Tony Green was born in Australia and when he relocated to Sydney he started running because he hadn’t any friends to play team sports. In 20 years he has run 15 marathons with a personal best of 2:56. He is also an advocate of minimalist running, preferring to wear mostly barefoot sandals. He documents his journey through his blog and social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter.
What is your proudest running achievement?
My first sub-3-hour marathon at the Seoul Marathon 2017. It was a long-term running goal and came about after a really good block of training. I’m proud because it was a lifetime running goal and it was achieved through a lot of hard work and discipline.
What has running taught you yourself?
Running has taught me that if I push myself and remain focused and committed that I can achieve my goals. It is a lesson I use within other aspects of my life whether they be family or business goals.
What is the most ambitious running goal you’ve ever considered?
This would be attempting a sub-3- hour marathon in my first marathon. This was a number of years ago and one where I didn’t fully understand how difficult running a marathon was. I had trained well and executed a good race. I was on target at 30km before I faded and finished in 3:05. I still consider this one of my best days running and it gave me a goal to chase for a number of years.
How far in advance do you plan your running races?
I like to have an idea at the beginning of each year what major races I’ll train for. My major races are marathon or ultramarathons so I make sure I give myself 3-4 months specific training.
What is the most miles you’ve ever run in a week?
As an Australian we count kilometres instead of miles and my biggest week is about 120km (75 miles). This was during a marathon block and I ran this far when building endurance. My weekly mileage during a marathon block will usually be 90-100km (56-62 miles) with a few bigger weeks thrown in.
What is the longest period you’ve ever trained for a race?
This would be about six months. I completed triathlons for a number of years and during training for my first Ironman event I trained heavily over a six-month period.
What has been your most serious running injury?
A number of years ago I was forced to stop running for a while due to an alignment issue with my back that caused shin pain in one leg. I stopped running for about a year as I sought different medical advice that initially couldn’t successfully diagnose me. This was a frustrating period, being motivated to run but not able to get the problem fixed quickly. I’m unsure why this injury occurred but I have some back stretches I regularly do to keep my back aligned and receive massage.
What cross-training exercises do you commit to?
I should do a lot more but I have a strength and conditioning set that I try and complete twice a week. This consists of body weight exercises, core exercises and plyometric exercises. I find these beneficial for building the strength required to run long distances successfully.
What would persuade you to work with a running coach?
I’d be happy to work with an online coach if I believed I could get benefit through my running performances. I have a simple philosophy of running where I believe in three key workouts of long runs to build endurance, hills to build strength and intervals to build speed. An online coach that matches my philosophy would certainly be beneficial to help push me when I need it and rein me in when I need a rest.
What does running mean to you?
Running is both my escape from the challenges of life and the challenge that drives me hardest in my life. I get great joy from the solitude running provides me and equally the satisfaction and fulfilment from competition.
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