World Indoors

There was no debate about where to start this week’s round up except with Scott’s superb performance in Serbia. Over in Belgrade, it was a mixture of emotions for Team GB, but the men’s 3,000m final was where GB dominated and the excitement was brought home.

Following on from his British and European indoor 5,000m record of 12:57.08, we knew Marc Scott was in shape to contest with the world’s best. He ran a smart race and held on to the back of the front pack to be sure he remained in the mix. It was in the final 200m lap that he pushed on and made the other competitors work. He slotted into third place and consolidated his bronze medal position in the final straight.

He ran a season best of 7:42, and his medal is the first to be won by a Brit in the World Indoor Championships over 3,000m since Rob Denmark’s bronze in 1991. Scott was beaten by Selemon Barega and Lamecha Girma, both from Ethiopia.

Credit: James Rhodes

The women’s 3,000m saw some impressive running from the USA as they took home a silver medal in between two of Ethiopia’s finest. It was a close race until the last lap when the front five proved their class and pushed away from the pack.

The win went to Lemlem Hailu (8:41.82) followed by Elinor Purrier St. Pierre (8:42.04) and then Ejgayehu Taye (8:42.23). Great Britain’s Amy-Eloise Markovc finished 15^th in a solid time of 8:53.57.

As she announced on her Instagram later that night, she was disappointed with her performance, in what was a messy race, and feels it does not accurately reflect her current fitness and strength, but 15^th in the world is an impressive start to the year. Unfortunately, GB’s second representative, Amelia Quirk, had to withdraw from the event due to injury.

Selman steps up

What was expected to be a huge indoor champs for Keely Hodgkinson with her going in as the favourite, instead saw her faced with a difficult decision. With a small tear in her quad diagnosed following a scan the day before she was due to race the 800m heats, it was between racing a risking making things worse or withdrawing from the meet.

Alongside her incredible team, Hodgkinson made the mature decision to withdraw and focus on getting healthy ahead of a busy summer season. Hodgkinson was gutted, and as stated in her BBC interview, her entire family and ventured out to Belgrade to watch her race, but we all know she is here for the long run. Therefore, we commend her on her brave decision.

With Hodgkinson out of the picture, the gold medal was up for the taking. GB’s Jenny Selman had a brave and strong race in the heat, finishing third behind Hailu and Goule. Sadly, her time of 2:02.00 fell 0.01 seconds short of pushing her through to the final. Selman’s first GB vest was as a junior in 2009 at the European Championships but she was determined to make it as a senior on the world stage and this year it happened.

Credit: James Rhodes

The women’s 800m final had not happened at the time of publishing, so we will update you as soon as the results come in.

Gourley claims 5th

It was GB’s Eliot Giles who we were all excited to watch in the men’s 800m. Sadly the 800m event wasn’t meant to be at this meet, as Giles too withdrew due to an underlying injury. Guy Learmonth had a solid run to narrowly miss out on making the final but is more determined than ever to prove his strength over the summer.

In the women’s 1500m, it was Erin Wallace in the GB vest. Despite a strong run of 4:12.46 to come 5^th in her heat, Wallace sadly didn’t progress into the final.

The men’s 1500m however saw GB’s Neil Gourley transition into the final after a win in his heat. In the final, Gourley proved his strength on the world stage as he hung on to the front group led my Ingebritsen as they began to pull away in the final 400m. He ran strong and held on for 5th place. It was a dramatic race as world record holder Jakob Ingebritsen had the win taken away from him by Tefera.

Credit: James Rhodes

Tearing up the tarmac

Over in the big apple, some of GB’s 2021 Olympians took to the roads. The NYRR Half Marathon begins in Brooklyn in Prospect Park before crossing East River via the Manhattan Bridge.

They then race through Times Square before finishing in Central Park. Following on from her pacing duties in the Nagoya Marathon, where she paced to 30k in 1 hour 41 minutes, Charlotte Purdue proved she was in cracking form.

She came in 6^th in 69:50 which puts her fitness in a strong place ahead of Boston Marathon. Ben Connor, also testing his current fitness, took to the roads of New York. Connor crossed the line in 63:59. Hoka athlete, Steph Twell, also took place in the event and finished in 74:40.

#UnitedNYCHalf top-10 women: pic.twitter.com/TTNFmlr1si

— David Monti (@d9monti) March 20, 2022

 Marathoners shape up for Manchester 

It was Team New Balance Manchester that dominated at the Wilmslow Running Festival in the half marathon. Jonny Mellor took the win ahead of teammate Ross Millington. Mellor continued to prove the form he is in with a 64:24 clocking. Millington crossed the line behind Mellor in 65:14. Vale Royal’s Chris Perry was a close third, stopping the clock on 65:36 for third. Mellor and Millington feature on the start list for the Manchester Marathon in two weeks which’s forms the England trial for the Commonwealth Games as well as the British trial for the European Championships and European 50k Champs.

The women were just as speedy as the men with Anna Bracegirdle (Salford Harries &AC) dominating the race running 73:21 – a PB by 90s showing her form just two weeks out from Manchester Marathon. It was Alison Lavender who came in shortly behind her in 75:18, with Abigail Howarth (Vale Royal AC) take home the bronze medal position in 75:41. Kirsty Longley also had a very strong race to come in fourth in 76:50.

Over in Surrey the Fleet Half Marathon also saw some fine performances. Over the fast course which veers through a mixture of urban and rural roads, Kurt Taylor was the strongest. The Bristol & West AC runner earned himself a clear lead as he covered the 13.1-mile distance in a time of 66:49. Aldershot’s Stephen Blake worked hard to stay clear of third place finisher Neil Kevern. He crossed the line in 67:23 with Kevern the Bracknell runner finishing in 67:36.

In a time of 1:18:55, Jenna Mcgrevey was the fastest woman of the day. It was Annabel Granger (Bristol & West AC)  who followed in second, also winning the women’s V45 category in 1:19:12. Megan Davis was next in 1:19:23.

Avery claims national trail title

It is three years since the last national trail running short course race was won by Georgia Wood and Ben Livesey in 2019. There was a suprise name on the start list this year as Kate Avery took the title winning in 1:22:51 over the trail half course in the Forest of Dean. Avery finished ahead of Molly Browne (1:24:42) and Chelsea’s Baker (1:24:42).

The men’s title was claimed by Ben Robinson 1:10:29 who was pushed hard by Lee Gratton (1:10:52) with Lee Stopford third in 1:13:28.

Astin & Lawrence lead strong fields at Eastleigh 10k

Many athletes continued to prove their fitness on the roads at the Hendy Eastleigh 10k. The beautiful spring sunshine and a drop in the wind provided perfect conditions for the athletes to chase their personal bests, and that they did!

In the men’s race, Alex Lawrence of Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets took the win with a time of 29:28. A cracking sub 30-minute run which is almost a huge 3-minute PB! His previous best was 32:19 which stood from 2018, showing that lockdown really did him some good!

Daniel Mulryan (Thames Valley Harriers) ran 30:10 to earn himself second place which is also a lifetime best by 50 seconds! Third place went to William Cork (Brighton & Hove AC) in 30:26 who was followed by Aiden Lennan (Southampton AC) in  30:29.

The women’s event was also stacked full of best times. Sarah Astin, the Belgrave Harrier who has already secured herself a spot on Isle of Man’s Commonwealth Games team took home the win. She ran a 49 second lifetime best of 33:18 which also placed her 43rd overall.

Just seven seconds behind Astin was Tessa McCormick (Vale Royal AC) who bettered her PB set just two weeks ago at the Trafford 10k. She knocked 33 seconds off to run 33:25 and will definitely be hoping to keep that rate of progression up!

Third place went to Tonbridge star, Charlotte Alexander. Following a cracking 5k PB in Battersea a few weeks ago, Alexander  took to the roads in her 10k debut. She ran a solid 34:15 to put her 21 seconds ahead of fourth place, Kate Estlea (34:36).

Wednesday’s Nottingham Winter 5k Series was won in 15:44 by Edward Mitchell, with Will Bowran in second (15:52) and Finley Ball in third (16:19). Jenny Newbery won the women’s race in 19:35, followed by Helen Woods (19:49) and Charley Whysall (20:32).

The SPAR Craic 10k saw some speedy times set in Belfast as Emma Mitchell took home the clear win in a solid time of 34:39. Next to cross the line was Dearbhla Cox in 37:13 and Elisoa Crawford in 38:46.

Just tipping under the 31-minute barrier was Eskander Turki as he ran clear from the field to take home the title. Turki stopped the clock on 30:59 with Stephen Connolly coming in shortly behind in 31:51. Peter McGarry was the third athlete to finish in 32:31.

