nikeman wrote:
Sam Atkin runs 13:02 for 5k indoors and now 27:31 to win the British championship and still unsponsored. Ridiculous.
Maybe. He could do with some good results in higher profile events. So far, he hasn't made much of an impression in British athletics and it's not like he has much competition over 5 and 10k right now, just Marc Scott and maybe Andy Butchart
I watched this night of racing a few years back. I seem to remember a beer tent on the backstretch where fans were on the outside lanes of the track, drinking beer, as the runners ran through.
Was this still the case? Am I thinking of another race? I know it was a track 10,000.
Good article in today's Guardian about the atmosphere at the meet - the writer, Sean Ingle, says athletics / track needs more of this - gets the fans involved. Sounds like it was something like the infield at the Indy 500...They chose a great venue, because Parliament Hill Fields is not a stadium that keeps fans away. It is not much more than your local high school track (with much better scenery). Sounds like a great night!
Most Brits aren't very good at doing Abroad which is perhaps why Atkin and to some degree Scott are much less known than say Smith. His fantastic World HM does still seem to be his career high. Clearly he has ability to go quicker than his 2.11 marathon (which as Mellor can vouch doesn't always even get you on the GB team for global champs) though some seem to be handing him a big boost just by a bit of taper and couple more gels.
The Highgate event itself is absolutely great and I would be gutted to ever miss going. Though I'd guesstimate that about 95% of those attending (free of charge) are from, or directly connected with, the Top 1 or 2%, measured by performance, of the nation's endurance 'community' including a few non-running mates/partners/parents of those in the races themselves. With no ticket income, the Meet Director working pro bono and all the 'staff' working as volunteers, I don't know how far this is a replicable business model for the sport. Am not saying it isn't though, I'm clueless about events and business. But, while it's nice that Sean Ingle has something other than doping or Mo Farah to write about once in a while I don't see huge evidence that the wide world of running in 2022 is truly engaged in this event.