An Unexpected Turn of Walking

Well since I last put my road to Rio down on paper a lot more has happened, with more records, wins and surprises! 

Holy shit! Phewwww. I've finally taken down the 28year old 20km race walk record that I've been hunting for the last few seasons. I knew when I would finally do it, I'd do it with some style and bypass it on my way to a big step up in 20km performance... I did just that. 

But first I had the British Indoor Championships back in Sheffield to contend first, and had to defend my title from 2015. It was the end of February and after another massive block of training through February I felt tired and ready to move onto the outdoor season as I aproached the indoor champs. Stepping down a distance from Bratilsava where I set the 5km British record, this time competing over the 3km distance at the British indoors. I knew it was going to be rapid, after setting the British record for that distance back in January. What I achieved, however, was a big surprise to me.

The Friday before I helped to launch the championships with a few other athletes. A big complement to where race walking is currently, to be included in such media events. So a big thanks goes to British Athletics! 

As I set off I went straight onto 11:00min pace. After 100m I was comfortable, when to my shock, 19 year old Callum Wilkinson tore past me and second placed athlete Cameron Corbishley. 

By the end of the second lap I had my lead back and settled back down after Callum was unable to hold any where near the pace he set off at. 

I cleared the first k in around 3:41, and the next was also just under 3:41. All going to plan I pushed on through the last kilometre. I picked up 1 red card in the final laps, however, did not see I had it until after the race. I strolled the last 1000m in 3:37, and smashed my own British 3km record by 17seconds!!! 

Finishing with 10:58, a world lead and of course my signature dance as I crossed the line.

In the final few laps the three men (two I mentioned earlier) all received the maximum of 3 red cards from the judges and were all Disqualified meaning I ended up winning the race by a much further distance than I should have. Nearly 3minutes on 2nd place. This shows just how brutal race walking can be, and if you have a bad day, you may not finish the race. 

You can see all my adventures before during and after the British indoor championships on my YouTube Channel, "Tom Walks TV". Make sure you like and subscribe! http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3NIjCE5xAQlet5Jfw2LdOHT3ZIqizyRT

My season moved swiftly on after the British indoor championships. I was setting quite a challenge to my self to see how long I could keep up my win and record streak for in 2016. 

The next challenge was to be the England 10km race walk championships in Coventry which I had to pull out from before the race due to illness. So my attention turned to 20km, Finally!

This was the one I'd been waiting for, 20km is the Olympic Distance and the one every one wants to impress early over. I would be once again representing England Athletics in the great New Balance strip. 

The race we were attending was the 35th annual IAAF race walk challenge in Dudince, Slovakia. I am very fond of Slovakia after this years win in Bratilsava, so I hoped it would bring me good luck once again. 

A large England team attended, joined by a couple of senior women representing Wales. Bethan Davies and Heather Lewis. 

The terrible trio of Guy Thomas, Callum Wilkinson and Cameron Corbishely made up the England Boys 10km team, and Dominic King was wearing the England vest in the 50km which also doubled up as the British Athletics Olympic 50km Trial! So a top two finish for Dominic would see him confirm an automatic place on Team GB in Rio as he already had the qualifying time. I was the sole 20km representative for England.  

The morning saw a mixed bunch of results, with Dominic crossing the line 32nd overall, but importantly first British man and so confirmed his place on the GB team this summer in the 50km walk! Horay!! 

In the junior boys 10km, Callum Wilkinson backed up his win in Coventry with a win over a small, but strong, international field in 41:36. Both Guy Thomas and Cameron Corbishley were on for big times but again saw the red paddle from the chief judge and were Disqualfied as they were at the indoors. A lot of talent on offer but progression on technique is needed to move on for them. Knowing them well, I have no doubt they will put the hard work in on the training ground and come back stronger. 

It was then time for the men's and women's 20km. Finally! I was so nervous as I wanted to keep my 100% win and record going. Will it be 4 from 4? 

After sitting at the back of the lead pack for the first 4km I made a risky move and took the lead, over taking some big names that usually I wouldn't dare over take. After this winters progression I felt unstoppable and over the next few k pulled about a 10 second gap at 10km, clocking 39:58. I knew this was a very fast first half and thought I must take it one lap (kilometre) at a time. It could either all fall to pieces now or I could come back with a massive performance. How much did I truly want this?

