AN INTERVIEW WITH GREG WATSON

What is your age, and how long have you been training with Melbourne Pack?
I am 43 and have been training with Melbourne Pack since Melbourne Cup Day in 2016
What are your personal best running times for you?
5k: 16.51 10k: 35.59 Half-M -: 77.17 Marathon: 2.45.48

How many days a week do you normally train with Melbourne Pack?
Normally, Tuesday and Thursday speed/tempo sessions, long run Sunday, Parkrun Saturday at Chelsea or Karkarook where I will also bump into familiar faces. Monday is usually easy running with Wednesday being another long run when building toward a Marathon. Friday is always rest day.

Which training partners in the Squad tend to push you along most of all?
Everyone on the track keeps me moving, regardless if they are in front or behind. Each runner has their own goals so I love that each has their own motivation. The group effect is really strong and the mutual respect in the group makes training fun and collegial.

What has your progression as a runner been like? How have your times improved?
All my times have improved since joining Melbourne Pack – from 4k to the Marathon. I am a stronger, smarter and patient runner due to the consistency of the training over 2 years. I am enjoying the process of training, building toward a race and executing a good plan.

What do you regard as your best race performance?
Daegu Marathon (South Korea) was my best race performance 1st April 2018 – April Fools Day! Everything came together after a 6 month uninterrupted build up. It was exciting to race overseas, the course and conditions were perfect and we had great support on the course. I was aiming for 2.48 but exceeded all to run 2.45 – a 7 min PB. It was such a satisfying experience.

Who is your favourite runner and why?
I follow plenty of local runners around the 3 hour marathon mark on Strava and love seeing their improvement over time especially if you have run/trained alongside them in the buildup. I admire runners that balance a full time job and/or family commitments to achieve their best possible.
I am reading a book about Steve Prefontaine, the American middle distance runner. He was a brave runner, bucked the trends of the time and raced and trained hard – and he had an awesome tash!
I admire Celia Sullohern due to her versatility across all distance and she is such a tough runner. Another runner who I follow is Steph Auston from southern NSW for the same reason. She trains hard but smart, is equally strong over 5k, the Marathon and now Ultras, she is down to earth, a big supporter and avid volunteer at parkrun in her local community.

Who is your favourite non-running sportsperson?
I am a big cricket, rugby league and tennis fan so Matthew Hayden, Laurie Daley and Stefan Edberg were big news when I was growing up.

Can you tell us a bit about your running background before you joined Melbourne Pack? I was always playing sport of one kind and only ran occasionally until 2003 when I attempted my first marathon. I struggled to finish and decided to put in some more serious training. Alan Jones, a teaching colleague was a big influence here getting me through a half and onto the marathon. My next goal was to break 3 hours which I did after 3 attempts and have been trying to run quicker ever since. I was a member of a number of running groups but did all my training solo to fit in with work and family. I was coached by Brendan Davies online for 2 years which was a great learning experience and found Melbourne Pack to improve my speed and also to be more accountable and consistent during the big sessions.
How do you compare running in the Blue Mountains compared to running in bayside Melbourne?
A few less hills! Both regions have a strong running culture that I love being a part of. There is always someone to run with and there is always new sessions or courses to enjoy. When I go back to the Blue Mountains I join up with a group called Up Coaching, Brendan Davies’ running group which had similarities with Melbourne Pack – a supportive running environment where individuals are looking to be better, stronger runners around great people.

There were a few challenges with the South Korean officials in the days leading up to the Daegu Marathon. Tell us a bit about them.
There was some initial confusion over the signage on my running singlet that the race directors didn’t like. They took exception to the Melbourne Pack singlet that I had done all my big sessions in so I had to use my bib to cover up the writing as not to advertise or support my running club/country. They also didn’t like the painted bottles for special drinks that we had brought from Australia and insisted that they use their bottles. After some negotiating we were allowed to use them on course after all. They could not believe that I was having flat coke at the 38k mark. Officials just doing official things!

You have a variety of long run training routes in southern Melbourne. What is your favourite route to train on leading in to a marathon? Braeside Park ticks all the boxes in this area, Dandenong Creek path onto the EastLink bike paths, Long Beach Trail from Mordialloc to Patterson River, Cheltenham Park and of course Beach Road with the combination of paths and trails. We are very lucky to have such a diverse range of training routes. A little further afield but a must for all runners in Melbourne in the Capital City Trail and Two Bays Trail from Cape Schanck to Dromana.

What are your running goals?
To continue to become a stronger runner and to enjoy the process from training to racing.
Melbourne Spartan – 2 to go!
Overseas Marathons – Berlin, Tokyo, London, New York…..

What has been your experience in training with Sean as a coach?
Sean is extremely knowledgeable as a coach and treats each runner the same. From world class runners to kids just starting out, his approach is the same. He makes you accountable in every session that you do and he won’t tell you that you had a good session when you sucked! He knows when to push and ease off in a training session and I enjoy his big picture approach to training for long distance races.