Running After My Old Younger self: Watford Open 1500m

    My Longstanding 1500m personal best set in September 2001 was set as my priority target for 2014. Back in June of 2013 whilst injured I watched the county 3k in Corby and contemplated what my targets would be if I were to make a comeback on the track. Two months later I would make my comeback over 1500m at the club championships. 

         

   I ran 4:37 that day which was a long way shy of my personal best. Never the less Immediately I felt that taking into account the fact I had been injured for 5 months and before that I hadn't run for over a decade I would surely have a chance at it next year If I could train consistently

          

  Months past, winter training took over and through the cross country season and even into the indoor season the 1500m was put to the back of my plans. I had joined an 800m training group so naturally my focus was on this distance.

          

 Into the summer training intensity increased focusing on sharpness and speed. Planter fascia and Achilles Injuries in quick succession kept me out of training. It was then that we decided It would be more sensible to focus on the 1500m.

My last couple of 800m's had suffered because of the lack of training and sharpness but I managed to run 4.20 for bronze in the 1500m at the county championships which was a surprise considering I hadn't done any specific training for it.

              

  I ran 4:17.1 a couple of weeks later, it was now early June and this meant I was just 1.4 seconds outside my pb and it looked set to fall within the next few weeks. After a pleasing 4.37 at the British Milers Club London city elite mile it looked all the more certain, especially as it was on the road. 

           

   Illness set me back another 3 weeks but at the next opportunity I ran 4.17 again and I was relieved to be back to where I was.  I had another missed opportunity in a slow tactical midland men's league race where I didn't have the speed to make any impact when the race got going. By this time we were nearing the end of July and the realisation that what had seemed a certainty was becoming elusive meant a rethink.

         

 It was time to sharpen up and take a risk by running a couple of 800's. Training went better than expected and I ran a seasons best of 2.03 on a windy day in Kettering. It is now August the 27th the preparation was done and in theory with this extra speed I was ready. 

27th AUGUST 2014

WATFORD OPEN MEETING 1500M

          

          

   I expected to be running at about 9.15 so started my warm up at 8:15 an hour before hand as I usually would. I ran for 12 minutes as usual and casually walked over to the start line to start my drills. When I arrived at the start line I quickly realised they were either running earlier than usual, I had made a miscalculation or there were less races than I thought. There were only two more races before mine. 

        

 Trying to stay calm I put my spikes on and did a few strides ignoring the fact that I had missed out the biggest chunk of my warm up routine. Within minutes I found myself on the start line. I couldn't tell you what I was thinking because I don't think I was thinking at all. I was just there and I didn't really know how I had got there. 

        

   I was about three from the inside as we lined up on the curved line at the end of the first bend on the track. The gun went, I didn't go out particularly hard and found myself tucked in on the inside in the middle of the pack. I liked it here, it was cosy and running felt easy.

           

 The first 400m split was called out as 69 which I knew was a bit steady but so did everyone else. My instincts were telling me I needed to get out of the tight space I was in to be able to cover any moves but I knew not to panic and a gap would open up and it did.

 I moved through the pack on the inside until I was tucked in behind the front two, One lad had already started to move clear but I was pretty sure we had quickened enough already and I decided it wasn't worth expending energy in trying to move around the two in front of me to start chasing him down, at least not at this early stage anyway.

          

  The 800m split was called out as 2.17 and I knew I was back on track. In the back straight I sensed the group slowing. The third lap is crucial in a 1500m so I moved out and went off in chase of the leader. This was good as it gave me no option but to push hard, typically time can be lost by relaxing too much at this point in the race. 

          

  3.07 was Called out at the bell and I remember thinking "it's on!". With 300 to go I was within a couple of metres of the leader and half way down the back straight I kicked for home! I took the lead at 220m out with my legs feeling heavy but the pace still quickening!. 

            

  Out of what seemed like nowhere two lads stormed past me and I chased them hard down the home straight to finish in third. They use electronic timing at watford and I watched the clock stop at 4:11.5. I knew I was only a second or two behind and I had done it!.

          

   I tried to celebrate with my arms but they wouldn't move, I tried to congratulate the winner but I couldn't talk, instead I slowly walked back to the start using the railings to help support my weight with a grin on my face and the world spinning around me. 

         
   It was surreal and even as I think about it now I don't quite believe it. I didn't win the Olympics or the Nationals even but this moment was representative of the positive changes in my life. The will to beat depression and to be determined. The will to live and to set goals and targets and to believe and achieve them.

August 2014

               

September 2001