UK U23 5000m Champion and European Qualifier

After running the 3000m at the European Team Championships and knowing that the European trials were being held at Bedford, my coach and I made the wise decision to finally step up in distance and try my debut over the 5000m (eeeeek)!! As much as I LOVE the 1500m and wanted to run it at the European U23’s, we could only apprehend poor weather conditions at Bedford. We believed that the qualifying time of 4.13.00 for the 1500m would be much more difficult to achieve than 16:15:00 for the 5000m which is the main reason for my change of plan. 

I was extremely apprehensive about running the 5000m as I was debuting at a trial race and not just any ordinary event. However, I had to do it and do it well, if I wanted to make the team. Sunday came around quickly, and what a day it was. The temperature was a scorching 30 degrees plus and there was very little wind. Perfect for events 800m and below, but a nightmare for anything further. It was then that I really started to panic. I was scared. Knowing that the race wasn’t going to be easy due to the number of girls already achieving the qualifying time but also the added pressure of running in such exhausting weather conditions made me nervous. 

The race went ahead, and with ice in my hands and a soaking wet cap for the first few laps , I found myself tucked in nicely in a very slow moving pack. Two girls, Naomi Taschomowitz, my team mate from the World XC this year in Punta Umbria and Natasha Doel went about 50m ahead of the main group that I was running in. The gap wasn’t too big and I was happy to stay with the remaining girls to not only respect them but I also was very aware that they knew how to run a 5k and would never let someone run off if they didn’t think they were capable of catching them. This did not stop me from slightly panicking though! Which was why I decided after 5 laps or so to take it on and start winding the pace up to not only catch the two girls in front but also get a semi-decent time out of the race!

I was feeling heavy from a hard-weeks training but I didn’t want to lose. It was hot, and we were all taking water and sponges on each lap to try and cool ourselves down from the not-so-much appreciated sunshine! Any other time and we would have been sunbathing, but in the race I can guarantee we were all praying for some cooling rain drops! With a 1000m to go, I knew that if the pace continued to push on, I had a shot of winning. It was a slow start, so the pick up didn’t seem to damage me too much, and neither did it to some of the other girls. With a lap to go there was three of us, me, Emma Pallant and Hannah Walker, however, I knew the race would be won in the final 300m. I hit the back straight and strided out for victory. I won. I couldn’t believe it. What was my first 5000m and after a slow start, I took first place in the European U23 Qualifying time. 

I was elated. I got my medal, said a quick hello to my mum and, as I walk back inside to get my kit, bam, I get whisked away by a drugs tester. The day was full of debuts, as this was my first ever drugs test. Luckily though, I had heard lots about them and the process you went through so it wasn’t all bad. However, it did bring the day to an anti-climax, as after a few hours of trying to pee, I was past celebrating and just wanted to get home. 

I was especially happy to have had my Mum at the race to watch and support me. I love her coming to support me, but this sadly doesn’t always happen, so when she does, her presence really makes an impact on my performance. 

I am now very excited to race at the European U23 Championships and very much looking forward to putting on the GB vest for the second time this season so far.

Pre-Race AW Report
UKA Report
AW Post-Race Report
OCWK Post Race Report
European U23 Team

European Team Championships, Stockholm

Hallå!! (Hello in Swedish). My Great Britain and NI Senior track debut was the most exciting but nerve racking experience I have ever witnessed. Trying to be a successful athlete is not the easiest of tasks but, when you get your first call up at a senior international level, it is a massive reward and stepping stone that forces the belief that you are on track in reaching your goals. My debut came at the European Team Championships held this year in Stockholm on the 18-19th June. I was selected for the 3000m, based on my winning performance at the blustery Loughborough International earlier in the year and was looking forward to racing over the 3000m, as it is a distance that I rarely get chance to run, due to specialising in the 1500m.  

I couldn’t have asked for a better room mate out in Sweden. Eilish Mccolgan was also on her GB Senior debut over the 3K steeple chase and as you could imagine, we were like two little fish in a big big ocean! We were in complete ore the whole time, having to pinch ourselves constantly not believing we were teaming with athletes that we would normally be watching on the TV screen! Embarrassingly, we succeeded to get photos with our teammates, such as Dwain Chambers, Goldie Sayers, Jenny Meadows and Helen Clitheroe. Helens was easy, as I know her very well already from training in Kenya and Font Romeu but, the others, well lets just say, it took us to the last day to get them! 

