Cross Country: Kane Elms' discipline ideal ingredient to middle distance future

Hawke's Bay cross country runner Kane Elms training at the Hawke's Bay Regional Sports Park in the build-up to the Oceania Champs in Australia. Photo / Warren Buckland

Top marks for discipline go to Hawke's Bay cross country runner Kane Elms.

It must be tough for the 18-year-old Havelock North High School Year 13 student who spends 10 hours each week making gourmet burgers at Burger Fuel in Hastings to abstain form eating too many of the finished products.

"I mainly eat the vegetarian burgers but have the occasional chicken one," Elms said.

He's obviously got the balance right. Elms, who is coached by Hawke's Bay's two-time New Zealand Commonwealth Games representative Richard Potts, finished third in the under-20 men's 8km race at the recent New Zealand championships in Wellington. He recorded a time of 30m28s while Canterbury's Christopher Dryden won in 29m32s.

"It was the highlight of my running career," Elms recalled.

The performance earnt Elms a berth in the New Zealand Secondary Schools team of 10 males and 10 females to compete at the Oceania Cross Country Championships in Brisbane from August 23 to 28. Elms has yet to be notified about the size of the field he will be in for his 8km event but indications suggest it could be up to 80.

"A top-10 finish would be awesome. The day after my individual race I will have a relay event where each of us will have 2km legs," Elms explained.

The Aussie trip will be the start of a busy period for the Hastings Harrier Club member who ranks the 3000 metres on the track as his preferred event. On September 2 he will tackle the New Zealand Road Championships in Cambridge as a Hawke's Bay-Gisborne under-20 rep, on October 25 he will represent his school at the Lydiard Cup athletics meet in Hastings, on November 30 he will start in the 3000 metres at the New Zealand Secondary Schools athletics championships in Dunedin and his final outing in school colours is expected to be the North Island Secondary School relays in Whanganui on a date to be confirmed.

Elms hopes some top displays in these events will enhance his chances of securing an athletics scholarship in the United States, a key step towards his long-term goal of representing New Zealand at the 2024 Olympic Games in either the 1500m or 5000m.

"I want to follow a similar path to Nick Willis," Elms said referring to his hero and the only Kiwi to be a two-time Olympic medallist in the 1500 metres.

His performances this year suggest he shouldn't have any trouble scoring a scholarship if he continues to put in the hard work under Potts' direction. At the New Zealand Secondary Schools Cross Country Championships he finished ninth in a senior field of 182, he won the East Coast North Island Secondary Schools Cross Country senior title by 23 seconds, he won the under-19 title in the Hastings Steeplechase, finished fourth in the senior 3000m at the North Island Secondary Schools Athletic Championships and he completed the senior 1500m-3000m double at the East Coast North Island Secondary School Athletic Championships.

During the winter Elms can clock up to 90kms each week in training and, in the summer when there is more emphasis on speed work, he can still clock up 75kms each week. He was full of praise for the coaching he receives from Potts.

"Richard has extended and tuned my endurance, flexibility, nutrition and speed for success, an invaluable and committed coach."

Elms first had a passion for running as an 8-year-old when he won his year group's cross country title at Haumoana School. He decided to get serious after finishing third in the 3km road run when he was a student at Hastings Intermediate School.

"I liked the feel of it," Elms recalled.

After completing his Year 9-12 studies at St John's College Elms opted to do his Year 13 studies at Havelock North High School.

"Richard [Potts] coaches a group of us there and the academics suited me too," Elms said.

The Hastings Athletic Club member is aiming to record a time under 3m43s for the 1500 and a time under 14m20s during the next 18 months. Within the next four years he is aiming for times under 3m38s and 13m40s for these respective events.

In his introduction to potential sponsors Elms has stated he wants to inspire other young people that anything is achievable with self belief and the right mindset.

There's a pretty good chance Elms will in time become a role model for young athletes as Potts is for him and other members of the Havelock North High School athletics team.