Ever-improving Rowe eyes Australian guernsey

18 February 2010

NICK BROWN

DUNKELD runner Brenton Rowe has done his chances of representing his country at the next Commonwealth Games little harm after continuing to shave seconds off his person best times.

The 22-year-old has just returned from Hobart where he raced in the Briggs Memorial Athletic Classic at the weekend, claiming a podium finish of third.

Crossing the line at the end of the 1500 metre event in 3:40.95, Rowe shaved six seconds off the time he ran in the same event 12 months ago, and in his first race of 2010.

What makes the achievements of the Dunkeld runner more impressive is the fact those running need to be invited, as the best in the nation.

“Yeah this event was high up there in some of the biggest races I’ve been in, it’s a grand prix type series where we race in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Hobart, the next biggest is the nationals,” Rowe said.

“It was a pretty big achievement to run third, last year I ran fifth or sixth and this time ran six seconds quicker. I ran 3:40 which is under where I expected to be, it was good to run a personal best in my first race of the year.”

Shaving eight seconds of his personal best since last year, and looking to knock a further five seconds off this year, doesn’t just happen as Rowe has been at a personal training camp at Charlotte’s Path.

The training camp, located near Mt Kosciusko, is designed around altitude training as most of the work Rowe does is up to 2200 metres above sea level.

“I’ve spent the past three and a half weeks training at Charlotte’s Path, which helps with altitude benefits, and since returning the affects have been noticeable,” he said.

“Up there it was just me and my coach, where all I did was run and sleep there isn’t much else to do. One day I ran up to a part of Mt Kosciusko which was 2200m above sea level.”

After a few days at home in Dunkeld, Rowe will making the journey back up to his special training destination with hopes of returning even quicker times.

Rowe has plans of taking part in a number of 800m races to get his leg speed up before the nationals.

“In a week I’ll head back up to Charlotte’s Path for another two and a half weeks and do a lot of the same stuff, they say from returning in the first and third weeks the results are more notably,” he said.

“That will be perfect, as it will be around that time that I’m competing in Sydney. So hopefully at Sydney I can run even quicker and shave more seconds of my time.”

If Rowe can continue to improve his times at the remaining grand prix races, the dream of representing Australia could soon be a reality.

“I think I can still knock a few seconds off, I know I’m in good shape and couldn’t be running much better. I’ve really improved since last year,” he said.

“The Commonwealth Games I’m a chance for, I’d say I’m an outside chance for them. I’ll just have to see.”