Up-and-coming athlete talks about successful streaks, viral social media movies, mixing style with athletics and concentrating on main championships
Lately, 16-year-old Alex Lennon has been catching the eye of social media followers together with his energetic post-race interviews. These in style movies have stemmed from his standout performances over the previous month, which embrace a exceptional win within the under-17 males’s English Nationwide cross-country race at Parliament Hill, claiming the under-17 Inter Counties title and English Faculties Cross Nation victory within the senior boys’ race.
Lennon, from Surrey, could also be on a successful streak, however he hasn’t simply emerged from nowhere. Final yr, he completed fifth within the 1500m on the European Below-18 Championships forward of fellow Briton Evan Grime and, apart from operating, he has beforehand owned a enterprise that mixed his passions for style and athletics.
Along with his cross-country season now behind him, Lennon is popping his focus to the observe, the place he goals to qualify for the European Below-20 Championships in August whereas additionally exploring alternatives to coach in the US.
How did it really feel to win the Nationwide cross nation title?
I used to be on a excessive for a really very long time after that race due to all the media consideration. I hope it didn’t get to my head an excessive amount of. After seeing my AW video interview on Instagram and TikTok it was fairly loopy. All my pals noticed it and it was wonderful seeing new individuals being introduced into operating after that video.
Do you know you had been able to successful?
There are some races that you just’ve ready completely completely for and in your head you’re considering: “There’s no manner this might go mistaken”. I wouldn’t say that was certainly one of them. I used to be coming into the race considering “I’m unsure about this” however it obtained to about midway and the tempo was slowing down a bit however I used to be feeling fairly all proper. By then I used to be considering I may need this within the bag. So, because the race went on, I obtained crammed with extra confidence.
My coach says, as a rule, by no means verify your shoulders, as a result of should you do this then you understand you’re dying. However I needed to give it a fast little have a look at that final nook and, once I noticed they had been a little bit bit again, that was my cue simply to benefit from the finish of it.
Alex Lennon (David Hewitson)
How had the cross-country season been earlier than the Nationwide?
I discover cross-country is a little bit of an odd season as a result of you have got just a few races in October, and you’ve got an extended interval from November by means of to February the place there’s probably not a lot occurring.
So I used to be basing loads of my expectations of what occurred in November, which turned out to not really be so correct. The Liverpool Cross Problem was a tough time and Cardiff didn’t go fairly as I hoped however a lot time had handed from these earlier races [up to the National] that I feel my physique had time to enhance from coaching and whatnot.
How did you get into athletics within the first place?
Athletics took place in yr 5 at school, the place it was simply faculty PE and college cross-country. I did one coaching session every week with my membership at Sutton & District for just a few years till 12 months eight and that’s once I began getting a bit extra critical.
What does a median week of coaching appear like for you?
My common mileage can be within the realm of 70-80km per week so I attempt to complement that with cross-training wherever I can. I do the long term on Sunday and Tuesday and Thursday and so they are likely to fluctuate in size.
How was your Nice Britain debut expertise on the European Below-18 Championships?
It felt utterly surreal to me. It was one of the insane issues I’ve ever finished. On the observe, I’d by no means competed for England and I’d by no means competed for GB earlier than that so to go straight to the Euros, it was such an enormous step out of nowhere.
I had a really fortunate competitors. It was high 4 to make it by means of to the finals and within the heats I got here fifth. I used to be completely devastated. Afterwards, I didn’t wish to discuss to anybody and I simply wished to do my very own factor. Then I obtained a message saying one of many boys forward of me had been disqualified.
To listen to I used to be within the ultimate was like a dream come true. To have my coach there, my dad there watching, to run in that ultimate was one of the best factor ever. I feel, with all the warmth off me, I used to be capable of run a significantly better race. I felt extra comfy and completed in fifth.
What did that have train you?
It taught me one factor that I nonetheless carry by means of at the moment which is the ability of doing every part proper on the day of the occasion. For the Europeans, I wasn’t fairly with it within the warmth. There are many issues I usually do earlier than races that I simply forgot to do. I didn’t do my vitality gels. I didn’t write up a plan of what I used to be going to do beforehand and so if there’s one factor these heats taught me, it was do every part proper on the day of the race.
Why did you resolve to arrange an athletics style enterprise?
My outdated enterprise, Bolt Operating, was a manner for me to mix my two passions of style and athletics. I introduced that collectively for individuals in my age group and we hosted lengthy runs and I did particular clothes drops.
It was such an incredible factor to have the ability to convey all these individuals collectively and it’s completely one thing I might like to proceed. I misplaced a little bit of ardour for creating the garments, however I by no means misplaced the eagerness for bringing communities collectively.
So if there’s one factor that I want to do in 2025, it’s simply to host lengthy runs, classes and issues that I can convey individuals from my age group collectively.
What’s subsequent for you?
I might like to go to the US for college. This season is all about attempting to get one of the best time I probably can so I can open as many doorways as I can for my future. The European Below-20 Champs is one thing I’ve actually obtained my eyes on.