Nimmock returns with a win

At the Cupar 5, course records were broken, and fast times were run. Jamie Crowe of Central AC came across the line 45 seconds ahead of second place. He clocked 23:51, a course record for the event, followed by Guy Evans-Haggerty in 24:36. Third place for the men was then secured by Mark Doherty in 25:01. The leader for the women’s event was Dundee Hawkhill Harrier Sandy McDougall. She was an impressive 28^th overall, first female finisher, and first female V40 runner. She clocked 30:25. Host club athlete, Jennifer Spence (Fife AC) came second in 31:46 ahead of Kristin Lownie (PH Racing Club) in 31:51.

The Victoria Park Open 5 was another 5 mile this race took place this weekend. It was great to see so many London clubs battling it out in the park. Edward Chuck (Dulwich Runners AC) came out on top in his 5 mile debut with a speedy time of 24:18. After some struggles with injury, it was great to see Highgate Harriers Alex Bampton back in form and with a smile on his face. Bampton clocked 24:25 to finish 6 seconds ahead of James Connor of Havering AC.

For the women it was Dani Nimmock who showed a fantastic return to racing. In her first race back after having a baby, Nimmock was a force to be reckoned with. With nearly one-minute on second place, she was able to work on testing herself amongst the men. Nimmock ran 28:32 with Chloe Lewis coming in shortly behind her in 29:38. It was a close battle between second and third as Annabel Arnold came in a near third in 29:41.

Photo: Dani Nimmock. Victoria Park Harriers & Tower Hamlets AC

In the RunThrough Olympic Park 10k Jens Sudmeier took home the win in 33:23 in the men’s race, Courtney Hyde won the women’s race in 41:52 and Alex Worth won the prefer not to say category in 40:55.

At another of RunThrough’s events in Hampton Court there was some top running over the half marathon distance. James Laing secured the win in 70:41, a time that is not too far from his personal best for this early in the year. Armana Rai had a brilliant run in the women’s event to secure the win in 81:26. This was a HUGE best time for Rai as her previous time from 2019 sat at 84:52.

Away from London in Suffolk, Great Yarmouth Seafront Half Marathon continued the streak of halves this weekend. The overall win went to Noble Pro’s Marcus Sladden in a solid 76:20 and Lindy-Lee Folscher of Tri Anglia secured the first female finishing place in 81:38.

Continuing the streak of fast 10k’s ran this weekend was Jamie Arnold at the Nantwich 10k.  The V45 City of Stoke athlete ran an absolutely cracking time of 31:19. This qualifies as a PB for Arnold whose previous best stood at 31:34. It was a close race between the lead athletes as James Tilley of Nantwich RC clocked 31:28. He was followed home by Vale Royal’s Raif Serif in 32:06.

Also from Vale Royal was the female winner, Sarah Dufour-Jackson. She ran 36:02 as an U23. Second place was secured by Donna Sherwin (City of Stoke AC) in 36:26 and third by Lucy Matthews (37:44).

It didn’t stop there for the 10k’s. Fast times continued to be set at the Wakefield 10k. With a convincing win, Mark Bostock from Wakefield District stood at the top of the podium as he finished the course in 31:16. The fastes female of the day was Sarah Potter (Victoria Park City of Glasgow AC) who ran 35:16 for the distance.

The Alloa Half Marathon was another half to add to this weekend’s list. The senior men’s winner was Josh Wood of Central AC in 71:06. He was closely followed by Fife AC’s Ryan Lafferty in 71:19 and Andrew Rolland in 71:24. Jennifer Wetton, 1^st female and 29^th overall finished the event in 79:01. She had a clear lead as the next female runner to cross the line after a solid run was Catriona Buchanan (Central AC) in 83:35.

The Twin Lakes 10M / 20M saw female domination take place. Natalie Lawrence (North Herts Road Runners) had an awesome race to take the overall win. She ran a cracking 53:25 for the 10-mile distance and David Down secured the male gold medal position in 64:38. Over double the distance, Neil Solanki gained the win in 1:51:26 as did Ania Gabb in 2:11:14.

Also over 10 miles was the Larne 10 mile event. North Belfast Harrier Conal McCambridge was the event winner in 53:51. He was followed by Ballymena Runner James Hamilton (54:15) and David Hamilton (54:35). Sarahjane Cooke in 59:22 was the women’s champion. Next to cross the line was Karen Alexander (63:42) and Sharon Leetch (63:46).

At the Wigan Festival Half Marathon, Marco Parolin showed his strength over the rest of the field. He took the overall win in 73:27. The first female runner to cross the line was Alice Alcock (Wigan & District Harriers & AC) in 87:37.

Across the country in Brentwood, there was yet another half marathon of the weekend. Joshua Entwistle took the win from Crispian Bloomfield. Entwistle clocked 69:54 and Bloomfield 70:53. Third place was then taken by James Rygate in 72:37. The fastest lady was Rebecca Bunting (London Heathside Runners AC) in 78:14. The second fastest time was set by Charlotte Bishop in 83:07 ahead of Stephanie Migliorini (Leigh on Sea Striders) in 85:42.

It doesn’t stop there for the half marathon results. Stafford Half Marathon was another race taking place this weekend. Cole Gibbens set a huge personal best by almost 2.5 minutes. The Invicta East Kent AC athlete crossed the line in 68:57 for a well-earned win. It was Oliver Harradence (Royal Sutton Coldfie) in 69:28 who consolidated himself third position before Samuel Evans then crossed the line in 72:14.

Rebecca Harrison achieved a first-place finish for the women in 82:08 (City of Stoke). It was then her teammate Kelly Butler who came in second (85:50) before Olivia Harris (85:54).

In the Weymouth Half Tom Gurney secured the win in 73:10 and so did Gill Pearson in 84:26.

Outdoors…on the track!

Whilst the indoor season came to a close, this weekend saw some individuals opening up their track season! The Birmingham University Winter Throws and Distance Meet saw athletes compete over the 5,000m distance. In the Hoka Elite Women’s race, Rachael Franklin (ManxH) set a 17 second PB in what was a very solo race. The Isle of Man athlete clocked 16:01, which was almost a whole minute ahead of second place.

After battling back from injury, it was great to see Emily Moyes (AFD) back out on the track. She clocked 17:00, closely followed by Alexa Mesham (Bath University) in 17:01.

The men’s Hoka Elite 5,000m was also quite a spaced-out event but not quite like the domination we saw in the women’s race. Cardiff’s Michael Ward took home the gold medal position in 13:57 ahead of Liam Rawlings (14:08) and Adam Peacock (14:24).

Farewell to the mud.

The cross-country season was brought to a close with only a handful of events occurring this weekend. The North Eastern Relay Championships saw victory for Gateshead Harriers in an accumulative time of 39:04 in the senior women’s team event. They had an impressive lead on the second-place club, Crook AC, who clocked 43:02. For the men, Sunderland Harriers took the win in 45:05 with Tyne Bridge Harriers taking second place in 46:53.

The English Schools Cross Country was fortunate enough to see the sunshine to close the winter season. The senior girls winner was Staffordshire’s Louise Hackett. She ran herself to a clear win ahead of Megan Hornung (Avon) and Kaitlyn Sheppard (Gloucestershire).

The senior boys title was secured by Louis Small (Kent). Closely behind him was Cambridgeshire’s Alex Melloy and Cumbria’s Fraser

Due to postponement, the Kent Fitness League also took place, but results have not yet been published.

A cracking weekend all round. Well done to all that raced!

The post Scott leads the way at the World Indoors appeared first on Fast Running.

The parkrun world record has a special place in the hearts of thousands of runners. Sure it doesn’t have the status of a 1500m, 5000m or marathon best, but it somehow feels more touchable and real for runners of all abilities.

It seems anyone who runs, at no matter what level, knows about Parkrun. Unfortunately, due to the current circumstances, it has now been almost a year since we were last able to partake in Parkrun in this country, but fortunately for those across the globe in Australia, it is on its way back.

On the 23rd of January 2021, the women’s Parkrun world record, previously held by Saucony athlete, Charlotte Arter, was taken by Scottish-born athlete Lauren Reid.

At the Parramatta Parkrun in Greater Western Sydney in Australia, a course which is not completely flat, Reid knocked four seconds off Charlotte Arter’s record of 15:49, clocking 15:45 for the 5km distance.

Arter eagerly awaits parkrun return

Former record holder Arter, said, “Records are there to be broken and I’d like to congratulate Lauren for her great run and for breaking the record. It’s great to see Parkruns have returned in some parts of the world and hopefully they will return to the UK at some point this year.

I’m sure all Parkrunners are eagerly awaiting the day this happens! No doubt I will be back at Parkrun whenever I can and will have a good go at trying to reclaim the record!”