I gritted my teeth and pushed, I gave every ounce of strength, I slowed a tiny bit over the next few laps but pulled it back over the last 5km to take victory and destroy the previous 20km British record by 82 seconds, it had stood since 1988!!! Not only did I set the record but I took yet another victory! I love Slovakia! 

Photos: Pavol Uhrin. 

The most exciting thing, I still have lots to work on, so can only get faster!

Watch my highlights from Dudince on my YouTube channel... https://youtu.be/0sqK_HWlcg8

I received so many messages so thank you all for sending them! Means so much! 

So moving on from this big breakthrough and an epic first 3months competing in my 2016 season, it takes me to some downtime with my partner and his family for the Easter break, before cracking on with another week of training. 

A few days before Easter, I had the pleasure of walking with Jeff Stelling as he walked 10 marathons in 10days for Prostate Cancer UK, a charity very close to my heart. As he finished off day two I joined him for the last few miles of his mammoth second day journey. We finished up in Elland Road, Leeds United Football ground. 

I also bumped into a few other famous faces of Football...

In this time, the news broke that the head coach of the Russian Race Walking school received a life ban for his involvement and mostly leadership of the doping scandals involved with Russian Race walking for many many years! 

Many of his athletes have been given bans in the past and still competed in Russian champs, despite being on bans. This continued discraceful behaviour, but failing to deceive the IAAF and their international rivals has eventually, after investigations and then re investigations led to many Russian athletes being stripped of Olympic and World medals leading to some great athletes, role models and it's an honour to say friends of mine have been rightly awarded medals. 

Ireland received a Bronze Olympic and World Gold, as well as Jared Tallent was finally awarded his Gold medal from the 2012 Olympics in the 50km walk. 

He was one of the main athletes who spearheaded the campaign to the IAAF to investigate and bring down those involved in the years of doping in Russian race walking and as we have seen, throughout all of Russian Athletics. 

This was news we have all longed for, justice was done. 

So this brings us up to date, and almost into April! Next week I head out to the Czech Republic to compete over 20km at the EAA Race walking permit meet in Podebrady. Where I hope to back up my 20km performance from last week. 

Remember to follow me on Twitter and use #TomWalksFast to keep up to date with how I get on in this race and the rest of my season! 

Hope you had a lovely Easter and get walking, it's good for you after all and a great way to stay fit! 

#tomwalksfast 

www.tombosworth.com

Pushing the Boundaries

I'm picking up where I left of in my previous blog, as I'm trying to put as much of my road to Rio onto paper as possible. It's the 16th February 2016.

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. 

#tomwalksfast

www.tombosworth.com

@tombosworth

Hard Work and Never being Happier

It was a Tuesday morning.

After months of planning and I think I was more nervous than standing on the start line at the World Championships a couple of months previously. The time was finally upon us. It was time to tell my story to the entire country, a story that had an impact I never dreamt it could. Responses came in from friends and family, people I had never met, in countries I'd never visited. 

I was overwhelmed. That morning I tore round training, adrenalin was pumping as I knew whilst I was out training my "coming out story" was going out to the nation on the Victoria Derbyshire Show on the BBC. 

For most of that day my phone didn't stop, social media went crazy and I laid with my head in a pillow waiting for it all to go away. I had no idea it wouldn't and that the follow up interest was crazy. From newspapers, to radio interviews in USA, appearances in Hamburg and even nude charity shoots in London. There are so many people I have to thank, to list them would be wrong. However, there is one special person, who requested to be involved my story despite only just recovering from a very traumatic personal period in her life, that is of course the brilliant Victoria Derbyshire. So thank you Victoria, for caring so much and helping tell the story the way I wanted to. 

The whole thing was meant to give me the opportunity to put the news out there, it was never there to be any sort of major sport story. I wanted to get it out in the public well before the Olympics, as it wasn't something I wanted to be a distraction if it were to be leaked prior to the Rio Games next summer. I said in the interview it wouldn't change my life, and personally it hasn't. I've always had a supportive family, partner, training group and friends. Which is why it was so easy for me to come to the decision to speak publicly about my sexuality. However, it feels that everyone else has inspired me, with their stories, their supportive words and the interest in me personally and following my sporting endeavours. I will use this and put it all towards a great performance every time I step onto the track, as I think that is the only right way to thank everyone for all the love and kindness I have received.

Thank you for your support! 

