Bell, who reached the semi-finals of the 800m in Doha last year, was one of eight athletes on last year’s inaugural LME funding programme who represented Great Britain at the 2019 World Championships.

Three others – Marc Scott, Ben Connor and Zak Seddon – continue on the LME programme for 2020 while another four – Charlotte Purdue, Steph Twell, Aimee Pratt and Neil Gourley – have progressed from LME funding to British Athletics’ Olympic Podium Potential Funding after hugely successful performances in 2019.

The athlete programme is part of a larger £350,000 funding commitment from LME to British endurance running that includes support of the World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) and training camps for British endurance athletes.

Bell targeting Tokyo Olympics

Bell said: “I am extremely grateful to receive another year of help from London Marathon Events. I had a memorable year on the track last year reaching the World Championships semi-finals and now I have the Tokyo Olympic Games as my big motivation for 2020. This funding will be crucial to help and support me in a year that could be the biggest of my career to date.”

LME has worked with British Athletics to select the nominated individual athletes and the funding is designed to provide a bridge for endurance runners to the WCPP and to improve the standard of British endurance running across all distances.

In addition to the 15 athletes who are continuing on the funding programme, 15 new names have been added to the list including Rosie Clarke and Elizabeth Bird, who both ran the 3000m steeplechase at last year’s World Championships, Piers Copeland, 1500m silver medallist at the 2019 Under-23 European Championships, and Stephanie Davis, who last year ran the ninth fastest marathon time in history by a British woman.

Funding specifically for non WCPP athletes

The athletes were shortlisted by a panel of British Athletics and London Marathon Events endurance experts and range from middle-distance runners to marathon specialists. No athlete currently funded through the British Athletics WCPP is eligible to receive London Marathon Events individual funding.

Hugh Brasher, Event Director of London Marathon Events, said: “We are passionate about effectively supporting British endurance running and the first year of this new initiative of funding individual athletes has produced good results. Eight of our funded athletes were selected for the World Championships and now four of those have progressed onto the British Athletics Olympic Podium Potential Programme. The aim of this funding was to provide a pathway for talented endurance athletes and these results show it is working.

“We wish this year’s funded athletes every success and we hope to see a number of them in Team GB at the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer.”

Fast Running editor Robbie Britton said “it’s brilliant to see London Marathon’s continued support of British endurance running and whilst there may be huge discussions going on about shoe technology, we mustn’t forget the huge amount of hard work that this runners put in.

The 30 names below are, for me, a big part of Fast Running and the names that we love to see on start lists and in our interviews. British Endurance running is on the rise and it’s done to support like this and hardworking athletes that we’re seeing results not just on the domestic stage, but internationally too.”

The full list of athletes to be offered London Marathon Events funding is:

• Mohamud Aadan (Thames Valley)
• Charlotte Arter (Cardiff AAC)
• Alexandra Bell (Pudsey & Bramley)
• Elizabeth Bird (Shaftesbury Barnet)
• Emile Cairess (Leeds City)
• Hayley Carruthers (Birchfield Harriers)
• Rosie Clarke (Epsom & Ewell)
• Natasha Cockram (Micky Morris Racing Team)
• Jamaine Coleman (Preston)
• Ben Connor (Derby)
• Piers Copeland (Wimborne)
• Stephanie Davis (Clapham Chasers)
• Nick Goolab (Belgrave Harriers)
• Derek Hawkins (Kilbarchan AAC)
• Jake Heyward (Cardiff AAC)
• Sarah Inglis (Lothian Running Club)
• Tish Jones (Belgrave Harriers)
• Matt Leach (Bedford & County)
• Jonny Mellor (Liverpool Harriers)
• Amy-Eloise Neale (Wakefield District Harriers)
• Jennifer Nesbitt (Cardiff AAC)
• Verity Ockenden (Swansea Harriers)
• Chris O’Hare (Edinburgh AC)
• Lily Partridge (Birchfield Harriers)
• Marc Scott (Cambridge & Coleridge)
• Zak Seddon (Bracknell AC)
• Jake Smith (Cardiff AAC)
• Jenny Spink (Bristol & West)
• Chris Thompson (Aldershot Farnham & District)
• Alice Wright (Worcester AC)

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Alex Bell in list of 30 athletes to receive 2020 funding from London Marathon appeared first on Fast Running.

One month on from writing about a positive training camp in Majorca and meeting a local star, exciting 800m and country runner Alex Bell talks training, spreading the wings with different races and racing 800s by early July.

FR: How’s training been the last few weeks? Meet any more local heroes?

Really solid. I have continued the hard work since returning from Majorca and really enjoying training at the moment. Unfortunately I’ve not come across any more “Joes” since my return. Like I mentioned before though, he gave me a new perspective on your effort levels and performance and the fact that you shouldn’t have any excuses or hurdles in your way holding you back, if you want something so bad.. go get it!

FR: The season is about to kick off and you’re starting with the Westminster Mile. Why the traditional distance race?

Why not? My mantra this season is that I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I want test the water and spread my wings a little this season and not feel restricted to competing in just the 800m.I displayed some strong performances over the winter period with the mixed relays and I want to bring some of that strength and depth to my track season too.

Competing in longer distances this season of course is going to put me out of my comfort zone but I really want to test myself and see what I am capable of. With this summer season being so long it also keeps it fresh too, giving myself plenty opportunities to shave some of my times down.

FR: Any particularly fun sessions you’ve done with this mile race in mind?

So usually, by now in the season I would have tapped into a fair few “sprint sessions” but alternatively, with the decision to do more distance this season, I’ve not even whacked out the spikes yet! I’ve dropped a few quick 200s in my flats which I’m happy with, so I know I’ve got some gears at the moment, I’m looking forward to the fine tuning in a couple of weeks. But with regards to training on the lead up to the mile, I’ve really been enjoying my tempo runs.

We had an amazing bank holiday in Leeds a few weeks back where the whole of the Team Hendo squad met on the Leeds Liverpool canal to train. Coach was on the bike overlooking everyone’s performances, the sun was blazing, we all produced a spectacular mornings graft and to top it off, we even had ice cream for recovery.

I am surrounded by a great bunch at Leeds Beckett, my coach, Andy has been doing a fine job in helping me find pacers and other athletes to have company to train with making sure we all get the most out of each other and nailing the paces, times and distances set.

FR: Do you think you can go quicker than your Great North City Games 4:40 from 2017?

I am very very hopeful. Newcastle was at the end of a busy 2017 for me and I was truly exhausted. A holiday was long overdue when I raced there in September! Also, from what I remember, we finished on what seemed to be a massive hill at the time, so take that out of the equation and it should be quicker!