The race itself was another experience altogether. My coach and I had our race plan ready and I knew that the field I was up against was going to be tough, especially with the notoriously slow start that always occurs as these championships. I was predicted an individual points score of 4 points, which was a 9th place finish, based on my PB. However, I was extremely happy to exceed this and gain a solid 6 points and a 7th place finish in my first senior track competition! This along with an 8 second PB, topped off, what I can say, is a huge stepping stone in my athletic development. The weekend spent with a senior athletics team instilled in me that this is what I want to do and really become successful at. I have always said this, but only half-heartedly believed it. But now I can truly say that the experience has given me a little more, much needed confidence to take the step from an U23 to a Senior competitor. 


Team for European Team Championships
UKA Report
OCWK Report

Summer Track 2011...

So I decided to start a new blog as I had left my original lovebiterun blog a little starved with information and fun events that happen in my life. This blog will be the beginning of something new where I will share with you my journey to reach my dream of Olympic glory.


My summer 2011 season kick started with a near 5 week High Altitude training camp in Font Romeu, funded my UKAthletics and Virgin London Marathon. This place has to be the most idyllic place to train, rest and reside. I feel extremely fortunate to have been given the opportunity to focus all my thoughts into getting into the best shape possible for the up and coming track season. My training was without set backs and I was hitting times that I would have been happy with back at sea level, so I knew I was in good shape and ready to PB over the summer.


Once I got back, I spent a few days at home and also began my racing campaign at the Trafford Grand Prix on the 17th May-4 days back from altitude. I ran the 1500m and was told to hit 70s laps until 300m to go and then work on picking up the pace/maintaining the pace until the finish. I ran my fastest season opener ever, with a modest 4.18. I had to be pleased, after all, it was so soon after coming down from altitude and wasn't paced to go much quicker. The day after, I returned to Loughborough for a grass session!! Thats right, no rest for the wicked!


My next race was the Loughborough International, where I represented Loughborough in a high calibre field that included Mary Cullen, Hatti Dean and Laura Whittle (was Kenney). I was delighted to have won the 3000m race in a tight finish (0.03s between 1st and 2nd), hurricane-like wind and a 4 second PB (9.08.37).  This race gave me a huge bout of confidence, especially when I didn't really ease down for it.


The Manchester Sports City BMC Grand Prix was the next race in line, where I contested the 1500m. My finishing position was 3rd in a Seasons Best (SB) of 4.14. I was slightly disappointed with this race as, although the conditions were still a little windy, the european U23 qualifying time was certainly achievable. What let me down was my slow first 800m, where I was way off pace and left it too late to do something about it! A plus side to running that time however, proved that I was able to comfortably run an equal PB, feeling extremely comfortable. On to the next one....


I was annoyed to have not ran well and make the most of the fast field at the Watford International BMC  Grand Prix. I was originally going to contest my first ever 5000m, however, with a surprise call up for my Senior Great Britain debut at the European Team Championships held in Stockholm, the weekend after, I was informed that I was not allowed to compete over the 5000m the weekend before due to it possibly over-tiring me. So I swapped to the 1500m, which I was equally excited about, as I knew I was ready to run sub 4.10 and get that much needed qualifying time! Unfortunately, this was not achieved. I felt flat and exhausted in the race, probably down to exam stress and regular early mornings and sleepless nights for the week or so before. I was gutted. I ran 4.19 and it felt fast. This hit me like a loud noise. I needed to get sleep and rest FAST. I was sent to see the UKA Doctor asap and also had my lactates taken by the Physiologists just to make sure I was physiologically right to compete and to assure me that I wasn't getting ill and running myself into the ground.


That following week I made sure I didn't do anything too strenuous and shovelled in the carbs. This served me well and leads me nicely onto my next post...


OCWK Report - Loughborough International

Magpies and Running. A superstition that drives me crazy.

