Alistair Cragg: Hoping For A Breakthrough Year
January 21, 2005
PJ Browne

Alistair Cragg was hugely disappointed after his performance in the 5,000m Olympic Final. He was somewhat disillusioned, but more than anything else, he was frustrated. “It was my biggest day but not my best day,” he says. “I felt like I had no control because I had no idea how the race was going to be run. It was a guessing game. I’m proud to have been in the same race as the great runners, but I wish it turned out better. I won’t throw anything away that I learned. I just had a bad race on the wrong day. It was a good wake up call.”

The erratic pace forced Cragg out of his race plan, and ultimately he found that his training wasn’t developed enough to adjust to a slow pace with dramatic surging. “I hung back,” he remembers, “ and when I tried to respond to the big moves my legs were dead. I couldn’t put it together. The long season caught up to me.” The 24 year old was criticised for over racing on the European circuit in the lead in to the Games. “It was part of the plan,” he says. “I jumped in at the deep end soon after the collegiate season. I had to find out how I measured up against these guys.”

No matter what the year or track season, a runner is, in a sense, always in training for the Olympics. The Olympic vision might be naive given the prevalence of the drug cheats, but for Cragg, the concept of sport for the sake of sport is ingrained:  “In track and field you are defined by the Olympic games. It’s a long way to go, a lot of preparation, not to leave it all out there. I want nothing more than to race at my best on the biggest day of all.”

In the meantime, there are more immediate goals in mind. He has not competed since the Olympic final, and in early November he had his hernia taken care of. It wasn’t essential surgery but there is no more lingering discomfort. For the first time in several years he did not have to face the weekly grind of collegiate competition. He alternated 40 and 70 mile weeks of easy sub training pace. This month (December) he began serious training upping the mileage to 90 per week.

“For me, 2005 is a big year, hopefully a breakthrough year,” he says. “All going well, I will run in the European Indoor Championships, the World Cross Country, and of course the World Championships in the Summer. The plan is to keep the mileage at 90 a week, building strength.”

“ There will be speed-work but I want to train through the indoor season which should get me in really good shape for the World Cross.” He will not over race and he may slow the tempo of his training runs. “I have to do everything I can to avoid injury,” he explains. “In college I could carry an injury and get away with it. Not anymore.”

He is keen to race in the Millrose Games, specifically the Wanamaker Mile. “Three thousand metres is my specialty indoors but I am intrigued by the Millrose mile and would like to add my name to the list of Irish champions. I have never run in Madison Square Garden, but I have watched several times on TV and I am excited by the prospect of going there.” The last Irishman to win the Millrose Mile was Mark Carroll in 2000. Niall Bruton, another Arkansas graduate, had 2 victories in 1994 and 1996.

“ I love indoor racing,” says Cragg. “It’s so different than outdoor competition. You can see all the athletes, and it usually comes down to a kick-finish or a longer wind up. I think it’s exciting for the fans who are right on top of you.” He will run in the Boston Classic and the Tyson Invitational over his home track in Fayateville. These races will determine whether or not he appears in New York.

It’s no secret that Cragg cannot cope with too many races and he will plan his season with this in mind. “I will pick and choose on the European circuit. For sure there are high profile glamour meets that are very attractive, but I’m not gonna chase money. That’s hurt the careers of many talented athletes. Besides, Coach (McDonnell) won’t allow it, and I have total confidence in his decision making.”

Cragg has endured shattering personal experiences – the sudden death of a brother, the antipathy and displacement that forced the family to leave South Africa and live in Britain. The Olympic Games allowed Cragg to spend a lot of time with his family who travelled toAthens.

 He has become more self-assured and his personal life is stable, perhaps even a bit predictable. This is a welcome change and he is taking additional courses at the University and looking to buy property and real estate in the Fayateville area. “When I have all these things sorted, my family can come and visit me whenever they feel like it,” he explains. “I feel at home in the Fayateville area and if things work out this will be my permanent base. I have excellent training facilities and running mates. The medical back up is there too so it’s a good situation for me.”

Cragg’s perspective on the complexity of life has been shaped by family bereavement and disappointment. He was coached by his dad as a youngster and represented South Africa. More often than not, he was overlooked because of politics. He is acutely aware of the drug cheaters in his sport and understands that there is no immediate solution, if, indeed, there is any at all.

 “I have no time for the cheaters,” he says. “After what I went through in the past few years, I can’t understand why any person or athlete would take something that could have huge health consequences down the line. I reckon certain athletes get lost in the whole scenario and forget why they started running. There are so many small victories to be gained in this sport, like self-improvement, getting the best out of what you’ve been given. Surely that ought to be enough.

“The Olympic experience was a humbling one. My parents told me to be thankful for what I have achieved and I see their point. But I think I can win at the highest level, and there’s no comfort just making finals. Maybe as I get older that will change. For sure it won’t change until I have given it my all. I’ll only be content when I give it my very best on the day regardless of the result. I can deal with that. Having said that, I am keen to run a few good races to put the Olympic disappointment behind me. ”

“ Running will always be a sport to me. Making a living from it is a bonus. I reckon I will always be running to some degree. My dad still jogs and I hope that I never lose the joy of that simplicity.  It’s a simple sport, really, isn’t it?. You put one foot in front of the other.” It may be a simple activity, but it’s not easily done at the elite level.

Irish track fans may see Cragg compete in Ireland in 2005. “All going well,” he says, “ I hope to compete in the Cork City sports. Last year I was a spectator and I know about the tradition and the Irish and international stars who competed there.  I haven’t run a whole lot in Ireland but the response from fans, athletes and officials has been brilliant. So, yes, one of my ambitions is to run a big race in Ireland, and maybe I can do something about that in Cork.”

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