Johnny O, hardwork is 99% of distance running but at the very highest level you have to have that 1% talent, maybe in the UK the right people are not being exposed to the sport or the fall in numbers mean less people are having to push less hard to make a name for themselves. I have ran all of my pb's in races where I was running aginst people at a higher level than myself, for the top guys in the Uk they ahve nowhere to go. The competition in the uk is not strong or deep enough and tehy are not quick enough to get into Grand Prix meets, its a dead end.