Pat Carroll 

         Unplugged Lee Troop
Exclusive patcarrollonline.com interview

Page 4
 

PC: Australia has a tremendous history in the Marathon with Lisa Ondieki, Rob De Castella, Derek Clayton, Steve Moneghetti and Dave Power. Is it a driving ambition of yours to be remembered amongst them? 

LT: Lets not forget yourself mate!! I seriously am not bothered whether I am remembered or not as long as I can walk away from the sport content with what I have achieved.

I am in it for myself and if I am remembered for it, it will be a bonus.

Lee Troop's Championship career

PC: Lee, first irrelevant question. You love being at one with nature, same here. Have you been doing much of that of late?

LT: No I have not. That's what happens when you settle down with a fiancee!! Do miss it though! The younger generation are way too serious!!

London Marathon race plan

PC: The London Marathon will undoubtedly have a pace runner whom will be taking the group out at 2.05 - 2.06 pace. Will you go with the lead group or run your own race? Do you have a race plan?

LT: I will go out with the main pack which will hit halfway at 63mins. The plan is to get to 30km as the race does not really start till then and feel ok.

I believe the marathon is about the guy who slows down the least that wins. If I can get to 30km, it will be trying to then get to the Tower Hotel which is at 36/37km.

If I can get to there in one piece I will then put everything that's left into one big effort and kick for home.

"Everyone of us is hurting..."

PC: The Marathon can deliver some severe blows in its closing stages. Is this something that you respect or do you prefer to take the approach that you are laughing in the face of danger?

LT: I definitely respect it. In Sydney 2000 (Olympics), I ran the last 19km with a torn rectus abdominis (Stomach Muscle) and have never been in so much pain.

The thing is, everyone of us is hurting and I believe that if all things are equal (all athletes with training/ability) and it comes down to just a pure guts/mental race at the end, then I cannot be beaten.

PC:  Mate, second irrelevant question. I wish to refer to a story you told me a while back about when you were in America on Scholarship and you were "Born Again" so to speak.

The whole works complete with being submerged in a river, etc. Can you walk us through the experience and are you practicing your faith these days?

LT: I am definitely not practising the faith, though I do believe in God. I have always stated that you should never let the truth stand in the way of a good story and

I will leave your question as you have really pumped that one up!!
 

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