One for sorrow,

Two for joy,

Three for a girl,

Four for a boy,

Five for silver,

Six for gold,

Seven for a secret never to be told. 

This has to be one of the most annoying superstitions of mine. I spend a lot of time outdoors, running, walking to lectures, cycling to town and yes, you guessed it, I see plenty of these bad boys! It was my Nan who first got me into the whole saluting and saying “Good morning Mr Magpie, hows your wife today” that is then ‘supposed’ to bring the others along. My Nan is incredibly wonderful, but incredibly annoying with her superstitions, to name a few, she tells us that no new shoes are allowed on the table, no spilling salt and no crossing on the stairs (just as well she lives in a bungalow!).

Saluting magpies drives me crazy and is highly embarrassing when you are in company of others! Some of my friends have now too caught onto the whole superstition, but I don’t think they’re quite as bad as me! I have come to the point where I now have to do it otherwise it could be bad luck and if I see just one, then I start panicking franticly to find another one hidden amongst the trees or in the parkland. Anywhere, just as long as it isn’t one. I saw just one once in the in-field of an athletics track a couple of hours before my race...let’s just say the race didn’t go as well as I wanted. Coincidence maybe, but there was still just one magpie.

Superstitions come along with the occupation of being a runner. As runners we search for perfection. The problem with that is I truly believe perfection doesn’t exist. Making the journey one of persistence, hard work and set-backs. I could have just run my best ever session, or ran a personal best (PB) in a race and still come away wanting more. But without this internal drive for success, we wouldn’t have world champions. Life would be boring if everybody sat around being complacent about their future. I can’t live like that. I want the best for myself, my family and unltimatley my life. This is why I have superstitions like saluting magpies, touching wood and crossing my fingers. It is almost like a ‘security’ blanket that re-assures me that the bad things that I think may happen won’t happen. Superstitions aren’t all bad though, as like the poem suggests, two for joy can bring you confidence. It changes my whole mindset if I see two or more, settling my nerves and doubts about anything that could happen in my life.

I suppose its a love-hate relationship.

World Cross Country Championships 2011, Punta Umbria, Spain.

Running for your country is like a child being told they’re going to Disney Land. The excitement of the unknown fills you with nerves but you know all that hard-work in training has paid off and you are ready to take ride on the biggest roller coaster of your life to date.

The World Cross is the biggest event in the cross-country calendar. Nations from across the globe arrive in search for their peak performance. Every single athlete approaching these championships will have been training and racing with an aim to race at their best against the best in the world. 

I have been lucky enough to have competed in these championships twice before, once as a junior in Mombassa, Kenya and last year as a Senior in Bydgoscz, Poland. But I was determined to have my best run yet at these championships on the fast, dry course in Punta Umbria. 

I was selected to run for GB for my ‘track’ orientations. I prefer to run on a track where there is no MUD and shorter in distance! There was talk amongst all the team managers out there that they thought the course was going to suit me. I tried to convert this pressure into a positive and told myself that if they believe in me then I should believe in them and take confidence from their words. That I did. I finished 37th overall, 7th European and 3rd British athlete home. Considering I had pressure from back home as well as from the team managers to prove my selection, I think I did very well! I was so happy with the way I ran and even wanted the race to go on for longer than 8k! Something that you very rarely hear after the ‘toughest race on earth’.

My race pretty much went to plan, although I did start off very slowly due to a sore gluteus muscles that I had been having problems with. The race was 4 x 2km laps and for the first two laps, my right bum cheek was cramping up big time! I then realised I was last for GB which gave me a huge kick up the back side. Once I got moving I felt like a completely different athlete-and that is why I wanted the race to be longer. I was feeling great and looking back, would have loved to have made the top 30! 

Next time maybe.

That is it for the cross-country season for 2010-2011. The following weeks consist of lots of training, transitioning into the track work-outs. They are tough but the feeling you get when you wake up the next morning after a great session the day before is what we runners thrive off. We know that pain is only a temporary feeling and that the feeling of success lasts so much longer.

“Everyone is an athlete. The only difference is that some of us are in training, and some are not.” - Dr George Sheehan. 

I am an athlete in training.