It is great to see records being broken after a very turbulent training year for some. Fast Running spoke to world-record holder Lauren Reid, who is coached by Nick Bromley, and delved into what it takes to be the fastest woman at Parkrun. We asked Reid what the course was like and how she handled the Australian summer weather.

Arter at Cardiff 10km. Photo: Tom Craggs

Hot work

From race pictures it appeared as though they course was off-road, however Reid confirmed, “The very start and end, not even 50m” of the event were on the grass. “It was however very hot; I think it was around 30°c & pretty humid.”

This may seem a stark contrast to Scottish weather, but for Reid, who has now lived in Australia for 15-years, it has become a norm.

Reid continues, “I knew that the course was slightly downhill at the start then obviously slightly uphill at the end, so I thought that I would go out a little quicker and bank some time for the uphill finish.

I did have a pacer, his name is Harry Summers and he’s an absolute superstar, an athlete with fine credentials himself. He turned up on short notice to help me and asked me on the start line what our plan! So yeah, that was a bit last minute!

Fast start pays off

I told him that I wanted to go out harder that 1st km. We actually ended up running 2:50 flat for that first k – a bit faster than I’d anticipated. I looked at my watch and thought “oh s***, I could be in a lot of trouble here” and then didn’t look at my watch again. Thankfully it all paid off and we got the time with a few seconds to spare so that was great.”

Pre-race routines vary from athlete to athlete. We all have our own ways of preparing for races that suit our own bodies, and Reid is no different. She said that

“In terms of pre-race nutrition and my warmup I actually got there a little bit late because I was trying to find a toilet and I didn’t know there was one really close by so I’d driven off somewhere else to find one so I only managed a couple of k’s warmup. Not ideal!

Nutrition wise, because it was a slightly later start (8 o’clock) I opted for a little bit of breakfast. I don’t normally eat before race if it’s early morning as my tummy can play up sometimes. I had a few spoons of plain rolled oats with a spoon of honey and some Chia seeds that I’d made the night before.

I had a few mouthfuls of that 6:30 with a strong coffee and of course as always, before any race – I had one of my Revvies energy strips.”

 

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A post shared by Lauren (Hamilton) Reid (@lauren_reid85)

Enforced rest = ideal prep?

Running 15:45 over a slightly undulating course is no mean feat. We asked Lauren if this has been in her sights for a while and found out that sometimes the thing runners neglect the most, rest, can be the most beneficial.

“I had a time trial run in March last year and ran 15:49. A couple of the guys in my running group mentioned that was the PR record and that I should try to break it. Then of course park runs weren’t on and you know, coronavirus was happening & life was very different.

It was only recently that parkrun started back in Australia which is so great! I was planning to have a farewell run & coffee with a bunch of my running friends before the move & that turned into a farewell Parkrun followed by coffee and then the idea was put out that I have a shot at the world record!

We decided to give it a shot about two weeks out from doing it. I had an awful week leading up to it & was actually off work unwell following a root canal treatment gone wrong. Turns out some enforced rest worked out well for me!”

Motivation through testing times

This year has been testing at times for everyone, and the Parkrun record holder is no exception. She says how it was her friends and making herself accountable that kept her going and allowed her to be fit and fast when the time came.

“In terms of being stuck in lockdown and not being able to train the way that we normally would, I definitely did struggle with it. I actually managed to convince my husband we should buy a treadmill right at the start of the lockdown here in Australia in fear of not being able to leave the house to run! but as it turned out, we were always able to go out for a run although for a while they were largely solo runs.

I used little things to keep me motivated like getting my friends involved and sending pictures to each other of getting out there and getting it done. The virtual events were really helpful at keeping some sense of excitement and accountability.

It’s OK to struggle

I think it’s important though, to recognise that being in lockdown, losing a sense of certainty & not being able to do the things that we normally do, is a really daunting & difficult thing. It’s so normal & okay to struggle with that & to have periods where motivation is low.

I tried to find small things to keep me motivated and viewed that period of time as an opportunity to be really consistent with the things I could do, to work at all the small things. & to remember my reasons for running. I even did a little bit of Pilates for the first time, a bit more stretching and things that are more easily home-based.”

 

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A post shared by Lauren (Hamilton) Reid (@lauren_reid85)

Now the Parkrun world record has been secured, what is Reid focusing on next?

“So my next goal is to get to the Australian national championships which double up as our Olympic trials. They are in April so I’ll be working towards racing at those trials either in the 800 or the 1500.”

It is great to see a record broken, and like Arter says, that’s what they are there for, but could one of GB’s greats take the record again when Parkrun restarts in this country?

Editors note – Hannah will be stepping back from her more regular work with Fast Running to focus on her training and her studies in 2021. We want to extend a huge tank you to her for all her brilliant work over the last couple of years. We look forward to hoisting more of her articles in future, but even more importantly shouting about her results!

The post Lauren Reid breaks parkrun world record appeared first on Fast Running.

By now you will have heard about virtual racing, and perhaps be more familiar with it than you ever thought you would. It can be compared to both hills and Marmite; you either love it or you hate it. Some people have found their motivation has been kept alive by a bit of healthy, virtual competition, whilst others have preferred to get stuck into training and accept the absence of racing at the moment.

It can be difficult to find the motivation to take part in virtual racing, knowing the effort will be solo, you won’t be pushed along by your competitors, and there is no way to share the experience with those you usually race against. It can make the current solitary situation even more isolating.

However, this is where the recently established Fly 5k has stepped up the mark and taken virtual racing to another, more community focused level. It has provided the possibility to race with friends from across seas and counties, no matter where you are, on a consistent basis, whilst allowing you to chat about your performances on the organisations’ social media channels.

We spoke to Graham Smith, Race Director of Fly 5k, about how the Fly 5k is different to other ‘virtual events’ and why it has taken off.

What is it?

Unlike most virtual races that occur on a sporadic basis with little harmony between them, Fly 5k is the first event of its kind to offer a FREE weekly virtual race series.

The event started after the initiation of the first lockdown and has already been a huge success. It has 1,450 members competing over the weeks with at least 200 athletes taking part on a weekly basis. It is the perfect event to allow you to keep in touch with your fellow club mates or running friends from across the country and even seas.

Fly 5k is a weekly 5k which can be performed every Saturday between 8am and 12pm. This limited window of time to complete the distance is much shorter than other virtual races, really adding to the community feel that you are running ‘with’ your competitors, at the same time, on the same day, just not explicitly next to each other.

The event encourages athletes to make use of the same course to try and accurately compare weekly results. Athletes then log their times onto the website and can follow their progression.

Why did it start?

The reason for Graham starting the Fly 5k was one I am sure many can relate to, he said, “pretty much from the start of the first lockdown last March I was struggling with my running. I love racing, and suddenly that wasn’t an option. At one point I was getting pretty unfit, not helped by lockdown comfort eating and drinking!!

At first there was no real interest in virtual races – paying to run on my own, and then to be listed on a results sheet with a lot of random names of people who I had never seen or met. I did want something that would help me get faster again.

So I decided I would time myself on the same route and distance each week, and then I thought it would be great if I could share that with people I knew, so we could race together, even though we weren’t together!

Quite a few friends and members of my running club, St Albans Striders, were up for this, and almost 100 of us took part in the first event back in June last year.”

The strength of Fly 5k?

The true strength of the Fly 5k lies in its community atmosphere. It keeps runners racing ‘together’ and connects them over something they love. Fly 5k’s social media channels have given athletes the ability to discuss their performances, receive positive reinforcement, and attempt to echo that great camaraderie that racing generates.

“What made it work,” says Graham, “was the fact that we could share the experience through the Fly 5k Facebook group, and it wasn’t long before it became obvious that Fly 5k was providing quite a bit more than just the motivation to run – new connections as we grew and attracted runners from other clubs (and those not in clubs), loads of mutual support, positivity, friendliness, and a lot of fun! I think that’s pretty important right now, and it feels special to be a part of.”

What sets the Fly 5k apart?

After doing a few virtual races, the novelty can quickly wear off when there is little connecting each event. However, the Fly 5k isn’t just another virtual event.

“I’m no expert on virtual races, in fact I try to avoid the term myself when it comes to Fly 5k. The effort is 100% real,” says Smith. “However, I think the main difference to most virtual races is the community element through the Facebook group. This is a regular event, so there’s something to look forward to every week, you can measure your progress, with results, rankings and other stats on our website, and it’s like meeting up with friends each Saturday. It’s also completely free!

There are obvious comparisons to (not)parkrun, but with Fly 5k happening at a particular time of the week it feels much more like a race. We bring together a couple of hundred runners each week and growing.

It’s also not limited by any geographical area, so people can take part alongside friends and family from other parts of the country, or indeed the world. Ex club members and friends in Australia, Bermuda, France, Germany and other places regularly take part.

