Laura Weightman and Beth Potter are among the leading runners set to race at the Trafford 10k on Sunday, March 10.

Following the initial postponement of the 2018 spring race due to heavy snowfall across the UK, it was Marc Scott, who triumphed ahead of Andy Butchart, and Jess Piasecki who took the victories at the rearranged September date.

Returning to the traditional March fixture this year, the field for one of the fastest 10k road races in the UK doesn’t disappoint.

This year’s women’s race promises to be an exciting contest with 2016 winner Eli Kirk lining up against Weightman, Potter and Rosie Clarke.

Weightman, who represented Great Britain at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, will look to improve on her PB of 32:31 she set to win the Ribble Valley 10k in 2017.

The 27 year-old comes into the race in good form following a 15:28 clocking at the Herculis 5K in Monaco.

However, it’s fellow Olympian Potter who boasts the fastest time on paper with a 10k best of 32:07. The Scottish athlete clocked her PB to win the 2018 edition of the Ribble Valley 10k.

Photo: Pete Brown

British international steeplechaser Clarke is another athlete to keep an eye out for and will look to improve her 10k road best of 33:03.

Other top entries in the women’s race include 1ok debutant Sara Treacy, Abigail Howarth, Irish marathon champion Lizzie Lee, Bronwen Owen and Clara Evans.

Ben Connor was set to headline the men’s field but will not be racing now, however an exciting race is still on the cards.

Top entries include Mo Abu-Rezeq, who has a PB of 29:11, Sale Harriers’ Nigel Martin, who clocked a 13:53 PB at the Armagh 5k, and Bedford’s Matt Bergin fresh from a 5k PB of 13:59, also in Armagh.

Irish cross country champion Kevin Dooney, who featured in the Fast 10: class of 2018, and Commonwealth Games marathon fourth place finisher Kevin Seaward should also be in the mix, along with Welsh Commonwealth Games marathoner Andy Davies.

Newham’s John Beattie and Liverpool Harriers’ Danny Cliffe and Lincoln Wellington’s Lucian Allison are also set to race.

International interest includes Dutch runner Bart Van Nunen, fresh off a PB of 28:57 at the recent Dutch 10k championships in Schoorl, plus American Matt Crowe and Australian Dylan Evans, both who boast sub 14 minute 5k bests.

RELATED: Marc Scott and Jessica Piasecki win Trafford 10k

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A stellar field, that includes Olympians, British champions and international athletes will race at the Trafford 10k on Sunday, March 10.

The 2019 edition of the road race, which has traditionally been one of the fastest 10ks in the UK, is set to live up to its rich history with a top field set for the start line this spring.

Following the initial postponement of the 2018 race due to heavy snowfall across the UK, it was Marc Scott who triumphed ahead of Andy Butchart at the rearranged event in September, while previous winners of the men’s race also include Chris Thompson and Tom Lancashire.

This year’s field doesn’t disappoint with Team New Balance Manchester’s Ben Connor set to lead the charge.

The Derby AC runner is looking to make a winning return to action following a long lay off with injury and has a 10,000m personal best of 28:14 set in 2018. Connor will face a stiff challenge from the field behind, which includes Mo Abu-Rezeq who has a PB of 29:11.

Sale Harriers’ Nigel Martin clocked a 13:53 PB at the Armagh 5k and should also challenge for the top prize, while Bedford’s Matt Bergin also posted an impress PB of 13:59 in Armagh and is expected to race.

Irish cross country champion Kevin Dooney, who featured in the Fast 10: class of 2018, and Commonwealth Games marathon fourth place finisher Kevin Seaward will be in the mix, along with Welsh Commonwealth Games representatives Andy Davies and Ieuan Thomas, Newham’s John Beattie, Liverpool Harriers’ duo Dejene and Danny Cliffe and Lucian Allison.

International interest includes Swedish athlete Mikael Ekvall and Dutch runner Bart Van Nunen. Ekvall has a 10,000m best of 28:31 with Van Nunen fresh off a PB of 28:57 at the recent Dutch 10k championships in Schoorl.

