1st Senior International!

It has been a very interesting, unplanned indoor 2013 season. After originally not planning on running competitively in the indoor season we decided to have a blast out over a couple races. My first race was going to be a 200m at the southern championships but unfortunately due to the heavy snow fall, the meeting was cancelled! This was disappointing, especially as the following weekend I was selected to run the 400m in my first senior international competition for England. This was a huge honour and very exciting, especially as I haven't run a 400m indoor for a few years.
 I had a fantastic few days in snowy Bratislava. It was nice to be back to the track I competed a couple of years ago in the Slovakian national championships! The bends still just as tight!!
I was raving at 7pm on the Sunday evening. After a long day of sleeping, eating, resting, hydrating and generally not doing anything until heading down to warm up around 5pm!
On paper my race was pretty loaded. I had the slowest PB of 46.99 so I expected to have a tough race but it didn't turn out that way. After pushing out of the blocks, I knew I had to be in contention heading through the first 200m. I was expecting to have other athletes on my shoulder, but no one was there so I stuck to my plan and ran my own race. I won in a indoor PB of 47.79 which at the time put me number 2 in the country. I was pleased with my performance and it felt so easy.  I knew that if I had been pushed I am sure I could have run sub 47!

England Squad, Brastilava, Slovakia

After that run in Brastilava, I was very much looking forward to racing in the indoor national championships in Sheffield but due to a slight little hammy niggle we decided to give AAA a miss. It was disappointing to have to pull out but after assessing the situation with coach and my Physio Greg Funnel, who I have absolute trust in, we felt that it was not worth jeopardising all the hard work I have done so far in the winter training. Best be safe than sorry and after all, my winter training has been geared to the outdoor season and been selected to represent England was a fantastic bonus.
I am looking forward to compete in the Celtic Cup, Cardiff on the 10th March which will be my last indoor competition before the outdoor season starts with a couple of open meetings in Crawley followed by sunshine in Spain! Cannot wait!
Training is going extremely well. Despite the awful weather my times and stride patterns are improving all the time. The only good thing about training in the rain, wind and cold, it is fantastic practice for the competitions coming up this summer in Bedford! Already this year I feel like I'm in the best physical and mental shape of my life and am really looking forward to the 2013 summer season!