Athletics: An interview with mountain running champion Kate McIlroy

Kate McIlroy

World mountain-running champion Kate McIlroy is back in more familiar territory this evening, competing in a 3km event at Papakura as she winds up for a final tilt at making the Commonwealth Games team.

The 24-year-old Wellingtonian had an extraordinary year in 2005, when she burst into prominence by winning the world mountain-running title in her home city.

McIlroy - coached by national selector John Bowden - was having a pretty good time of it anyway, having nabbed the national short and long course cross-country titles.

But, as she freely admits, nothing had come close to her win in the 9km world mountain race around Mt Victoria, where 10,000 spectators urged her on. Her international best had been 58th in the world cross-country championships in France.

The unheralded McIlroy has only ever run two mountain races, so hers was maybe the Cinderella sports story of 2005. Now she is a finalist in the Halberg Awards.

Here, she reflects on her annus tremendous in 2005, and talks about her hopes for the future.

Q. Firstly, what about the Halbergs?

A. I was really surprised to be nominated and then to find out I was a finalist ... I remember watching it on TV last year thinking, "Wow, it would be amazing to be there."

Q. Did you dream of this when you took on the mountains?

A. Not in a million years. I just thought I might do okay. You don't think about the implications before the race.

Q. How do we put this - it's a bit of a boutique sport here.

A. Yes, it's small - most of the mountain races are in Europe and there's not a lot going on in Australasia.

Q. Did you have to beat the best?

A. The Italian girl who won the uphill race last year was missing but as I understand it, the rest of the best were all here.

Q. What makes a good mountain runner?

A. Strength. And mentally you need to be tough. It's pretty gruelling.

Q. So - loaded question - there's some pain involved?

A. It was the most painful race I've ever done.

Q. Going up must be a lot harder than the down bit?

A. The pain started halfway up the first hill. You run flat for 400m then you're into it, and it gets steeper and steeper. You go into oxygen debt pretty soon and it's hard to get your breath back. You think the downhill will be a breather, but it's not. You've got to keep pushing and it requires skill and technique.

Your instinct is to hold back because it feels as if you are going to lose control, it is so steep. But you have to let yourself go. That's where I lost out to Melissa Moon in the New Zealand champs, so I had to do a lot of practice in that area before the worlds.

Uphill is just pain but downhill is actually more taxing on your body. It's more jarring. It was bizarre where the pain occurred, like my ribs.

Q. What have you done with the winnings. A Porsche? A world cruise?

A. Ahhhh, there's no prize money. I didn't think there would be. And I'm used to running for nothing. One of the coolest things that happened afterwards was getting free gelato ice creams for the rest of 2005 from my gelato man in Oriental Bay. It's the real Italian stuff - the best. And I got free coffee from my regular coffee place. I suppose it's back to paying for them now.

Q. So you're in it for the love, not the money?

A. Well ... I got $15,000 from Sparc, which was really nice. That's gone into my fund for track running in Europe this year. Athletics New Zealand helps a little bit. But I need to find a really big sponsor so I can be a full-time athlete and go to Europe without worrying.

Q. Apart from the gratis gelato and complimentary caffeine, what else changed?

A. Just a bit more recognition, which is what you need in a minor sport. It will make it a bit easier to get that sponsorship. Everything went crazy after the race - full-on for three weeks. The amount of media was unbelievable.

Phone call after phone call, interview after interview. TV1 and TV3 news, Sports Cafe. It's been great. Amazing.

Q. Where did athletics start for Kate McIlroy?

A. Running as a 7-year-old at my local harrier club in Hataitai and I've always loved it.

Q. Is running in the blood?

A. My dad was a pretty handy runner at school, but nothing serious.

Q. Apart from athletics ...

A. I have a university degree in commerce but I've had jobs unrelated to that. Real estate advertising and now admin in a law office - 30 hours a week in winter but only 15 hours in summer. My days are hectic - I run straight from the law office.

It works out well, though. Working gives balance - otherwise you go a bit nuts.

Q. The Commonwealth Games are near, but yet so far for you.

A. I've got two chances to qualify for the 5000m, at the New Zealand champs in Christchurch at the end of January and the Australian champs a week later in Sydney.

I'm 30 seconds short of qualifying - it's been harder than I thought. It's a big chunk to make up. I haven't had great races - I haven't felt that great or there's been no one to race. Quite frustrating.

It's a tough mark at 15m 25s. But I've got no problem with that. I'm also going to the world cross-country championships in Japan in June.

Q. Olympics - Beijing 2008?

A. That's the aim. You take each year as it comes. You never know, especially with injuries.

Q. Will you defend your title in the uphill-only mountain race in Turkey this year?

A. Not sure. I'm a stronger uphill runner so it should suit me.

Q. And your favourite memory from Mt Victoria?

A. The crowd was incredible. Running down the final chute was amazing. It was my home town which made it all the more special. I was reasonably knackered but I was able to take it in. I'll never forget that.