Kerryn McCann was best known as a marathoner – but she was one of Australia’s best all-round distance runners.

As Len Johnson states in ‘Australian Marathon Stars’ – “She didn’t have a mean bone in her body, but she was a fierce competitor who didn’t like to lose.”

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She was best known for winning the marathon at the 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Kerryn McCann 2006 Commonwealth Gold

Profile

  • Coach: Chris Wardlaw
  • Date of birth: 2 May 1967, passed Dec 7 2008.
  • Personal best: 2:25:59, London, 2000
  • Career Highlights: Commonwealth Games Gold medals in 2002 and 2006
Melbourne, AUSTRALIA: Australian Kerryn McCann (L) reacts after crossing the finish line ahead of Kenyan Hellen Cherono Koskei in the women’s marathon finals during the Commonwealth Games 2006 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)

In January 2002, during a training camp in Falls Creek, Kerryn was interviewed by Neil Macdonald, who managed the Geelong Region Cross Country team from 2000-2007.

The below training schedule is courtesy of Neil Macdonald.

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A ‘Normal’ Training Week for Kerryn McCann (basing training)

  • Monday: AM: 16 km. easy.
  • Tuesday:
    • AM: Fartlek Session. 16 km. total.
    • PM: 8 km. easy
  • Wednesday:
    • AM: 25 km. easy.
    • PM: 8 km. easy + exercises.
  • Thursday:
    • AM: “Quarters” 8 x 400 metres with 200 metre “float‟. 16 km. total.
    • PM: 8 km. easy.
  • Friday: AM: 16 km. easy + exercises.
  • Saturday
    • AM: 16 km. strong tempo run.
    • PM: 8 km. easy.
  • Sunday:
    • AM: 35 km. easy.
    • PM: 8 km. easy.

Total – 180 km. per week.

Kerryn McCann

Two Week Taper before a Marathon

 

  • Sunday:
    • AM: 2 hours easy.
    • PM: 35 mins easy.
  • Monday: AM: 60 mins easy.
  • Tuesday:
    • AM: 20 mins warm-up / Fartlek / 20 mins warm- down.
    • PM: 35 mins easy.
  • Wednesday: AM: 80 mins easy.
  • Thursday:
    • AM: 20 mins warm-up / 6 x 400 metres / 20 mins warm-down.
    • PM: 35 mins easy.

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  • Friday: AM: 50 mins easy.
  • Saturday:
    • AM: 20 mins warm-up / 15 – 20 mins “effort‟ / 20 mins warm-down.
    • PM: 35 mins easy.
  • Sunday:
    • AM: 80 mins easy.
    • PM: 35 mins easy.
  • Monday: AM: 50 mins easy.
  • Tuesday:
    • AM: 20 mins warm-up / Fartlek – 2 x 90 sec, 2 x 60 sec, 2 x 30 sec, 2 x 15 sec / 20 mins warm-down.
    • PM: 25 mins easy.
  • Wednesday: AM: 60 mins easy.
  • Thursday:
    • AM: 20 mins warm-up / 6 x strides / 20 mins warm-down.
    • PM: 25 mins easy.
  • Friday: AM: 30 mins easy.
  • Saturday: AM: 30 mins easy.
  • Sunday: MARATHON
MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM: Australians (from L) Krishna Stanton, Kerryn McCann and Jackie Gallagher pose after the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games women’s marathon 28 July 2002. McCann won the gold medal ahead of Stanton and Gallagher. AFP PHOTO DAMIEN MEYER (Photo credit should read DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images)
  • Favourite Training Session: “Saturday’s strong tempo run.”
  • Other Training / Recovery Sessions: Massage / twice weekly exercises.
  • Best Ever Performances (as at January 2002): “2000 Tokyo Half Marathon (Australian Record 67.48 – 3rd place), 11th in the Sydney Olympic Marathon, 3rd in the 2001 Chicago Marathon and in 2000 running 15.08 to break the Australian 5000 metre Record.”
  • Favourite Place to Train: Falls Creek.
  • Toughest Ever Training Session: “Running up Mount Bogong in 1996. The whole session took 3 hours.”
  • Most Admired Runner / Person: Steve Moneghetti, Catherine Ndereba.
  • Advice to Other Runners: “Be patient, don’t overdo the training, and enjoy the sport.”
  • Interesting PB: “I have run 15.26 on grass for my Thursday ‘Quarters’ session.”