| First published in Masters
Athletics Monthly
www.mastersathletics.co.uk December 2004
and reproduced with their permission.
 OUT
OF AFRICA
Dave Taylor: the ‘new kid on the block’ in
masters’ athletics talks to Pete Mulholland about the past, present
and future.
NOT since the days of Nigel Gates has someone hit
the masters’ scene with such an impact as Dave Taylor has done. Two
European veterans’ titles, both with championship records, three British
M40 records, a British Masters 10km title and a ten-mile run in 49:13 at a
wind blown Portsmouth to place himself as the fourth fastest ever M40
Briton.
Taylor had what some may is the most favourable
start in life an athlete could hope to have, being born in Kenya on
January 9, 1964 where his father was employed as a forest ranger.
At the age of five the family moved to what was then
known as Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where they were to spend the next ten
years before settling in South Africa.
“Fifteen years at altitude and I didn’t do any
athletics,” Taylor admitted, “it wasn’t until I went to school as a
15-year-old that that I got involved in running.”
“I did a lot of other sports especially since both
my parents represented Kenya at hockey. My older brother went on to play
and coach hockey for South Africa also, so you can say I came from a
sporting family. I played all sports such as football and hockey and took
part in the school sports days but not specifically running”
It was, as in many instances, teachers who were
involved in athletics who enthused Taylor into the joys of running.
“My school had a history of running and even took on
athletic tours to the United States,” said Taylor, “and some of the
teachers had run in the Comrades Marathon which impressed everyone. If I
hadn’t gone to this school I may never done running seriously.”
Inspiration
“THIS was around 1979 when there was a boom in running. We heard of the
exploits of Seb Coe and Steve Ovett on the track and then there was
Alberto Salazar and Bill Rogers running fabulous marathons. Everyone was
ignited and we got caught up with the enthusiasm of it all.”
“We used to study all the athletic magazines, we
watched television and saw world records being broke and the coaches
motivated us. I used to run anything from 1500s to half marathons and got
excited as the Comrades Marathon passed by my front door. It was just
considered normal to run.”
While a young Taylor enjoyed his five-times-a-week
training schedule at Westville Boys High, Durban it wasn’t until he was an
18-year-old student at Natal University that his talent began to develop.”
“I then began to train every day with a group whose
goal was the big inter-colleges’ competition and made what I consider my
first breakthrough when finishing second in the South African under-19
2000m steeplechase championship.”
The following year saw Taylor timed at 8:19 for a
flat 3000m. “That put me up with the leading lights to rank about fifth in
the South African rankings.” Also during this period Taylor was among the
top ten cross country under-19 runners in the country.
Then came problems. “I suffered quite a lot from
injuries after that initial success,” Taylor confessed. “In fact I was
plagued with injuries really up to the age of 30.”
England beckons
AT the age of 23, Taylor arrived in England. “I wanted more out of
my running and to test myself competitively. I intended to give it about
three years and also perhaps, do some studying. However, I enjoyed it so
much I decided to stay permanently.”
Fortunately for Blackheath Harriers, Taylor’s first
place of residence on arrival in 1987 was in Bromley, Kent, a short jog
away from that club’s headquarters in Hayes and he has remained a loyal
club member since then.
“I ran everything in those days from Kent
Championships over the country to British League on the track.”
Over the next ten years the team honours came along
with remarkable frequency, with Taylor admitting, “The highlight was the
winning of the National 12-stage Relay in 1995,” a year that also saw the
club win the National Cross Country Championships for the second
successive year.
It was also in 1995 that Taylor made his British
international debut with the first of his three representations in the
World Half Marathon Championships. “By targeting half marathons I felt
this would help for future success and it appeared to pay off for other
events.”
Pay off it did as later that year honours came his
way in the European Cross Country Championships - after winning the trial
at Margate - when together with Andrew Pearson, Keith Cullen and Jon Brown
he came away with a bronze team medal. Taylor modestly admits, “But it
wasn’t down to me as I didn’t have a particularly good run.”
Marathon man
IN 1998 he was to represent England in the Commonwealth Games
marathon, gaining selection after his time of 2:12:37 in Frankfurt in his
debut over the distance, the previous October. “That was a club record
until someone named Mark Steinle came along,” Taylor jokingly said.
In those Games he had to tackle the humid conditions
of Kuala Lumpur where after leading for the first five miles and still
with the leaders up to 20 miles he had to finally settle for fourth place.
Amazingly, between those two marathons he found the
leg speed to dead-heat for first place with Rod Finch in the AAA 3000m
Indoor Championships in a time of 8:00.37.
As if to confirm his wide range of abilities, Taylor
twice placed second in the AAA 10,000m championships.
By now Taylor had moved to Streatham, south-west
London and in 2000 won the first of his four Surrey County Cross Country
Championships, but this time in the colours of Herne Hill Harriers who he
had joined as a second claim member. The last of the four victories, which
were all won at Lloyd Park, the venue for this year’s Masters
International, was just six days before attaining masters’ status. The
following month he proved first M40 in the National Cross Country
Championship when finishing tenth.
