Not too long ago, 16-year-old Alex Lennon has been catching the eye of social media followers along with his energetic post-race interviews. These standard movies have stemmed from his standout performances over the previous month, which embody 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 successful streak, however he hasn’t simply emerged from nowhere. Final 12 months, he completed fifth within the 1500m on the European Below-18 Championships forward of fellow Briton Evan Grime and, apart from working, he has beforehand owned a enterprise that mixed his passions for style and athletics.
Together with his cross-country season now behind him, Lennon is popping his focus to the monitor, 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 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 superb seeing new folks being introduced into working after that video.
Do you know you have been able to successful?
There are some races that you simply’ve ready completely completely for and in your head you’re pondering: “There’s no means this might go mistaken”. I wouldn’t say that was certainly one of them. I used to be coming into the race pondering “I’m unsure about this” nevertheless 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 pondering I may need this within the bag. So, because the race went on, I obtained full of extra confidence.
My coach says, as a rule, by no means examine your shoulders, as a result of in case you do this then you already know you’re dying. However I needed to give it a fast little take a look at that final nook and, after I noticed they have been a bit of 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 will have a number of races in October, and you’ve got a protracted interval from November by to February the place there’s not likely a lot happening.So I used to be basing a variety 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 12 months 5 at school, the place it was simply college PE and faculty 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 after I began getting a bit extra critical.
What does a median week of coaching appear to be 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 range in size.
How was your Nice Britain debut expertise on the European Below-18 Championships?
It felt fully surreal to me. It was probably the most insane issues I’ve ever executed. On the monitor, 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 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 needed 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 closing was like a dream come true. To have my coach there, my dad there watching, to run in that closing was the most effective factor ever. I feel, with all the warmth off me, I used to be capable of run a a lot better race. I felt extra snug and completed in fifth.
What did that have educate you?
It taught me one factor that I nonetheless carry by right this moment which is the facility of doing every little thing 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 little thing proper on the day of the race.
Why did you resolve to arrange an athletics style enterprise?
My outdated enterprise, Bolt Operating, was a means for me to mix my two passions of style and athletics. I introduced that collectively for folks in my age group and we hosted lengthy runs and I did particular clothes drops.
It was such a tremendous factor to have the ability to carry all these folks 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 fervour for bringing communities collectively.
So if there’s one factor that I wish to do in 2025, it’s simply to host lengthy runs, classes and issues that I can carry folks 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 the most effective time I presumably 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.
