In the years that followed the marathoner achieved unenvisaged personal bests, fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming an Olympian, as well as a second World Championships at London 2017.

Now almost four years on from Glasgow 2014, Dixon is ready to reopen the chapter titled ‘Commonwealth Games’ and write a happier, more fitting ending on Australia’s Gold Coast this April.

“Last year a lot of people were aiming for the World Championships in London and then retiring, but for me, I have this unfinished business with the Commonwealth Games,” Dixon tells Fast Running. “So I am not looking at retiring just yet. I want to get to Australia and put to bed the ghosts of Glasgow.”

The Sunderland Strollers athlete had billed Glasgow 2014 as her swan song with the marathon. A good performance in the English vest and Dixon would have happily walked away content with all she had achieved in her running career.

“I went into that race in really good shape on the back of really consistent training. I always felt that a medal was within my reach,” she says, looking back. “I was feeling great, but at 10 miles in I felt a twinge, that I thought it was my Achilles.”

By 14 miles, Dixon’s race was over. The pain too much to even take another step. It turned out to be a calf injury that halted her Commonwealth Games abruptly on the streets of Glasgow.

“The race ended with me curled up in a ball on the side of the road crying my eyes out. I felt like the world was tumbling down on me,” she recalls. “You are running for your country, you feel like you have let everyone down, including your family.

“However after a few days, I snapped out of that and realised it was not the end of the world, it was just the initial reaction to everything that was so hard.”

That moment, as painful as it was, turned out to be the career-defining moment for the now 39-year-old.

Blessing in disguise

“Looking back now, the experience of Glasgow 2014 was a blessing in disguise. If the race had gone well, I probably would have looked at as that’s the best I can do and called it a day,” she says. “But because of how bad it went, it’s an added incentive to come back and show everyone just what I am really capable of. I had that hunger again, and I wanted to prove that I was better than stopping at 14 miles.”

In 2014, Dixon’s personal best was a very respectable 2:31:08 – a time most would happily grab with both hands. However, with newfound hunger, the North East native would go on to break her PB, not once, but twice in the years that followed.

Firstly 2:29:30 at the 2015 Berlin Marathon and then again in 2017, running 2:29:06 at the London Marathon. That time in the UK capital saw her ending 2017 ranked as the UK’s number one marathoner.

As good as personal bests are though, there was also higher career achievements that may never have happened if Glasgow had ended with an elated Dixon.

In 2016, representing Great Britain, she competed in her first Olympic Games and finished 28th in Rio. The next year Dixon competed at a second World Championships, this time in London.

“Thankfully the years on from Glasgow have been absolutely amazing and I have achieved so much,” she says. “If I am to compare myself to four years ago, I’m definitely fitter, faster and stronger.

“Also I am not as hung up on putting myself into boxes, I no longer go into a race saying I want to run a certain time or certain splits. I don’t set limits for myself anymore. I am at the stage now where I go into every race not knowing if I will race again, so I just go for it.

“That’s what I was like at the World Championships in London. At one stage I had a massive lead, but I wasn’t thinking about a medal, I was just enjoying the moment knowing I would probably not get that opportunity again.”

Special moments

In this period that included a first Olympic Games and a second World Championships, you would think that one of these two major championships would the most memorable race for an international athlete.

“The Olympic Games were really special, they are every athlete’s dream and it took me 25 years to do it,” she says. “Leading the race at the World Championships – that was a feeling money can’t buy.

“However the one that is really special to me, and a lot of people are surprised when I say this, is a local race called the Blaydon Race. As a 16-year-old, it was one of the very first road races that I ran and it’s got a lot of prestige in the North East.

“It took me 21 years and 17 attempts to eventually win it in 2016, that was really really special.”

There was also another race that meant a lot to Dixon, again at home – running in the Sunderland Half Marathon last year, alongside marathon great Paula Radcliffe. Dixon is pretty much self-coached and writes her own training, but Radcliffe and her husband Gary will review the sessions are always there willing to help.

“Just getting the chance to run around my hometown with Paula Radcliffe was something special,” she joyfully says. “It wasn’t a proper race but it was special. Paula’s helped me so much with my training over the last three years and I will never be able to repay her for everything she has done.”

Gold Coast 2018

Back to the task at hand, and Dixon is currently at the ‘home of champions’ in the lofty heights of Iten, Keyna. Firmly focused on her Commonwealth “unfinished business”, she is going through the familiar motions at altitude, before coming back to the UK to continue her preparations.

“I have the bad experience at the back of mind and when I get home I will use it to push me that bit more during the cold, dark and wet laps on the track,” she says determinately. “I need to put that to bed and do justice to the Commonwealth Games.”

The Big Half in March in London is the main race ahead of Gold Coast 2018. Depending on how that goes, a decision will then be made on the World Half Marathon Championships. Aside from those half marathons, racing will be limited to a two-mile relay Dixon always competes in with her local club.

