Page 89 - Port Douglas Magazine 27

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STEVE MONEGHETTI

INTERVIEW by Roy Weavers

I met Steve Moneghetti back in 2011 when the Port Douglas Events Management Team, of which I was part, first invited him
to become both the ambassador of the then fledgling event and a participant to run the first ever marathon in the far north.
His enthusiasm was amazing. He made it quite clear that any excuse to come up to Port Douglas was OK by him and the
thought of running amongst the rainforest, the wildlife (especially the crocs) and a brand new event was irresistible.

e graciously allowed us to use his competitor. He reduced my training intensity it was a sleepy hollow nestled in between the
name for the main race, which not and he became my mentor, helping me with Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest
Hsurprisingly he won, and he’s been an my leadership direction and overall lifestyle. and it was hot and humid and had crocodiles
ardent supporter of what has become an eagerly His advice was significant in my reaching the everywhere. Well, I found out that wasn’t quite
anticipated annual event in the running calendar goals I had set myself. And he stayed with me true about the crocs but by that time I was
ever since. throughout my career. I owe much, if not all, of hooked. To me it became the dichotomy of
Over the ensuing years we have become great my success to him and his ability to identify my being involved in a marathon challenge in a very
friends even though we are perhaps polar abilities and direct them to attain the highest different environment to run than anywhere else
opposites. He is still super fit and I am not. He success from them. The medals and trophies I in the world and also how to make it a success. If
is still an active runner and I am not. Steve is an have been lucky enough to win are a testament I was going to help start this, I wasn’t prepared to
to his ability as much as mine. do it half-heartedly. I was delighted when I met
amazing manager as his duties as Chef de Mission
during the Commonwealth Games demonstrated the whole team and soon realised they all felt the
and I am not. The only thing I am any good at same and I believe that this year’s event will be the
running is the refreshments bar. best yet especially now that it is so closely involved
with the amazing research it is helping to do on
So when I asked him if I could interview him for
the Great Barrier Reef.
the Port Douglas Magazine he willingly agreed
providing, based on his knowledge of my previous What is your next challenge going to be?
experiences in the newspaper world, there were no I’ve been invited to help Sport Australia to get
paparazzi exposés! an action plan organised to get Australians into
I reluctantly agreed to his terms! sport again. Helping with health and wellbeing.
It’s one of those projects where you must think
When did you first realise that you wanted to
global but act local. I’m looking forward to it very
be an athlete?
much. I believe it is a challenge perfectly designed
SM – When I was 14yrs old I was invited to a
for my type of thinking.
club cross country in Ballarat. I had run at school
What are the most important things you have
and enjoyed it but during this race it was like a
learnt in life?
lightning bolt had struck. The environment of
the event, the organisation, the competition. Do your due diligence and then own your
Everything just felt right. Even though I was decision. Build a close team around yourself that
only 14 yrs old I felt like I had been running all you trust implicitly. Let them do what they are
my life. I felt that I was born to do this! meant to do without interference but always
keep talking. I fear in this age of social media
Why do you love this sport so much?
and digital communication that we are losing the
I did play team sports when I was younger but
art of conversation. I love it when I see people
when I found running I realised that the only
chatting and getting on with making sure the
person you could blame for not performing to
decisions they inevitably have to make to get
your best ability was yourself! You have to take
through life are done by sharing experiences with
ownership of yourself. You cannot blame anyone
others. Trust, awareness and support are key
else. And that fitted the way I am. What is your greatest achievement?
words in my life.
What word best describes you? I suppose it could the medals I have won but I And in conclusion, usually when I conduct an
think it is the fact that I believe I have changed
Committed – and by the way my family think interview for the magazine, I lead it to where I
the sport I love. When I started it was crazy to be
I should be! I live my life through training think it should go. Steve ‘Monas’ Moneghetti
a marathon runner. Now it’s cool! I and many of
and my commitment to whatever I take on. has an amazing charisma and ability to take you
my peers helped create that revolution. Distance
My commitment to my teaching before I was on a journey where he thinks you should be going
running went from ‘weird’ to mainstream and I
a fulltime runner made it very difficult back in and at the end of this interview I found myself
am extremely proud of having been instrumental
the early 80s to find the time to give everything agreeing with him.
and played my part in that change.
I had to my marathon running. In the end a
What a wonderful way to spend a morning,
decision had to be made and I committed myself What made you get involved in the Great
having a chat, having a laugh and learning a few
totally to my running but it was a tough time and Barrier Reef Marathon?
lessons along the way that will undoubtedly help
appearance fees weren’t like they are now! When Sam Cullen, the Event Director, rang me
make your life just a little bit more fun and in
Who was the major influence in your life? back in 2011 and invited me to help start this control.
event, I thought, Wow, I’d love to go to Port
My coach, Chris Wardlaw. He took over in 1983 Thanks Monas, a pleasure!
Douglas. I had heard of it by reputation. I knew
and I went from a solid runner to an international
PORT DOUGLAS MAGAZINE 89