Clint Perrett – Back Down Under!
Clint has been part of the distance running scene for over a decade. In that time he’s gone from the track to the road, finally settling on being a marathoner. With a half PB of 1:03:41 and a marathon time of 2:17:28 under his belt, Clint is a well-respected road runner. Now back in Australia after living in Europe for several years, no doubt we’ll see him once again competing in the Australian circuit!
What is your favorite race distance? 100m sprint, however I am not quick enough for it, so I would have to say the 1500m (which I am also not quick enough for, but have always loved!)
What’s your most memorable race? Probably my first World Cross. It was a full on sprint from the gun, and it never settled! It was like being in the middle of the pack of the City to Surf for the whole time, with people flying past you and you going past others. The difference between 10 or so places was separated by a mere couple of seconds.
Which Aussie event do you most enjoy running in? I love running the Launceston 10. Almost always it’s a fast race, the atmosphere has a relaxed Tassie vibe to it and the elites are well looked after.
What does a week look like during your build phase?
Normally in the midst of marathon training I would be at about 160km per week (doubling everyday except Sunday). I found this is all I can manage while balancing full time work, recovery and normal everyday life. When I am on a training camp I would jack that up to closer to 200km, as there is always time for recovery.
However at the moment I am mixing cycling and running to allow me to deal with injury issues, as well as time spent in the gym to strengthen up my weaknesses.
How do you approach race day nutrition? As normal as possible with no big changes, lots of hydration, and no food that is overly spicy, heavy or what may sit poorly in the gut. Prior to the marathon I have tried Carbo loading (super intake of Carbo rich foods) 4 or so days before to race day. But I am still yet to nail it and get the desired effects during the race.
You’ve traveled the world extensively, so where do you most enjoy training? Most obviously Melbourne, Australia. That is one reason why I am back. I specifically love doing sessions on the famous ‘Tan’ at Yarra flats, as well as the beach trails near where I grew up in the Bayside area. In terms of abroad, the next best for me would be St Moritz, Switzerland. It’s a runner’s heaven. I have also found great running areas in parts of Holland, beachside along the Cote d’Azur in France and the Black Forest in Germany.
What is your plan for 2014? Nothing solid yet, but I will dabble in a few little races to get back into the racing mode and may even consider a few Duathlons (Run, Bike, Run) to be a bit kinder on my body. The main focus is to maintain my fitness so I have the option to race again when I am ready. But after relocating back to Oz after almost 4 years of living in Switzerland, I have just started a new job, and am still finding my feet again with life in Melbourne.
What advice do you have for a first time marathoner? There are no shortcuts. If you haven’t done at least 30km in a training run prior to the race, you are probably going to have a pretty tough day out there. Ensure you have a race plan and stick to it, especially in the first 30km, because a lot can unravel in the final 10km that could mean you go from having a great day to a bad one in a short period of time. Finally, enjoy the build up and the festival of race day. That is the best thing about marathon running…well that and the fact that you get a few easy weeks afterwards (which you will need) to recover.