I’ve had a great winter behind me and going into this summer season I am very hopeful and confident from the training I’ve done that it will be quicker.

FR: Your run at the Northern Counties XC showed some great endurance, do you think the XC will help with the track season ahead?

Definitely, I’ve always dabbled in cross country but this year in particular, the winter has been stronger and longer than ever. Hitting my highest mileage, producing some mighty grass sessions, it’s all going to be beneficial in the long run.

FR: What races have you got next?

After the mile I will be racing in a few events in Europe competing over different distances. I plan to race the 800s early July.

FR: Highlight of the year so far?

Representing GB in the Mixed relay, Stirling.

FR: One piece of advice for any aspiring 800m runners of the summer ahead?

Be patient with yourself and your performances and keep believing in yourself. Always listen to your body and take rest when needed. If mistakes happen along your performance journey, welcome them as it can never be seen as a failure, always a lesson!

RELATED: “As well as a strong body you equally need to train your mind”

Alexandra Bell features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Alexandra on Twitter and on Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Get out of the comfort zone and spread your wings appeared first on Fast Running.

Isn’t it marvellous what a ray of sunshine can do to you? Time away in Majorca was certainly very beneficial. The couple of weeks of warm weather training definitely came at the right time and I’m now back in Leeds feeling recharged, happy, fitter and healthier – so much more than four weeks ago to say the least!

Whilst I was away it gave me the time to apply the perfect ratio of training to recovery. It didn’t take me long to get into a routine, and even after the first run I instantly felt a lot more perkier and exhilarated than I have in a long time. I just knew that from that point that it was going to be a very good couple of weeks.

It has been proven that being in the sunshine actually does have a beneficial effect on performance, making you not only emotionally happier but with physical improvements too. This definitely worked for me.

We were based in Puerto Pollenca and the facilities were brilliant. It really was a great set up with everything so close by and because we travelled prior to the holiday season we had the track and gym more or less to ourselves too. I have never considered this location as a base before and it is not a very well known spot for athletic training, but after this trip, I will definitely be making a return.

The terrain was very flat with roads that seemed endless making it a very popular hot spot for cyclists, thankfully for them we actually took advantage of their paved routes on the sea front which was perfect for the tempo sessions and recovery runs.

The athletics track was a 10 minute drive from our accommodation and it was such a beautiful place to train. Nobody was even around to pay for the use of the facilities which showed how quiet the place was at this time of year.

It was also comforting to know that we were not the only athletes on the island that were making use of the quieter, less known warm weather training location, I believe Callum Hawkins was here prepping for the marathon as also were some of the GB triathletes too.

It is not vital to go away as an athlete, but for the last few years I’ve incorporated a few weeks at the start of the year and its always been a big plus for me, giving a refreshing boost at the gloomiest time of the year. It was certainly necessary more than ever this year feeling the way I did before this trip. The results have left me feeling refreshed with a base level of fitness and health ready for the hard work to commence for the forthcoming summer months.

Inspiration from a local star

Whilst we were warming up on our very first track day, I saw an old man power walking around the infield of the track in some really old school Adidas spikes. He had a beaming smile and couldn’t exaggerate a bigger wave to us if he tried. Instantly he made me smile and at that point he made me think “What a great life this man leads, keeping healthy and active with a brisk walk – at that age, I hope I have that enthusiasm”.

Little did I know at this point he was actually just warming up for his sprints session! When I was performing my warm up and drills he approached me and we spoke for a little while (although neither of us could fully comprehend fully what was being said).

Joe, the 76 year old, marched over to the changing rooms waving and pointing for both me and Josh to follow him. At this point I was a little sceptical but he rummaged through his sports bag in excitement to only go and whack out a shiny national medal.

View this post on Instagram

As long as you have got passion, faith and are willing to work hard, you can do anything you want in this life – – – This is 76 year old Joe. Spanish Vet Champion. Joe brings his A game every day. He couldn’t wait to show me his national medal. He even showed me his pacemaker in his chest too. Be a Joe today, make a move.. not an excuse. #ageisjustanumber

A post shared by Αlexandra Bell (@alexbell1992) on Mar 19, 2019 at 9:18am PDT

You could tell he was so proud, he was bursting with delight and rightly so as he explained how he beat many men from all over Spain and surrounding islands to receive this.

If that wasn’t impressive enough, he then took his t-shirt off and showed us both his pacemaker in his chest too which made it even more of an impressive achievement. Every track session, Joe was there with his smile and retro spikes, getting the job done. I’m sure he would time it just right to wait for me to get to 100m to go for him to start his rep so he could zoom alongside me, but I was far from caring – He was a legend!

I came away from each session with a whole new level of appreciation of the time and effort people give in life. It just shows no matter what your age, race, ability or health, if you want something you will go and get it. There is no reason or excuse to not do what you want to do and it is all about choices and decisions, as Joe proved.

Blood results and nutritionist

Whilst I was away I received my blood results which I sent off for prior to flying out to Majorca. I was right when I mentioned in my last blog post that I thought my vitamin D was low – at an all-time low actually. There was also a showing of increased white blood cells, meaning I was potentially fighting something off these last few weeks.

I did not realise how much of an effect a slight imbalance of vitamins can have on performance. For what range could be perfectly normal for a ‘non-athlete’ is a completely different scale for us as performing athletes. I know vitamin D sounds so insignificant and there is so much negativity in the news about sun exposure and the risks that come with it, but it is important that we are exposed to the sun’s rays regularly to get the nutrients in which we need to be able to perform and feel at our best.

There is not enough in the food alone to get the requirement and so either a supplement or 10-15 minutes of the rays is vital – hence the reason why so many athletes decide to seek the sunshine at this time of year, especially us Europeans living in the northern hemisphere. Now that I am back home I will take the tablets in order to maintain an efficient and stable level, equally trying to maintain this tan too – which is real for once in my life!

Leaving no leaf unturned, I decided to meet up with an old friend, training partner and also nutritionist, Cara Sloss. Andy and I thought it may be a good time to have a few sessions with Cara to see if there was anything more I could be implementing or if there was anything I was actually lacking within my recovery and diet.

We wanted to be sure that I was doing everything in my power to refuel, energise and hydrate to the best of my ability. So after reviewing my food diary it was clear to see I probably hadn’t been recovering to the best of my ability with shabby refuelling over the final weeks of the winter season.

Cara has given me a lot of food for thought, quite literally, and for me, it wasn’t until I saw the results on paper that I realised I actually need to make a change and implement and tweak a few minor things to hopefully gain greater results.