Many running clubs have set up their own virtual leagues, which is great. I do think that running clubs risk being quite insular though, especially right now without the opportunity to meet others through competition.

Fly 5k allows you to get to know people from other clubs, and runners from over 90 clubs have taken part so far. You can also submit your time from any virtual race or other run provided it’s done under the Fly 5k race rules.

No medals for anyone

Oh, and there are no medals. Although we do award “not actual” T shirts to those who’ve run 10, 20 or 30 Fly 5ks!”

Another successful element of Fly 5k besides its community feel, is the inclusivity of it. The Fly 5K race director loves “the fact that we appeal to such a wide range of runners, from top age group athletes including Emma Stepto, Darren Deed (men’s Fly 5k record holder, 14:48) and Lesley Locks (women’s Fly 5k record holder, 17:45), to people whose first ever 5k was Fly 5k!”

The event reaches out to “ages from under 10 to 80 years old. Absolutely everyone is welcome, whether you run, jog or walk. We had one couple take part on the morning of their wedding, and one of our race hosts shared news of her engagement, having been proposed to straight after her Fly 5k!”

Where does the future of virtual racing lie?

With Fly 5k, virtual racing isn’t just a thing for the current times. The future of virtual racing is something that can continue even when real racing returns. It could work as the ideal pre-race burn up to get your lungs pumping before you tear up the ground in your actual race. It can act like a trial run for the main event.

Graham says, it won’t act as “any long-term replacement for real, dusty, muddy, sweaty, in your face racing. I do think virtual racing needs to be more than just logging a time or receiving a medal for it to have a future though.”

“I certainly have every intention to keep Fly 5k running for as long as people are still interested in being a part of it, and would love for us to keep growing, keep sharing our passion for running, and with all that support hopefully keep getting faster too!”

If you are interested in taking part in Fly 5k, you can find out more about it at www.runfly5k.com and join us on the Facebook group too.

A slightly different Fly event is taking place on Sunday 14th March. The free one-off event, Fly Races, offers athletes the opportunity to see what they can do over 10k, half marathon… or any recognised race distance from 5k to 50k. You simply choose an existing race route or design your own and run! Plus, if real racing had returned by then, you can submit your time as part of Fly Races too. To join, register here.

The post Fly 5K…a new strand of virtual racing. appeared first on Fast Running.

We all thought it was starting to become a thing from the past, but with the arrival of lockdown 3.0, it is back. Virtual racing, once a complete unknown, has now become very popular.

Just because it isn’t racing as we know it, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be something that motivates us. There can be a powerful feeling attached to virtual racing. Whilst we can’t race together, there is comfort in knowing that you are part of a large community of runners who have all united over their passion for a sport when the world is in crisis.

It is a group of people who no matter what the situation, will come together to ensure everyone gets to keep their enjoyment for running strong. That is the power of running; even when you are running alone, you are never on your own.

For many, racing acts as the main source of motivation for training. You feel driven to push yourself as hard as you can in training as you know it will all be worth it come race day.

Yes of course we know it’s not for everyone however, with racing in person cancelled for the time being, virtual racing acts as the next best thing to give you the drive you need. Here are a few virtual races for you to keep your eye on over the next few weeks.

Centurion One Love 50k

If you really love a challenge, and the further the distance the better for you, the Centurion One Love 50k could be perfect. This is the fourth virtual event in the One Community Series and offers athletes the chance to spend Valentine’s Day with their one true love… running.

The event spans over the weekend of the 13th-14th February, and having spent so much time with those you live with over lockdown, you’ll probably be grateful for the chance to get out of the house for a bit longer! For those eager to participate but slightly scared by the 50k distance, there is also a half marathon and 5k event.

This is a great opportunity to have something to aim for during our third lockdown and prepare for some actual races later in the year (hopefully!).

 

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England Virtual Relay Champs

Helping athletes stay connected with their fellow club mates at a time when club training has come to a halt, is the EA 5-mile national club relays. The virtual championships unites men and women into one team with spaces being filled equally by both.

More athletes can run for each team, but it is the four fastest men and women who come together to complete a team. The event is due to finish this weekend, and as it stands Andy Coley-Maud leads for the men with a time of 24:09 and Hannah Viner for the women in 28:06.

Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow are the leading club with a combined time of 3:41:47. The top 50 clubs will progress to round two in February with the winners of that round competing against the leading club from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

If you are eager to get involved there is still time to run as the event deadline has been extended due to icy conditions across the country. All you need to do is get your time logged by 23:59 on Wednesday 13th January!

 

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The Spine Race Virtual Event

In normal, non-virtual times, the Spine Race is considered one of the world’s toughest endurance races. It tests athletes not only physically, but also mentally. The event sees athletes race along the Pennine Way non-stop, battling the brutalist conditions the British winter has to offer.

The virtual challenge however, is open for athletes across the world to partake in. Whilst the traditional event is 268 miles, the virtual ‘sprint’ offers athletes the opportunity to race over 26.8 miles. Athletes can log the distance they run, either at once or over multiple runs, and see their progress on a virtual map starting in Edale and finishing in the wild moorlands of Standedge in West Yorkshire.

For athletes looking to embrace the full challenge as much as possible, a live weather feed allows you to imagine yourself running through those usual brutal conditions.

Lindsays Virtual Road Challenge

ScottishAthletics have been at the forefront of organising virtual races and challenges. If you want to take part in their first of 2021 you’ll need to be quick though, as it ends tomorrow!

The Lindsays Virtual Road Challenge includes time trials over a range of distances with Nynke Mulholland (29:03) and James Donald (23:45) the current leaders in the 8km challenge. Live results can be seen here, and more details on the event can be found here.

@Benny23100 sizzling in his @scotathletics Virtual 6K earlier today.
The winter grind continues. pic.twitter.com/uTgMztXeQA

— Michael Wright (@Michael87Wright) January 9, 2021

Serpiesphere Virtual 5K series

A great example of a club providing competitive opportunities for their members,  the Serpieshere 5km series organised by Serpentine Running Club, works out positions based on a handicap basis, using net time, handicapped time, and your position in your age group, to calculate the final positions.

It’s for club members only so either join the Serpies or take inspiration for your own club or group. The great thing about this event is you can do as many races as the series offers and your performance over each race will be added together and considered, so you can truly track your progress like you would in normal racing.

Runderwear Virtual 10km

Our friends at Runderwear have organised a virtual 10km on Sunday 17th January, a popular weekend for virtual races it seems. The races offers prizes for the top three athletes, male and female, and builds on their very popular virtual 10 mile race in 2020.

 

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Morecambe Virtual Half Marathon

If your goal for 2021 has been to debut or get a PB over the half marathon distance, this could be your chance. Why not get started early in the year and get a feel for racing 13.1 miles. There is nothing like hitting your target in the first month of the year, but it also acts as a motivation booster if you don’t quite reach it.

The Morecambe Virtual Half is part of the Lancashire race series that has gone ahead as planned, but all virtually. The event takes place until the 17th of January and must be completed in one run within the time frame, so you still have another week to get your run done. With this event you’ll even receive a medal and t-shirt! If that doesn’t cheer you up over lockdown 3.0, I don’t know what will!

We are all affected by demotivating feelings at times, especially now, so you may be surprised by how much virtual racing can actually help keep your drive alive. Your competitive spirit might take over more than you thought. So, why not give one of these races a go over the upcoming weeks.

The post The FR virtual race calendar appeared first on Fast Running.

On the last weekend of 2020, a year which many will be pleased to see the back of, some speedy performances came to the fore. This weekend wasn’t about quantity, but the quality was definitely high.

Over cross country, the road, and even in the sky, some of the country’s best tore up the ground with their speed. However, with the tightening of restrictions for a lot of people and Christmas Day ending in ‘tiers’ for everyone, many were saddened by the inability to leave their local area to head to races further afield. 

The podium 5k offered those in the area the chance to test their fitness one last time this year. The course, well known for being fast and flat, has come to be one of the most used courses for racing this year.

Plenty of athletes have flocked there in search of PB’s which the competitive field has always provided. This weekend allowed athletes to finish the bizarre year of 2020 with a bang. 

Head to head battles

The race saw multiple battles commence between Beth potter and Kate Avery, Emilie Cairess and Ross Millington, Eleanor Bolton and Hannah Nuttall, and between Luke Duffy and Josh Cowperthwaite. However, with the lack of regular racing, there was no predicting who would take the win. 

In the men’s event, the competition was really on between Cairess and Millington to see who would come out on top. In the back of Storm Bella, athletes gave their all to push in the conditions. From the outset a large group of athletes formed, all working together.

Emile Cairess is at home on the road, track and cross country. Photo: Pete Brown

This pack remained for the majority of the race but taking home the win was Leeds City AC’s Emile Cairess, who crossed the line with a narrow 1 second lead in 14:11. Ross Millington came in second with 14:12.