“Come April I am going to be competitive and finish as high up as I can. I don’t want to be an ‘also ran’. It would be great if I could run fast and finish in the top three or five,” Dixon adds. “but I’ll judge the race and hopefully make my presence felt.

“I still think I can run faster and I have no plans on hanging up the racing flats just yet.” And as Dixon puts it so well herself: “marathon running: it’s not a hobby, it’s a lifestyle.”

The post Aly Dixon has an “unfinished” chapter in her marathon story appeared first on Fast Running.

Louise Martin, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president, made the announcement at the Arena Academy school in the city today.

“We warmly congratulate Birmingham and England on today’s announcement – it is a defining moment for this truly Commonwealth city,” Martin said. “With its rich history, cultural diversity, youthful dynamism and ambitious spirit, Birmingham embodies all that we cherish about the Commonwealth.”

The upcoming Commonwealth Games take place next year on the Gold Coast in Australia. Glasgow was the UK city to host the event in 2014 and the last time the Games were held in England, was Manchester in 2002.

The 2022 Birmingham Games are earmarked to take place between July 27 and August 7.

The Midland’s city, whose bid includes the refurbishment of Alexander Stadium, was chosen ahead of Liverpool as Britain’s candidate city in September.

As the only host bid submitted by the September deadline, it was widely expected that Birmingham would be awarded the Games, but the CGF initially said the city’s bid was “not fully compliant” and encouraged further bids from other cities who had expressed an interest.

However, after two months no competing bids were lodged, and Birmingham has now been approved.

It is anticipated that Games will cost £750 million, with the majority of costs being met by the government.

“The UK has a brilliant track record for putting on the biggest sports events in the world and it is great news that Birmingham has been selected to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games,” said Sports Minister Tracey Crouch.

“I am sure that we will put on an event that will make the country proud, leave a strong sporting legacy and strengthen relationships with our friends across the Commonwealth.”

The refurbishment and upgrades to Alexander Stadium, the home of UK Athletics and host of an annual Diamond League meet can now begin.

Plans include a permanent stadium capacity increase to 25,000, which would rise to between 40,000 and 45,000 with temporary seating for the Games, and also four indoor arenas.

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Despite Birmingham being the only city bidding to host the event in 2020, the Commonwealth Games Federation said it would extend the original deadline 30 September deadline by a further two months hoping to encourage a challenging bid.

The UK government recently gave Birmingham’s 2022 bid it’s full support after the city was chosen ahead of the Liverpool bid, and pledged to provide substantial funding towards the Games.

Before last month’s original deadline, rival bids had been anticipated from Malaysian city Kuala Lumpur, and Canada’s Victoria but none came to fruition.

Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) president Louise Martin said: “We have carefully reviewed the bids and updates received as part of the ongoing 2022 candidate city process and have agreed – noting the challenging timescales and no fully compliant bid – that further time should be given to all interested parties to enable the submission of fully compliant proposals.”

Martin did not say what the concerns were with Birmingham’s bid, but the governing body is believed to be asking for more details on government and local council’s support, including the proposed athletes’ village.

“We are confident that Birmingham’s bid demonstrates that the city has the ability to stage a fantastic Commonwealth Games in 2022,” said Commonwealth Games England, chief executive, Paul Blanchard.

“It was a huge effort to put such a comprehensive bid together in such a short timescale. We’ve always said that even though Birmingham was the only city to submit a bid there would still be a few hurdles to clear before a decision was made on formally awarding the Games,” he added.

The post Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 Bid ‘Not Fully Compliant’ appeared first on Fast Running.

Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is considered the main international rivalling bid after Durban in South Africa lost the right to host the Games earlier this year, but bids are also expected from cities in Australia and Canada.

The final decision will be made by the Commonwealth Games Federation in November, and as long as the British government decide to put Birmingham forward as the candidate city in a formal bid, the city should be considered the favourite to host the multi-sport Games.

“While both bids were of high quality, Birmingham’s bid was considered particularly strong on its management of risk, it’s high quality existing venue infrastructure and its plans for a long-term sporting legacy,” said the sports minister, Tracey Crouch.

Birmingham’s bid centred on its exciting plans to refurbish and upgrade Alexander Stadium, the current home of UK Athletics and host of an annual Diamond League meet.

The plans include a permanent stadium capacity increase to 25,000, which would rise to between 40,000 and 45,000 with temporary seating for the Games, and also four indoor arenas.

The permanent increase would see Alexander Stadium become the UK’s largest permanent athletics stadium.

“It was an exciting and inspirational bid and we felt, ultimately because we’ve got to win an international competition if this goes forward, it was the one best suited to winning that competition, ” said Paul Blanchard, chief executive of Commonwealth Games England.

While Liverpool’s bid focused on the regeneration of its docks, Birmingham’s bid drew extensively on existing venues, stating that 95% of its venues are already in place to host the Games.

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