What’s Happening?

Let’s start with a whistle stop run through of the evening and what is at stake. The races are two-fold, the European 10,000m Cup and the British Championships / Olympic Trials. There are individual and team medals up for grabs in the European Cup and, whilst there is plenty of interest in this, I have focused on the domestic competition to avoid presenting you with an essay of an article. 

The first two Brits across the line, if they have the Olympic qualifier (31:25.00 for the women and 27:28.00 for the men), will automatically book their spot on the plane to Tokyo. There are also athletes with eyes on qualifying times for the Commonwealth Games. 

Wavelight technology, alongside human pacemakers, will run just inside the Olympic qualifying standard in both races, with wavelights for set slower times also. 

Who’s Racing? 

Women’s Races

Often we focus on the mens race and the fact that Mo Farah is back on track, but for us the women’s races provide just as much, if not more, intrigue and do not come with obvious choices for top-two spots. 

The European Cup squad comprises Eilish McColgan, Amy Eloise Markovc, Jenny Nesbitt, Jess Judd, Verity Ockenden and Samantha Harrison, whilst other athletes running as domestic entrants include

Other notable: Charlotte Arter, Clara Evans, Eleanor Bolton, Fast Running’s Hannah Irwin, Kate Avery and Mhairi MacLennan.

A favourite for the win?

Thanks to her 30:58.94 in California in February, Eilish McColgan goes in to the race as the fastest Brit.

For context, that time is the fastest 10,000m by a British athlete in nine years, since Jo Pavey and Julia Bleasdale at the London Olympics. I do not think it unreasonable to call the Scot the favourite to secure a Tokyo spot, and she told me this is the primary objective for a race where she has high hopes:

“I’m looking forward to racing on Saturday. There has been a lot of uncertainty about whether races would be going ahead or not which has made planning competitions a little tricky, but it’s great to see Birmingham hosting the event. Training has been going really well so I’m hoping I can have a strong run out”.

Photo: Bobby Gavin

I mentioned the impressiveness of Eilish’s run over the distance in February, which has been followed by a 14:52.44 5000m in April and a 4:03.89 1500m in May. It put her fifth on the UK all-time list and less than two seconds shy of the athlete in fourth, her mum Liz.

I asked if bettering that time is a motivator for the race, and it is certainly on the radar for 2021. “It’s definitely a huge motivator for me this year. I know I can break her PB and Scottish Record but 10,000m races are very few and far between. The focus this weekend will be to qualify for Tokyo and then my goals will be firmly set on running as fast as I can [over 10,000m]”. If she succeeds in taking the Scottish Record, it will mean she has bettered all of Liz’s PBs. An impressive feat!

How will Eilish relax before the biggest race of the year so far? A bit of music, Netflix and Line of Duty with her other half, former 800m runner Michael Rimmer. I am sure Ted Hastings will approve!

So Close to Olympic QT

Whilst Eilish is the only athlete to hold the Olympic standard, two have come very close – within less than a second – in the same race three weeks ago in California, Amy-Eloise Markovc and Jessica Judd, both in their debut over the distance on the track. 

It has been an excellent year for Amy-Eloise so far, having been crowned European Indoor Champion over 3000m back in March. That good form has been carried to the outdoor season, with the US-based athlete significantly improving her 5000m PB to 15:05.96 last weekend in Boston, an Olympic qualifying time.

Having fallen just 0.96 seconds shy of the Olympic qualifying time in California to go eighth on the British all-time list, I hope it will be a fast race to enable that PB to be rewritten. 

Jess Judd (102) is no stranger to racing well on the track. Photo: Brian Graves of MKAC

No track, no problem

I also hope it is a good race for Jessica Judd, who finished just behind Amy-Eloise in that race in California. It’s been a good start to the outdoor season for Jess, a solo 8:52 over 3000m at the Birmingham University track, followed by a stint of training and racing in the States which provided a new PB over 5000m (15:06.02, an Olympic Q) and of course 10,000m.

An impressive few weeks for the Blackburn athlete who didn’t have access to a track until mid-April, and who has a good mentality going into the race:

“I’m not putting any pressure on myself for the weekend; I still have to remember that I didn’t have access to a track until mid April so I’m just enjoying racing and training normally again! I loved racing in the US, … it was a good stepping stone for me so whatever happens this year I have achieved some PB’s, anything else is a bonus”.

How will she relax pre-race? A walk with her dog Bruce. I like the sound of that!

Making 2021 a stand-out year

Another athlete who has rewritten their 5000m PB in recent weeks to run under the 15:10 Tokyo mark is Verity Ockenden.

