Athletics: Phil Costley Q&A

Phil Costley moments after claiming victory in last year's Auckland Marathon. Jeff Brass / Getty Images

Phil Costley is the ultimate fun runner who celebrates victory by doing aeroplane impressions across the finish line, and gets more of a kick running in Greymouth than Greater Manchester.

He even does the wobbly wingspan routine in training, and judging by his telephone voice message, the zany behaviour doesn't stop there.

Try this for size. Before winning his first New Zealand cross-country title, Costley calmed the nerves by addressing his opponents on the start line, welcoming them to Hawkes Bay and apologising that the weather wasn't up to its usual brilliant standards.

Costley, who hailed from the backblocks of the province, just loves to run and in almost any type of race over any distance.

The 36-year-old mathematics teacher at St Andrews, a private co-ed school in Christchurch, became the King of Country last weekend.

He won a record fifth consecutive national cross-country title at Stratford, his sixth victory overall and 29th national athletics title.

Costley hasn't actually located a trophy for the cross-country race, which dates back to 1903. But its roll of honour is a borderline Who's Who of running - Billy Savidan, Peter Snell, Murray Halberg, Rod Dixon, Bill Baillie, Dick Tayler and plenty more.

Topping that lot isn't bad work for a chap whose best in the national secondary schools champs was 35th, and who - to his lasting frustration - could not win the Napier Boys High School title. Not officially, that is.

Your sister Jillian was also a top athlete. Running genes, perhaps?

We grew up on a farm outside Wairoa and were an outdoor family. Dad would say, "Have you been outside yet today?" He didn't want us kids sitting around on the couch. With five older sisters, I had more reason than most to go outside anyway. Nowadays Dad doesn't get around as well as he used to, and Jill says to him, "Have you been outside today." It's a family joke.

And so, to boarding at NBHS.

I only really got into running in my last year, 1987, but to this day I regret that I never won my school's cross-country. Got second a few times. The only time I managed to win it was when I went back there as a teacher.

Excuse me Phil - you used your career to claim the school running title?

I won it five times. They had good runners during that time, including Jason Stewart who ran the 800m at the last Olympics. The most nervous I've been was on the start line against him. I thought, "If I don't win this I'll never live it down."

Hope you didn't put your name on the trophy.

No, but I thought about hijacking it. I was quite envious, watching guys go up to receive a trophy I never managed to get my name on.

Let it go Phil ... what's the secret to your running success as an adult?

Perseverance. I started training with the national cross-country champion, Richard Potts, in Hastings. He was something special to me. And then I thought, if I'm doing the same training, and he's winning, why can't I?

And yet, retirement loomed early.

I ran like a donkey at the 1995 world champs and people were bashing me for it. But hey, I'd paid my own way there. I retired but just had to go for another run, so came out of retirement after five days. I decided that I wouldn't let anyone stop me enjoying what I love doing. Hence the aeroplane stuff. I never get grumpy about losing, the way some people do. I know people in athletics have trouble understanding the way I am. But running is not the be-all and end-all to me. I'm happy having another job. I'm different from the other top runners who want to prove themselves internationally. I still love breaking records and winning in New Zealand.

And it's been a decent old comeback. What started the cross-country reign?

It was the 1997 champs in Hastings. I remember telling a guy I was running with two months earlier that while I'd already finished second and third, I didn't have the ability to win it. I thought Richard Potts - my Hastings clubmate - was the favourite, so I planned to start out fast, show the singlet, stir up local support, and let the crowd help carry him to the title. But no one chased me. I won by accident.

A great moment on home territory. What is your career highlight?

At my last world champs in Switzerland, 2003, I ran the short and long course, with just a day in between. I had to talk my way into the short course team and was supposed to be the non-scoring runner, but was the first Kiwi in 30th, the best ever for a Kiwi man. I finished 32nd on the long course, and my combined finish is in the world top 10. But really, I still get such a buzz running locally, like in Greymouth ...

Hang on Phil. Greymouth? Are you sure?

I ran there before the Commonwealth Games in Manchester and people really appreciate things like that. It's there where you find out what backing you have when you go to the Games.

What of Manchester, and Kuala Lumpur before that?

I didn't go well. But there's something [not good] about them ... you envisage London or New York with 50,000 at the start line, but you look around at the Games and find there are 30 runners, and about half a dozen people standing on the sidewalk watching. "Is this it?" you think.

Sounds like a major letdown.

I thrive on a bit of hoopla, but there was no atmosphere. In KL, it was so hot we had to head to the start at 5am, and you can't expect people to turn up then. Then we had to run up a motorway where there was nowhere for anyone to stand anyway.

You return to the world mountain race in Turkey next month and you're keen on winning national title number 30. No signs of slowing down?

I don't know what other people do after they finish work. I could never watch TV. You've got to go and do something physical ... go for a run. I don't know what else I'd do when the bell goes at 3 o'clock, apart from putting on the running shoes and getting out there.