Here we go! I was heading to the indoor meet in Bratislava racing for England over 5000m. Feeling pretty fatigued and not expecting too much from the race I used the opportunity to go through the race process for good practice.
So I got my self organised with my usual race routine and plenty of support from the England medical staff. The team atmosphere was awesome. A mix of athletes making international debuts to some with many years of competing. The staff as well were brilliant in creating a professional environment with no external pressure applied. Thanks England Atheltics and New Balance!
So it was pretty cold but me and my fellow race walk team mates walked over to the stadium as we were racing early in schedule. It was great to see some of the other athletes there already, wanting to support the walkers as well as the rest of the team. This really meant a lot to us as the walkers aren't often involved in full track and field teams at competitions, especially at indoor champs. I really hope and am proud of the English walkers performances for demonstrating world class walking.
Emma Achurch raced first in the 3000m walk for England. She set a really great seasons best and a clear step up, with a 30second improvement on her performance from a few weeks ago in Sheffield over the same distance.
It was then the men's turn to race over 5000m. The race included some top names including the current and the previous world 50k champions, drawing in a lot of media attention in Slovakia. The race was geared up around Matej Toth (2015 World Champion) vs Robert Heffernan (2013 World Champion). Toth I would say was the favourite, especially as it was on home turf for him.
The stadium wasn't big, but as often happens with indoor races the atmosphere felt great with the enclosed space and I felt nervous for the first time as we made our way onto the track. I gathered my self and focused, took a step back and postitioned my self on the second row on the start line. I didn't want to go off too fast, with so many strong walkers in the race. Grzegorz Sudol from Poland (European Silver medalist 2010) was also a strong favourite along with two more Irishmen, Boyce and Wright they made a strong Irish trio including Heffernan.
Toth took the early lead and most of us filed in behind expecting a relatively quick start, but to my surprise any way, we set off at just under 4min/k pace. Slower than I expected. I had a bit of a clash of elbows and a bit of shoving with a couple of athletes as I fought my way into the racing line on the first lap. Very early I thought I had to take this on, I didn't want to leave it down to the a sprint at the end as I knew how strong the walkers around me were. I had a couple of targets for the race. The British indoor record which stood at 19:22, having walked 19:00 outside in 2015, I was confident of smashing this. My other target was to get on the podium. So I moved out and passed the leaders and took the lead and gave my self a bit of space at the front.
I thought to my self, what the f*** are you doing, you're going to throw this away. Don't do anything stupid in this first k. So I settled to a pace that I was comfortable with, but with something left for when one or more of them would make their move. The first two kilometres flew round and I clocked 3:45, 3:45 for the two kilometres. I knew it was fast, but I felt comfortable and just told my self to keep going. But I felt awful and my stomach wanted to cramp, the previous month of training was catching up with me. I walked 3:50 for the next kilometre. I had no idea I'd gained a few seconds over 2nd place that I thought was Heffernan from Ireland breathing down my neck.
I haven't watched the race back properly, I don't want to, as I have great memories from it, so I have no idea how the battle behind me panned out. (View it here under "Cast 2" from 29mins in. http://tveso.sk/zaznam-miting-elan-31-1-2016/ )
But in the 4th kilomtetre I felt 2nd place make a move. I clocked another 3:50k, and then pushed and I felt unstoppable, I felt easy like I still had another gear but never let up knowing the pressure from the others. I came round with 4 laps to go (800m) but the officials hadn't moved the lap counter down and I shouted at them, as the adrenaline was really flowing at that point, to notice their mistake which they did immidately. When the adrenaline is pumping sometimes even the tiny things can pump you up.
I flew round and I knew that I could actually win this race, but didn't stop until the finish line came.
The final lap was a sensational feeling, knowing I had won this race. A race that I hoped just to spin the legs round.
I did my dance across the finish line which I've got into a bad habit of doing so but some think it's funny! The team manager handed me an England flag and I enjoyed the attention that followed, and made the most of it in the days after.
I clocked a finishing time of 18:54 for 5000m. A new indoor British Record, an overal 5k PB and unifies the indoor and outdoor records under my name. It was a massive relief for me as I've been bugged by walking 19:00 outdoors last summer as I was desperate to walk under 19minutes.
Sudol from Poland was second and Heffernan was 3rd across the line, a nice boost for him also to take a victory over the man who took over his world title reign last summer, Toth, who finished 4th.
I enjoyed the rest of the day bonding with the other athletes, cheering them on as they did me. Everyone's performances inspired each other.
The one thing I learned is that anything is possible and I can't doubt my ability much longer. Winning that race was a real transition, but it is still a long way from what I really want to achieve.
Those guys behind me would have trained just as hard as me this winter, they are all world class walkers and over the longer distances I still have a lot to learn from many of them. But winning races felt good and winning from being the underdog was even better! All this race proved was that I'm fit and healthy and what I'm doing in training is working, more of the same is needed!
I had an English team mate also in that race, someone who I always seem to be mentioning in my blogs. Callum Wilkinson. The junior walker was also representing England in a race that he didn't let overwhelm him and one he grabbed and destroyed. He walked 19:39, the first ever British junior boy to walk under 20minutes for 5000m indoors or outdoors. What a great way to start his final year as a junior before he steps up to 20k next year. Many forget that, in race walking the transition is so hard, going from 10k as a junior to racing 20k internationally as a senior athlete.
After feeling very flat the following week after the race I cracked on with my next training block starting with a strong weekend of training followed by another massive week of mileage. Since being back from Spain I've been sleeping in an altitude tent, every thing I can do is being done. That's my motto for 2016.
I've got some exciting things off the track lined up in February along side another block of training before the British indoor championships in Sheffield at the end of the month. I'm involved with "Jeff's March" with the brilliant team at Prostate Cancer UK. You can hear me monthly on BBC Radio 5 and I'm doing some TV bits with Sky. You can follow all my adventures off the track in my new YouTube channel "Tom Walks TV". Episode 1 is now live. http://youtu.be/zj0znywPGX0
Last weekend I also had the pleasure of being an England Athletic's embassador at the Age Group Indoor Championships in Sheffield chatting with junior athletes, handing out medals and commentating with the VincoSport team on some of the action. Vinco do a brilliant job of getting live Athletic's coverage out to the country to watch. Such an important role as our sport lacks much television airtime. So log on and create an account and never miss any Athletic's action! You will be able to see the British Indoor championships live courtesy of Vinco. http://www.runjumpthrow.com/news/1686-british-athletics-to-stream-indoor-british-championships
It will soon be March, my indoor season will be over and it will be time to face my first 20k of the seaso - My favourite distance as it is the one with the most meaning.
There is currently a junior athletes and coaches race walk camp on here in Leeds with a range of workshops and training sessions at Leeds Beckett Univeristy for them all to get involved with.
Till my next race, I leave you with the knowledge that I'm putting my body through hell in training each day and living to make the most of every moment, all in the dream of making my country proud when I compete each season in the British colours.
Please continue to support me and follow me all over social media, I love hearing from you all.
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