Stockport’s Jess Piasecki won the women’s race last year in 32:51 and this year’s race promises to be an exciting contest with 2016 winner Eli Kirk lining up against Laura Weightman, Beth Potter and Rosie Clarke.

Weightman who represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games in London will look to improve on her PB of 32:31 she set to win the Ribble Valley 10k in 2017.

The 27 year-old comes into the race in good form following a 15:28 clocking at the recent Herculis 5K in Monaco.

However, it’s fellow Olympian Beth Potter who boasts the fastest time on paper with a 10k best of 32:07. The Scottish athlete clocked her PB to win the 2018 edition of the Ribble Valley 10k last December.

Photo: Pete Brown

Clarke is another athlete to keep an eye out for with the steeplechaser recently returning from high altitude training in Kenya and will look to improve her best of 33:03.

Other top entries in the women’s race include Abigail Howarth, Lizzie Lee, Bronwen Owen, Kirsty Longley and Clara Evans.

RELATED: Marc Scott and Jessica Piasecki win Trafford 10k

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The post Star studded field set for Trafford 10k appeared first on Fast Running.

Taking place over two day’s (June 16-17), the England Athletics U20/23 Championships welcomed the best British young talent to Bedford.

Jake Heyward won his third straight U20 men’s 1500m title with a commanding performance. The European U20 1500m champion won comfortably in 3:54.07 and booked his place on the British team for the World Junior Championships in Tampere next month.

The latest name on the to the World Juniors is @jakeheyward7 and after conquering the field at Bedford, he now feels he's ready to conquer the pic.twitter.com/9L0xVritIr

— British Athletics (@BritAthletics) June 17, 2018

The U20 women’s 1500m was won by Francesca Brint in 4:29.40, while Amelia Quirk, who finished third, wasn’t deterred, and a few hours later won the U20 women’s 3000m in 9:22.54. James Vincent won the men’s gold in 9:11.9.

In the men’s U23 1500m Jamie Williamson won in 3:45.90. Megan Davies clinching U23 women’s gold ahead of Lucy Robinson in 4:24.53.

Emily Moyes won the U23 women’s 5000m in 16:30.99, while Emile Cairess won the men’s event in 14:20.77.

In the U20 women’s steeplechase, Alexandra Barbour took the honours in 10.56.80, while Dani Chatterton won the U23 women’s gold in 10:52.22.

Alfred Yasbsley enjoyed two second win in men’s U20 steeplechase crossing the line in 9:29.19. In the U23 event, Mark Pearce won gold in 9:04.64.

At the European Athletics Classic Meeting in Marseille, France on Saturday (June 16), Charlie Da’Vall Grice won the men’s 1500m in 3:36.48, with Jake Wightman a close third in 3:37.04.

Steph Twell finished fourth in the 5000m clocking 15:38.68, while Shelayna Oskan-Clarke clocked 2:02.87 for fifth in the women’s 800m. In the men’s 800m race, Andrew Osagie was second in 1:45.79 with Elliot Giles fourth in a time of 1:46.78.

In Tübingen, Germany at the Internationales Soundtrack-Meeting, steeplechaser Rosie Clarke done without the barriers and ran a big personal best of 4:07.69 to finish seventh in the women’s 1500m. Katie Snowdon and Hannah England finished 12th and 14th respectively, while Ireland’s Ciara Mageean was fourth in 4:06.70.

Not everyday you get to run a 4 second PB over 1500m
Thank you #soundtracktuebingen for a FANTASTIC meet! https://t.co/2EsWfXjGd5

— Rosie Clarke (@RosieClarke1) June 16, 2018

Irish 17 year-old Sarah Healy finished 11th smashing her own Irish U18 record with a 4:09.25 run that moves her to number two on the European U18 all-time rankings. You can read more about the Healy’s performance here.

