Interview with Kurt Fearnley

By Shannon Martin

Australia’s Kurt Fearnley scored an astonishing win at the ING New York City Marathon 2006. After crashing in Brooklyn, he was not only able to get back into the race, but he also won in a course-record time of 1:29:22 and became  the first person to break 1:30 in the event.

In all that he has already accomplished at the age of 26, Fearnley has proven the power of the mind to overcome challenges.. Born with lumbosacral agenesis, in which the lower spine fails to develop properly, Fearnley was introduced to wheelchair basketball before athletics. He started competing in wheelchair races in his teens. He graduated from Charles Sturt University in Sydney with degrees in human movement and education. He currently races year round on the road and track, and also works part-time as a physical education teacher.

Fearnley competes well in a wide range of events. He has the Australian records in the 400 meters, 800 meters,1500 meters, 5000 meters, 10,000 meters, and the marathon. This year alone, he has won nine out of 10 marathons that he has competed in around  the world. His most recent win was at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon.

Fearnley has received a multitude of accolades off the track and road. He was  a Young Australian of the Year finalist (2005), the recipient of a Pierre De Coubertin Award and two Australian sports awards (Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability – 2006 and 2007), and the sole Australian nominated for a prestigious Laureus World Sports Award.

Mensracing caught up with Fearnley through e-mail. His positive attitude and great sense of humor are extremely apparent in his answers to our questions. Fearnley is incredibly excited to return to New York to defend his title.

MensRacing.com: Your most recent marathon victory was Chicago. I saw a television interview with you after your win. You mentioned that the sweltering weather was perfect—that you felt like you were at home. Are the cool conditions that usually coincide with the ING New York City Marathon hard for you to adapt to?

Kurt Fearnley: The cold is a little daunting, but I get over a week before the race and try and adjust as much as possible. Once the race has started I seem to warm up pretty quickly while climbing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

MR: You have broken numerous records and have won 10Ks and marathons around the globe. What do you consider your most cherished victories?

KF:Winning the Athens Paralympic Marathon was a massive occasion for me. It was my first major marathon victory and to win it at the birthplace of all marathons was a great moment. This year winning the 10K world road title and the 1500 meters at Osaka gave made me current world- title holder in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, 5K, 10K, and marathon. So Osaka, being the last one, was worth celebrating!!

MR: You have Australian records in the 400 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters, 5000 meters, 10,000 meters, and the marathon. How do you train for such a wide array of events?

KF: I train in cycles. I spend six months of my year on the road with masses of kilometers under my belt. Then for three to five months I hit the tracks and work on my sprints with much fewer kilometers. So for a few months of the year I'm in peak shape for the shorter distance and vice versa. However, a marathon is frequently won by inches, so it can pay off to keep the sprint training up as much as possible.

MR: You studied human movement and education in college. What are some things that you learned in your studies that fascinated you the most?

KF: I’ve learned to listen to my body and try and recognize any issues before they start to become larger problems. I also have a better understanding with regards to training smarter.

MR: Before competing in athletics, you competed in basketball. What inspired you to give athletics a go? Do you still "shoot hoops" at all?

KF: I started racing full time a few years out from the Sydney Olympics and Paralympic Games. Wheelchair racing had a 1500-meter demonstration event during the Olympics. (The top eight wheelchair racers qualified internationally). A chance to race at those games in front of a home crowd of 110,000 people was too good to pass up. So I concentrated on athletics, qualified in eighth place and finished fourth in the demo. I only really play ball when I'm teaching kids. When I get to teach, though, that is the first sport I go for, and I'm always in the game!

MR: You have won nine out of 10 marathons this year. What are some of the factors that you attribute your success to?

KF: Confidence has played a huge part. This year I have raced so many [marathons] that it has also strengthened me a lot and it has raced me into the best shape of my life.

MR: Last year at the ING New York City Marathon, you crashed after hitting a series of potholes and continued on not only to win the race, but also to break the course record. This takes a lot of tenacity. Tell us how you were able to accomplish such a feat.

