COL Peters reckons he was made for running up hills.
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To be more specific, he was built for Nail Can and this year he’s aiming for his ninth consecutive age-busting run.
“I missed out on so many when we were taking school kids to Melbourne for their canoeing finals and championships,” Peters said.
“But my heart’s always been with it.
“It seems to be the perfect distance and with the undulations it’s something that suits my body type — I’ve got fairly strong legs and over the years you can work out a good style and a good system.
“And I’ve followed the Tony Zerbst training program which is just go the hills — there’s no stopping, no walking.”
More than that, Peters said running Nail Can Hill was also all about experience.
“As you get older you work out all the shortcuts,” he said.
“Like the way you start — start with a group and use them to drag you along then really work the downhills as fast as you can, go easy on the first of the up-climbs and when you get the breathing right up you go.
“It’s all about experience — you keep tensing up through the race and you have to keep telling yourself to flex, really shake the fingers as you’re running and loosen up because you use an enormous amount of energy by being uptight.”
This year the race falls on Peters’ birthday, so he’s not sure if he will be allowed the extra minute to make it a round 65.
In any event, he said he was looking forward to continually pushing himself to beat his age.
“Age busters is everything,” he said.
“That’s what Nail Can does to you — you never forget it over the 12 months.
“I’m at an easy stage, 65 minutes is comfortable, but it’s when you get to 80 it really goes to the extreme and it’s something to really look forward to.
“You’re exhilarated and exhausted at the end and it’s something that really pushes you.
“And one day I really want to run it with my grandchildren.”