Robbie Fitzgibbon finished fifth in the men’s 1500m race clocking a season’s best 3:39.37, while Andrew Smith clocked a personal best 3:42.15.

In the women’s 800m Adelle Tracey ran a season’s best 2:00.46 to finish second and achieved the standard for the European Championships.

On Wednesday (June 13) at the BMC Gold Standard Races in Watford, Katie Snowden ran season’s of 2.03.42 to win the women’s 800m race, while Spencer Thomas won the men’s race in 1:48.69.

Charlotte Taylor-Green clocked a personal best 4:16.88 to win the women’s 1500m ahead of Jade Williams in a season’s best 4:17.28. Kieran Wood won the men’s race in 3:44.19 ahead of Philip Sesemann and Jonathan Hay.

On Tuesday (June 12) at the Trafford BMC Gold Standard Races / Trafford AC Grand Prix Open, Emile Cairess won the men’s 1500m in a personal best 3:45.21. In the same race, Kane Elliott smashed the Scottish U17 record running a time of 3:46.84.

Marathon runner Jonny Mellor made a return to the track and won the men’s 3000m race in 8:04.39 ahead of Tom Lancashire and Charlie Hulson.

Meanwhile, on the roads this weekend, Luke Traynor ran the third fastest ever 10k by a Scot, the first Summer Speedway 10k produced fast times as did races in Eastleigh, Freckleton, Richmond, Barrowford and Guernsey. A report on recent road racing can be found here.

The post Jake Heyward wins three in a row and Rosie Clarke impresses in Germany – weekly track round-up appeared first on Fast Running.

Scottish teenager Lyle took the only home nations athletics medal in the Carrara Stadium on Wednesday (April 11), winning silver in the 100m T35 final behind Australia’s world record-holder and winner Isis Holt, who clocked 13.58.

Lyle’s time of 15.14 was well outside her UK record but was strong enough to see off eventual bronze medallist Brianna Coop of Australia.

England’s Dina Asher-Smith and Zharnel Hughes qualified impressively for the 200m final. Asher-Smith led for most of her semi-final before easing up and being passed by Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson.

Her time of 22.44 behind the winner’s time of 22.28 suggests her UK record of 22.07 could be under threat in the final, where she will also face Olympic 200m and 400m champions in Elaine Thompson and Shaunae Miller-Uibo.

“I was running well, obviously you want to go and win a semi-final and put down a good time, but I eased off,” she said. “It’s easy to get into a battle, but I had this thought in the back of my mind that it’s only a semi-final.

“I want to come out here and do well, and also see the other girls do well – we’re a team. I’m looking forward to the final – I’ve qualified with a decent time and I didn’t feel too bad doing it, so I’ll take that.”

England’s Bianca Williams was third in her semi-final with 23.23 but it was enough to qualify her as a fastest loser. Team-mate Finette Agyapong was also third but, with 23.38, will progress no further. Northern Ireland’s Amy Foster was last in her semi with 24.02.

Hughes looked easy as he won his semi-final in 20.37, while Northern Ireland’s Leon Reid placed second in his race in a season’s best 20.61.

The Northern Ireland sprinter, who has been sharing his journey this year on Fast Running, came from fifth place to clinch the second automatic spot behind Trinidad’s Jereem Richards in his semi-final, qualifying as the sixth-fastest overall.

“I managed to come through in the end and I’m ready to go now,” he said. “I held my position and got the job done. I’ll now approach it the same as any other race. I’ll recover and go again.

“I’m happy. My mum is here. My family is here. I’m glad they were able to see it, especially on this night when there is nearly a full house.

“I was thinking ‘I’m going to leave everything on the track.’ This was my final.”

Strong steeplechase fourth for England’s Clarke

Earlier England’s Rosie Clarke was fourth in a 3000m steeplechase surprisingly won by Jamaica’s Aisha Praught. Clarke ran 9:36.29, which was within five seconds of her PB.

