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Meet The Guest

Jonathan Taylor

 

 

Personal Best's

800m -   1:51.1

1500m - 3:41. 97

3,000m -7:58.60 (indoors)

5,000m -14.06.0


 

When did you start running?

I started training when I was 13/14, but I did one or 2 races before that just for my school.


How did you get in to running?

I initially started training to improve my fitness for football; I used to play on the wing and had played wing-back a few times so I needed to be able to get up and down. I played football until I was 18 at semi-pro level, but then decided to concentrate more on running.


How did the indoor trials go for you?

 The trials went really badly, I was in great shape but just had a bad day, which you can't afford to do on the big days. I still don't know what went wrong; I must have slept on the wrong side of the bed or something.

You went to the European XCountry Championships at the end last year, how did that go?

The euro cross was a good event, I have never ran in a cross country race like that before, with bigger crowds etc. Running at that level and that type of event inspires you to make more teams to go to events like that, even though I'm not a big cross country fan in general.

How did your race go?

My race went ok; it was a pretty average result. If I had of finished any lower I would have felt disappointed. I thought that if I ran well I could have made the top ten, but cross country is not my strongest surface, so I just took what I could get!

You are studying a Masters degree, how do you fit training around it?

 Yes I am doing an MSc in sport & exercise, up to now I have had plenty of time to fit my training in, but I am getting towards the sharp end of it now, so it might become a bit tighter.

What University are you in?

 I stayed at home and went to Teesside University, which I believe is under-rated.

What is set up like for training?

 The set up is good, with me being at home I don't have to worry about certain things and I have the same coach (Gordon Surtees) I have had for the last 7 years.

How has the winter training gone for you?

The winter has went quite well with the only blip being the Indoor trials which did leave me feeling pessimistic for a while, but the summer season will show how well it really went.

Training

Easy Running

Yes, most days and I run most of them around 6:00min/mile or 6:15 if I am tired. I believe every run I do is important otherwise I couldn't justify doing it.


Steady Running

I like to put them in as I believe varying the pace of my runs is essential instead of just running easy all the time at a monotonous pace which can become boring. They can be around 5:40 per mile.


Interval work

How many times a week?

3

Example of an important?

I think time trials over 1200m are important.

What would be your shortest session?

 My shortest session would be something like 3 x 200m off 200 walk to sharpen up.

Did you change surface dependant on time of year?

 I tend to do some training on the track all year round, with more road sessions in the winter and the odd grass session.

Hardest session?

 Hills - I find these the toughest, there is a hill that's roughly 200m in Guisborough woods near me which is absolutely brutal. I also find long runs quite tough but that's because I'm not a big fan of them.

Can you give a typical week in full training and race week?

Full training week

Monday - Am 30 easy Pm. 30 steady

Tuesday - Am 30 easy Pm Track/road session

Wednesday Am 30 easy Pm 45 steady

Thursday - Am 30 easy Pm Track/road session

Friday - Am 45 easy/steady

Saturday - Am- Track, road or grass session

Sunday - Am Long run

 

Race week

Monday - Am 30 easy Pm. 30 steady

Tuesday - Am 30 easy Pm Track session

Wednesday - Am 30 easy Pm 30 steady plus strides

Thursday - Am 30 easy

Friday - REST

Saturday - Am- Race

Sunday - Am Long run

I also fit a weights session and circuit training in.


Mileage

I don't really count my mileage and tend to run by time, but I would estimate its somewhere around70. My longest run is anything between 60-90 minutes depending on what else I have on that week. I personally believe that running less at higher quality is much more beneficial to me than running a lot of slower miles, but I don't think there is one size that fits all.

Do you run big mileage when racing?

No my mileage is cut down quite a bit to around 40-50


Weights

I have just started to dabble with weights, but I do other body weight stuff like press ups etc quite often

How many times per week?

 Maybe once a week, I work part time in a gym so tend to go in when I can.


Massage

 I get massage free as part of my elite athlete bursary at Teesside university.  I think it's important because if it makes you feel better, you are likely to run better, I tend to get one once every other week or a few days before races.


Diet

 I have cleaned my diet up substantially in the last few years, but I don't have a particularly special diet.


Group Training

I don't believe training in a group is essential, I don't mind training on my own because when you are in a race there is no one to hold your hand all the way round like when training in a group. However I do see the benefits of training in a group and it's just good sometimes to be able to sit in.

Is your training group good if you have one?

 I do quite a lot of my training on my own, but I do have a few training partners who do some of my sessions with me, Richard and Adam Morrell, Their dad is "The tough of the track" Tony Morrell. Neil Gunstone also does some easier runs with me.


Rest

 I tend to take 2 weeks off at the end of the summer track season, and have a 5 easier days at the end of the indoor season.

 


City Games (Indoor 1500m)

I ran both legs this year and won both which was good, I would like to have run a bit faster, but it is most important to win I suppose.

I think it is a very good event and without it there wouldn't be much of an indoor season. I also think it's good that McCain put a lot of funding into it, meaning there is a lot of prize money up for grabs.

 

Road Relays

Yes I will be getting involved, possibly over a long leg this year after running the fastest short leg last year. I have never run a long leg at Sutton Park before so I am sure I will be in survival mode over the last two miles or so if I do.


Targets 2010

Obviously my main target is to run well at the trial race for the European and commonwealths, and I really want to establish myself over 1500 this year.

Who will be the main competitors?

The 1500m was pretty strong last year so there will be quite few people who will provide competition.

 

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