We have already made some ever so slight changes, but this will be an ongoing journey with Cara as we work on a number of things. I’m excited to see the changes and improvements over these next few weeks.

RELATED: “As well as a strong body you equally need to train your mind”

Alexandra Bell features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Alexandra on Twitter and on Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Healthy, happy and hungry for track ’19 appeared first on Fast Running.

How quickly does time fly by? I left you guys last month with excitement and passion about my cross country season to date, with the desire to have a final run out at the English National Cross Country Championships held in Leeds.

Well since last month’s blog, the motivation and the drive to continually drag myself out and pound mile after mile, day in day out, rapidly deteriorated and I came to the realisation that I had maybe started the winter season with a little (ok, maybe way too much) enthusiasm about cross country running!

In the beginning, keenness of the muddy stuff was high and I’ve been happy with the progression made, competing well in international competitions and getting truly stuck into some ‘big girl’ blocks of training. But come the week of the national championships, I crashed and I burned.

I know my coach’s opinion will differ greatly from mine, but my training has just been below par these last couple of weeks with the constant feeling of flatness and sluggishness, and it became clear to me that I needed to bring this cross country season to an end.

Now it would be so easy for me to be untruthful at this point and sugar coat the rough patch that I’ve encountered in training these last couple of weeks. I could also keep it simple and tell you I just plainly decided not to race. However, I believe it’s worth sharing the truthful and hopefully relatable reason, that I was suffering plainly from exhaustion.

The winter can be a dark place

During winter you can really bury yourself into a hole and I feel I went to that place a fair few times these last couple of weeks.

My body has never experienced the training load that I have put myself through this season and I feel over the last two weeks everything just caught up with me. My body has just crashed leaving all at a sudden standstill.

There has been a form of imbalance somewhere along the lines these last couple of weeks and I truly have not been feeling the same since my performance at the Northern Championships last month, feeling like it has taken an eternity to recover from.

Somewhere along the way, there has been a lack of ‘something’ within my routine, maybe a neglect in fuelling and dietary requirements in relation to training load or even maybe just a lack of rest and recovery. If you can imagine training as a set of scales, what comes to mind is maybe the training load has outweighed the intake of nutrition or vitamins and minerals alongside the rate of recovery.

I remember being on the phone to my mum coming home from work one evening explaining to her how “I feel like a withered plant, I’m missing something like a nutrient or vitamin or something”.

At this moment I’m not sure what the underlying reason was towards the feelings of fatigue and flatness, other than that it could just purely be a combination of heavy sessions, shabby refuelling, extra shifts at work with little time in between for investment into self massage or therapy, and not to mention the female hormonal side of things with a delayed menstrual cycle to add to the emotional side of things this month.

Patience is key

What I’m learning along the way is how patience is key and that everything is temporary, especially in sports, nothing in the sporting world is static. The performance slumps of course will come and go, it is just about taking the bad days with the good and knowing that there are far more good days coming in the future.

It is however just unfortunate that it takes almost two weeks to get an appointment with my local GP just for some blood tests. I really wish there was a more accessible system in place to the non-funded athletes to have equal treatment when it comes to health and wellbeing check-ups; including seasonal blood tests, specifically for the female athletes, to monitor our iron levels, magnesium, vitamin D and the endless list to be able to stay fit and healthy for a well functioning athletic body, mind and wellbeing.

Just a couple of weeks prior to boarding the plane for the Commonwealths last March, I remember going through this exact phase, low energy and sluggishness which results confirmed it was low Vitamin D.

I’m presuming that it is just a repeat case of this and nothing that my forthcoming warm weather training camp cannot resolve! Every day I learn something new in this sport and it’s teaching me that the best advice you should ever take on is from yourself and realising that listening to your body has to be critical in becoming a successful athlete. Become a bamboo tree, you can bend but don’t break!

Sports psychology

I decided that I wanted to share my own personal experiences and thoughts on sports psychology because I have found it to be a really positive tool. I’ve invested in it over the last year and it has helped me a great deal with many things, not just with athletics but with everyday life too.

It also seems very fitting to mention and sits well with the experience of a few rough bumps these last couple of weeks.

As an athlete, it is in our blood to want to better ourselves with every performance and every training session. I constantly try to seek ways to improve and overcome day to day challenges or obstacles that could occur, not just within athletics but with everyday working life too.

Since I started working my coach Andy Henderson, he has taught me a great deal in a short space of time, but the main thing he has helped me with is to take the time out to invest in myself a little more than I have ever done before.

Being consistent in my performances over the years and steadily chipping away at my 800m times year on year shows the natural physical progression, but with the strength and depth that we have in this sport today, physically it’s just not going to cut it. As well as a strong body you equally need to train your mind.

So these little outlets that I have been trying to invest in this last year are what I like to call my ‘one percenters’. They could be the smallest of things you choose to do, but as long it’s having a positive impact on what you do it’s a form of growth and progression.

There are many misconceptions when it comes to psychology and I hold my hands up to admit that I had many at the start when having the first couple of sessions.

I was adamant and so sure that this would not work for me and after the first session, honestly, I did not think that I’d be setting foot back in the room with my psychologist, Kelly Holmes. But I am still working closely with her today, and I cannot thank her enough for the time and guidance she has given me over the last 18 months.

Why a sports psychologist?

There were a number of reasons for which I decided to meet with a sports psychologist. The first one was because of Andy, my newly appointed coach at the time.

At first when he suggested that I should arrange a meeting with Kelly, I thought to myself, “Well this is a great start, my new coach must think I’m a bit nutty already and we have only just joined forces”.

But I am so thankful that I took his advice on board. There were many valid reasons and events that had happened in a short space of time at that point, and at the time I was probably unaware of how it could have affected me emotionally if I did not start my sessions with Kelly.

So one of the valid reasons at the time included the transition to a new coach. It was a fresh start for me moving to Andy. I felt I needed a change with my athletics, a new routine and I knew that if I wanted to improve and progress in this sport I would have to pack up and change coaches.

I moved to Andy in September 2018 and it didn’t take long to get into the routine and start making the changes I needed to move forward, the transition was so quick and it could not have gone smoother.

With this decision came a parting between me and my old coach who had guided and supported me for the last nine years. It is just a shame that it couldn’t have ended a little more civil on his behalf and I hope one day it’s realised that it was for the best.

Another reason was been suddenly removed from the funding system after one year when I was told that I not showing signs of improvement. I was told I was not on track or aligned to the British Athletics Endurance’s “line of progression” and that I was not on schedule to make it to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

As you can imagine, this was a hard letter to read. However, it was also important that I did not let the opinions of others distract me from my own targets and goals in athletics.

