<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>335982</docID> <postdate>2024-12-30 11:25:19</postdate> <headline>How teacher Andy ran fastest Aussie marathon time</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-335983" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/andy-buchanan.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="600" /></p> <caption>Andy Buchanan is Australia's fastest marathon runner. Photo: ASICS</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Murray Wenzel</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Andy Buchanan is trying to savour his marathon effort.</strong></p> <p>But in the back of his mind, the Bendigo school teacher is already wondering what his harshest critics will think of his Valencia procession when back in the classroom.</p> <p>The 33-year-old is still coming to terms with his national record, set at the start of this month.</p> <p>Buchanan's time of two hours, six minutes and 22 seconds in the year-ending Spanish slog easily beat the 2:07:31 mark set by friendly rival Brett Robinson in the same race, two years ago.</p> <p>If you do the maths that's less than three minutes per kilometre over the 42.2km distance.</p> <p>His 16th place, about four minutes behind Kenyan winner Sabastian Sawe, was the icing on the cake of what he reckons was already his best year, thanks to an 11th-hour Olympics call-up to replace the injured Robinson.</p> <p>Buchanan finished 45th in Paris, clocking 2:12:58 before going faster than any Australian before him on the traditionally speedy Valencia circuit.</p> <p>"When I got back from the Olympics, my Year 7s were like, 'Are you happy with 45th?' and I was like, 'Yeah I am actually; 45th at the Olympics, that's pretty good'," he told AAP.</p> <p>"They were a bit like, 'if you're happy with 45th ...' but they came around once we got talking about it.</p> <p>"We'll see what their reaction is next year ... they're brutally honest. See if they think I could have run a bit faster."</p> <p>Buchanan thinks he can, but doesn't want to move on just yet after doing what seemed the unthinkable just 12 months ago.</p> <p>"It's so often, 'what's next? Okay, done'," he said.</p> <p>"And I've done that so many times; you look back in a few months and go, 'that was an awesome time of my life and I didn't make the most of it'."</p> <p>Ironically, Buchanan has his students partly to thank for his history-making effort, the record now shifting twice in 24 months after Robert de Castella had held it for 36 years.</p> <p>Keen to exercise their minds as well as their bodies, the teacher brought in AFL player turned psychologist Ed Barlow.</p> <p>"Your mind is the most, I think, powerful thing," Buchanan said.</p> <p>"He spoke with them, we got along really well and I reached out and we have a great relationship now.</p> <p>"I told him I hope he knows how big of a role he played in this.</p> <p>"Because I've made some little changes but using a sports psych has been a massive one.</p> <p>"My mentality, approach and confidence have changed dramatically.</p> <p>"On race day Ed will give me a call, he mentions a few phrases and I'm like, 'Yeah, I know where I want my brain to go in this moment.'."</p> <p>Buchanan was unsponsored until an Asics representative spotted him flying to victory in this year's Gold Coast half marathon in a pair of his trusty Metaspeeds.</p> <p>Now he's qualified for next September's world athletics championships in Tokyo and has an eye on Los Angeles' 2028 Olympics.</p> <p>But he'll have company, Robinson already issuing a good-natured challenge as the expectations on Australian long-distance runners slowly rise.</p> <p>"Brett said, 'Congrats and we'll have to race each other soon'," Buchanan said.</p> <p>"Led by the women, we're making big jumps and they just lead to bigger jumps.</p> <p>"I'm a bit nervous that someone will come out and break the record, but that'd be great for the sport if it happens.</p> <p>"I finished 45th in Paris, so a top 10 seems a long way away but I've run a lot faster now and hopefully one day that's the standard and expectation of Australian marathoners."</p> </body>