The field was stacked with just seconds between the runners as third place went to Joe Wigfield (St.Mary’s University) in 14:13. Yet just another one second behind was Richard Allen (AFD) in 14:14 and Sam Charlton (Wallsend Harriers) in 14:16. All 12 athletes in the race finished well under the 15-minute barrier, proving just how strong the field was.

No Potter, but Avery one’s a winner

In the women’s race the win went to the incredible Kate Avery, who despite an extremely difficult morning, pulled through and gave a hugely strong performance.

Avery (Shildon AC) crossed the line in 16:18, with a much clearer winning margin than the men’s race.

After competing over the 10k distance a few weeks ago, Hannah Nuttall dropped down in distance. The Charnwood AC athlete, who came 3^rd in the steeplechase at the British Champs, had a strong race to clock 16:38 for second place. It was GB U23 cross-country athlete, Eleanor Bolton, who secured the bronze medal position in 16:59. She was shortly followed by Mollie Williams (Stockport Harriers) in 17:06. The fifth female finisher in 17:16 was Anna Bracegirdle. 

This is a photo from a Guernsey XC race in 2018, but maybe some of the people were racing this weekend too? Photo: Phil Nicolle

Always a race on Guernsey

In Guernsey there was hot competition at the Boxing Day Cross Country. The strong field boasted a depth of 160 runners who battled it out through the mud, hills and grass, before the rain arrived. Alex Rowe returned to defend his title from last year and had a clear win ahead of his fellow Bath teammate, Dan Galphin.

Rowe came in with a time of 26 minutes and 43 seconds just ahead of Galphin in 27:04. The UK based Island Games Triathlon champion, Josh Lewis, took home third 40 seconds behind 2nd place. 

Alex Rowe heads bumper Boxing Day field whilst Megan Chapple makes light work of windy contains to lead women home. https://t.co/wwYRdYmeNa pic.twitter.com/riXp83Dd7g

— Guernsey Athletics (@GsyAthletics) December 26, 2020

The middle part of the race saw the arrival of some brutal headwinds; however, this didn’t seem to slow athletes down.

Taking home the win out of the women was Megan Chapple with a solid time of 31:11. Nix Petit was seconds just 24 seconds behind, followed by Rosie Williams (32:48). Summer Woodhead also had a commendable race, coming in in 32:54 at only 16-years of age. Definitely an upcoming youngster! 

One last dash for the line

However, the highlight of the weekend was at Santa’s reindeer dash, where Santa’s reindeer battled it out over a lap of the world to see who would lead the sleigh next year.

Last year’s winner, Rudolph, who has taken the win on multiple occasions due to his lighting benefits of having a bright nose to light the way, sadly lost after a wrong turn in the final quarter of the race.

Rudolph lost sight of earth just as they had flown over Africa and instead headed to orbit an unknown nearby planet. This immediately put him out of contention for the win and meant it was anyone’s race.

It was Comet whose performance heated up as they neared the final stages of the race, but Blitzen had a lightning surge putting them neck and neck. With just metres to go both reindeer had the chance to make it to the top of the podium and they crossed the line together.

It was then down to the photo finish to decide. It was Comet’s fiery determination (and maybe that extra carb-loading mince pice) that earned him the gold medal, with Blitzen in second and Dasher in third after a late charge. Rudolph sadly DNF’d and is rumoured to be investing in a new GPS watch with navigation features for next year.

We wish everyone a positive and healthy 2021 filled with plenty of fast racing!

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The post Speedy times draw 2020 to a close appeared first on Fast Running.

After another month of quiet on the racing scene, I am delighted to bring you a roundup of some real-life racing once again! There were some phenomenal performances by Brits abroad, as well as some home successes. One thing was for certain, people were just over the moon to be back racing, and it showed!

 

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In the US, plenty of athletes showed the sheer quality of British runners. The Yorkshire athlete, now based in Seattle, Tom Anderson, had a smashing performance in San Juan at The Track Meet and even came out with a shiny new PB. He improved his previous 5,000m best of 14:15, by a huge 41 seconds to stop the clock on 13:34.05.

Anderson came third in the Men’s sub 13:30 race, less than 2 seconds behind the winner, Matt Centrowitz. The British success didn’t stop there. Representing Tonbridge AC was Chris Olley. In what was his first race in months, Olley dipped under the 14-minute mark to run an impressive 13:42 in LA. Milton Keynes athlete, Jack Meijer, finished just behind Olley in 13:44 for 11th place.

Records continued to fall in America by the Irish at the same event. Roisin Flanagan had an astonishing run for Adam’s State University to clock 15:38.27 for the 5000m. According to PO10 this was her first official race over that track distance, and she managed to shave 12 seconds off Emma Mitchell’s 3.5 year old record. Roisin was not the only Irish athlete within the record time. Her sister, Eilish, ran 15:40.17 to finish just 2 places behind Roisin. A true family affair!

Eric Jenkins wins the Track Meet 10k in 27:22.06 to go #9 on the all-time US list.

record of 27:22.55 by Patrick Tiernan for second.

Ed Cheserek & Sam Atkin also hit the Olympic standard — Atkin does it just 24 hours after running 13:18 last night! pic.twitter.com/fYNORjAdC3

— Jonathan Gault (@jgault13) December 6, 2020

Olympic standard for Atkin

Over double the distance, Brits continued to fly around the track to secure fast, Olympic qualifying times. GB’s Sam Atkin came in 4th in the men’s 10,000m. He ran an astonishing 27:26.58, sneaking inside the 27:28 Olympic barrier, and only 24 hours after having run 13:18 over 5,000m. This puts him 4th on the UK all-time list after Mo Farah, Jon Brown and Eamonn Martin. Atkin is definitely one to watch on the GB team as he prepares for Tokyo 2021.

Over at Valencia Marathon the race was billed as one of the fastest line ups in marathon history. Whilst there were some key successes, others found the lack of racing a shock to the system and weren’t quite able to execute their plans as they had hoped. Leading it in for the Brits was Staffordshire’s Matt Clowes. Not quite a PB time, but after feeling the struggle in the last 5km, he managed to hang on and come out with a time of 2:15:46.

Second GB runner was Norman Shreeve of Cambridge & Coleridge. In what was his first marathon in 3 years, the C&C athlete chopped his PB down significantly from 2:37:23 to a phenomenal 2:17:14. A 20 minute improvement! Representing Ireland was Gary O’Hanlon who crossed the link in 2:19:06 and the final Brit across the line was Paul Martelletti in 2:19:56.

Photo: Valencia Marathon

Also representing the Irish flag was female athlete, Ann-Marie McGlynn who finished in a strong 2:35:31. After battling with a Tibialis Anterior tear 3 weeks ago, Derek Hawkins was unable to finish. Peter LeGrice and Scott Overall also faced difficulties in the race that meant they were able to cross the line. We wish them all the best and hope they are back fighting fit soon. Full details on the races in Valencia can be found in this article.

Ultra-fast ultra-runners

Scottish Masters Athlete of 2020, Terrigal Trotter & Umina GP Joasia Zakrzewski today finished the Coast2Kosci, a 240k run from the beach at Eden to the top of Mt. Kosciusko (& back down to Charlotte’s Pass). 3rd place overall & 1st female & a new ladies Course Record of 28:18:53 pic.twitter.com/3PskmkRHNH

— LIVE LOCAL SPORT (Central Coast NSW) (@LiveLocalSport) December 5, 2020

Pushing up the distance in the Australian Coast2Kosci was Joasia Zakrzewski. The event sees athletes span 240km from Boydtown Beach to Mount Kosciuszko, the highest peak in Australia. It is for those brave enough to tackle the testing course which is an uphill course along dirt and sealed roads.

It passes through forest, countryside and the alpine region of Mt Kosciusko National Park in the heart of Australia’s ski fields. Zakrzewski did not disappoint as she went out to break the course record and did just that! Not only did she break it, she smashed it. She broke the 7-year old record (30:04:28) by almost 2 hours in a time of 28:18:59.

Back on British soil

 

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Proving the immense depth of talent in the British racing scene was the Remembrance Herts event. The top three finishers in the men’s race all dipped under the 30-minute barrier! Taking home the win, in the fastest time on the day was Ryan Burling. The Marshall Milton Keynes athlete shaved 1 minute and 20 seconds off of his personal best. Burling crossed the line in 29:49, for his first ever sub-30 10k. Just 5 seconds behind Burling was Thomas Frith (Southend) in 29:54. This is also a new PB by 23 seconds. Timothy Lefroy (MK Distance Project) came in third in 29:58.

