Charlie lives in Brighton, where he spends much of his time training to run faster. He runs for Phoenix AC, and this year (2010) Charlie was number one for 800m and 1500m in the UK and in June ran for Great Britain at the Youth Olympics in Singapore where he took the bronze medal.
Questions and answers with Charlie
At what age did you first start running? I Started at the age of 10 at Primary School. I was a promising footballer and attended the cross country club to aid my football. I won a local cross country race and was then approached by a coach and he said to me ‘How would you like to travel the world and get paid for it?’ I liked the idea of this! Later on I stopped football after I received a few injuries and the coaches persuaded me to concentrate on running as the two sports don’t mix!
What type of running do you do? I do a mixture of track and cross country. In the Winter I do the cross country for strength training as I believe it will help me massively when it comes to the SUmmer. I prefer the track where I race 800m and 1500m.
What was your inspiration to choose running? I only use to run to keep fit for my football so I didn’t really have an inspiration when I started but nothing can beat the feeling of winning races and being the best. Now I like to look at athletes like Steve Ovett and Seb Coe as that was when Britain was dominating middle distance running. At the moment though I like Hicham El Guerrouj and Mo Farah.
Who would you say was your running idol? Steve Ovett as he founded my club and I like the way he raced. Hicham El Guerrouj, Bernard Lagat, Mo Farah to name a few.
What motivates you to carry on when you just don’t feel like running? Winning races motivates me. I have a strong desire to be the best. It’s a great feeling knowing that all your hard work pays off. But I want to keep improving and I am not afraid of hard work.
How often do you train and how long for? I train 6 days a week and it varies each day of sessions from track sessions to long runs to a circuit session. I think it’s important to have a rest day to let your body recover.
In what type of weather do you prefer to run? I prefer hot conditions, but not too hot!
What is your favourite food when you are not in training? I like to eat a meaty pizza
What food do you eat while in training? It varies but mainly pasta and stuff like that.
What do you like to do during the day and the evening before a race? I normally rest the day before the race or if I am travelling then I may go for a shake out. It’s important to just relax and take it easy.
What goes through your mind and keeps you going as you run? I try to stay relaxed and focused on what I am doing and on a long run have a chat with my friends.
What star sign are you? Scorpio
Apart from running and sports, what other interests do you have? I like to watch sport, socialise with my friends. I enjoy Listening to music, playing video games and travelling.
Where were you born? Brighton, Sussex
Where did you grow up? Brighton
What is your daily routine while in training? I’ve just started college so I do that and then I have training in the evening.
Who does the cooking in your home? My Mum cooks for me, she is a very good cook and gets me eating the right things! I owe her a lot !
What is your favourite film of all time? I like Without Limits, Shawshank Redemption, Coach Carter (Just to name a few).
Are you allergic to anything? No
What type of music do you prefer to listen to and who is your favourite artist? I like a lot of music but mainly Hip Hop and RnB
What is your favourite colour? Blue
Are you superstitious? Not really I like to prepare well and do everything to the best of my ability.
What rituals do you have just before a race? I like to be organised the night before the race including clean spikes!
Do you have a lucky charm? No
What annoys you most? When I don’t achieve what I set out to do.
Are you a people person or do you like to spend time on your own? Bit of both really depends what mood I am in.
What has been your favourite holiday destination and why? Kenya because the people are so friendly and I like their attitude. They know what it takes to reach the top. It’s perfect for training, great trails and nice weather too!
Where in the world would you like to visit and why? America because I haven’t been there before. It looks very lively and everything happens there.
Do you think you have achieved everything in life you set out to do or what have you still got to tackle? No definitely not, I want to continue improving at a steady rate and run at Major Championships and the Olympics.
What would your ideal type of partner be? Someone pretty, but also kind and caring.
Education
2005-2010 Cardinal Newman School 10 GCSE’s
English Language
History
English Literature
Geography
Mathematics
Physical Education
Triple Science
Spanish
Religious Education
2010 – Present: Cardinal Newman Catholic College (Studying AS levels in Geography, Economics and PE).
Interests
Music, Sport, Travelling, Friends