Another factor was not originally being selected to represent England at the Commonwealth Games, even though there was a space available on the 800m team and I had the criteria to compete.

This was a really important one for me actually and remember being at a really low point after I found out that Team England had decided not to book a place for me on the flight to Australia.

I was at work on the day of team announcement and remember I kept sneaking into the staff room to check my phone to see if I had any missed calls or messages. I had a missed call, and even a voicemail left and I was so excited to listen to it. It turned out to be disappointing news. I had not made the team (going back out and serving the public that afternoon was a laborious task to say the least).

I was almost certain I had done enough within the season to make the team and when it was announced, I just remember the sinking feeling I had in my gut which left me questioning myself, my ability and my future.

Looking back now, this was a turning point for me. I eventually did receive a late call-up to the team for the Commonwealth Games and I had a point to make in Australia. I was true to myself when I said I was not going there to just make up numbers and my performance on the Gold Coast turned out to be the highlight of my career so far.

Going back to the subject of sports psychology, while I was in Australia, I used particular techniques and preparations that really helped.

This was the first event working alongside Kelly where I was able to put to the techniques into practice. I couldn’t wait to get back home to explain and share my experiences with her.

Turning negativity into positivity

So initially there were a few factors and events that solidified my reasoning to go ahead and meet with Kelly. Then there was also another event that happened further into my season which she has also worked very closely with me on.

It was one that I have been very vocal about – not making the European Championships last summer. It was devastating for me, I will not go into too much detail as like I said, I have displayed my piece on this at the time of the matter.

But the reasoning behind it was specific comments and insults directed to me which was hard to hear and read and again, questioned my own potential and future within the sport.

“Hasn’t got it mentally to do it at the top end of the sport” along with “Don’t think she has the mentality of a medallist”. I mean, that is enough to make any athlete question their existence in the sport, especially when directed from the Head of British Athletics Endurance.

What hope and future does the next generation have when these are the comments and thoughts being presented to today’s sports men and women (and believe me, from messages of support I have received over the last year, I am by no means the first athlete to have this said to and probably not the last).

Kelly has been brilliant in helping me turn negativity into positivity and using it as an advantage for myself. This will be an ongoing process as it is something that I am still trying to manage.

In this situation, a particular quote, that I was moved by and really found relatable, was one from the ‘Gold Medal Strategies; Business Lessons from America’s Miracle Team Book’, and it goes: “The world is full of experts who have been proven wrong. If you want to find someone to doubt you, or locate a cynic, the search won’t take too long or be difficult. Believe in yourself, even if you are the only one who believes in you”.

Actually obsessed with #thechampionsmind by @goldmedalmind Helping, learning and applying things on and off the athletic track #strongbodystrongmind pic.twitter.com/rvIlr97MWp

— Alexandra Bell (@alexbell92) March 4, 2019

Looking back now on the time spent with Kelly I am so happy that I listened to Andy and gave these sessions a try, even though I did not think it was for me until after the third session!

But it was more a case of trying to find the 1-2% in aiding my performance and just being patient with seeing the results. Anything that I could find to invest in to help improve my performances I was prepared to try.

If you need somebody to talk to, a place to go in order to clear your head, you’re in need of a reset, working on new targets or goals, finding coping strategies, or simply just someone to have a good old natter with, I really do recommend giving it a go.

Before I took the time to invest in sports psychology, I used to think that to improve in this sport it was all just physical, but I have learnt that regardless of much you train your body, you will get nowhere if you don’t invest that same amount of time and effort into the mind too.

What I have learnt is you have got to want to do it. That was my problem in the first couple of sessions, because I had no interest in it. I chose not to want to involve myself and be open, but something eventually clicked with me. This was my time and I was going to invest in it wisely.

Final thoughts this month

As I am sending this blog across to Fast Running, I’m preparing and packing to travel to Puerto Pollensa, Majorca, where we will set up base for a couple of weeks to train. I feel that this trip has come at the perfect time in my season and cannot wait to soak up some well deserved vitamin D.

I know they say that you should “stay out of the sun, as it drains you” but there’s no greater feeling in the world than to feel the warmth on your bones. So during my time on this island, I’ll seek to recharge, reset and refocus in preparation for the season to come.

I’m sure after a couple of solid weeks away to put in the groundwork, I will be ready to get back to Leeds so I can then gear up for more specific work and fine-tuning.

So although a slow, gritty month for me, it has been a time for recovery, growth and reflection and if anyone else is getting to that point of their winter season where things are slowing down and the body is starting to ache and tire, remember… you are like a bamboo tree, be bendy by all means but do not break!

Find the route of the issue, be sensible but most importantly, be happy! Catch you guys soon.

Alexandra Bell features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Alexandra on Twitter and on Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post “As well as a strong body you equally need to train your mind” appeared first on Fast Running.

Kick starting the New Year with a 12-hour sleep, a 6 am alarm for work and fighting off the remains of cold is nothing out of the ordinary, new or special in the Bell-Norman household. For the last two years, I haven’t been the luckiest when it comes to being fit and feeling healthy to bring the New Year in.

I had intentions to compete in the Yorkshire Championships to kick start 2019 and was in limbo all week whether or not to race. Hosting one of the best cross-country courses in the UK (slightly bias, I know) there is something quite authentic and spectacular about running under rollercoaster’s in an empty theme park at Lightwater Valley, North Yorkshire.

Being the proud Yorkshire woman that I am, with strong values when it comes to representing my club and county whenever and wherever I can, being absent from the championships this year left me feeling rather resentful that I could not go out there and produce the results which reflected where I was at in training.

Although I had been training very well and built up a good block of work over the festive period, on the lead up to the race I caught the virus that always strikes down the masses this time of year, even the healthiest amongst us. When you know you are in good shape it becomes a bitter pill to swallow having to take the easier route and giving yourself more rest than usual.

As an athlete, you are always wanting to progress and wanting more from yourself, and well for me, when I’m not running I get a bit ‘tetchy’ (my fiancé Josh’s description). The most important thing for me to do was not to try and make up for a day off here or a day off there in my runs and sessions and try to compensate for the work that I had missed, which can easily be done.

Times like this when your immunes low and temperatures high it’s your body telling you “hey, you need a break” and I’m slowly but surely figuring out that that’s an ok thing to do.

With lessons learnt from the summer season, one race in particular stood out for me which made me realise I never want to race ill and put myself through a hell hole ever again (no matter how much you try and act like you are ok, an 800m race will sure suss you out, chew you up and spit you right back out).

In the lead up to the London Anniversary Games, 2018 I remember sitting in the Olympic stadium prior to my race with a temperature, light headed, a little dazed and feeling empty looking around at the crowds thinking “what are you actually doing here, you’re not right or ready for this woman!”.

