Crazy Spring Training

Spring training, it was the perfect opportunity to get another big block of work in between Lugano 20k and the European Cup on the 17th May.
That was the plan any way.

After a solid performance in Lugano, I had a slightly lighter period of training to allow my self some recovery time from all the races. We decided not to do another more international 20k's this spring to allow my self a big block of training, to raise my fitness to the next level. By the beginning of April I was back in the swing of things ready to put in 6 big weeks of training. However, life sometimes gets in the way and I had the first disrupted weeks of training of the year. Little niggling pains and a very random cold meant I didn't get the most out of those first two weeks of training and, because I over think everything, I panicked thinking my season was doomed!!

Of course this is just any athlete always thinking the worse and after a week at home where I put in a decent week of work I was feeling far better. That week finished off with the British Athletics National 20k. I was not targeting this as a race, but planned to use it as a tempo session and do just enough to win. In the end my training pace was still enough for me to win the race by over 10 minutes. Which is slightly disappointing in terms of depth in British walking. However, with a strong group of juniors walking 10k on the day, and a few others having bad races for one reason or another, was it not for that my victory would have been much closer than it was.
I was happy with my time of 1:29:16, as that was my second 20k session in 3 days, both in the exact same time. A real indication that I am in fine form, after all 1:29:00 was my PB in 2011, now its my training pace! I was also very proud to lift the National trophy for the fourth time in my career. I hope to better the current record number of wins which stands at 6, by the end of my career.

I started off strongly and maintained my pace throughout the race, I even had the chance to enjoy my training session and make the most of the winning feeling!

Having done a total of 25k that morning (I did 5k before the race) I was pretty relieved when it was over, as I had put away the first big week of training since Lugano and my legs were feeling it. However, I still had time to do my celebratory victory dance as you can see above.

Getting my hands on the trophy again along with another British gold medal was a nice way to round off all the racing I had done through March and April.

This week of decent milage and high quality work was a springboard back into form and I truly felt back on track. I went on to clock another couple of big weeks of training from that meaning April ended up being a decent month of work, which we hoped for. Panic over!
The fatigue was building up from all the big tempo work we doing, and despite some painful sessions I didn't let the fatigue stop me and my resilience really showed through. It hurt a lot!! - as you can see here... #PainFace




Next week I head back to Torrevieja where I spent a month training back in February to prepare for my next race. It is close by to Murcia where the European Race Walking Cup is being held on the 17th May.
You can see the full GB team for the Euro Cup here... European Cup GB Team. This will be my fourth European Cup, I made my GB debut at this championships in 2009, in the Junior boys 10k, so it's pretty special to me.

It could be a bit of brutal race if its a very hot day, so it's important to have the exposure and I please to have the opportunity to head back to Torrevieja two weeks prior to help my preparation for the race. I hope to back up my 12th place finish from last years European Athletics Championships in Zurich in Murcia next month.

On a slightly more serious note, a couple of European race walkers recently have failed drugs tests and both admitted to cheating. I have been asked my stance on this. My stance is not up for debate, I have been asked a question so here is my answer. If you fail a test, serve your ban, return to athletics if you wish, but with a life ban on international competition, no exceptions, the same rule for everyone. Its the athletes own responsibility to know what they put in there body, there are many aids to help the athletes, e.g. the WADA app. That does not mean companies do not have a responsibility with their products. But if you have any doubt on a product, especially with supplements don't use it. I'm not sure why a healthy athlete would use them any way, the risk of cross contamination is high and there is always a far better, natural source of the supplement they are using.
Thats got that off my chest!

I'll update you all if a few weeks from Spain with my final preparations for the European Cup. I'll also let you know if I've got a tan of any kind. Fingers crossed.

For more information on me head to TomBosworth.com
You can follow me on Twitter @TomBosworth or like my Facebook Page.

#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.