KF: I'm not really sure how something like that happens. That race could have finished with a thousand different outcomes. I took a gamble to leave from the start, didn't fatigue later, fell without breaking my chair or body, was able to get up quickly, and keep a good average until the finish. I think that it was one of those days that the stars aligned and it was my day to win. I try not to ask too many questions; I'm just incredibly grateful for the outcome!!!

MR: What do you like most about competing in New York City?

KF: I love the challenging course. Also the way it feels as if you are passing through five countries when you are passing through the five boroughs. I love the lead-up week while I roll out endless kilometers around Central Park, I love it that each year I get to introduce another family member to different parts of New York. But mostly I love the moment and the day after if your able to win the race. There are a few things that I will remember forever; one will be those moments last year that I got to share with my dad when New York congratulated me for winning their marathon. The city changed for me after that day and now I just hope that I get another chance to experience the whole thing again.

MR: Do you have a specific goal in mind for this year's marathon in New York?

KF: It's hard to set specific goals for marathons. There are so many things that can unfold from your competitors to the course to the conditions. But realistically I am going to throw everything that I have in me at trying to get the win. The [ING] New York City Marathon in horse racing terms is my Melbourne Cup. (This is the Aussie equivalent of the Kentucky Derby). You can win all the races in the world for 12 months but if the certain trophy isn't in the poolroom then something seems to be missing.

MR: You have an extremely busy racing calendar and will have a break after New York. What do you plan to do with this down time?

KF: Catch up with family and friends. I have completely sacrificed the social side of my life over the past 10 months. So for three weeks I intend to chase down every friend in Aus and try and have a beer with each and every one of them!!!

MR: What's next on your racing calendar?

KF: Next will be a series we have in Sydney,Summer Down Under, in late January 2008. Other than that, I've yet to plot out my yearly plan. Being a Paralympic year, I will scale back competition to be sure to peak in September for Beijing.

MR: How does Australia select competitors for the Paralympics? What events will you compete in Beijing?

KF: You need to set qualifying times. If more then three guys set the times, you will also need to place in the top three at nationals. I'm qualified in the 400 meters, 800 meters, 1500 meters, 5000 meters, and the marathon. I'll probably compete in the 1500 and up.

MR: You've traveled the globe for racing. Have you had any time for sightseeing? If so, tell us about some of your favorite sightseeing experiences.

KF: I've been to and from New York since I was 16. So I've got to take a few family and friends through as a bit of a tour guide over the past two years. That's a bit of a ball. Other highlights include the pyramids in Egypt; driving through Tuscany, Ireland, and Scotland; traveling through and viewing the Alps of Switzerland; crawling up part of the Great Wall of China; and beaches in Portugal and Spain. (However, I'm pretty sure we have the best at home). Each trip I seem to be able to throw at least one pretty exciting thing in. When you travel a dozen times a year and the years seem to add up, all of a sudden you've got quite a few experiences to reflect on.

MR: You are a part-time teacher as well. What's most rewarding about this experience?

KF: Working with kids. They keep you honest and very grounded! Every day is completely different and as opposed to spending hours a day in my chair on my own, spending 10 months a year surrounded by kids in a classroom is a great change.

MR: What do you like to do outside of teaching and racing?

KF: I'm a bit of an Xbox junkie! Other then that, I just love to spend time with my friends and family and be as close to the beach as possible.

MR: In a recent interview, you said that you would like to compete for six more years. What do you envision yourself doing after you finish racing?

KF: Yeah, for the moment I’m committing myself to compete until the London Games in 2012. After that I will reassess and decide where to go from there. I love to be in the classroom so most likely I'll be grumpy old Mr. Fearnley, the teacher muttering about the days when he slid along the streets of Brooklyn yet was able to get up and win the biggest marathon in the world!

Interview conducted October 26, 2007, and posted October 30, 2007.