The Swansea athlete made her major championships debut at the European Indoors in March, where she came home with a much deserved bronze and new PB in the 3000m. A period in the States followed, including a 1500m PB (4:09.34) and 5000m (15:03.51), a 31 second improvement.

I asked Verity if that performance has given her a confidence boost ahead of Saturday:

“The 5000m PB has definitely cemented my self-belief and I feel that I am in just as good shape for the 10,000m. My aim is to gain selection for the Olympics. … Training has been really smooth with the added benefit of actually getting to spend some time under the supervision of my coach Tony (Houchin) for the last week of altitude training spent in the USA”.

TORUN, POLAND – MARCH 05: Gold medalist Amy-Eloise Markovc of Great Britain (R) and bronze medalist Verity Ockenden of Great Britain (L) celebrate after competing in the Women’s 3000 metres during the second session on Day 1 of European Athletics Indoor Championships at Arena Torun (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for European Athletics)

This will be Verity’s second outing at the European Cup, having taken a team gold (and setting her PB) in 2019. Whilst a different venue and, without packed-out spectators cheering from lane 3, will those good memories provide motivation on Saturday?

“Although I love Highgate and it will certainly help give a positive vibe to the event having been successful at the European Cup with women’s team gold before, which I believe we are in a great position to replicate this year, I’ll be focusing entirely on the present and what I need to do in the moment to succeed”. A good approach indeed.

European Cut Veterans & Debutants

Jenny Nesbitt is relishing the chance to wear the British vest on Saturday, and also to be in a strong field after solo-run wins at the Comeback 5000 (15:46.62) and BMC Grand Prix (15:40.10) this season.

“I am really excited for the weekend. It feels like a long time since I have been to a race of such depth and significance and I’m so pleased to be on the start line! It is always an honour to represent Great Britain, and it feels like a while since my last opportunity to do so, so it’s even more special!”.

Jenny has also raced at four of the Highgate-based editions of the event (2015 through to 2018), two as part of the British squad for the European Cup. Her 32:38.45 PB was set at the 2018 edition. Does this add a special element to Saturday’s race?

“The European Cup (and Highgate!) hold a special place in my heart! This is the third European Cup team I’ve been on and the last two were really good experiences! I have heard Birmingham are pulling out all the stops, and the track is lovely to run on!”

Her goal is to secure the Welsh Commonwealth Games standard (32:30), with “anything else a bonus, but I would love to come away with a positive experience”. After a 32:44 run in a field of four in Newport in March, both feel like good targets.

Exciting prospects galore

I am also interested to see how Samantha Harrison runs after her hugely impressive 69:48 at the Cheshire Half Marathon, currently top of the UK rankings for 2021. Saturday will be her debut over the distance and only the ninth track race of her career!

Athletes running who have competed at previous Highgate-held races include Mhairi MacLennan (2017, 2018 and 2019), Charlotte Arter (2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019), Clara Evans (2017), who ran a 32:49.01 PB in Newport in March and Kate Avery (2016 and 2017).

Beth Kidger, fresh from the European Team Championships last week, and Fast Running’s own Hannah Irwin will be making her debut over the distance in the A race.

For the men’s preview check out the separate article here.

Timetable

17:30 – Elite para 1500m

18:00 – Men’s domestic 10,000m

19:00 – Women’s 10,000m including European Cup B race

19:45 – Men’s 10,000m including European Cup B race

20:30 – Women’s 10,000m including European Cup A race & British Olympic trials

21:15 – Men’s 10,000m including European Cup A race & British Olympic trials

How to Follow

Full start lists can be found at https://data.opentrack.run/en-gb/x/2021/GBR/not/event. The races will be streamed live on the British Athletics website, and I will be trackside bringing updates via twitter (@james_athletics).

The post A race to get excited about appeared first on Fast Running.

The race now hosts the European 10,000m cup and it has become the gold standard for spectator engagement and in-race athlete experience. Yet it retains it’s down to earth, grassroots feel. Tom Craggs caught up with Ben ahead of the 2019 edition.

It can often be at the club, or even an individual level, that people are trying to make a positive change to our sport. Races such as Highgate, Ipswich Twilight, Speedway 10k, Podium 5k, FASTFriday and a whole host of others are trying to get athletes running faster. 

Can individuals make that big a difference?

Pochee thinks so. 

“I am no expert on the history but look at the London Marathon. A group of individuals coming together to deliver something they wanted. You look at the BMC as a series of races – again individuals coming together to create great races.”

“I try to stay clear of the politics of it but it can work well when individuals at the coal face come up with the idea, but then getting NGB support to help test and deliver it that can be a perfect combination.” 