The year of his initial Surrey triumph saw him
winning the South of England Cross Country Champion to lead Blackheath to
their seventh team win for the event during the previous eight years. Yes,
Taylor was certainly enjoying club life.
Training for success
ALTHOUGH considering himself as ‘self-coached’ Taylor has always
taken advice and assistance from various sources.
“When I first arrived in England, I trained with a
group of guys at Bromley. Around about 1991 I began to train with Stan
Allen’s group at Tooting that included the likes of Mickey Boyle and Geoff
Jerwood. I have also been to the Alan Storey sessions at Kingston and gone
over to Highgate to train with Keith Cullen.”
“I certainly learned a lot from all of them but must
admit it was in 1999 when training with Keith (Cullen) that I had my best
year. That was when I set all my best times. My only disappointment was my
10,000m when just missing out on a sub-29 with a time of 29:00.04.”
Much of Taylor’s training is carried out at 90 per
cent pace, more so when he is targeting a specific race. He has a mix of
speed and strength sessions and admits to being influenced by the 5-pace
training as advocated by Frank Horwill and Peter Coe.
Lunchtime during the week finds Taylor training from
the Battersea Park track, conveniently near to where he works. “But these
are more recovery runs than anything, about two or three miles and some
stretching and strides.” he says, “and it’s good to get out of the
office.”
Other sessions are based on speed often faster than
his normal 90 per cent pace. “It might be 4 x 400m or 3 x 500m, all at
800m pace. It’s as simple as that really.”
Taylor has this year proved to be a rarity in
running in that although among the leading athletes in the country he has
competed in masters’ events. A route not often taken by those similar
placed athletes. “I run where I think there is a challenge. My aim is to
run a pb and being a veteran hasn’t changed that.”
“Much of my year is taken up with BMC (British
Milers Club) races and the endurance series which keep me in top shape.
There’s usually a pace maker, Kenyans and other top class runners such as
Chris Thompson. If you don’t want to finish last you have to get a move
on.”
To witness the benefits of these events you can look
no further that the three British M40 bests that Taylor has accomplished
this year, all of which evolved when competing in these BMC races.
Solihull in May saw his 5000m in 13:53.14 and in
July came his 3000m in 8:12.69. After his European triumphs in the 1500m
and 5000m he clocked 3:49.7 over 1500m.
Tales from Denmark
THE DECISION to compete in the European Veterans Championships was
made in respect of his usual annual plans. That is half the season
attacking best times and half going for championships.
“I didn’t know what to expect in Denmark but it
certainly proved to be something different. I thought this would be one
championship that I could do well in and spent the first half of the year
getting in top shape before tapering down. I knew there would be three
races in five days and geared my training for that. I was prepared to
either sit in or run from the front. I heard that there were some fast
guys around but I didn’t really know who I would be up against and I
wanted to be ready for any situation.”
Most of Taylor’s race plans for Denmark could be
classified as ‘off the hoof’ with much of the opposition being unknown.
“Some of them set off fast and then slowed the action and others would sit
in relying on a blistering finish.” But Taylor was unfazed as he handled
with aplomb anything thrown at him and admitted, “It was a great occasion
and I certainly enjoyed it.”
As for the World Masters in San Sebastian next
August they certainly figure in his plans and also the European Non Stadia
Championships in Portugal in May are looking appealing. “I aim to run next
track season as I have done previously to prepare for the vets world
championships. As last year, they come at the end of the season and give
me something to aim for. In Denmark I didn’t know what to expect and I was
a bit curious about it. Whereas in previous years I had say, the Southern
or the AAAs to focus on but this is something new.”
Musings on masters
TAYLOR can see why these international masters’ events are so
popular. “It’s a great social event although the athletes take the
competition seriously. And you meet a lot of people you wouldn’t see
otherwise.”
While the highest level on the masters’
international scene is attractive to Taylor, he hesitates when asked about
competing as such domestically. “I did the 10k in Portsmouth as that
fitted in with my plans to kick start my road racing season whereas I
turned down the invitation to compete in the British Masters International
over the country as it didn’t fit in.”
“I will continue to do the races that I feel will
get me in as good a shape as possible. If a veterans’ race does that, then
I will run it. I’m not sure how I will approach being a veteran in future
years but currently I aim to keep my eye on actual performances and target
a particular race to achieve it. I don’t know when it will happen but
there will be a time I will hold my hands up and admit there is no more
pbs to be had. You never know, I might sit down in March and decide that
the British vets champs are for me.”
If the opposition is there Taylor will face them.
“If, for example, Guy Amos, Mike Trees and Tommy Murray were to be among
the entries in a veterans race I might be tempted. There are some good
veterans out there and but I don’t want to go along to a race and win it
by minutes. Potentially there are some classy athletes who will soon be
veterans and I will have to watch out for them.”
For one who has been classified as a ‘breath of
fresh air’ on the masters’ scene Taylor certainly raises its profile and
will continue to do so for many a year.”
“Motivation wise, it’s doing something new each
year,” he admits and as many a master will testify there are always fresh
challenges. |