“I thoroughly enjoyed that,” reflected Clarke afterwards. “Me and my coach decided that whatever happens, just go for it and don’t leave anything out there. I definitely did that.

“I thought I was going to be able to take it on, but when I heard the bell go I felt my legs going. In chase, you can’t just go for it when you’ve still got barriers to go. The girls ahead of me are all incredible so I can’t complain about finishing fourth. I came into this ranked seventh, so I wanted to come out better than that so I’m really chuffed.”

Her performance was a little overshadowed by a great race at the front as Praught overhauled favourite Celliphine Chespol, who went into the last lap with a lead of more than two seconds.

The Kenyan, who is the second fastest in history, still led by more than five metres with 200m to go, but Praught had the momentum on the last water jump to pass her rival before the final barrier.

Running 9:21.00, she is Jamaica’s first medallist in at the Commonwealth Games in an event longer than 800m. Behind Chespol’s 9:22,61, Kenya’s Purity Kirui was third in 9:25.74.

England’s Iona Lake was eighth in 9:58.92, two places ahead of Scotland’s Lennie Waite (10:21.72).

The only other running final in the session, the women’s 400m, ended with victory for Botswana’s former world champion Amantle Montsho, who regained her 2010 title.

Jamaica’s Anastasia Le Roy set a PB of 50.57 for silver as she beat countrywoman Stephenie-Ann McPherson (50.93) into the bronze medal position.

The post Home nations sprinters impress at Commonwealth Games appeared first on Fast Running.

Muir led a Scottish one-two in the 3000m final after kicking with 600m to go to win in 8:46.71 ahead Eilish McColgan in 8:50.87.

The double European indoor champion, who’s previously won 800m and 1500m British titles, looked at home in the Arena Birmingham and can now look forward to a return for the World Indoor Championships next month.

It was a season’s best performance from McColgan for silver, with Rosie Clarke taking bronze in 8:52.49.

It was great to come here and get the title,” said Muir after her win. “Testing the speed over the last three laps was the plan and it was nice that I was able to execute that well and come away with the win. It bodes well for the Worlds in a couple of weeks time.”

Melissa Courtney finished fourth in 9:01.72, while Steph Twell was a late withdrawal due to the ill-effects of a long journey flight from America.

Twell said on Twitter: “post a transatlantic flight, I’m not feeling 100% and I would prefer to make sure I carefully continue my preparations for the Commonwealths.”

Twell was not the only athlete to miss the two-day competition, with Chris O’Hare withdrawing from the men’s 1500m final due to a minor foot injury.

Jake Wightman, who finished second to compatriot O’Hare in Boston last week, produced a great performance to win gold in an exciting 1500m race in 3:43.83 ahead of Charlie Da’Vall Grice with 3:44.57.

For 23-year-old Wightman, it’s a first ever British title. Last Summer the Scot became the first British winner in 12 years of the Emsley Carr Mile, and the first Scottish winner since 1978. With the Wolrd Indoor qualifying time achieved in Boston last week, Wightman will be back in Birmingham in a matter of weeks.

Tom Marshall, who features in the ‘class of 2018‘, ran a season’s best to win bronze in 3:47.52.

Wightman said afterwards: “It was a shame to lose Chris before the race because you want as strong a field as possible.

“But it was nice to win the title because I haven’t won any British title yet, so to nail one off is a really big moment for me and I hope it can kick off a few others to come.”

60m British sprint titles were won by CJ Ujah and Asha Philip, while Andrew Pozzi and Megan Marrs clinched 60m hurdle crowns. In the long jump, the class of Greg Rutherford and Katarina Johnson-Thompson won both titles.

In the final track event of the day, Stacey Smith, Eilish McColgan and Jemma Reekie all automatically qualified from the first heat for the 1500m final on Sunday. While automatic qualifiers from the second of two heats were Katie Snowden, Hanna England and Aimee Pratt.

The remaining three final spots were gained by Natalie Weir, Chloe Bradley and Julia Cooke.