The women’s podium consisted of another three high quality performances. Taking home the gold medal position, in 35:36, was Marshall Milton Keynes runner, Elle Roche. This bizarre year has clearly treated Roche well as that was just of 2-minutes faster than her previous best time. Roche’s teammate Alice Ritchie joined her in setting a personal best. Ritchie took 50 seconds of her previous time and clocked 36:05. In third place was Hannah Wardley in 38:49.

Stunning racing at Goodwood Grand Prix

At home in the UK, racing was back up and ‘running’ following the end of the second lockdown. The Running Grand Prix at Goodwood Motor Circuit saw the fast times continue to flourish.

Sadly the 5km was 400m short by roughly 400m but taking the win for the women was Holly Dixon who clocked 15:08 with an impressive lead. Grace Copeland who goes from strength to strength in her comeback from injury came in second in 15:40. Georgia Perfrement was the third female across the line in 15:54. Joe Croft claimed the men’s win as he crossed the line in 13:53. Second place was secured by Sam Tyas in 14:04 ahead of Ben Brown in 14:10.

In the 10k Dean Crump earned the win. His chip time wasn’t accurate, but his gun time was a speedy 30:16. The rest of the podium saw Guildford and Godalming domination occur. George Dollner had a strong run, getting ever closer to that 31-minute mark. Dollner ran 31:08 for second place. Third place finisher was club mate Tom Foster in 31:54.

Following on from her London Marathon success where she was the second Brit across the line, Naomi Mitchell (Reading AC) took on the shorter 10k distance. Mitchell ran 34:47 for a convincing win. Second athlete to cross the line was Helen Hall in 35:58. Emily Proto was third with a cracking 36:25.

Going up the distance in the half marathon, some of Britain’s finest distance runners were out in force. After a close race between Ross Skelton and Paul Navesey, it was Skelton who just had the edge to take home the win. Skelton stopped the clock on 1:06:48 followed by Navesey in 1:06:52. In third was Kevin Moore with an impressive 1:07:12.

Also following on from her London Marathon success, it was Tracy Barlow who took the women’s title in the half marathon. Barlow ran 1:18:13 for the win ahead of Alexa King in 01:19:25. The third fastest female at the event was Rebecca Gallop in 01:21:44.

The winners of the marathon were Ewan Cameron who had a spectacular race to clock 2:19:18. Steph McCall (Herne Hill) showed that all her hard work has been truly worth it by clocking 2:45:10 for 26.2 miles, over 6 minutes faster than her previous best!

Bland takes the win at Oulton Park

RunThrough once again put on an impeccably well organised event at Tatton Park. In the 10k, it was Tom Charles who secured himself the win, sprinting through the line in 31:30. Just 13 seconds behind in 31:43 was Karl Darcey. Rounding off the podium by a clear distance ahead of 4th place, in 32:03, was Joshua Birmingham.

The women’s event saw some equally fast girls take to the roads over the 10k distance. Vicki Cronin (Trafford) and Sarah Thomas both recorded equally fast times of 37:56 to the second, however Cronin just took the win with a faster net time. Tracy Rogers came in third in 41:06.

The Queen Elizabeth Olympic park 10k saw Stephen Blake take home the win with a solid 32:05. The women’s win was claimed by Isabel Clark in 36:26. Over the 5k distance, Matthieu Marshall was only just a few seconds off the 16-minute mark. He ran 16:05 for first place. For the women, it was Kija Dee who won the gold medal in 18:13.

The Running Grand Prix at Oulton saw Fast Running’s own Gill Bland (Huncote) take to the roads to test herself over the marathon distance for the first time this year. After what hasn’t been an easy year for anyone, Bland was just 3 seconds off her best time, which she set 4 years ago. Bland ran 2:53:25 to win the women’s race. Second female finisher was Keely Smith with a solid 3:01:24. Katie Ellis completed the podium by running 3:20:12.

For the men, Joe Baker took the overall win, clocking 2:37:56. Baker was followed by Neil Godsell in 2:41:32 who finished ahead of George Kirkman in 2:46:24.

Over half the distance, the two winners were Adam Peacock and Georgina Weston of Bromagrove & Redditch and Rotherham respectively. Peacock ran 1:09:08 for a lifetime best by almost 3-minutes. Weston ran 1:25:04 for the half distance. The 10k winners were Byron Edwards (33:19) and Veleska Wills (38:12) and the 5k champions were Ryan Jones (15:03) and Rachael Flynn (21:58).

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post Brits fly in the US and domestic racing returns – weekend roundup appeared first on Fast Running.

In the first part of our interview Thie explained the importance of being adaptable in order to guide and support athletes through an incredibly Challenging year. We pick up where we left off with a Team Thie man who has had a stunning year.

Stellar year for Smith

Jake Smith is one of James Thie’s athletes who has had a stellar year. Smith clocked a phenomenal 60:31 at the World Half Marathon Championships in Poland last month, but what are the coaching secrets behind his success?

“Jake has been a relatively logical journey. He came to Cardiff Met (university) having done a lot or unstructured training and he was sort of a maverick looking after himself, so the simple thing from a coaching point of view was giving him structure.

The other thing he lacked was leg turnover. He had a massive engine and the legs just couldn’t keep going. We worked on short hills for his running economy. He was chasing the guys, and getting blown out the back, but he kept coming back.

 

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In the first year he couldn’t quite work out recovery, everything had to be done hard and if he wasn’t working hard, he felt he could’ve done better. In the first summer he was toast with thee or four races to go and they kept getting progressively worse, so we decided to give him 10 days of absolutely no running.

After one day back, he did the classic, can I do a local 5k next week? He ran a 20 second personal best. It showed him that all that training came into play and rest and recovery became a key smart focus.”

Early step up

“He also made the journey to half marathon relatively early. He ran 64 minutes as a second year, and we just found a distance that he really identified with, and his mechanics/how he runs just clicks.

He ran 62 minutes last November and then 60:30 at the world half this year. His progression has been staged, so the sessions have remained the same but got quicker, the volume has gradually gone up, and structure has been important.

Jake has an amazing pain tolerance and ability to switch off and focus, but he is so innocent when he races. He went through 10k in 28:20, which is phenomenally fast, but he was just enjoying it and willing to see how hard he could go. I just want him to remain as honest and innocent to that type of running as possible.”

King of consistency

Thie says consistency has been a true factor in contributing to Smith’s success. Could the longer period of uninterrupted training over lockdown have been the reason so many athletes are performing well. Here’s what the Cardiff-based coach has to say.

“This is absolutely individual… I could probably put people in both camps and in between. The shape people have got into have been absolutely phenomenal. For some, it meant when racing came back around that we had slightly overcooked it, but it’s hard to get it 100% right when you don’t know when races are.

I have learnt this from the first pandemic, that you just have to be patient. Some had a couple of hits with racing and got PB’s every time, others just weren’t feeling the desire to race when it did come around. For some it went well, but for others it didn’t go to plan.

No athlete is the same, but what did surprise me was how positive a lot of athletes were, and it was actually running that kept people mentally in a good place and got them through lockdown. I’ve had no one quit running from lockdown.”

Impact on youth

For some, this period of long training has meant saying goodbye to key age-group success stories, but could this be a source of inspiration?

“I feel sorry for the younger age groups. You are only a top U17, U20, U23 once, and for some people you only get one chance at that Euro Cross or age group championships, or even English Schools, and some people haven’t had this.

For some of our university students it has been very hit and miss with everything since March, from family life, to academics, to training, and they have had the toughest experience of most, so it is important to create a positive environment for those coming to us.

It was great to see some of them thriving off being in a group on the track again rather than going around the streets on their own. I just feel the longer we aren’t allowed to compete properly, the longer we aren’t able to give people those opportunities they need. This may be the thing that decides whether they keep going or give up on the sport.”

However, this is a learning curve, says Thie, “We have amazing role models, who have had numerous setbacks, so we can learn from them. The pandemic has allowed us to appreciate the finer things in the sport. It is just turning the psychology and not dwelling on things too much, but accepting it is ok to feel drained and a bit helpless at times because of the situation. Everything is out of our control and very frustrating.

If there are dips in training it may not be down to training, it may be mental tiredness. My athletes over Christmas are just going to have a week or so where it is a little less structured, as you don’t want to get run down over Christmas, especially when you are mixing with others. It will be a nice chance to get out, not worry whether there is a track nearby or a good hill. It will give people a chance to get out and run, but be ready to go for 2021, which is still going to be a big year.”

Friends in the sport

We asked James if being international athlete, has given him a level of unteachable knowledge that has allowed him to progress as a coach?

“I was lucky as an athlete as I maximised by experience in the sport, which maybe cost me some of my performance. Others were focused on their own performance, but I made a lot of friends, but that has put me in good stead now as I know people all over the world. They are friends for life, and we link in and learn from each other.

