Driven, motivated and successful
Wine and cheese aren’t the only things that improve with age. So too does Appleby’s impressive endurance runner Paula Canning.
Even after years of training and competitions, Paula remains driven, motivated and successful.
I first saw this outstanding athlete sprinting to the finish line while competing in a Buller half marathon. Several things stood out to me. The first was Paula’s speed.
Secondly, there were no signs of discomfort or fatigue despite running in the summer’s heat for over an hour. How was it possible to run a 21km race with such speed, agility and strength?
Paula Canning, who turns 45 this year, is a humble, talented athlete who continues to remain on top of her game. Training hard is a fundamental part of Paula’s success and so is her drive.
When Paula was in her late 20s she would go for a run during her lunch break. It was a way of having a spell away from her busy hairdressing salon. Then in her early 30s after the arrival of her daughters Georgia and Brooke, Paula’s running became more consistent.
Nowadays Paula usually runs six days per week, unless tapering (reduction in running before a competition) for a race or resting afterwards. She should be extremely proud of the long list of running successes she’s achieved. Paula has broken and set many new records.
There are several events that Paula trains for including; marathons, half marathons, road races, trail races, mountain races, cross-country and most recently track races.
‘‘I’ve probably been most successful in mountain running, and love this sort of training. It probably suits me the most as I’m not a fast runner but have always been efficient or strong going uphill and quite sure-footed. Nelson lends itself for perfect training for this’’.
During the week Paula can run anywhere between 60-90km. ‘‘It just depends what I’m training for. Coach Greg Lautenslager writes my training programme for specific events so it varies every week and is never boring’’.
After running a marathon Paula will often have a short break. The longest she has ever had off running was six weeks with an injured foot.
To remain driven over a long distance run takes physical and mental stamina.
Paula explained: ’’In racing you break down the course into smaller sections of the race rather than the entire distance. Sometimes I’ll run a race and not even remember parts of it because I’m so focused on the time and pace I’m running, or working on catching the person in front’’.
‘‘Long training runs in Nelson are never really boring there are lots of great trails to go on. Often when on my own training I’ll solve all the problems of the world and not even realise I’m running. I’ve been lucky to have some fantastic training mates – we chat and completely forget we’re running, even in races I’ll chat to people along the way. However I haven’t actually run a marathon since the 2013 Gold Coast mara- thon, so I haven’t been racing long distances for a while’’.
What drives her to get up at 5am to run when it’s pouring with rain outside?
‘‘When it’s raining, blowing and cold, it sometimes is a battle, once you’re out there its fine. Nelson does have the best tracks to train on.’’
‘‘There is always somewhere to go on a bad day or hot day and something to see.’’
One of Paula’s favourite events was the Masters World Mountain Running Championships in Telfes, Stubai. She won her first world bronze medal on her 42nd birthday competing against athletes from 33 different countries. Paula had no idea she came third until she saw the results.
‘‘Standing on the start line in a world event next to top athletes from 33 different countries and running for New Zealand was a rather proud moment and the most surreal feeling.’’
Perhaps you are a beginning runner and after some tips. Here’s what Paula suggests: ‘‘Enjoy what you are doing and have goals to work towards. Don’t just go out and do massive distances, build up to them. Follow a guide or training programme. Try and do some off road runs and take rest days. Mix up your distances and types of running. Make it fun, run with other people or join a club where you can meet other people who are running’’. · Running her first marathon and surprising herself by coming 1st. Buller 2009 Marathon. Then again taking the title in 2010 and 2012. · Winning Buller half marathon in 2013 and 2014.
· Getting her first cross-country medal in 2015, a bronze, after trying for 4 years.
· 2nd place NZ Mountain Champs Senior Women 2015.
· Bronze medal in World Masters 40-44 2014, Telfes, Stubai, Austria · Bronze medal in World Masters 40-44 2015 Betsy-y-coed. Wales · Running for NZ in the World mountain running championships Italy 2014 and Wales 2015. · Printhouse Nelson Masters Sports Person of the Year 2015
· The overall masters title in NZ Mountain Champs 2016 Queenstown.
· 11th consecutive win in the Nelson half marathon 2016