Looking toward Zurich

I survived the British race walking Grand Prix 20k in York at the beginning of June and am now looking to Zurich.

It was the European Champs race walk trials, so I knew all I had to do was finish in the top 2 Brit positions. I finished 5th overall but managed to finish 1st Brit.

It was a gruelling race, with the wind and temperature picking up as the race went on. The course had a subtle climb but it was the slight decline which gave me some back pains which caused me to slow. Thankfully it was nothing serious and am in full flow of training since an easy week of training after the race.

So now I have two European Champs qualifying times and have won the trial, which makes it inevitable I will be picked for the champs in Zurich in August. This will be my first major Championships since the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Exciting!

Watching the European Team champs was brilliant to get me back in the mood after two weeks of recovery from the problems suffered in the 20k in York.

I really enjoyed watching Greg Rutherford jump (in his Nike PJ’s) and the lads in the 4x100m relay. Kilty and Gemili started and anchored well, it got a little sticky in the middle but a great win for the guys.

Relay is a funded event, which it should be, the lads need to train together often to get the change overs perfected. Sometimes it feels like there is a psychological hurdle when it comes to British relays teams, like there is with the England football team taking penalties.

I’ve never been sure if the relay should be a separate funded event, surely anyone running in the relay should be of a certain quality that they are already on individual lottery funding? Just a thought.

Having said that, the group of sprinters we have are really showing some amazing potential and it rightfully should be a highlight of our team’s performance at championships.

For me personally struggling with a bit of lull in my season isn’t easy at such an important time of the season. Getting some strong training weeks in now is key to a great performance in Zurich.

Training over the last few days has felt like I’ve turned a point. I’m feeling more like myself and topped it off with a strong 20k this weekend.

The other night was spent relaxing and watching one of my favourite movies ‘We’re the Millers’, brilliant comedy. Another strong couple of weeks of training needs to follow and I’m feeling right up to smashing it! Watching movies is one of my favourite ways of forgetting about training and just chillaxing!

Next week is the European Champs trials in Birmingham where the other athletic events will be decided and trial winners will earn their place in the GB Team for Zurich.

Race walkers are included by racing a 5k on the Sunday morning. It is always an awesome race. Twice in the last 3 years has the British record been broken here, once in 2011, I broke it. It’s time I went out and got my 5k BR back!

For now I hope England’s early exit from the world cup isn’t too much of a downer, I can promise you that the athletics team will perform to a much higher standard this summer! Well, I’ll do my best at least.

My next blog will be sent from the top of a mountain at the British Athletics pre camp in France. 3 weeks of altitude training will help me peak again this season in Zurich!

#TomWalksFast

Setting Up for a Big Week

It’s race week again already! There’s nothing better than racing, it makes the winter training worth it.

Having already qualified twice for the European Championships, Zurich in August, I can enjoy racing the 20k trial this weekend in York.

I watched the boxing on Saturday night, it got me pumped up that’s for sure! Shows what experience does for an athlete. That’s exactly what will put me in a good position for Sunday’s race.

Another strong time will put me in contention for funding at the end of the year, but in the meantime it will show my continued development this year as one of the best walkers in the world.

This race is a little different. Usually there’s a long flight, staying in a hotel with different foods and cultures. My last race was the IAAF World Cup in Taicang, China. This one is 40 minutes up the road from Leeds in York.

I’m treating it as important as any other, because it is. For me it’s important to get my head into race mode in the days before. Focus on my strategy, kilometre splits and how to deal with different possibilities during the race.

If I finish in the top two Brits on Sunday, I would have ticked every box required for selection for Zurich in August. (1:23:00 Qualifying time and top 2 in the trial).

It will be my first major championship since the Commonwealth Games in 2010. Don’t get me started on this year’s Commonwealths in Glasgow.

They decided to include athletics but discriminate against walkers by not including the walks, despite race walking being an athletic event… and they go about talking about ‘inclusion’.

More importantly for me is the European Athletics champs and that has been the target since August last year when I missed out on making the team for the World Athletics Champs in Moscow.

That just made me stronger and more determined and I believe it had a huge hand in making this season such a success. Third fastest Brit in all time over 20k and fastest in over 20 years speaks for itself.

Some people may just give up, that’s not me and I love proving people wrong and most importantly the love of athletics keeps me going.

Training this week will be slightly less than usual but not by much due to the importance of getting a big block of work done over the next month.

I have some track races to look forward to and plenty of British records to target also. The 10,000m race walk in Bedford at the end of June, followed by the 5000m in Birmingham, which is also the European trials for the other athletic events. (Will be shown on BBC).

This has been such a great season so far, made possible by sponsors and England and British Athletics. All I need to do is continue to train hard!

The right man won the boxing… the right man will succeed in York on Sunday.

#TomWalksFast