Championships are often described as celebrations of excellence, fairness, and the highest standards of sport. From the inside, they feel different. They are large, complex, political events, where athletes are only one part of a much bigger picture…

I had never raced a road mile before, but I didn’t have time to be nervous. As runners
arrived to pick up their bibs, everyone was in a celebratory mood, ready to run hard
and have fun. After jogging my warm-up with some new friends, I lined up on at the start of the open mile having forgotten all about the pre-race jitters…