Clara Evans-Graham on setting a Welsh report in Valencia

The British athlete smashed her half-marathon private finest and displays on a profitable yr following the Olympics and European Championships

Clara Evans-Graham set a Welsh half-marathon report on October 27 in Valencia, crossing the end line in 69:00.

The 30-year-old not solely secured 14th place within the race however broke the earlier report of 69:41, set by Charlotte Arter in 2019.

This achievement provides to Evans-Graham’s rising listing of information, as she additionally holds the Welsh marathon report of two:25:04, which she set in Valencia final December. She was additionally ninth within the half-marathon on the European Championships in Rome, successful workforce gold.

Together with her sights set on additional success, she is now aiming to interrupt her personal marathon report as soon as once more again on the Valencia Marathon later this yr (December 1).

Evans-Graham’s journey has been something however standard as she was referred to as as much as the Workforce GB squad at this yr’s Paris Olympics, following Charlotte Purdue’s withdrawal attributable to an ankle harm.

Regardless of solely getting the decision per week earlier than, Evans-Graham made a robust Olympic debut, ending as the highest British runner in forty sixth place with 2:33:01 on a tricky hilly course.

But, even after the Olympic whirlwind, there was little time to relaxation as only a week later, she needed to rapidly shift her focus to a different main life occasion – her marriage ceremony.

Right here is our Q&A with Evans-Graham:

How did you’re feeling after your PB in Valencia?

I used to be actually completely satisfied, you all the time are while you get such massive PBs. I did the Berlin Half Marathon which was ridiculously sizzling after which I did Europeans this yr, which I ran a PB in each, however in ridiculous situations. I wished to do a half-marathon that was in regular temperature and I knew I used to be in good condition going into it.

I’m coaching for the Valencia Marathon so that you aren’t fairly certain how the half goes to go however I knew I wished to get a low 69. A few the opposite women had a bit extra velocity and I didn’t have it within the legs, as a result of I haven’t carried out any sooner work as I’m marathon coaching. However that’s to be anticipated and I didn’t decelerate.

What did your preparations appear like for the half-marathon?

I used to be in Font Romeu for 3 weeks so preparations went very well. The goal was to get a race in to see the place I used to be on the build-up to the total marathon in December. I used to be nonetheless doing marathon exercises per week earlier than and I didn’t actually taper an excessive amount of down for it.

Have you ever had time to mirror in your Olympic expertise?

It was a little bit of a whirlwind, seven days of pure carnage. It was an ideal expertise and I simply bounced from one factor to a different factor. However I believe once I finish my season this yr, I’ll be capable to take it in additional. I recognize it now, however I can work via it as a result of I went straight from the Olympics to my marriage ceremony, to coaching camp, to racing.

It’s been steady. I’m trying ahead to the break and with the ability to absolutely course of the whole lot that’s occurred this yr.

How did you’re feeling while you received the final minute call-up for the Olympic workforce?

I clearly hoped I’d get referred to as up however per week earlier than the hope had gone and I had forgotten concerning the Olympics. I wasn’t even watching them. I didn’t watch the opening ceremony, I didn’t watch something. I couldn’t even give it some thought, I used to be simply attempting to maintain myself tremendous busy.

I didn’t actually care at that time till I received referred to as up. I came upon on the Saturday and flew out on Tuesday. I attempted to take it in my stride, take the whole lot in and get on the market.

I had no expectations for the race, I simply wished to go have enjoyable, take within the environment, take pleasure in it and see what I might do as a result of I hadn’t carried out the coaching block particularly. I received the whole lot out of it that I actually wished to.

What was it wish to go straight from the Olympics to your personal marriage ceremony?

I used to be actually organised in the beginning once I knew I used to be in consideration. Once I didn’t get the choice, I believed I didn’t should be so organised anymore as a result of I had a great deal of time. So once I received the decision there was a great deal of stuff I left to the final minute.

I received again on the Monday and the whole lot needed to be on the venue the subsequent morning so I actually had in the future to do the whole lot.

I didn’t see anybody for a complete week once I received residence as a result of I used to be actually targeted on sorting all my marriage ceremony stuff out. It was a very weird time as a result of everybody was congratulating me on two issues.

What’s the goal for the Valencia marathon?

I knew the method that I used to be going to do training-wise for the marathon would have stored me match if I used to be referred to as in to the Olympics. My private finest is 2:25:01, so I’d clearly wish to go right down to 2:24.

The half went higher than I anticipated, so I’m in all probability in barely higher form than I believed. I’m simply going to drift of the race and see the way it feels and the place the teams are. I’ll make the choices as I’m going.

How vital is it so that you can characterize the Welsh group?

I believe it’s huge as a result of youthful athletes can see themselves in you. I believe it’s good as a person, but in addition I believe it has a much bigger affect on the broader group in South Wales. You typically see all of the posts on-line about ‘Paris this and Paris that’ and it means a lot to them that anyone from Wales is represented on the Olympics.

Breaking the Welsh information is all the time one thing good to have and it’s one thing fairly particular to say that you’re the quickest.

What does the long run appear like for you?

I’m not likely anyone who like units massive objectives. I’m in all probability fairly boring in that sense. I simply observe the method and wherever that leads me is the purpose.

I don’t essentially goal making groups as a result of I personally discover it annoying as a result of realistically it’s out of your management. You may solely management what you possibly can run so I really feel like so long as I can management my controllables and run to one of the best of my capacity, no matter comes from that state of affairs, I’ll take it because it comes.

So long as I’m nonetheless operating private bests that’s all I actually care about, as a result of that can in the end result in these form of choices and people objectives. I’ve already carried out rather a lot this yr so if I ever had any objectives, I’ve in all probability already carried out them.

What have you ever learnt out of your profession this yr?

Simply belief myself, belief the method and the whole lot that I do. Generally when issues don’t go your approach, you possibly can nonetheless get a possibility out of it and you’ll nonetheless make a constructive out of the state of affairs.

Clearly not getting the unique choice for the Olympics did damage and also you’ve simply received to make use of that to gas you and to show some extent, and see what you are able to do.

Once I did Europeans, I wasn’t going to the Olympics. So I believed it was my Olympics of the yr and I raced it prefer it was and did one of the best I might. Successful that gold and standing on that podium was in all probability a slighter larger achievement than the Olympics.

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