"We worked out Eric spent close to $20,000 last year chasing qualifying races around the globe. During the coming four years it will be no different ... Eric will have to travel to Australia, the United States and Europe and will have to spend five months of the year away from work. While the big names in athletics can command million dollar sponsorship contracts, appearance fees and funding most athletes jusrt below the top level are largely self funded amateurs. The financial reality for Eric is that it will cost him significantly more than he will make as he tries to edge up the world rankings," Maclaren explained.
"There is a lot of funding out there for younger athletes but not much for the 18-23 age group which Eric isn't long out of. That age group can be a sporting graveyard because of the huge drop off rate but we believe Eric can keep getting better during his 20s and early 30s. We want to help him be the best he can be," Maclaren, who has been Hawke's Bay-based for the last 20 years, said.
Speakman, 26, is eyeing a spot in the 1500 metres at the Tokyo Olympics. He has a personal best time of 3m37.44s which was a tick of a second outside the Olympic A standard last year.
New Zealand's 39th sub 4 minute miler with a time of 3m57.30s recorded early last year, Speakman, will need to record a 1500 metre qualifying time of 3m36.0s to qualify for this year's World Champs in London and next year's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
This month the Heinz-Wattie's Kitchen Prep worker has been focusing on strength training. Part of this involved tackling a 5000 metre race in Auckland on Sunday. He was the best of the Kiwis with a fifth placing and his time of 13m55.38s was 33s faster than his previous PB.
On March 8 the Taradale High School product will pace a 1500m race in Auckland which is aimed at getting some runners past the 3m45s mark.
"We're aiming to produce the fastest New Zealand race for a while. This will be my first taste of fast stuff for the year," Speakman said.
On March 11 he will start in a 1200m road race in Cambridge which is being staged as part of a Cycling Fesitval. During the March 17-19 nationals in Hamilton Speakman will start in the 1500 and may also tackle the 5000 and one of the relays.
Later in March Speakman will head to the United States for altitude training with top Kiwi 1500m runner Nick Willis and his American coach Ron Warhurst. Speakman's regular coach is Willis' brother Steve Willis but when Speakman is in the States coach Willis is happy to hand over the mentoring reins to Warhurst.
By May Speakman hopes to have qualified for the July World Champs. He was naturally delighted with Maclaren's supporters club idea.
"When I'm overseas I can't make money apart from the prizemoney I earn. Hopefully it will generate enough funds so I can reduce the amount of hours I need to work so I can train more," Speakman said.
"During my travels last year I did a lot of stuff on the cheap and it got to the point where this inhibited my training. People just see the results I recorded last year ... what they didn't see was the sacrifices I made. With a bit more money I can use a rental car longer instead of buses, I can get physio treatment when I need it and I can get the same sort of chiropractic treatment I get at home," he added.
