Mona feels complete
The last time Steve Moneghetti
woke up and did not feel enthused about going for a run was five
years ago. It was just after the Sydney Olympic Games, where he
finished 10th in the marathon and then - supposedly - retired.
"I haven't had a day off running by choice since I was driving
back home to Ballarat a week after the Olympics, and I just
didn't feel like it," Moneghetti said. "It has become such a
part of my life now that I don't feel complete if I don't go for
a run during the day."
On all 1850 days since the Sydney Games, apart from a few short
injury breaks, the 43-year-old has laced up his joggers and hit
the road, often twice a day.
He doesn't use the same excuses as the rest of us. No time? A
few weeks ago, he was spotted by some friends in the athletics
community going for a run at 10pm because he had been too busy
during the day, flying to Sydney and back for a speaking
engagement.
Most weeks, Moneghetti, who got the bronze medal in the marathon
at the 1997 world championships, runs more than 120km, though he
points out that is half what he was running at the peak of his
training.
"I am only very, very obsessed now rather than being absolutely,
unbelievably obsessed," Moneghetti said.
This week his name popped up on the entry list for Australia's
most prestigious 10,000m track event, the Zatopek Classic, to be
run at the traditional home of distance running, Melbourne's
Olympic Park, next Thursday evening.
The Zatopek, which heralds the start of the 2005-06 domestic
athletics season, is one of two major qualifying opportunities
for the Melbourne Commonwealth Games in March. Does this mean
Moneghetti is making a comeback for a place on the team?
"There is no chance of that at all," he said. "I am definitely
not trying out for the Commonwealth Games, and even if I made
the team I wouldn't be going. I am the mayor of the village, I
am not allowed to be there."
Complete article at The Australian
You will also find an audio
interview involving
myself and Steve here.
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