Even to those who responded on social media saying "this isn't a story" you are right, we just need the rest of the world to see that! Then everyone in sport can try and live an open, happy life and no one needs to speak publicly about something which is so personal.
But it got a lot of attention still today, which must be very intimidating for so many who are contemplating living openly and being happy with whom ever they love.
So I am truly honoured and it made me very emotional (see my thank you video) to hear that it reached so many people and helped even just a few, that was a major bonus! I now want to become 'just' another gay athlete as this soon will not be a news worthy story. 

I want to inspire more with my performances to come, especially next summer in Rio, and the following summer of 2017 at the London World Championships. 

So that brings me onto the really important stuff, training!

Including a bit of biomechanics fun at Leeds Beckett University back in November...

The last few months have been building up nicely. My first big block of work finished at the end of November and it was a great few weeks of work. I then started my second big block a few days into December and smashed through to possibly a PB week for December, big mileage and strong speed! 

 

Also this year I was privileged enough to make it onto the World Class Performance Plan, or as many of you know it Lottery Funding. So a big thank you to British Athletics for the recognition of my hard work and believing what I believe, that I am going to continue to develop right to the front of the pack, and push towards a medal. I wasn't happy with 24th in the World this year and they way my training has been going along with my 100% focus every day on Rio I certainly will be moving forwards next season. 

Having had some interest from kit manufacturers this season, still no one has shown much interest in me representing their brand. I mean what am I doing wrong am I not a good role model, am I not interesting enough? I'll just have to go out next year, smash more National records and get more Olympic Qualifying times and then destroy it in Rio. I love to use this sort of thing as pure motivation!!! 

I have started using snapchat now, well trying any way. So you can follow me on that, just search my username - tbosworth5. I also finished my Christmas present wrapping this afternoon, so all I can say now from a very organised Tom and a Tom that has never been happier, is Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and I hope to inspire you all into the Olympic year!! 

#TomWalksFast

TomBosworth.com

Twitter @TomBosworth

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World Athletics Championships - The final steps

One week to go!

An athlete trains their guts out week in week out to make a major championships. The pinnacle of their sport making those brutal winter sessions and long periods away from home all worth it. Always leave it in your hands, never allow a shred of doubt to enter any one's mind - you're good enough to compete against the best - end of!

- Watch my 'One Week To Go' video! -

For years I dreamt of making a World Championships and over the last 3 it has become more and more real. Now it is and I'm a week out from the biggest race of my life am I nervous? No, I'm just training and preparing as normal like it was any other meet. The emotions and anticipation have started to build as they would normally, can't say any less than its all going to plan.

Up here in Gifu, Japan I've had wonderful support from British Athletics support staff and other coaches as my personal coach was unable to make it out here to the altitude camp. Physio Cat has kept me in one piece, as well as the help in training which has been perfect!
I had brilliant company and drinks man Steve Cram on the bike with me a few times as well as the best pace maker on the track Captain Kate Spilsbury! - Kate did a great job on the track, it was just a shame how she tried to drive me and other athletes off the side of the mountain on numerous occasions, we can't all be perfect I guess!

As well as the support the team also really embraced race walking which as you all well know I have been fighting for a long time now to be closer to main stream athletics in the UK.








Jenny Meadows felt she could be a good walker, and decided to give it a go. She literally picked it up at the firs attempt and we battled it out in a race walk off!

Tom vs Jenny - Race Walk Off! 

Training at altitude can be tough but ensuring an easy start will allow you to fit into normal training soon enough and I was able to smash out some PB sessions up the mountain. It also helps to have such quality training partners in the GB team, well they weren't really training partners for me more just brilliant motivation to be training on the track at the same time as these guys tearing it up round the track. Race Walking couldn't have been more in the middle of British Athletics!

Charlie Grice post track session

Me and Mo after training

Great news is that the race looks like it will be on BBC 2 at 1:30am (UK time) on Sunday 23rd August. I'll have to put in a big performance and it is also the second day of the women's heptathlon and I hear we have a few talented athletes in that! 

Don't expect to hear much from me in in race week I like to keep to my self in the final few days as well as China have blocks on Facebook and Twitter (@TomBosworth) You can always keep an eye on my website, TomBosworth.com Make sure you use #TomWalksFast. 

