- Posted December 12, 2019
A chat with Harry Legg
2019 has been a great year for you, Harry. You got new PBs on the track in 800m and 1500m and won your races at the Watford open graded meeting (800m) and the MK open graded meeting (1500m), showing that persistence and training really pay off. You’re a great ambassador for the club and the perfect club athlete: you’re always at training and always happy to advise the younger athletes.
You’ve just gone up to the U17 category for the Chiltern League season. How do you feel your first race went? You were 41st (in a time of 22.40). Is it a big jump from the U15 race?
I feel my first race went OK. I didn’t feel like the distance was that much more at U17 than it was at U15, but I noticed that there were fewer people running. I think a lot of athletes tend to drop out at U17 because they can’t keep up or manage the distance. This makes the race more competitive as you have some of the faster runners competing.
Tell us about your plans for this XC season.
Just don’t get injured! I’m working on building my fitness and improving my XC times so that I will be ready for the track season.
What is your favourite race distance? And do you prefer track or cross-country?
My favourite race distance is 1500m and I definitely prefer running on the track to cross-country.
Do you have any pre-race superstitions? What meal do you like to eat before a race? What do you do on the night before a race?
I don’t really have any pre-race superstitions; I just try and stay focused on the race in the warm-up and not get distracted. My favourite meal to eat the night before a race is spaghetti bolognaise because it contains lots of carbohydrates which give me lots of energy. I used to eat a bar of chocolate one hour before my XC race and wear a certain pair of white socks – but I have stopped this.
Which race has meant most to you, and why?
Getting my PB in the 1500m on the track this season definitely meant the most to me because I competed in so many races where I was so close to beating it, so it felt good to finally beat it in that race. Also winning the MK schools cross-country two years ago was a high point – it proved that I could do it.
You’re one of the original members of MK Distance Project. When did you start running? And how did you get started?
I started running in 2015, when I was 11. I started by running for the middle school cross-country team. I realised I actually liked running a lot and wanted to improve and compete, so I joined this running club.
How have you coped with having such a huge growth spurt last year? How did it affect your running? And your general health?
Having a big growth spurt affected my running because I wasn’t able to train for over 6 months. This had a big impact on my fitness – it took me a while to recover from and regain my fitness. It didn’t really affect my general health as my joints only hurt when running; they were fine in day-to-day life. It has taken time to get back into competing.
How did it feel to get a PB on the track after 2 years?
It felt amazing to get a PB on the track after 2 years because I had worked so hard to get back to where I was after being injured for so long, and it was good to see that hard work pay off.
What school year are you in? How do you manage to fit in training around homework and coursework?
I’m in Year 11. It’s challenging to balance training with homework and coursework but I am very organised so I make sure my schoolwork doesn’t get in the way of training.
What’s the best piece of advice Jim has given you?
Just do your best, and realise that you have to listen to your body.
What’s your training schedule like? Could you talk us through it?
I try and follow the training plan as much as possible so a typical week is:
Monday: easy 3–4-mile run
Tuesday: easy 30-min. run + strength and conditioning
Wednesday: easy 3–4-mile run
Thursday: fartlek/interval session
Friday: rest
Saturday: long run (6–8 miles)
Sunday: interval session at Campbell Park or Willen Lake.
What hobbies do you enjoy when you’re not at school or running?
I enjoy going out with my friends, playing FIFA and playing the guitar.
Harry, thank you for chatting to us. We wish you all the best for the 2019–20 season!