I had invited my dad to come and watch me and begged for weeks to get tickets to the event as this would be the first time he has seen me compete in an Olympic stadium in the mix of a world-class field. I did not want to disappoint or let him down when I made such a fuss for him to come and watch.

I think if it wasn’t for the pressure to race to prove British Athletics selectors I was worthy of European Selection and to also not show signs of ‘selective racing’ by not avoiding head to heads, I probably would have chosen not to race – especially with what the outcome was anyways!

So with my experience at the Anniversary games alongside the promise I made to myself last summer for the future, me and my coach, Andy, made the decision to not race at the County Champs and get back to 100% for the following week in Stirling for the Great XCountry mixed relay.

Safe to say, I am glad we skipped the championships and gave it a whole 110% the following week.

Great Stirling XCountry relay – Putting a golf course to good use

I can’t express my love enough for a good old cross country relay! With the introduction of them in 2017 at the European Championships, I really hope that they long continue to be a part of the international programme as they are a fantastic way to include track specialists on the country scene.

I got the call to be part of the 4×1.5km mixed relay following my performance at the European Championships held in Tilburg. I’m fortunate that this was my fourth consecutive year to be involved with the event and find I have such an enjoyable approach to the relays every year.

Being a track runner you can that its quite an exposed place to be, you either run great or terrible and either way, both performances are down to you as the individual, nobody else to blame, simple.

As an 800m athlete, I know I will never ever be fast enough to make the GB 4x100m, but the mixed relay over the cross gives me the chance to be part of and feel a team spirit and also share the responsibility.

The team performance in Scotland was so strong and each and every one of us gave it the best we could on quite a challenging and very windy golf course.

Phil Sesemann (fellow training partner based in Leeds) and Jamie Williamson both put in solid efforts to maintain a significant lead over the rest of the field to hand over to Laura Muir who brought it home, again, in style.

I have raced with these lads a couple of times now and it’s really encouraging to see them both growing in confidence with every race. Hopefully, there will be many more teams we make together for GB in the future.

On the lead up to the race, I didn’t have any doubt in my mind that this team would possibly lose, but I never once was complacent or thought that with the company of Laura, we had to work any less or give anything below par and depend on her performance.

If anything, having such a strong team lined up drove me on and wanted more than just to win but to go on and run as fast as I possibly could in comparison to the rest of the international athletes lined up. I accomplished my target which resulted in the joint fastest leg of the day with Laura and funnily enough, Phil and Jamie ran the exact same splits too – 4.38/4.38/4.10/4.10.

The night before the race I was having some downtime and reading through a book, many athletes will have come across by Jim Afremow ‘The Champions Mind’ which I found really fitting and relatable for the race that I was about to compete in.

There was a Japanese story called ‘Ten Jugs of Wine’ which basically explained the difference in working as a team and for each other. A group of men were celebrating New Year with a big hot pot and each needed to bring a jug of their best and most expensive wine. Each one secretly thought that nobody will actually see what I will pour into the pot and because they each thought that their wine was far too good to share, they all decided to bring a pint of water, unbeknown to the others.

So the moral of the story is instead of holding back in a group or team effort or not putting in 100% (because you think your efforts will get unnoticed or overlooked) go out there and give your absolute best that you have to offer.

And so on race day I did just that, from start right through to the finish, I tried to seize the opportunity to assist my teammates and not take a back seat approach. What I took away from the weekend was to not water down your own efforts thinking that nobody will notice.

Rome/Importance of a break – All running routes lead to Rome

So after a couple of months of busy work weeks and a hefty training block coming to an end, Josh and I booked some cheap flights to Rome for a four-day break.

Instead of Christmas presents, we decided to not waste our money on fancy things or unnecessary gifts that we do not particularly need (especially with a wedding coming up early next year too). We wanted to do more of an experience, go and see something new whilst we have the time to share together.

In the summer, it is very different and time can be very limited, especially mid-season with all of your focus on racing, training and good recovery.

People often message me when I am away racing saying “you are so lucky to go there: or “you get to travel to so many lovely places”, but what seems to be the ‘extravagance’ to travel the world for competition we as athletes all know it is just a flight with a transfer to a room of four walls, a continental brekky (if you’re lucky), a race then a flight back home again.

So as the winter months can seem awfully long, cold and daunting, for me personally I love to break up the winter by taking myself on a mini break. Rome seemed the perfect option, good weather, culture and history on every corner plus the endless bowls of pasta – distance athlete dream!

It gives me a week to review the season so far, enjoy some downtime and just have fun with my easy running to then come home, refreshed and ready for the last big block of the season.

Although this was an easier week for me in terms of running, I actually clocked up the biggest mileage to date this season – and that was even without realising at the time. It just shows you how a change of scenery alongside a relaxed approach to your training for a short period of time can make clocking up the mileage so much more effortless.

Northern Cross Country – I ain’t no one trick pony

Having not completing an 8km race since November, I was very excited to put the Pudsey & Bramley vest back on and line up with the Northern ladies. I finished in fourth place behind Mhairi Maclennan, Lauren Heyes and Jess Judd on a fast, stretched out course.

The event was held at Pontefract Racecourse which I found was well suited for me with the conditions and ground being relatively flat and dry.

There was so much support around the course, even in the secluded areas. The Northern Athletic Association also did a fantastic job at hosting such a well organised and efficient champs – hats off to everybody who competed and completed the blustery course!

I’m now entering my final month of winter training with the next few weeks focus directed on the Nationals, which will be held at Harewood House, Leeds.

Usually I would have ended my cross season by now but with the event being held right on my doorstep, it would be rude not to have a run-out! I can soon look forward to hanging the 15″ muddy spikes up and slowly start prepping for, dare I say it, ‘warmer conditions’.

Catch you guys soon and will look forward to welcoming some of you in Leeds on the 23rd of February!

Alexandra Bell features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Alexandra on Twitter and on Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

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Alexandra Bell’s running highlights to date include finishing fifth in the 800m final at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and running sub two minutes for the first time at the Watford BMC Grand Prix.

For the year ahead, Bell has set her sights on winning the British 800m title and competing for Great Britain at the World Championships in Doha.

