This year’s 10k Valencia Ibercaja was a step-change, and potentially career-changing, race for a number of British athletes. One of them is Alfie Manthorpe. He now sits third on the British all-time list, and spoke to James Rhodes to run through the race and what might follow.
What links the commentary of the 2004 Olympic Games 1500m final and this year’s 10k Valencia Ibercaja, you may ask. In his call of those 3.75 laps, Bruce McAveney says a line that sticks and sums up this sport well. “Gee, four minutes can make a big difference in a person’s life”. Fast forward 21 years, move from Greece to Spain, and add 23-or-so minutes, the quote is just as applicable.
Alfie Manthorpe started the year with a 10k PB of 28:12. That is an impressive time in its own right. It is one that in part paved the way to two Great Britain vests in 2025. Now, it sits at 27:40, or two seconds faster if you go by chip, not gun, time. Speaking some twelve after crossing the finish line, it had not fully sunk in.
“I’m feeling great, to be honest. I don’t know what I expected going into it. It’s hard to know, I couldn’t gage where I was at in training. I knew I was better than last year, but I didn’t think I was 32 seconds better than last year! In my head, I was thinking maybe sub-28 and I’d be chuffed with that. So 27:38 on the chip time – which I’m taking by the way – it’s great”.
The streets of Valencia are ones Alfie knows well. His previous 10k PB of 28:12 was set at the same event twelve months ago. In October, he returned and ran a 61:26 PB for the half marathon. That was the sixth fastest half by a Brit last year.
Everything Changes
Not only does 27:40 (or 27:38 chip) move Alfie up the British all-time list, it opens potential new racing opportunities. There are two major competitions in the United Kingdom this year; the European Championships in Birmingham and Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The qualifying time for both is 27:50. One box ticked. In addition, Alfie is targeting selection for the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen in September.
The half marathon at the latter had been the original target. Naturally, the potential opportunity to compete a home championships has moved up the priority list. It wasn’t something Alfie necessarily imagined possible, even at the start of the year.
“I need to think about the logistics moving forward. To be honest, I never thought I’d be making a team at a major championships. I’ve made the team on the road, cross country and at the European 10000m Cup, but maybe two home championships? It’s actually quite a weird feeling”.
Even the short-term plan is now not set in stone. The next three weeks will be spent training in Sierra Nevada, before racing recommences in February and March. A medium-term goal is the Bath Half Marathon in mid-March, the trial race for the World Road Running Championships.
“The plan was originally to do a 5k or 10K, or both, in February. Straight after the race, one of the organisers asked if I wanted to come and do the Castellon 10k next month. The plan was Armagh and then have a look around, but Castellon sounds perfect with the dates. I’ll have to have a look and plan”.
Other Opportunities
Alfie is refreshingly open in saying he does not currently have a shoe contract. He points out that is something the two fastest Brits to finish have in common. As well providing additional racing opportunities, the Valencia performance may open doors to opportunities that expand on his current sponsors.
“Today almost changes the whole conversation from whatever I was having as a 28:12 10k runner. It’s a different conversation as a 27:40 runner. I have a few things in the works at the minute, which if they come to fruition will be really good for me”.
Often, shoe contracts include performance- or record-based goals. These naturally can provide added inspiration when a specific time may be within reach in a race. Alfie candidly runs through his mid-race mindset or, as he says, what might be the post-race hindsight mindset.
“With maybe 1k to go, I had no clue what time I was on for. I didn’t look at my watch, but I knew what we went through halfway in. I wondered, if I turn this [final] corner and see the clock and the British Record is there, what am I going to do?
I kind of thought in my head, which is terrible, I’ve not got a contract that means I get a bonus. I’ve got contracts, but none of them have a bonus structure for a British Record. I couldn’t help but think after the race if there was an extra carrot of like a £50,000 bonus, how much more I was willing to hurt? The Valencia finish is just so daunting, you don’t want to push too early because of how long the straight is.
I don’t think I could have done anything more. It was a great race, it’s probably just me in hindsight looking back”.
Photo: Jerry Sun
Something Different
A debut marathon was – and remains – a goal for the year. The only question now is when, not if, that debut will happen. One original plan had been the Seville Marathon (15 February), before focus shifted towards an April debut.
“It is a little bit interesting, because my plan was to do an April marathon. But now, is it really smart to run a marathon in April and then try and get ready [to try and qualify] for the Europeans and 10000m? I’m not sure yet.
It’s something I need to think about, but I don’t want to keep on delaying the marathon, that is the inevitable. As good as 27:38 is for me, I definitely still think my strength is in the in the half and in the marathon. That needs to be what I’m still putting focus.
It makes me want to stick around for the shorter distances a bit longer, but I don’t know if it’s a wise decision or not. I’ve already probably overstayed my welcome in terms of what my strengths are. I need to decide all of that”.
Manchester and Rotterdam are options under consideration, the former a particular draw as a home race.
“I would like to do Manchester. It’s technically my home now because I’ve moved, so it’d be cool to do that as a debut. It’s so hard. I know it’s a luxury to have, but when you instantly have more options, you don’t know which avenue to go down”.
With new opportunities aplenty, the question of returning to race a third distance on the streets of Valencia as a debut arises.
“I don’t think I can wait that long. I’m definitely to ask to do Valencia, that’ll either be my first or my second marathon. I’m not sure yet, but I’ll definitely be doing it this year”.
One thing is for sure, an exciting year ahead awaits.
Valencia Coverage
Read more about the 10k Valencia Ibercaja in our results article here.
The post Alfie Manthorpe: A Race to Remember appeared first on Fast Running.
Source: fastrunning.com