Up-and-coming athlete talks about profitable streaks, viral social media movies, mixing trend with athletics and concentrating on main championships
Not too long ago, 16-year-old Alex Lennon has been catching the eye of social media followers together with his energetic post-race interviews. These fashionable movies have stemmed from his standout performances over the previous month, which embrace a outstanding win within the under-17 males’s English Nationwide cross-country race at Parliament Hill, claiming the under-17 Inter Counties title and English Colleges Cross Nation victory within the senior boys’ race.
Lennon, from Surrey, could also be on a profitable streak, however he hasn’t simply emerged from nowhere. Final yr, he completed fifth within the 1500m on the European Underneath-18 Championships forward of fellow Briton Evan Grime and, other than working, he has beforehand owned a enterprise that mixed his passions for trend 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 Underneath-20 Championships in August whereas additionally exploring alternatives to coach in the USA.
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 the entire 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 associates noticed it and it was wonderful seeing new individuals being introduced into working after that video.
Do you know you have been able to profitable?
There are some races that you simply’ve ready completely completely for and in your head you’re considering: “There’s no manner this might go unsuitable”. I wouldn’t say that was considered one of them. I used to be coming into the race considering “I’m unsure about this” nevertheless it bought 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 might need this within the bag. So, because the race went on, I bought stuffed with extra confidence.
My coach says, as a rule, by no means test your shoulders, as a result of for those who try this then you understand you’re dying. However I needed to give it a fast little take a look at that final nook and, once I noticed they have been slightly 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 might have a number of races in October, and you’ve got an extended interval from November by way of to February the place there’s probably not a lot occurring.
So I used to be basing numerous my expectations of what occurred in November, which turned out to not truly 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 happened in yr 5 at school, the place it was simply faculty PE and college cross-country. I did one coaching session per week with my membership at Sutton & District for a number of years till 12 months eight and that’s once I began getting a bit extra severe.
What does a median week of coaching appear like for you?
My common mileage could 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 they usually are likely to fluctuate in size.
How was your Nice Britain debut expertise on the European Underneath-18 Championships?
It felt fully surreal to me. It was some 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 a giant step out of nowhere.
I had a really fortunate competitors. It was high 4 to make it by way of to the finals and within the heats I got here fifth. I used to be completely devastated. Afterwards, I didn’t wish to speak to anybody and I simply wished to do my very own factor. Then I bought a message saying one of many boys forward of me had been disqualified.
To listen to I used to be within the remaining was like a dream come true. To have my coach there, my dad there watching, to run in that remaining was the very best factor ever. I feel, with all the warmth off me, I used to be in a position to run a significantly better race. I felt extra comfy and completed in fifth.
What did that have educate you?
It taught me one factor that I nonetheless carry by way of at present which is the facility 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 power 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 determine to arrange an athletics trend enterprise?
My previous enterprise, Bolt Operating, was a manner for me to mix my two passions of trend 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 deliver all these individuals collectively and it’s completely one thing I’d 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 wish to do in 2025, it’s simply to host lengthy runs, periods and issues that I can deliver individuals from my age group collectively.
What’s subsequent for you?
I’d like to go to the US for college. This season is all about attempting to get the very best time I presumably can so I can open as many doorways as I can for my future. The European Underneath-20 Champs is one thing I’ve actually bought my eyes on.
