Stretford BMC 1500m

Tonight was just about going and helping out my training partner. Lewis was after a fast race, under 3:43 so he could get the Euro u23 qualifying time. Originally I offered to pace him through at least 1K, maybe even 3 laps if I was still feeling ok then i'd finish with whatever I ended up with. Fortunately Sammo from Loughborough offered to pace after he ran an 800 earlier on (and smashed his pb running 1:49! great work!) and also Tom Minshull offered too. John then said to me this gives me a license to hammer it and see what my legs can run. 

I knew the race would go through in 1:57/58 and I thought this would be ideal as I still wanted to be in touch  so if the pace did drop on that 3rd lap I could push it on for Lewis' sake. I personally didn't get the greatest of starts and ended up straight on the inside boxed in and went round the first lap in around 60 back in the field behind a wall of athletes. I didn't panic as there was loads of time left so I just kept biding my time as I knew a gap would open up at some point. I went through 800 in around 1:59 I think it was although still a little behind the front guys and still tucked in on the curb. As we came around the water jump bend approaching the bell a small gap opened so I dived through it and got wide going through the bell in roughly 2:44 on Lewis' shoulder. I then shouted at him- "59! come on!" hoping it would spur him on a little. This actually motivated me a little more as I knew I was running to help him out so I pushed on as hard as I could on the final lap along the back straight on the outside of lane 2, but as I was doing this Jonny Mellor came wizzing by me in lane 3! I tagged on a long as I could around the final bend hoping I could pick off a couple of the lads infront but they were all motoring. I maintained pretty well in the last 100 although the legs tied up a little I held on to cross the line in 3:43.50.

Although it was a great feeling knowing i'd ran pretty quick I was devestated for Lewis as I know how hard he's worked after his injury and how close he came to hitting the time. For him it was just a case of maybe thinking about the time too much rather than just getting out and racing, but then if he'd done the other, he may have kicked himself for not pushing on at the front so it's one of those lose lose situations I guess. It just wasn't his night but i'm sure his time will come.

The race was a bit of a shock really as I didn't go there with a time in mind, I just went there, followed the pace and ran! The biggest relief is that all that hard work I put in over April and May is finally starting to shine through. It's only taken 4 weeks for things to begin to happen for me but it certainly feels good when it does happen!

The only downside now is that I'm not racing until the trials now so I just have to hold onto that confidence and hope it all goes well on the day at Birmingham.