Profile

Name: Alexandra Bell
Age (Jan 2019): 26
Hometown: Leeds
Club: Pudsey & Bramley AC
Main discipline: 800m
Other disciplines: Cross country and cross country relays
Full-time athlete/work/studying: Athlete and part-time work

Goals or targets for 2019

1) To become the British 800m champion
2) Compete at the World Championships in Doha
3) Improve my 800m PB
4) Improve my 1500m PB
5) Another healthy and injury free season

Running highlights

1) Finishing fifth at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
2) Running 1:59 front run at Watford BMC Grand Prix
3) Cross country mixed relay gold, Edinburgh 2018
4) Fourth place at the British Championships

Personal bests

800m: 1:59.93 (2018)
1500m: 4:12.62 (2017)
400m: 54.7 (2016)

Interesting or fun facts

To get started, I am a Hartlepool United supporter. I was also in the West Yorkshire Police for two years and I own a mad cocker spaniel called “Ted”.

I also competed to a high level in ballet and tap dancing. Lastly, I love to travel and wish I could have a six month holiday twice a year!

I run because…

I love to keep fit and active. For me running is the perfect escape and the “me” time which we all need to find and invest in.

The targets we set ourselves as runners can be endless and limitless. I love the idea of always trying to progress further or aiming to improve yourself in some way.

Favourite training session

In the winter, I love a good tempo. 10 minutes (two minutes recovery) five minutes (5.10-5.15 pace).

I live right on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal and the routes that are on my doorstep make the longer runs and tempos a pleasure to do.

In the summer months, anything short and fast. Six to eight 150m with walk back recovery.

Least favourite training session

Anything with a ‘jog’ or a ‘float’ as recovery.

I’m not a big lover of hills but I know how important they are. The strength you gain from this session is what gets me through.

Favourite pre-race food

Pasta and salmon.

Favourite post-race food

A curry or a Chinese.

Favourite runner or runners

Anyone who just gets out there for sheer enjoyment.

Brands or organisations that support me

SportsShoes Ambassador, but no sports contract or brand representation.

Alexandra Bell features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Alexandra on Twitter and on Instagram.

Further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Fast 10: Alexandra Bell appeared first on Fast Running.

Callum Hawkins clocked 28:55 to finish second European runner and 19th overall at the 10k Valencia Ibercaja on Sunday (January 12).

The 26 year-old now boasts an official 10k road personal best under 29 minutes, improving on his time of 29:03 set in the Dutch village of Schoorl last year.

Hawkins has previously run quicker for 10k on the roads and posted splits of 28.28 and 28.27 en route to winning the 2017 Kagawa Marugame International Half Marathon in 60:00.

After ending 2018 with a hamstring niggle ahead of the Fukuoka Marathon in Japan, his performance should instil a lot of confidence before racing over 13.1 miles and 26.2 miles later this year.

Jenny Nesbitt ran a PB of 33:10 to finish 11th and third European in the women’s race. The Welsh Commonwealth Games athlete, who won the renowned Nos Galen road race on New Year’s Eve, took 14 seconds from her previous best mark set at the Bourton 10k last year.

Tsehay Gemechu took 15 seconds off Tirunesh Dibaba’s Ethiopian record to win the women’s race in 30:15, while compatriot Chala Ketema won the men’s race in 27:23 with 10 men running 28 minutes or quicker.

Staying in Spain, there was a strong English cross country representation at the IAAF permitted Cross Internacional Juan Muguerza in Elgoibar. City of Stoke’s Kate Holt clocked 26:51 over the 6.6km course to finish a strong fifth and first European in the senior women’s race.

World 5000m champion Hellen Obiri won the race in 24:39, while Lily Partridge finished sixth in 27:05 ahead of Ireland’s Sara Treacy and Marshall Milton Keynes’s Rachel Robinson.

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Cross Country hurts. 6th today. Running on soft ground is absolutely a skill that I have massively taken for granted in the past but I'll have another go next week. Thanks to @crosselgoibar for another cool event. Some cool videos on my Twitter… I will try get them uploaded onto here. . …@crossitalica is the next stop . . . #RunnersOfInstagram #FurtherFasterStronger #RunningMotivation #Marathon #MarathonTraining #SeenOnMyRun #TrailRunning #InstaRunners #CrossCountry #Instarunners #LoveRunning #RunnerLife #RunningCommunity #RunningShoes #RunItFast @sara_treacy @englandathletics

A post shared by L I L Y P A R T R I D G E (@lilypartridge) on Jan 13, 2019 at 7:56am PST

Outside of the top 10, three seconds separated Tonbridge’s Nicole Taylor and Shaftesbury Barnet’s Naomi Taschimowitz, with the pair finishing 13th and 14th respectively.

In the senior men’s 10.7km race, Southampton’s Mahamed Mahamed clocked 33:58 to finished 12th, while Ipswich’s Jack Millar was also in the top 15 finishing in 14th place.

World under-20 10,000m champion Rhonex Kipruto of Kenya won the men’s race in 32:05, finishing 22 seconds ahead of defending champion and under-20 5000m record-holder Selemon Barega of Ethiopia.

Further down the field, Southend’s Adam Hickey and Tonbridge’s Corey De’Ath finished 24th and 31st respectively.

England dominated the under-20 races, with Zakariya Mahamed and Euan Brennan first and second, while Amelia Samuels and Holly Page also took the top two spots in the women’s race.

Rory Leonard finished fifth in the under-20 men’s race with Joshua Cowperthwaite 14th. In the women’s event, Shannon Flockhart finished fourth and Olivia Mason was 10th across the finish line.

RELATED: It’s a family affair for Morpeth’s Inter-Counties champion Rory Leonard

Various cross country league fixtures took place over the weekend, and among the individual winners were Blackburn Harriers’ Jess Judd and Border Harriers’ James Douglas at the Mid Lancs League Cross Country in Burnley on Saturday (January 12).

In the Metropolitan League at Wormwood Scrubs, Luton’s 800m specialist Revee Walcott-Nolan had a 29 second victory over Serpentine’s Isabel Clark in the senior women’s 6k race, while Highgate Harriers’ Roger Poolman was first across the line in senior men’s 8k event.

Also on Saturday, there were individual wins for Trafford AC’s Vicki Cronin and East Cheshire Harriers’ Joe Steward at the Manchester Area Cross Country League fixture.

Newark AC Chloe Hubbard and Peterborough’s Ben Heron won the senior races at the North Midlands Cross Country League at Wollaton Hall Nottingham, while Bedford and County’s Matt Bergin and MK Distance Project’s Dani Chattenton won at the Chiltern League in Keysoe.

At the Leeds Varsity Cross Country – an inter-university sports competition between the University of Leeds and Leeds Beckett University – Alex Yee won the men’s race ahead of Emile Cairess to secure the first point of the year for Leeds Beckett.