Sunday’s competition gets underway at 12:00 noon and you can watch live online on the BBC and British Athletics’ website.

The post Laura Muir wins 3000m British Indoor crown appeared first on Fast Running.

Elsewhere, Steph Twell and Aly Dixon celebrated the New Year in style with podium spots at the BoClassic in Italy and the San Silvestre Vallecana in Spain.

Corrida de Houilles 10km, Paris, Sunday, December 31

British athletes shone in the French capital with Ben Connor finishing a brilliant sixth place in 29:03. The 46th edition of the race was won by the in-form Swiss runner Julian Wanders in a Swiss 10k record time of 28:01.

Luke Traynor finished 11th in 29:29, followed by Callum Hawkins in 12th with 29:33, Jonny Mellor in 15th with 30:02 and Robbie Simpson in 24th with 30:46.

Rosie Clarke finished a brilliant fourth place in the women’s race with 33:03 to take 27 seconds off her personal best. The race won by Stacey Chepkemboi Ndiwa in a rapid 31:34.

Katrina Wooton ran a great race to finish sixth with 33:32.

Ribble Valley 10k, Clitheroe, Sunday, December 31

The wind settled this morning just in time for the start of the Ribble Valley 10k. Matthew Crehan (St Helens) got off to a fast start a had a 40m lead at 2k, however, it was short-lived as a big pack soon caught up with the gutsy runner.

A small group comprising of last year’s winner Marc Scott, Jonny Brownlee, Patrick Dever, Richard Horton and Calum Johnson passed halfway around the 15-minute mark.

By the 8k marker, it was last year’s winner Marc Scott who built up a small lead which he held to win in a slightly slower time than last of 29:37. Olympic Triathlete Jonny Brownlee followed in 29:54, with Richard Horton in third with 29:58, and Patrick Dever in fourth with 30:03.

In the Northern 10k Road Championships, it was Preston Harriers who took the gold medals followed by Blackburn Harriers and Richmond and Zetland.

Olympic 1500m athlete Laura Weightman had a great battle against 10,000m specialist Beth Potter, with Weightman proving the better runner on the day taking the win in 32:31. The Leeds based athlete just missed out on Helen Clitheroe’s course record by one second.

Potter followed in second with 33:00 and in third was Stevie Stockton (Leeds City). Eleanor Davies finished fourth in 35:21.

In the Northern 10k road Championships, it was Blackburn Harriers who took the gold, Sale Harriers silver and Ilkley Harriers AC taking the bronze.

San Silvestre Vallecana, Madrid, Sunday, December 31

Aly Dixon clinched a podium spot with her fourth fastest 10k ever clocking 32:57 for third over the 10km course. Dixon finished ahead of fellow British marathoner Sonia Samuels who finished a strong sixth in 33:26.

Race favourite Gelete Burka was the clear winner in 30:55.

By his own admission, Chris Thompson had a below-par race in the Spanish capital, but the British distance runner still clocked a strong 28:57 to finish ninth.

Thompson commented afterwards on Twitter: “That race was the most frustrating of my career. However, the good news is I’m ticking along nicely. Bad news it’ll bug me for a few days.”

Eric Kiptanui won the men’s race in 27:34, with Irish marathoner Paul Pollock crossing the line in a personal best 29:12. Pollock also posted a 5k best on route to his 14th place finish, while Nick Samuels finished 75th overall in 32:24.

BoClassic, Bolzano, Italy, Sunday, December 31

Britain’s Andy Vernon finished in strong ninth place crossing the line in 30:22. The race was won by world 5,000m champion Edris Muktar in 28:45.

Soufiane Bouqantar of Morocco took second in 29:07 and Hicham Amghar also of Morocco took third in 29:08.

Steph Twell finished a brilliant third with Emelia Gorecka taking fourth, behind winner Agnes Tirop with 15:30. Twell crossed the line 16:03 and Gorecka 16:09.

