To the casual athletics fan, the men and women who make up both On ZÁTOPEK:10 races this Saturday night may seem like a group of athletically talented individuals who need only to show up on race night and do their thing, looking spectacular in the process.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Well, except for the athletically talented part – that fact is undeniable.
What isn’t immediately apparent is the hard work, dedication, diligence and sacrifice every athlete demonstrates to get their body into the condition required to compete in the prestigious 10,000m race.
Two Victorians keen to show the fruits of their labour on December 14 are putting the final touches on their ZÁTOPEK:10 preparation with only days remaining until the ‘big dance’.
Frankston’s Sarah Klein is excited to take her place, admitting a body free of ‘niggles’ is not the norm for her at this time of year.
‘I think I was injured last year,’ she muses. ‘I’m normally not recovered from running the marathons at this time of year.’ Despite an incredibly successful marathon season in 2024 (4th in Milan, 5th at the Gold Coast, and most recently 2nd to Genevieve Gregson in the Melbourne Marathon), Sarah is raring to go for On Track Nights.
‘It’s no fun standing on the sidelines,’ Sarah laughs. ‘There’s definitely a feeling of “FOMO” when you’re watching and I love what Athletics Victoria and On are doing for this event.’
Bendigo athlete Matt Buckell agrees.
‘I attended last year’s Zatopek, and was blown away by the atmosphere,’ he enthuses. ‘With thousands of people at the track cheering the runners on, I thought to myself that I would love to be a part of that. I told myself I would run it this year.’
With that promise to himself firm in his mind, 12 months of hard work began for Matt, his sights set on December 14 at Lakeside.
‘I never had the qualifying time before, so this is the first year,’ he explains. ‘But I have managed to get three 10km runs this season all in sub 29 minutes 45 seconds.’
That focus and dedication have brought huge rewards, culminating (so far) in an outstanding State Championship win in the On 5,000m Championships at Lakeside on November 28, removing 30 seconds from his previous best.
Matt has made several sacrifice this year, including taking time away from work, friends, and family, to work on his fitness at Falls Creek.
‘I’m very lucky to have Andy Buchanan and two other passionate runners as my bosses at Verve Running in Bendigo,’ says Matt. His bosses (one of whom is Andy Buchanan, the pride of Bendigo Athletics, and the current Australian marathon record holder, after a recent, stunning performance in Valencia) have been generous, giving Matt the time to prepare for his biggest running challenge yet.
‘I’m currently at Falls Creek doing some altitude training, which allows me to focus purely on running, gym and recovery,’ Matt says.
Sarah is fortunate to have some excellent running trails on her doorstep.
‘I’m Head of Campus at Caulfield Grammar (Yarra Junction Campus) currently and have some beautiful places to run in the area. It comes with its challenges, balancing work with training and I do a lot of running solo, but it’s important to me to have both athletic and professional goals and Caulfield has allowed me to pursue both,’ she says.
Sarah’s long-time coach, Peter Schuwalow, has been a source of guidance and support for 20 years.
‘He knows me so well…it’s hard to pinpoint where his impact is because he’s a regular fixture. He doesn’t just coach an athlete, he coaches whole people, which absolutely helps me to get the best out of myself.’
Like Matt, Sarah has a blistering performance from the 5,000m Championships under her belt to help prepare for ZÁTOPEK:10, running second in a time of 16 minutes 15 seconds.
‘I felt better in that race than the Vic Milers 2 weeks earlier, so I hope that trend continues into Zatopek,’ she explains. ‘I’ve always got to work on my kick though. I’ve enjoyed being on the track…after 3 marathons in 2024, I’m enjoying a change up in my training. I’m hoping to run PBs across a couple of distances throughout this season.’
Athletics Victoria’s running guru, Tim Crosbie, has been impressed with Matt’s recent progression, and Sarah’s versatility from 5,000m to marathons:
‘Matt Buckell has been on the verge of breaking through in recent months with a number of very strong performances,’ he says. ‘We saw (at 5,000m Championships) just what he is capable of against quality opposition and he has proven that he’s now a legitimate contender at the top level.’
As to Sarah:
‘Sarah is the epitome of perseverance and versatility. From track to road to trails, Sarah has reached high levels across all disciplines, over a sustained period of time. She continues to be an asset to any event she participates in.’
With the hard work done, all that is left is to cheer on these two dedicated athletes taking part in a fantastic night of racing.