Buchanan’s focus shifts to the hills

BENDIGO’S gun athlete Andy Buchanan will start a new year with sights fixed on plenty of hill running.

The 31-year-old marked his final track race of the year by being eighth in the Zatopek 10,000-metre classic at South Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium in mid-December.

Seventh in the marathon at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Buchanan is aiming to qualify for next year’s world cross-country championships to be raced on the hills at Bathurst.

A key part of preparation will be a training camp at Falls Creek in the first few weeks of 2023.

“A goal is the world cross-country trials on January 15 at Mount Stromlo in Canberra,” said Buchanan.

“Top three at the trials are guaranteed a place in the team for the worlds on February 18 in Bathurst,” he said of his pursuit to earn a place in the six-runner line-up.

A dual national 10-kilometre cross-country champion, Buchanan said Falls Creek was an ideal set-up to prepare for the undulating climbs.

“Training at altitude is not easy, but it’s the team camp environment I really look forward to,” he said of being part of a group of about 10 which has links to Athletics Bendigo clubs and Bendigo Bats cross-country squad.

Although he would have liked to have finished higher in the standings of the Zatopek 10, Buchanan was not bitterly disappointed with his run.

“After the marathon I was sure I would not do another track race for the year,” he said.

“The Zatopek 10 was never a major priority, but it’s a race steeped in history and a big part of Australia’s track running scene.

“To race it again was a great challenge.”

After a slow pace across the opening five-kilometre the tempo went up considerably when Olympian and reigning Zatopek 10 champion Jack Rayner took charge.

As Rayner surged clear, Buchanan kept fighting on to finish the race in 29:18 and claim eighth place.

Bats’ team-mate Nathan Stoate was 15th in 29:34 as another of the Bats’ young guns Archie Reid from Echuca worked hard against some of the country’s best but did not complete the full distance in his second Zatopek 10 start.

“It was a tough race for all of us, but a great experience,” Buchanan said. “When you are in the second half of the field you are often running by yourself, and that’s incredibly difficult.

“Nathan is new to racing at this level and improved dramatically in a year, and Archie is only 21 and has a lot of racing years ahead of him.”

Earlier in the night the Buchanan-coached Tullie Rowe ran sub 10-minutes for the first time as she completed the Ondieki 3000-metre challenge for under-20s in 9:54 to be ninth.

It was another superb result in a year where Buchanan-coached athletes have been to the fore on the road, track or hills.

Among the runners to watch in 2023 and beyond will be Avery McDermid who struck silver in the under-15 1500 metres at the Australian All Schools field and track titles in Adelaide.

“Avery has shown big improvement in the past year and put in a lot of work to earn these results,” Buchanan said.

“He trains with a few high-achieving juniors who are a few years older that are also an inspiration.”

A goal for McDermid in the new year will be the state and national field and track championships.