Congratulations to @leedsbeckett men’s team taking the first point of the year in @LeedsVarsity19! Alex Yee also took the individual win. pic.twitter.com/Cu4YeF4cRb

— LBU Athletics (@LBUAthletics) January 12, 2019

On the roads, Winchester & District’s George King and Southampton’s Jen Elkins claimed the victories at the Stubbington Green 10k. King won the men’s race by seven seconds clocking 31:40, while Elkins won the women’s race by over 30 seconds in a time of 35:29.

Birtley AC’s Adrian Bailes and City of Hull’s Becky Briggs won the titles at the Brass Monkey Half Marathon in York on Sunday.

Bailes clocked 69:44 for the win ahead of Bury AC’s Benjamin Coop, while junior athlete Briggs posted a time of 74:57 to win the women’s race on her half marathon debut.

Going indoors, Jemma Reekie ran an indoor 800m PB at the FPSG Athletics Scottish National Open in Glasgow on Saturday. Reekie clocked 2:03.06 at the event and is now fifth on the Scottish indoor all-time rankings.

At the same event, Sol Sweeney recorded 3:45.04 over 1500m, and Eilidh Doyle clocked 53.38 in her first 400m of the year.

There were 1500m wins for Wallsend Harriers’ Danielle Hodgkinson and Hallamshire Harriers’ James McCrae at the North of England Indoor Championships over the weekend.

Hodgkinson won the senior women’s title in 4:27.83 and also clinched the 3000m crown after a 9:32.41 run. McCrae claimed the men’s 1500m title in 3:59.79 ahead of  Sheffield & Dearne’s James Gormley.

Amber Valley & Erewash’s Tamsin McGraw won the senior women’s 800m title in 2:10.46, with the men’s honours going to Crook’s Markhim Lonsdale after a 1:54.74 performance.

The men’s 3000m race saw Tonbridge AC’s Dominic Brown first across the line in 8:19.49 ahead of  Sheffield & Dearne’s Lewis Jagger in 8:20.56 and Bolton United Harriers’ Jonothan Kay in 8:20.93. Full results can be found here.

Meanwhile, on Friday (January 11), Eilish McColgan clocked a PB of 31:51 to win the Ooredoo Doha 10k. For the last three years, the 28 year-old has clocked a new best at the Doha road race, posting times of 31:56 and 31:53 in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

The Dundee Hawkill athlete moves two second’s closer to her mum Liz’s national record of 30:39. More about the GB international’s performance can be found here.

At the Great Stirling XCountry on Saturday, Laura Muir anchored GB’s mixed relay team to victory over Europe and the USA after first-class early legs by Alex Bell, Phillip Sesemann and Jamie Williamson.

In the women’s race, Charlotte Arter delivered a gutsy performance to set the pace before losing out to Europe’s Elena Burkard in the closing stages. A full report from Stirling can be found here.

At parkrun events across the UK on Saturday, the quickest times were run by Elsey Wyman-Davis and Jonathan Hopkins.

Wyman-Davis recorded a time of 16:55 at the Preston parkrun, while Hopkins clocked 14:44 at the Cardiff event. The top 10 times from UK parkruns can be found here.

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The post Callum Hawkins and Jenny Nesbitt impress in Valencia – weekend round-up appeared first on Fast Running.

Laura Muir, Alex Bell, Phillip Sesemann and Jamie Williamson all ran fantastic legs in the mixed relay to take victory for Great Britain in the final event at the Great Stirling XCountry (12 January).

It was a windy day in Stirling as the Scottish city hosted the cross country international between GB, Europe and the USA for the first time after moving on from its long-standing home in Edinburgh. Under the watchful eye of Stirling castle the racing was on a rolling but firm cross country course at city’s King’s Park golf course.

The overall match was won by Europe, but that does not paint the full picture of an exciting day of cross country running with drama in the men’s race, a strong home result in the women’s event and a fine British win on the mixed relay.

Elena Burkard overhauls Charlotte Ater to win women’s event for Europe

The women’s race was the first international event, with four laps of a 1500m loop. Featuring some nice ups and downs, the early pace was set by Kate Avery of Great Britain with the pack tightly bunched.

Photo: Keith McClure

GB’s Charlotte Arter then took charge of proceeding with a break and looked strong before German Elena Burkard, representing Europe fought her way back into contention.

The race between the two was close, but the German steeplechaser pushed on with Arter starting to struggle.

Burkard, who is next heading off for a cross country skiing training camp, looked composed and strong throughout the final stages and finished in 20:01 to take the win, just five seconds clear of Arter. The Danish Anna Emilie Møller added third for the European team in 20:11, chasing Arter hard at the finish.

Britain’s Pippa Woollven was fourth with Verity Ockenden in fifth, both having great performances.

Drama in the men’s race

Photo: Keith McClure

There was drama in the elite men’s race, which was fast from the start with Europe’s Hugo Hay pushing the early pace. In a turn around from the women’s race, the USA team were at the front in force and when the break came it was five men, including two former event winners in Edinburgh, Garrett Heath and Leonard Korir.

As the race progressed, USA’s Hillary Bor, Heath and Korir were in a small group with Sweden’s Napoleon Solomon and Spain’s Adel Mechaal for Europe. Bor looked really comfortable in the front but the format of the race, four 1500m laps, followed by two 1000m laps added some extra excitement towards the end.

A new lap format to tackle when all the runners were pushing and tired from earlier exertions led to Bor and Korir both taking a wrong turn and getting tangled up in the side ropes. Both went from first and second to fourth and fifth and had to chase back to the front. Bor easily got back onto Solomon’s shoulder, but Korir had to work little harder.

Watching fans were asking whether Bor and Korir’s chase back to the front would affect the finishing sprints.

Salomon, who was fifth at the European Cross country last year, showed a downhill push before the final uphill that seriously challenged Bor, but USA’s man was too quick and held on for the victory. 1500m specialist Adel Mechaal came through for third place as Korir seemed to suffer the most after the wrong turn.

Photo: Keith McClure

The British team didn’t have the strongest of performances, but young Patrick Dever ran with the lead group for a lot of the race and was the first British runner home in ninth place. The Preston Harrier is certainly one to watch for the future.

Mixed Relay

The mixed relay race was the final event of the day and it was essentially USA v Great Britain v Spain with a Spanish quartet competing for Team Europe. Meanwhile, Great Britain was represented by three of the quartet from the European Championships along with European 1500m champion Muir.

Blasting off with a men’s leg first, the pace was electric with GB’s Jamie Williamson running strongly. However, it was USA’s Craig Nowak, a 3:39 1500m man, who finished the first lap ahead of the field. Europe were second home, closely followed by Great Britain’s senior and junior teams.

Another error with the course meant that the USA’s runner was reeled in by GB’s Alex Bell, who might well have caught the American regardless as she was running brilliantly on the day.

