Moneghetti pulls the trigger on Pichi Richi Marathon and shares insight into his career

Moneghetti, who won gold at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, is ambassador for the northern event for the first time and relished his experiences in the area.

He called into Port Pirie on Friday, June 24, on his way to Port Augusta to meet locals including Bill Fletcher, of Bill's Gardening Maintenance Service, who staged a mock race start with the visitor as well as offered to cut his lawns.

Moneghetti, of Ballarat, Victoria, was interested to know what Port Pirie was famous for. Cheeseburgers, came the reply.

He shared some thoughts about the "mind games" of marathon running.

"There is a lot happening in the race. The time goes really quickly," he said.

"We are sort of sprinting for two hours at 20kmh.

"You are concentrating on breathing, how you legs are, where the other runners are in the back and where the next drink station is.

"You are sort of playing mind games.

"You become fatigued in the last seven or eight kilometres. You prepare your body to get through the pain and exhaustion that you are feeling."

He said running a marathon was something anyone could do - with the right training.

"You can go to the gym and do weights or jump in the pool and do laps, but none of that will help you," he said.

"You just have to put one foot in front of the other for a long time ... then you get your medal and you go home.

"My Dad was a rubbish truck driver in Ballarat and Mum raised us kids. There was no running ability in my family.

"I am one out of the box, but my parents always supported me."

He still runs about 80 kilometres weekly, but that is down from the 200 kilometres weekly that he covered when he was travelling the world as a runner.

Moneghetti said he was thrilled to be involved in the 40^th anniversary of the marathon.

He said few marathons had such a history on the same course.

He will take part in the half-marathon starting midway between Port Augusta and Quorn.

When the marathon itself kicks off at Port Augusta, Moneghetti will fire the starter's gun for the competitors heading to Quorn.

He was accompanied on his trip to Port Augusta by Michael Slagter, of Adelaide, who is a five-time winner of the marathon and was to take part in his 24^th event.