Now is a perfect time to thank you all for your support in getting me this far. I am truly thankful and it would mean a lot less to be here without the support from my amazing Family and Friends as well as all the Athletics fans around the world. Thank you! 

I'm soon to be Beijing bound - let the next leg of my journey be a successful as this!

All the best from me on the volcano in the clouds.

#TomWalksFast

PB's, British Records and Worn Out Trainers

Since opening my season 4 weeks ago at the British Athletics Indoor champs in Sheffield, my season has been gaining momentum and that doesn't look like stopping any time soon.

Two weeks after the Indoor championships, I raced at Coventry at the Molly Barnett 10k open race walk. I set my 10k PB there in 2014 of 40:19, the second fastest time in British history. This time around I was determined to set a new 10k British record to go with my 5k record. 

It was a pretty nasty day in Coventry with the rain falling and wind blowing making it tricky racing conditions. However, the wind stopped just before the race and the rain made for good racing conditions and focused into my warm up. Focusing on my drills after an easy 15minutes of walking normally gets me focused.  I did some strides and thought to my self, I feel like crap. How am I going to walk 10k?! Just start and see how it goes, all I need is to show form to get selected to race for England in two weeks at the Lugano EAA race walking permit race. 

I set off steady and walked a 4:04 first kilometre. Knowing I had to walk under 4:02's average to get the record I was very happy. I then picked up the pace to constantly under 4minutes. At 5k my split was 19:44, I was feeling good but the speed was starting to really hurt my legs. My stomach was struggling to deal with the intensity of the walk and at about 7k I was feeling very sick. I knew I just had to cruise the last 3k and could still get the record, but I pushed on as I did't want to leave anything to chance. I crossed the finish line in a new British record time of 39:36 and became the first British man to go under 40mins after a slightly slower second half. 

Winning and setting a new 10k British Record, 39:36.

The race took everything out of me and the next 48 hours I was a zombie. I had no energy and felt like I could sleep for a week! I couldn't really celebrate the victory or the record as focus had changed to the race two weeks later in Lugano, my first 20k of 2015. 20k is the international distance so this race really is the first major target for 2015. I received a lot of support after the race as many athletes on twitter congratulated me and were amazed I could walk under 40mins for 10k, when they can't even run that fast. These kind of performances will help to move the event on in the UK in 2015, and get it the respect It deserves. 

I believed I could smash the 20k British Record in Lugano and went into the race very confident. I started the race at a steady pace, however, I found my self in 3rd place at 5k, and was feeling great. I was well under British record pace at this point. I knew 4:06 average k's would see me walk under the British record of 1:22:03, my PB was 1:22:20 for 2014. Last year in Lugano I finished 21st due to illness before the race, so as I moved into the second half of the race I was excited to be in the bronze medal position a new experience for me. My 10k split was 40:45, a little quick but I was happy and after a little spirt I had moved up to 2nd place, behind the 50k and former 20k World Record holder Yohann Diniz! Diniz's World 20k record had been broken over night! So he set off at record pace (literally) to try and get it back, but was unable to, despite setting a time of 1:17:24 just a week after he set his PB (former WR) 1:17:02. The new world record is 1:16:36 set by Japanese walker Suzuki. 

I held onto 2nd place from 13k to 16k, but then my stomach caused my problems again and fatigue struck my right leg causing me a lot of pain. The next 4k was slow and I slipped off British record pace and down 4th place in the race. After a battle with a Greek athlete in the last two k, I managed to hang on for 4th place missing out on a medal and British record by 30seconds. However, I was only 13 seconds off my PB. My final time of 1:22:33 was my 4th time under the World Championships qualifying time so I had achieved my main goal, but was very disappointed to have missed the record. 

Here I am in the lead pack early on in the race.

7 - Me! 2 - Caio Bonfim ended up in 3rd place, 3 - Kevin Campion ended up finishing 11th.

A slightly disappointed me as I crossed the finish line for 4th place.

The England team was full of quality this year. We had 5 athletes qualify for the European Race Walking Cup, I qualified for the World Athletics championships and Emma Achurch (junior girls 10k) walked the European Junior time. Quality all round.

Here is me and junior 10k male Callum Wilkinson, one of the brightest young talents race walking has in the UK, looking awesome in our sunglasses! Callum has a PB of 44minutes for 10k and will be looking to qualify this spring for his GB debut at the European Cup.

