Champion athlete Phil Costley used to clock up to 270kms a week in training.
Now he is just as happy running around with emerging teenage talent – his two sons Oliver and Harrison.
The Richmond brothers have made a habit of dominating their local races. Sixteen-year-old Oliver won the 10km at the Nelson Half in November, and 13-year-old Harrison took out the 5kms.
Completing a big day out, Dad helped coach the runaway half marathon victor Oska Inkster-Baynes.
“I was always encouraging cousins, nephews and nieces to follow on from myself and sister Jillian. It is awesome these guys have stepped into it and the Costley name is out there again,” declares Phil.
So just how many titles did he win in his illustrious track, road, cross country and marathon career. Thirty-one or maybe 32.
“Thirty-three actually. I did a 100km race a while ago, just to tick it off,” quips the Garin College maths teacher, who brought his family here from Christchurch in 2011.
Now 55, Phil “squeezes” runs in where he can.
“I don’t have a regimented programme so 30 or 40 minutes a day is alright,” says the former Commonwealth Games representative.
Alright!? More like amazing, considering he has had a hip replacement.
“My dad actually ended up with four of them.”
As for his sons, they are now benefitting from Phil’s decades of competitive running.
“The more experience you get, the better decisions you make. I can pass it on to the boys as they set out on their running pathways.”
Earlier this month, the brothers featured in The Spectacle festival of running.
On the opening night, Harrison anchored Team Tasman Runners which won the 10km relay by more than 10 minutes.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” says the Waimea Intermediate student.
Oliver received a late call up to compete in the Elite Mile.
“I figured I was going to be at the back of the bunch but just tried to stay with them as long as possible. I was pretty happy with four minutes and 35 seconds as the course was tougher than it probably looked,” says Oliver.
Even better was the next invitation. He got to hang out with race winner Sam Tanner and Kenyan runner-up Festus Lagat, the following day.
“They went for a longer run at Abel Tasman National Park and let me tag along. I was able to ask them about the US college programmes they went through. That would be ideal for me,” says the Year 11 Waimea College student.
Both brothers have mixed running with football for Nelson Suburbs.
“I am in the academy and play right wing or right back,” says Harrison.
Oliver enjoyed the social aspect, but rather then progress to the more rough and tumble senior grade, he’s reached the point where it is time to put the hammer down on the middle-distance running front.
Next up for him are the 1500m and 3000m at the South Island Secondary School Championships in Christchurch in March. Dad will be there in the camper- van, urging him on.
Harrison will compete closer to home at the South Island Colgate Games, for seven to 14-year-olds, at the Saxton track this month.
Look out for him in the 800m and 1500m in what will be his third Colgate’s. Phil is involved in running the games which are literally on his doorstep, 10 minutes walk from his home. Further down the track, his mission is to try and help rebuild Athletics Tasman.
“It has been knocked around over the years. It would be great to develop rivalry between Athletics Richmond and Athletics Nelson.”