We Run Rome 10k, Rome, Sunday, December 31

Lily Partridge sealed a top four sport at the 7th edition of the We Run Rome 10k. The women’s race was won by Poland’s Karolina Nadolska in 33:35 and the men’s by Kenyan athlete James Kibet in 29:03.

Nos Galan Road Races, Mountain Ash, Sunday, December 31

Cardiff runner Ieuan Thomas claimed victory in the popular Welsh race in 14:29, with Alaw Beynon-Thomas taking the honours in women’s race with a quick 16:46.

Matt Clowes (Cardiff AAC) was second in the men’s race in 14:33 from Kristian Jones (Swansea Harriers) with 14:33. In second and third place for the women was Sian Edwards (Swansea Harriers) and Clara Evans (Cardiff AAC) with times of 17:46 and 18:11 respectively.

The post British athletes shine across Europe and impress at home appeared first on Fast Running.

The Dutch star, a bronze medallist over at the World Championships, passed world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri on the final bend, for a perfectly timed sprint to the line clocking 8:28.90 in a record-breaking performance.

Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen also set a new national record of 8:29.89 for second, with Margaret Chelimo Kipkemboi of Kenya in third.

Hassan said: “It has been three years since I last ran a 3000m so I enjoyed the opportunity to run the distance here.

“Racing over distances like the 800m and 3000m always surprises me but it was a fast race and I ran a very good time. The fact that it is a national record and meeting record is a nice bonus for me.”

Seven athletes set personal bests in the race including British duo Eilish McColgan and Rosie Clarke.

McColgan continued her fine form over 3000m this year finishing fifth in 8:31.00 for another personal best.

Teammate Rosie Clarke ran strongly to clock a personal best of 8:51.00, finishing 12th.

To read the full round up of the Diamond League meet in Birmingham, including how Mo Farah brought the curtain down on an illustrious track career in Britain click here.

The post Sifan Hassan Breaks Two Records to Win 3000m in Birmingham appeared first on Fast Running.

The 25-year-old’s move from 1500m and subsequent hard work has paid off as she now gets ready to compete at her first major championships.

We caught up with the British athlete this week and talked about the upcoming World Championships in London, switching to the steeplechase, training, the next generation, and a lot more.

The World Championships in London will be your first major championships, how are you feeling?

I am so excited to be competing at the World Championships in London and proud of how far I’ve come in the last two years. As with any race, you can only do your best.

I am heading into the championships in the best form of my life, and so long as I step off the track feeling like I gave it my all I will consider my efforts at the championships a success.

Going back to how it all started, how did you get into athletics and was there any big influencers?

I am a long-standing member of Epsom & Ewell Harriers, but as a teenager, I was only really interested in training for the high jump! It was when I started studying at the University of Bath that I began dabbling on the track. I have been incredibly lucky with the wonderful people I have met at every stage of my athletic career, my closest friends and my partner, John Bird, have all come into my life through running.

My Mum always brought me up to believe that I could pursue whatever career I wanted, so long as I was willing to work hard! It is this ethos, combined with the support of my friends and family, that enabled me to take my running to the next level.

Having spent time competing at 1500m, what prompted the move to the 3000m steeplechase?

In all honesty, I kind of fell into racing the 1500m. It was the chosen distance of the majority of my friends, I was new to the sport so track racing any distance was exciting, and I was seeing great improvements as my training progressed.

From day one the 3000m steeplechase had grabbed my interest, but if I was going to give it a go, I was only willing to do it properly. Moving to Loughborough in 2015, my coach David Harmer provided me with the perfect training setup for the new hurdling challenge, and I just went for it!

Building on that, was the adjustment to a new track event difficult?

I think adjusting to the new event was exciting more than anything, but as with every new venture, it was not without its challenges.

David is meticulous in his approach to coaching, and taking on the steeplechase gave us two clear areas of focus; technical hurdle training, and my endurance. That first winter was tough, but as soon as it came to racing on the track I felt like I’d found my event. This past winter was still hard work, but it was great to see how much progress we had made in the 12-months.

