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. 

Winter Adventures

Its finally winter and I mean winter!
I am three months into training and in the real heart of winter training. Its cold, windy and wet out, but after the fabulous generosity of so many people last month in my "Talent Backer" campaign, I have a new type of motivation when it comes to training.

So much has changed in the last month, with a big thanks going to Tanya Arnold at BBC Look North for getting my story out there! From this publicity, came some very exciting turn of events.
Back in November I announced a new partnership with 17Management, who will represent me through to 2017. Working with the 17 team will open so many doors that on my own I would never have been able to, and am so excited to work with Ian Byers and the team. They already have got me a ticket to party with some of the biggest names in sport this Sunday at BBC Sports Personality of the Year in Glasgow.
The disappointing news that I would not be on Lottery Funding this coming season hit me hard, as I had hit every target I thought that was required of me. However, after some productive feedback from British Athletics I was able to move on and put all my efforts into winter training. From that news came the successful "Talent Backer" campaign, which brought in 17Management which has led to a Sports Personality of the Year ticket and a brand new website, www.tombosworth.com with more surprises just round the corner. I am so thankful to Ian and the 17 Team for everything so far!
I even have got some cool new Tees from new clothing line High Rise Club to try out, so keep an eye out for me wearing those and let me know what you think!

At the end of the day though, this time of the year is when the hard work in needed and racing is still a long way off. This can mean it can be hard to find motivation. Thanks to all those who donated last month to my "Talent Backer" campaign I have renewed motivation. I am starting to hit some great form in training, except a current small hiccup, of a cold, which is just part of working hard in training (especially when its freezing cold).

I will be tweeting and posting pictures on Instagram this weekend from Sports Personality and my adventure to Glasgow, so keep an eye on my social media.

The recent news "99% of Russian athletes were doping at London 2012" was horrific for athletics, however, not surprising. Race walking has been hindered by doping Russian walkers for over a decade now. This news is terrible for Athletics and I am slightly ashamed. However, I know many athletes who compete clean, train hard and deserve their rewards. I am proud to train and compete off my own physical ability and setting new personal bests is down to my hard work and nothing else!

Another possible concern for athletics, mainly triple jumpers and race walkers along with some swimming events is the news of the IOC changes from the 28 sports at the Olympic Games to 310 events, 10,500 athletes. Come Tokyo 2020, I hope to be there competing and in my prime, but with this news there is a small chance these events mentioned could make way due to the spread of events that could be on show with limited athlete space. Athletics takes up 47 events at the Olympic Games and over 2000 athletes taking part in athletics alone. Historic events such as race walking should not suffer from these rule changes. I say, stand proud IAAF, either we have all of athletics or none at all, there is no negotiation. There can't be an Olympics without Athletics! With sports included in the Olympics with other 'bigger' competitions, it is wrong that other events and sports should suffer. Football have age limitations and the World Cup, so should be the first to go if space is needed. Golf and Tennis also both have other competitions, which their athletes feel are bigger than the Olympic Games. So I hope the IOC do not punish hard working athletes who strive only for Olympic success, by allowing others to compete who have their main aims set away from the Olympics.

Thanks for reading, Its time for one last push before Christmas and new year, before my sights turn to racing in the spring! I can't wait for 2015.