Interview: Craig Kirkwood (rerelease 2020)

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Throw back to our interview with 2:13 marathoner and now coach to Sam Tanner and Sam Ruthe, Craig Kirkwood.

Craig Kirkwood, runner and coach sheds light on the career of running he’s had, going through the several personal bests earned from around the world and how getting the best from his own training led to his start as a junior. He recalls earning high praise from Arthur Lydiard and his experiences competing and training in the NCAA in Oklahoma before heading off to the UK where he represented New Zealand at the 1999 World Cross Country Championships in Belfast. During his time in London, Craig developed his skill as a coach and agent organising athlete training and racing including the likes of Daniel Komen, watching their workouts and observing the level of professionalism they put in. Craig goes into stepping up to the marathon, getting selected for the Manchester Commonwealth Games before a freak injury derailed him then coming home to New Zealand. He shares his insight to the domestic scene, why New Zealand distance running sets the bar really high and his earnest approach into coaching, particularly young charges such as Sam Tanner and his philosophies around training and self belief, and closing with his thoughts on how the domestic running scene will go through the short term future and current state of the sport.