Nambucca Heads runner Keith Hopkins has come out of a successful season of competitive long-distance running, taking out his age division in four of the biggest races world-wide.
Hopkins is modest about his success as a long-distance runner, but for the past three years he has consistently placed within the the winners’ circle in races across the globe.
Last year, Hopkins kicked off the season with a win at the Hill 2 Harbour half marathon (21.1km) in Newcastle. His time of 1hr 31min 12sec meant he won his age division (60-69 years) and placed 14th overall, out of more than 300 competitors.
In May, Hopkins took part in the 100th San Francisco Bay to Breakers race, a 12km run which he described as “one of the great road races”.
With a time of 49min 20sec, he placed first in his age division (60-69), defending his 2010 title from the same race.
Next stop was the Peachtree 10km road race in Atlanta, Georgia. Hopkins said the race was “the biggest 10km race in the world, with more than 63,000 starters”, and he again came home first in his age division, beating 861 other competitors. Overall, with a time of 41min 32sec, Hopkins placed 628th.
He then went on to win his age division in England’s Great North Run (13.1 miles) – taking out first place by more than five minutes with a time of 1hr 26min 27sec. Overall, Hopkins placed 424th out of 54,000 starters.
“I had a really great season, to win four major road races on three different continents,” Hopkins said.
Not only was he winning his age division, Hopkins was still finishing in the top one or one-and-a-half per cent of all runners who finish the races.
“The most satisfying thing is to still be competitive across all of the entrants, regardless of age.
“With the big road races where you’ve got in excess of 50,000 people, there’s an atmosphere and excitement.”
To keep going over the long distances, Hopkins said he focused on maintaining a rhythm and staying relaxed.
“I also tend to focus on someone 200-300m in front of me and try to keep them in sight and not let them get too far ahead. At the same time, I’m trying not to let too many people run past me.”
In the lead up to the competitive running season, Hopkins boosts his fitness with three intensive sessions a week and four ‘recovery’ sessions, with swimming providing extra cross training.
“I train seven days a week, and then from September through February I ease off a bit, do easy running, then I have a seven day program where I do different things.”
Of course, the hardest part of training was also the most critical – hill sprints.
“In road racing, there will always be hills – if you’ve done some intensive hill training, it gives you a significant advantage.”
Motivated simply by the enjoyment of running, Hopkins was philosophical about competitive running.
“You can be going along very well, and then all of a sudden you can have an injury – and as you get older that drop-off point is more significant.
“But, once I can’t run anymore, I’ll just keep swimming and surfing.”
Locals interested in forming a social running group in Nambucca Heads could contact Keith for information.
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