Having been an international athlete it gives me an insight into major championships and training with some of the best athletes and coaches. My last coach was Mark Roland (Oregon TC head coach), so I learnt from some of the best. It was helpful in teaching me that there is no magic wand, there is no short cut, it is all about hard work over long, long periods of time.

Having athletes of all abilities, event groups, genders, distances, has allowed me to learn about volume but also individual quality. Volume is so important for the aerobic base, but thoroughbreds need a good amount of quality work too.

We need those key ingredients, but with individual tweaks. When you get this right as a coach, and you have tweaked it and made it absolutely right, this is when you pat yourself on the back as a coach.”

Privileged relationship

As a coach, a lot of athletes put their sporting futures in your hands and trust you to aid their progression. Thie tells us how important this is to him.

“I feel so privileged when an athlete asks me to coach them. There is a real quality in someone trusting you enough that they believe you can help them, so I am always open to helping those who I think I can. I don’t think there is a much better feeling.

When our sport goes well it is great, but then on the flip side, when it doesn’t go quite so well, when athletes are injured, ill or not performing, those are the ones that keep me up at night. If I can turn that around, that is the biggest satisfaction.

When you bring someone back from injury, or recover their enjoyment for the sport, those are the coaching gems. I love a challenge, but it’s the ones you have helped make and made believe in themselves that I get most satisfaction from, rather than polishing a Rolls Royce as such.”

A busy year ahead

2021 is going to be a year to remember (hopefully), and one where many of us are hoping to make developments. How does the coach of TeamThie hope to progress?

“I never stop learning, and I am doing a taught doctorate in sports coaching. I am two thirds (3 years) into that. So alongside my family, a full time job, coaching, articles, and circuits, that pushes my academic limit. It allows me to have an introspective look at endurance running as a coach, and I would love to publish that and help other coaches who have multiple roles and responsibilities.

I am continuing to learn and develop, so those of my athletes that ever complain about working late into the evening, I am with them there doing the same thing. I am lucky to push myself athletically and mentally, but I enjoy being on that limit and pushing myself in all ways to develop as a coach.”

We know that whatever 2021 brings James, and the athletes he coaches, will be are the forefront of British distance running.

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post A year of contrasts appeared first on Fast Running.

James Thie is the current World Masters Indoor Champion over the 800m, 1500m & 3000m and was 4th in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 2004.  He is now helping others to become the best they can be.

As head performance coach for endurance at Cardiff Met University he coaches both students, up-coming athletes and established runners. Many of his athletes have achieved international status and with James’ guidance are continuing to flourish.

Orchestrating through the chaos

As an athlete it has been tough at times training without knowing what exactly you are working towards, but for the coaches out there it has been even tougher. They have had to orchestrate training and set athletes in the right direction, without any specific targets to structure training towards.

James Thie has first-hand experience adjusting to the times for his athletes.

He says “It is still that mentality of keeping athletes happy and healthy, and bubbling over at 95%. For some it is a good opportunity to push on a bit as there is less pressure. There is no absolute trial race and less travelling to cause stress, so for some they can extend training.

Now is a real opportunity for those that focus and stay positive, when they come out the other end, to make big steps. People are making underground progressions that we aren’t aware of. We aren’t witnessing the jumps people are making as there are no races to see their progress. It is going to be an exciting few years to see who has made that jump, because I think there will be some people who do make that big transition.”

Adaptability is key

Thie is the Director of Athletics at Cardiff Met University, so knows exactly how student-athletes have been coping. We asked him how the pandemic has affected their training and wellbeing.

“Going back to March, everyone was in the same boat. It all came on pretty quickly, with the pandemic, lockdown, and the shutdown of the summer racing season. We are lucky as endurance runners that we could adapt pretty quickly. One thing I really noticed, is the way it affected jumpers, throwers, and sprinters, where facilities are fundamental.

The distance runners I coach were able to adapt more easily. There were no tracks or gyms, but I adapted training to this. I started doing online circuits, time trials and different challenges. I definitely saw the way it impacted different people. There was and is also the impact of Covid-fatigue (the mental effect of the pandemic).

Some people were desperate to race when lockdown was lifted, whereas others just didn’t feel there mentally. I think the main challenge came in September and October, when we had expected things to be getting better, but they were in fact getting worse. The lack of planning and motivation was setting us backwards, and all over the place. As a coach you look at races to form blocks, but we’ve been in limbo and uncertainty.”

Editors note – You can catch up with James’ widly popular circuit sessions over at the Team Thie YouTube Channel.

 

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The power of good company

Something lockdown has really done for all of us, is cause us to appreciate the things we took for granted.

“In Wales at the moment,” says Thie, “we can now train on the track in groups, and all athletes were buzzing off it. We truly missed this. We never thought we wouldn’t be able to get on a track, or go to the gym, or train in groups, but it has really made us appreciate these small things.

For some of the guys, getting back on the track was like Christmas. It really showed some why they run and why they compete, but for others it has been really tough, specifically other sports.”

Being present, virtually

In the current climate, when a lot of things seem to be virtual, maintaining communication is vital. James told us how he keeps in touch with all his athletes and ensures they stayed engaged.

“I am lucky, but it also makes things tough at times, but I do look after a lot of athletes. I use the Training Peaks app, as I can see people’s training when it pops up if their watch is linked to it. I can see their adaptation to training, their speeds and heart rates for efforts. However, that interaction is key.

Even those that live near to me, I only see them once or twice a week, so receiving feedback after sessions or runs is helpful. For a lot of athletes, it depends on their personality. If some are quiet that is not good, but for others, if they’re quiet it just means they are getting on with it. It is about touching base and having at least a couple of moments of contact in each week. It is important to keep tweaking and monitoring things.”

Winter fortune

“We are in a fortunate period at the moment where everyone is similarly progressing, whether they are an 800m/1500m runner, or half marathon and beyond.

There are certain key ingredients at the moment, such as shorter hills, longer hills, long reps, short reps and just tweaking it depending on the athletes training load, development, or competition calendar over the next couple of months.

It is less complicated now, but it gets more complicated after Christmas when training becomes a lot more bespoke for everyone as they are all racing. Some are racing indoors, some on the road, some cross country, others want to peak in March or are chasing Olympic qualifiers. I need to be careful with athletes depending on the feedback I receive and how they are coping with the changes.

It is about tweaking it so people don’t get over fatigued or leave good sessions in training. For example, Jake Smith, he had to peak on that exact day (World Half), and it was the only race in sight, so we had to plan for that day, and that is when it gets more specific and complicated.”

…and on that note we shall leave this half of our interview. Catch the second half this week where Thie discusses Smith’s progression, the impact of COVID-19 on young athletes and what 2021 will bring him personally.

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post Orchestrating through the Chaos appeared first on Fast Running.

They’re like marmite; you either love them or you hate them, except, even if you love them, you still slightly hate them deep inside. Whether you do them slowly or as fast possible, they also still somehow cut deep and hurt all the same.

That being said, they provide the base for one of the best winter sessions there is to help you get strong, fit and running fast, all at the same time.

If you hadn’t guessed already, I’m talking about hills, and I LOVE them. Bizarrely, I love lots of reps. I don’t get bored and I am a creature of habit, so my favourite session has to be a short tempo followed by 3 sets of 7 hills (roughly 50 seconds long). The long “boring” sessions are my favourite!

Why are hills so great?

No matter what distance you race over, hills can be an effective training session for all athletes. I find, even when I feel in great shape, the hurt is still very much real. If anyone can complete a hill session without feeling dead at the end, they definitely aren’t doing it properly!

They’re painful, but so satisfying, and, however fast or hard I run on the flat, nothing compares to that burning feeling I get in my legs 3/4 of the way up a steep hill.

The fact that you can’t complete a hill session without getting ‘jelly legs’, is why I love them, because I know my body has gone to the limit. I love the feeling of running on the flat after hills – because I feel like I’m flying. This is why hills are great for getting faster!

If I can push myself against the resistance of a hill, hopefully, when I return to the road or track and give the same effort, there may be a PB in sight.

Natural conditioning

Hill sessions are great as they combine running and S&C in one. They are a fantastic way of building strength, as the hill acts as a natural form of resistance. I don’t have a fancy treadmill with lots of different settings, so instead, I head to my nearest hill and nature does it for me!

Hill training strengthens everything from my calves, quads and hamstrings, to the all-important glutes, hip flexors and even my mind. Whilst the gyms are shut, there’s no excuse for losing strength. Hill reps are essentially the most running specific “gym” session there is.

Mixed benefit

I also mix hills up to get different physiological and psychological benefits.

Sometimes I do short 10-15 second hill bursts to work on my power and speed, and other times I do 60-90 second hills to work on my endurance. Whether I’m running fast or slow, the resistance of the hill remains the same, so I’m guaranteed a hard (painful) session.