The week of the race I had a major shoe problem and was forced to ditch my current shoe for an older version as it was causing me ankle pain and was unable to train. It was very strange, as the older version of the same shoe was fine. It was missing most of the sole as it had done many miles of training, see for your self below...

So now I have a few easy days, despite feeling fine to get straight back to training I know how important a rest is, mentally if not physically. My quick recovery just shows my fitness, how it has moved on a level this year. Many athletes are never happy after a good performance if it doesn't go perfectly and that is how I am feeling this week. Despite getting the 20k British Athletics qualifying times for the World Athletics championships in Beijing (1:24:00) and the Race Walking European Cup (1:27:00), I am still frustrated by missing the record time. I feel I could race again next week, but that would be crazy, having some control and patience in a situation like this is key. The season is long and I want to be able to be competing up the front of the race in Beijing in August. 

I now have another block of training before the European Cup in Murcia, Spain, for GB, however, may use some races in the UK as training races. It's always good practice to race, even if you are only using it for training and I enjoy supporting the home events. 

For more information on my adventures you can follow me on twitter @TomBosworth or Instagram TomBosworth or keep up to date on my website, tombosworth.com Keep any eye out for a big announcement next week!! 

I am constantly looking for sponsors as I am currently not funded this year to allow me to train full time, so please get in contact through the website if you are interested in supporting me. 

Thanks for readying, get inspired to better my 10k PB, and run under 40mins! Use it as inspiration to get out the door this spring. 

British Indoor Champs

I arrived home from Spain on Friday 13th Feb and a late night Nandos was in order as I was starving! After the biggest block of training over the last month I headed into the British Athletics Indoor champs that weekend on what I thought were very tired legs. 

Saturday I had an easy 8k walk at Roundhay Park in Leeds before driving to Sheffield Sunday morning. An indoor race is always a good way of checking fitness and technique. With the camber and slightly bouncy surface you know if you make it through an indoor race with no warnings your technique is pretty sound. Especially as its a short race so I was traveling at near top speed. 

I was aiming for a PB for the 3000m walk which before Sunday was 11:44, nothing much else. I didn't think I could challenge the British Record which is 11:23, although I new my fitness was good enough to beat it. I just thought my legs were too tired from the big block of training in Spain. 

I set off, the indoor champs distance is 3000m, and just wanted to cruise the first kilometre. That's exactly what I did hitting 1k in 3:54. I pushed on, aiming just to maintain that pace, but quite easily saw my speed increase. The next k was 3:50, so hit 2k in 7:44, what happened next I didn't expect. The speed just kept getting faster without any effort on my part. I didn't have a clue what time I was on for and coming round with a lap to go I realised I was close to the British Record but it was too late then. Before the race I had decided if I had a big lead I would hype up the crowd by waving my arm up and down, which got a fantastic response in 2011 when I broke the 5k British record. 

It did so again, and the buzz meant I flew round in a time of 11:30, the last 1k was in a time of 3:46. Had I known I was going to go so fast so easily without picking up any warnings for technique I would have pushed on from the beginning and got my self that British 3k Record. 

Any way this result was just a massive confidence boost and clear sign of my fitness and technical development. Just get me to the next race. I just love racing, especially when it goes well! 

I hoped to be pushed slightly over the shorter distance, however, ended lapping the entire field which featured some very bright junior talents who are pushing into the senior scene. 

Next aim is to tackle a 10k and then its my first 20k in a months time at the Lugano Grand Prix in Switzerland, where I will be challenging my PB and potentially the British Record which is only 17 seconds faster than my current 20k PB. 

Bring it on!

This week it was back to normal, despite being very tired from travel, racing and training we had a good squad camp including some of the best British junior walkers all visiting the centre in Leeds for the week for workshops and training. 

Monday was back at the circuits and over the next few days did some steady walks and couple of track rep sessions and straight back in the gym. 

The work never stops. But have eased off the high milage this week due to fatigue and with an eye on the next couple of races over the next few weeks. Just need to preserve my fitness going into my first peak of the season. 

It was great also to get the recognition from British Athletics from all my hard work over the last few years with the article on my progression this year. 

http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/media/news/2015-news-page/february-2015/18-02-15-bosworth-newsletter/

So its back to the roads tomorrow putting in more milage, after all its a long season and need to keep building the sponge to make a strong base to my training cake! 

#TomWalksFast

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Twitter: @TomBosworth