The athletes at the top level of steeplechase have tended to move from middle-distance running, do you think this will always be the way?

Naturally, I know my own path to the event best, and personally, I think some of the strongest attributes in my steeplechase racing stem from what I learned from racing middle-distance on the flat. It seems to me that a lot of young athletes have success in the steeplechase at the junior distances, but then really struggle to transition through to the full 3000m.

I don’t know what the answer to this problem is, but whether people are stepping up from the 1500m flat, or the 2000m steeplechase they are facing the same endurance challenge. It would be great to develop a pathway through which to develop younger steeplechasers, and if given the opportunity I’d love to help with a project like that.

In 2016, you had your big breakthrough becoming British national champion, did things change for you after this?

The 2016 season was a very steep learning curve for me, and being crowned British Champion was certainly the highlight of my summer. It was a very proud moment for myself and my team.

It helped me realise how much I want to succeed in this event, and made me excited to see where my efforts take me!

Unfortunately this year you were unable to defend your British title due to injury. Athletes in the past have found the impact the steeplechase places on the body tough. Does this play on your mind?

The steeplechase takes a lot out of my body. I have never finished a flat race feeling as spent as I do after a round with the thirty-five barriers! Missing the British Championships this year was a huge disappointment, but it is something I have had to deal with and I will be back in Birmingham next summer.

I am constantly learning about how my body deals with the stress that the steeplechase places on it, but I don’t view this as a negative. It is a developmental process, and with every little setback, we alter the plan to ensure the same mistakes are not made again. An injury is somewhat inevitable when you are training at the level that all international athletes are, but I think it is how you learn from and respond to setbacks that really matters.

You’ve trained at altitude in America, and are currently in Font Romeu, France going through final preparations for the World Championships. How do you find training at altitude in the ‘skinny air’?

I started incorporating altitude training into my regime back in the winter of 2015. Since then I have completed six separate stints in the ‘skinny air’. I am in no way scientifically inclined, but I can safely say that I always come back from a four-week stint in the mountains feeling really fit.

Some athletes live at high elevation year-round, for me, it is a case of travelling the globe and making the most of the time I have up high. Like all aspects of training altitude is tailored to the athlete, but now that David and I understand what works well for me it has become an integral part of our program.

You also spent a year at college in America, what role has this played in your athletics journey so far?

I studied at Iona College (NY) for 2014-2015 and had the most amazing year. It was whilst at Iona that I qualified for my first international team at the European Indoor Championships (Prague) over 1500m.

Before heading to America I had only really raced locally and had done very little outside of my comfort-zone. My year in the states really helped me develop as both an athlete and an individual. I have a lot to thank Iona College for, and would really recommend the NCAA system to athletes who are considering a move across the pond.

At 25 years old you still have many great years ahead of you. Looking at the next generation, who do you see as future British stars of track and field?

The British 1500m scene has completely exploded in the last 12 months. So many men and women are running incredibly fast times, and it is brilliant to witness. The two individuals that I think people should lookout for both compete over the 1500m.

Josh Kerr, who is based at the University of New Mexico in the USA has achieved fantastic success already in 2017 by winning both the indoor (mile) and outdoor (1500m) NCAA titles. He has a racing brain and is really exciting to watch compete.

On the women’s side, Sarah McDonald has improved an impressive 18-seconds over the past 18-months, and she seems set to continue that trend! She is a fantastic championship performer, having reached the final of both international championships she has qualified for to date.

Both Josh and Sarah are competing for Great Britain at the World Championships in London, and I can’t wait to see what they achieve this summer and beyond.

So, once you have the small task of the World Championships out of the way, what’s your plans and goals?

After the World Championships, I am looking forward to some exciting racing opportunities! Having had to sit-out much of the early season through injury I am feeling fresh and ready to compete.

Hopefully, I will get to take my legs for a spin over a variety of distances, as well as a couple of late season steeplechases.

The post Rosie Clarke’s ready for the big stage appeared first on Fast Running.