FORTY-two kilometres is a distance Zane Sparke has never run before. Not even close.
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In fact, the first time he will complete the distance will be at the New York Marathon on November 5.
After being more at home on a rugby league field than pounding the pavement, the 24-year-old has just been selected in the Indigenous Marathon Project squad to train for the marathon.
After growing up in Forster, Sparke recently moved to the Hastings and was then surprised to learn he would be one of just 12 Australian representatives.
He admitted he was daunted by the task ahead, but at the same time was looking forward to the challenge.
“The furthest I’ve run is 15 kilometres and that was just after I was selected in the squad,” he said.
The furthest I’ve run is 15 kilometres and that was just after I was selected in the squad.
- Indigenous marathon runner Zane Sparke
“Before that it was about 10 kilometres.”
His only other experience in running was at school cross country events as a teenager.
The training schedule will be hectic leading up to the marathon, but Sparke said it never included running the entire 42-kilometre distance.
Instead, the squad will gradually increase the distance they run to a total of 30 kilometres.
Every Sunday between now and November he will run 15 kilometres, followed by two kilometres on Monday, four one kilometre interval runs on Tuesday and 10-kilometres every Wednesday.
Thursday includes hill running before Friday is a well-earned day off.
Sparke said there were four training camps the squad would compete in over the next couple of months, starting in Canberra on May 24.
“We stay a week and do a 15-kay one there then the next one is the Gold Coast half-marathon which is 21 kays,” he said.
I’m looking forward to the challenge; it’s going to spur me on knowing that once I do it I will be able say I ran in the New York Marathon.
- Zane Sparke
He will also test himself at Heartbreak Hill during the City to Surf in Sydney in August as part of his preparation before a 30-kilometre run in Alice Springs completes his training.
Sparke was looking forward to the experience despite all the hard work required just to get to the start line in New York.
“It will be an amazing experience and then hopefully I can encourage other indigenous people to be active and inspire them to make those positive changes in their life,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge; it’s going to spur me on knowing that once I do it I will be able say I ran in the New York Marathon.
“I have no idea how I’m going to do it, but I guess it’s getting the kilometres in your legs and getting used to running that far.”