I also tell myself, if I’m doing the full length of a hill as opposed to time, the hill doesn’t get shorter, so, the slower I go, the longer the pain goes on for. This makes me run faster! Sometimes I get adventurous and spice up the terrain I do hill sessions on.

For softer cross-country type hills, I head off-road and sometimes spike up, but when they become too slippery, I go on the road to work on my full body drive without the worry of ending up flat on my face!

Getting specific

The last reason why hill training is great, is for cross-country. Whilst the 2020 season may be non-existent, this doesn’t mean there won’t be cross races to prepare for next year.

If I am going to race in the mud and up hills, I need to train for it. Ultimately, a cross country race without mud and hills, isn’t a true British course (take Parliament Hill for example), so I want to be prepared for some brutal conditions.

A year round session. On the hills on the XC course in Falesia. Photo: Tom Craggs

Why do I love hills?

I think it’s the challenge I enjoy. I love having something other than myself to work against. Don’t get me wrong, I love all sessions and enjoy pushing myself, but there is something about working against an unrelenting hill that just makes me feel great. The faster you go, the quicker you get to the top, but the pain remains the same.

With hills, it’s a case of being brave and not shying away from the hill. It isn’t going to move, so I have to be confident and just “get over it”- literally. If I approach the bottom of the hill and doubt myself, I’m not going to make it disappear, I’m only going to make the journey up it harder, physically and mentally.

Thus, it’s the challenge of believing in myself and approaching a hill with confidence that I enjoy. It is more than just a physical challenge, it’s a mental one, and I like that.

Finally, like I said earlier, I love it when you get to the top of the hill and your legs feel like jelly; a feeling that just can’t be echoed to the same extent in any other session. Sometimes it kicks in pretty quickly, other times it’s nearer the end of the session, but it always hits.

Getting it done

Top three tips for tackling hills.

1) Don’t approach a 1-minute hill rep like you would 1 minute on the flat. I’ve learnt from this mistake. A minute of running up hill is actually pretty long, especially when you start too hard!

2) Drive with your arms and maintain good posture. Use your arms and all your body to help power up the hill. If you crunch over and allow your form to become sloppy, you’ll make yourself heavier going up the hill and also risk tripping.

3) Be positive and confident. It’s just a hill, you can get up it!

One of my favourite places for a hill session is The Chantries in Guildford. It’s tough and brutal and never fails to push me. It’s off road without being slippery and pretty damn steep! There’s hills of different lengths and steepness’s, so it always has what I need. On the odd occasion I’ve felt brave enough, I’ve also gone to St. Martha’s Church nearby and done reps on the SAND!

Whether you love them or dread them, hills are a staple part of winter training, so it’s easier to embrace and enjoy them, they aren’t going anywhere.

Please note: The pain/hurt I am referring to in this article is that when you are pushing your body to the limit when running, NOT excruciating pain caused by injury or illness.

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post The marmite session appeared first on Fast Running.

We all know there is a long list of things we can’t do in England for the next 4 weeks. These include, racing in person, going to the gym, training in groups or even making race plans for the future, as we don’t know when normality may return.

However, we’ve done it before, so we know how to make the most of a bizarre situation. All we seem to be told about on a national level is what we CAN’T do, but what about what we CAN do?

How can we, during “lockdown 2.0”, maintain our motivation and drive and keep on top of our fitness whilst training alone from home? Here are a few suggestions on how you can make lockdown as bearable, and close to normal as possible. 

Virtual racing

Love it or hate it, it’s probably here to stay. We got used to it before, so we can get used to again.

Whilst it isn’t the same as real racing, the camaraderie and sense of unity it brings at this isolated time, is something to recognise. The newly found world of virtual racing has shown the ability of the running community to come together and support one another when we are unable to have imminent races to work towards.

So, with this in mind, what virtual races are there in the upcoming month that you can get stuck into? Maybe even get yourself some handy new virtual PBs.

What’s coming up?

If you don’t want to be confined to completing over one weekend, the virtual Cardiff Bay Run is offering you the chance to run a 10k, from anywhere, at any time throughout the month of November.

You’ll even get sent a medal and a T-shirt for finishing; who doesn’t love a race T-shirt? (Some of us prefer trees – Ed.) The distance does need to be completed in one single run, but there is no time limit.      

RELATED: Trees not tees offer alternative to racers.

If Fast Running editor Robbie Britton won the 5k category last time, there must be a reader who can go quicker! Photo: Stuart March/Centurion Running

For those looking for distances up to ultra-level, the Centurion One Community is an excellent opportunity for athletes to end their running year on a positive note. The second of the One Community events (the first took place in the first lockdown) will run from 23rd-29th November.

The event takes place over 7 days, and is for anyone, of any age, anywhere in the world. It’s not all ultra either, with the distances available spanning from 5km to 100 miles and can be completed in one single run (with lockdown rules), or cumulatively over the week of the event.

There are plenty of other events you can get involved in listed on PO10 or you could try some virtual racing on Zwift if you have a treadmill handy.

Train with one other

Under the guidelines of lockdown the second time round, the ability to train with one other person has been maintained. This means you no longer have to struggle alone if you are finding training difficult at this time.

Whether you team up with someone locally to enjoy some long runs together, maybe a few sessions, or even a testing time trial, you can still enjoy that extra company.

You can also catch up with your coach over an outdoor session, to keep that connection strong. Whilst it may not be the same as the big groups you are used to training in, it is a massive improvement from not being allowed any company in lockdown number 1.

If however, you are unable to pair up with someone else, keep the contact and check in with other running friends to remind yourself that you aren’t alone. 

Be careful not to get carried away with any new weights regime, but you can get a remote physio appointment if you do.

At home circuits

Gyms might be shut once again, but there is no need to neglect that all important strength and conditioning work that all runners love ;).

For many, the act of leaving the house and going to the gym makes S&C work seem so much more manageable and feel more motivated for it. However, with gyms now a no-go zone, we’ll all have to be disciplined to get that strength work done, as it is so important to staying injury free and running happy!

If you either struggle to know what to do or lack motivation to get off the sofa as you don’t enjoy S&C, online circuits or workout videos may be the way forward. There are thousands of workout videos to follow on YouTube, but these are a few we recommend. 

#TeamThieCircuits with focus on legs tonight with a grantee to raise heart rate & get muscles working! https://t.co/ax5PT78CnN
Plus join us for our #Firebreak4 for @FareShareUK free entry link: https://t.co/wWsWIHqBsY

— James Thie (@TeamThie) November 2, 2020

For a vast array of weekly circuits perfectly suited to runners, give TeamThie’s online circuits a go. You can stream them live at 6pm every Monday or catch up in your own time on any of the previous videos. Each circuit is roughly 30 minutes long, so there is no excuse for not being able to fit it in.

GB ultra marathoner and personal trainer Ali Young does a great variety of virtual workouts which you can sign up to as well, check out her Instagram for more information.

For short and sharp 20-minute workouts, head over to The Running Channel’s site. They have a few workouts to choose from which you can quickly smash out in your lunchbreak, or before or after work. 

Keep stretched out

With S&C potentially not being done as much as you would when gyms are open, and less contact with coaches or others who usually see you training, it is key to stay on top of stretching.

Whether you do a little bit every day, or a spend slightly longer less frequently, find out what works best for you. To avoid boredom or feeling unproductive, I even try and read or get some sort of work done at the same time. Otherwise, I watch a series to pass the time! Stretching is another one of those little things that helps keep niggles at bay, so if you can get into a routine of doing it, it will seem less time consuming. 

Gemma Steel also like a bit of yoga and pilates.

RELATED: Gemma Steel on yoga, pilates and balance

Stretching can also be made slightly less dull by doing yoga. There are plenty of YouTube channels offering generic yoga, as well as yoga specifically for runners, so you can easily give it a go. We recommend trying Yoga With Adriene, who offers yoga for every mood you could imagine, or Cat Meffan, who provides slightly more intense yoga sessions for all time frames. 

Whilst it is key to keep on top of the little extras to reduce injury risk, this time around we can still make trips to the physio.

Thus, if you do have any niggles or injuries you are worried about, be sure to get them checked out. It is always better to veer on the side of caution, especially at these times, as we all need to keep running for our mental sanity! 

Ultimately, try to stay positive, and use running to your benefit. Despite the ‘doom and gloom’ nature of the news, look for the little positives, and remember, at least we can go for a run to get away from corona for a while! There is always something we CAN do, even when we’re always told about what we CAN’T. 

Want to run faster? For just £30 per month athletes are provided with a Final Surge plan for each day of the week, coaching advice from Robbie Britton and Tom Craggs, as well as access to the unique Fast Running Performance community.

If you would like more information on joining the project, click here. 

The post Lockdown 2.0: What can we do? appeared first on Fast Running.