Tom

PR manager

Current sporting discipline

V35 400m hurdles, 800m, 400m

How and why did you get into this sport?

I took up athletics at school when a knee problem brought an end to an entirely unpromising focus on playing rugby.

Stopped at uni, then when I moved in with my girlfriend in 2010, she suggested I restart running again. Remembered how much I loved it and I signed up with my nearest athletics club (Walton AC). I’ve never looked back since, although I switched to Tonbridge AC in 2016 with a house move.

After a hamstring rupture in 2019 then Covid, I was quite prepared to pack it all in, but then I fell in love with athletics all over again as I approached 35 and ‘Masters territory’. A couple of years into the V35 age group, I’m still here and having a great time.

What has been your biggest recent battle with training?

Generally, the challenge is finding time to train properly around fatherhood and family life and a hybrid-work job which involves a fair bit of travel. I’m surrounded by supportive people.

This last fortnight, the main issue has been a calf strain, which makes all of the above just a bit harder and less enjoyable. But I’m working through it.

If we were to open your diary from the last week, what would it say?

I’m knee-deep in winter training after a pretty good track season. So naturally, I’m wrestling with a calf injury as I transition to longer, slower efforts.

I’ve been swapping runs for sessions on the assault bike in the gym, accompanied by a tonne of physio exercises. Then my son was off sick from nursery on Friday, which meant a forced day of rest; no training possible.

This meant that I’ve spent the weekend ‘cramming’ a bit, especially as I’m away with work Monday-to-Wednesday next week (with no gym access). This week has been a pretty solid example of how I have to flex and adapt my schedule when life gets in the way of training…