Mike Rimmer could have made more of
an impact, and I hope he carries on improving.
Olympics 2008
Q. Still disappointed not to make the team?
A. I'm over this year, as at the end of the day I didn't run the A' standard so didn't deserve to go. I still however, have major issues with Athens.
I have no problems with who they took over me, Ricky as he was just doing the best he could. Fairly beating me at the trials, but it was the way they did
it. Yes I ran badly at the trials 6th in 1.49 something, but it was a blanket finish and a terrible race, won in 1.49. I was told (by the federation) to
go away and race to prove it was a one off. For a start we were given no help, and James Macilroy and I set up our own BMC race, with pacemakers. The
weather was horrible, about 4/5m per sec wind yet I still won the race in 1.47, beating James, Noah Ngeny and a host of Kenyans in the process. Ricky did
run 1.46 the following day, but if I had been part of any other country I would have gone as I had the A. I also ran 1,46 in the rain in Dublin 2 weeks
before the trials. I hope he gets back, but Ricky has pretty much been injured ever since. I was told by UKA that they want to send Ricky because they
want to blood him for following Olympics. When I won the National Champs in 2001 I was told they wouldn't take me to the major champs because I didn't have
experience!
Q. Anything else you would like to add?
A. I am bitterly disappointed with the way the sport I love has gone. I have no respect for the Administration, and I can't find many people who have much
good to say about them. I've always believed that the they should be there to support the athlete, yet I get the impression that we are here to fulfil
there own self importance and elevated wages. Lottery should be performance related and event specific. It should be open to anyone if they race the times
at certain events. All I see is an inner circle of athletes supported by an even tighter 'community' of coaches, officials and administrators. Mike East
is a good friend of mine, and he has been in the inner circle for many years(due to single handily holding up British Middle Distant Running) but as soon as
he was disguarded this winter he has been overlooked for teams and left out in the cold, ultimately retiring to get work to support his young family. I
have been out in the cold my whole career! Although I haven't achieved much in some peoples eyes, the little I have has been in spite of the system, and
those that work in it.
How a guy who has been within the top 5 in Britain for 10 years can not get as much as a phone call from the people in power (unless it was to tell me I didn't
make a team) is beyond me. Maybe my face didn't fit? ...
Q. You going to try for 2012 Olympics?
A. I'm not prepared to continue to train my nuts off if there is no possible chance of making the team due to politics, even if I were to run the time. The
way selection was this year, the treatment of Easty and Stokesy has kind of put the nail in that coffin! I still live at home for Christ's sake and I'm now 30!
There will be people who read this who think I'm being bitter, but No-one can slate that level of commitment and sacrifice, and if they do, they can
kiss my arse!! There comes a point though when I have to get on with my life. Never say never though. The fact that Collins (I'm not going to get started
on him!) has gone makes me want to see what happens over the next few months or so.
Q. Any regrets?
A. I regret not being able to break into the 'inner circle' of the federation, and at least getting some help from them! Still its the same for most athletes
up and down the country. With that in mind, I am extremely grateful for the travelling, friends around the world and life experiences that athletics has
given me. Any good sportsman continually challenges and criticises themselves, so for that reason I regret not achieving that which I felt I could have, but
one day I'll look back and be proud at the little I did. As I said before people don't always see the bigger picture, just the results. I'm proud that I
came back from a tumour and major surgery last year to run 3.39. On the scale of things however, it's just not quick enough!
Cheers
Sp8y
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