To be fair to the NGB that is exactly what we did get after our first year. The late, great Bob Smith from England Athletics had a small London Innovation Fund, which basically just covered small bits like our photo finish in 2014 which took it all up a level so we could host the British Champs. 

“More recently British Athletics have given us really heavy hitting support to allow us to host the European Cup. Their event delivery team have been absolutely fantastic with their support as well as financial assistance to make it possible. You’ve got athletes flying in from 29 different nations, with transport, accommodation you know it’s a huge logistical undertaking.”

Taking the leap to the international stage

From 2014-17 Highgate hosted the British 10,000m Championships and now the European Cup, but what has that meant to the UK runners in the field, even the sub-elites in the following races.

“Well you know it really has delivered in terms of depth of quality, for all the races because there is a trickle down effect.”

“Our event was a success in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 when it was the British Champs. We really galvanized the best athletes from our country who were fit an able to do it to run the British Champs and it was great.”

“You still had the situation where if Andy Vernon, Chris Thompson, Ross Millington, Charlotte Arter or Jo Pavey wanted to get a World or Olympic qualifying time they would find themselves out on their own chasing that time.”

Then you have what happened last year in the men’s race where you had Alex Yee, Chris Thompson, Andy Venon – three guys running sub 28 but finishing fifth, sixth and seventh! Running out of their skins, getting the qualifying times but needing to chase people. We need our best guys to be pushed. 

You know we had the highest number of British women running sub 33 last year. In the B race we had a slew of British guys running massive PBs because you are extending the depth. That is exactly what you need in 10,000m running. Right up until that last kilometre you want a train of runners around you all fighting for the line because it pushes everyone on.”

Photo: Getty Images

The atmosphere of Ben

Having attended on several occasions, it’s clear to see your personality and vision is a big part of the event. Is there a risk that as more governing bodies and organisations get involved that individuality could be stifled?

“I would say it could, but I’d also say it hasn’t!” laughs Pochee.

“The whole premise is we are trying to push boundaries. So the number one goal was how can we improve 10,000m standards? The next thing is that I genuinely believe that if you improve the atmosphere you improve performance.”

“You know all my best performances as a runner were done at the bloody 12-stage. It’s so emotional, you’ve got your team mates, cheering you, it’s so hard to quantify but makes all the difference. 

“So right from day one we wanted a crowd. We probably only had 50-100 people in 2013 but we got them in lane four. So it’s all about how can we improve atmosphere and engagement but working within the rules. Then you realise there is no rule saying you can’t have spectators on the track. That’s just one example – so if you talk to people and get them behind you it’s all possible.”

Growth from within 

From the outside it looks like the event has grown so organically and naturally but one imagines there is a reflective and planning process behind that which we don’t see. The Cornwall based Pochee laughs at the idea of it being a simply natural occurrence. 

“I just spend my life thinking about it! I love it and I love discussing & sharing ideas with my mates from the club, beauty is they don’t hold back with ‘honest’ feedback. Without their moral support aka ‘grow a set Ben and crack on’ it just wouldn’t materialise.”

“Well it’s not work, I can’t help but think about it. There is so much stress and as the event is building up you think, never again, never again, then literally a couple of days later it’s like ‘ah that’s what we should do’ and my wife will say ‘oh god please not again, I’ve got 12 months of this’.”

“From a planning point of view some of it happens almost instantly. For example we try to get the date locked down as early as possible. From an innovation point of view we do feedback with the athletes and via social media and be realistic about what we can act on. 

There are always things you could be doing better. It becomes a personal passion and I am very proud of it. It’s homespun and creaks at the edges at times but hopefully people understand that’s because it’s organised by volunteers.”

The 2019 edition

We’ve come to expect boundaries to be pushed with each new edition of the event and this year will be no different.

“This year we have got some really cool activation. Strava are doing a Parliament Hill Segment Challenge. That’s going to go right from the Lido up the top of Parliament Hill, the iconic National XC start. They will have a leader board and give out prizes on the day.”

Pochee is really clear that he wants brands to not just sponsor the event, but actively get involved in building an experience for athletes and spectators -“ProDirect will be activating on the infield which might include some challenges on the track in between races with prizes. On Running will be there doing shoe trials and giving away goodies. So you can come to the event, do a load of physical challenges, eat and drink and listen to some amazing music.”

“This year we have got an amazing stand up comic who will be performing. So loads of entertainment and fun. It’s the spectators that make our event so different. So we want as many people to come, engage and love watching 10,000m running. We dont do much as a sport to get all of our sport together for a big social a gathering, and I would love it to become our community meeting point.”

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