GB was in the lead at the end leg two with Bell passing the baton to a fellow Andy Henderson coached athlete Phillip Sesemann. It seemed the European team were gaining, but Sesemann finished with a flourish to provide an excellent advantage to his teammate Laura Muir for the final leg.

Home favourite Muir set off on the final leg with a steely, focused look in her eyes, and was resolute as she stormed around the final lap to claim the win for GB.

Interestingly Muir and Bell both clocked the same time of 4:38 around the 1500m loop, while GB’s men also ran the exact same time in 4:10, a stat that highlights just how well the team ran to win the mixed relay with a 17:36 total.

“The team did fantastically, they were unlucky at the European Championships in that they slipped and it was fantastic to see them build up such a strong lead for me, and then I thought ‘well there’s no pressure now!’,” said Muir after winning a fifth consecutive mixed relay title. “All credit to the team, they did a fantastic job of getting me into a good position and it’s as much of a team win as it is an individual win for me.

“When I saw I was quite a bit ahead I thought I had to take it easier on the first half and make sure that I was strong on the finish and I had to judge it so I could be strong on the finish.

“I take the crowd in more than I would on a track, there’s people there from school and Glasgow and running alongside that are all shouting things. It’s nice to run and be so close to the crowd and having little kids running alongside you is really fun. It [the course] was a challenge but it was proper cross country and it was good fun.”

Second place was USA, after a strong last lap, with Europe in third place.

The overall team title went to the Europeans, due to strong and consistent performance across the individual races. Europe finished with 55 points, Great Britain with 84 points and the USA with 90 points.

Inter District Championships

Earlier in the day, the Scottish Inter District Championships saw some cracking cross country running with athletes from far and wide representing their districts.

The men’s senior race was won by Shettleston Harrier Lachlan Oates (25:16), representing West Scotland, ahead of Linton Taylor (25:23) for the North of England and Alastair Hay (25:25) for East Scotland. Preston AC’s Nathan Dunn was first U20 in 25:43 and eighth place overall.

The women’s senior race saw a win for Scottish Students and Mhairi MacLennan (20:40) ahead of North of England’s Lucy Crookes (20:55) with third place going to Morag Miller of Scotland East in 21:08. Eloise Walker of Edinburgh AC was the first U20 in 21:47 for fifth overall.

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Launched in 2018, the ‘Fast 10’ is a special feature on Fast Running that offers readers a glimpse into the lives of a group of athletes at different stages in their running careers.

Each runner has the opportunity to share their story throughout the year which can cover race targets, advice, training insights, balancing running with life, work and studies, plus a wide range of other things.

After a successful 2018 – with some insightful journeys – it is now time to introduce the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’.

Young Scottish and GB mountain runner Jacob Adkin earned a top six finish at the World Mountain Running Championships in 2018 and will document his off-road jaunts fuelled mostly by coffee – which should make interesting reading!

800m specialist Alex Bell had an impressive 2018 season which included finishing fifth at the Commonwealth Games and breaking two minutes for the first time. Did you know she used to compete at a high level in ballet and tap dancing?

Natasha Cockram had a breakthrough performance at the 2018 Dublin Marathon. The Welsh runner now has big ambitions for the next 12 months after overcoming injury challenges.

Young English distance runner Hannah Irwin is currently studying Creative Writing and can hopefully lead by example with her blogs. The Guildford and Godalming athlete is keen to share the ups and downs of the sport to help others stay motivated and inspired.

Orienteering is Kris Jones’ first love but he is also an established distance runner who continues to impress whether it’s track, road or cross country. The Welshman, who based in Scotland, recently completed a PhD studying the biomechanics of the golf swing, however, he’s never actually played a round of golf himself.

Nomadic Holly Page, who is originally from West Yorkshire, is forever on an adventure and over the last 12 months has travelled the world competing on the mountains and trails – winning a ‘few races’ along the way too!

Glasgow based Fionnuala Ross, who is originally from Northern Ireland, returned impressively to the track in 2018, improved her road PBs and also won bronze at the Irish Cross Country Championships.

Amongst her goals this year, the Armagh AC/Shettleston Harriers athlete aims to have another crack at the marathon.

Daniel Rowden announced himself on the big stage in 2018 by competing in his first Diamond League meet and at the European Championships. The middle-distance athlete, who is also a full-time student, has his eyes on the British 800m crown this summer.

Next up, Irish long distance athlete Stephen Scullion will chart his journey as a full-time athlete based in the heights of Flagstaff, Arizona. The new podcaster will surely have some top advice to share as he works towards his marathon goals.

Last but not least, is Irish middle-distance runner Sean Tobin. The 24 year-old recently returned home after an athletics scholarship stateside and should provide interesting insights as adapts to life back in Ireland while chasing his targets.

Everyone at Fast Running would like to thank each member of the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ in advance for agreeing to share their journey this year. Over the next week, each runner will be introduced in more detail, so be sure to visit fastrunning.com to find out more.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patron. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

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Alex Bell, who was not included in the Great Britain team for the European Championships announced on Wednesday (July 24), has been unsuccessful in her appeal and will not be heading to Berlin.

The 25 year-old, who finished fifth in the 800m at the Commonwealth Games in April, said in a statement on Twitter: “My appeal was unsuccessful and the decision was held on the personal opinions and predictions of the ‘professionals and experts’ on the selection board… not the actual selection criteria itself with BA dismissing the selection policy altogether.”

At the recent British Championships, the top two athletes were guaranteed automatic selection for Berlin, with Laura Muir and Shelayna Oskan-Clarke taking the spots. Adelle Tracey finished third in Birmingham, with Bell fourth and Lynsey Sharp fifth.

However, Muir, the fastest British athlete this year, will only contest the 1500m at the Europeans, with British Athletics choosing Oskan-Clarke, Tracey and Sharp as the women’s 800m selection.

Outdoors this year, Bell is quicker than Oskan-Clarke and Tracey after clocking a personal best 1:59.93 at the Watford BMC Grand Prix in May, which was her first time running sub two minutes.

“Can’t express enough my disappointment with the European selection this week,” said Bell in her statement. “I am disgraced by the insults that were directed towards me by individuals from British Athletics in the selection meeting.

“The comments and justifications made towards my case is outrageous and I can’t believe I’ve once again been let down by my own governing body.

“My appeal was unsuccessful and the decision was held on the personal opinions and predictions of the ‘professionals and experts’ on the selection board… not the actual selection criteria itself with BA dismissing the selection policy altogether.

“I can’t wait to prove these small minds wrong about their comment on how ‘she hasn’t got a medal mentality’.”

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