Lauren leads the way in middle-distance running

Lauren Bell is rightly regarded as one of the brightest prospects in athletics to come out of Pembrokeshire for many a year and the talented Fishguard teenager links a superb natural ability with a willingness to work extremely hard at what she does.
We were delighted to catch up with Lauren and her parents, Debbie and Ian, for a chat recently and we are delighted to print some of her answers to our questions, plus a list of her successes over the last 18 months, just to show her total commitment to her chosen sport.

How did you first get interested in athletics?

When I was at Ysgol Glannau Gwaun I represented the school in the Pembrokeshire Primary Schools Cross Country Competition and after winning the North Pembrokeshire race at Ysgol Preseli, I competed and won the Pembrokeshire Cross Country title at Oakwood. During this time I also won the Urdd Cross Country Championships at Aberystwyth.
It was then that I noticed there was a Mayor's Race being held in Carmarthen on Easter Monday. The race was one mile through the streets of Carmarthen so I entered the race and came third and it was during the race that I noticed that the majority of the runners belonged to running clubs.
After finding out a little bit more about these running clubs, I went down to a Pembrokeshire Harriers’ training night in Haverfordwest, where I first met my running coach Pete Freeman. We trained twice a week on The Racecourse since the new track at Sir Thomas Picton was still under construction. Under Pete's guidance I then started competing for the Pembrokeshire Harriers in the Louise Arthur Athletics season. I was ten when I made my debut in the Under 11's at 1500 metres and 800 metres.

Can you tell us a little about your achievements after this start?

I broke the Under 11's 1500 metres Louise Arthur record in my first season and
won the 800 metres Under 13's Welsh Championship title in 2006. This was followed by silver in the Welsh Under 13's Welsh Cross Country Championships and a team gold at Ruthin in 2007.
In 2007 I also ran the Mini London Marathon, which covers the last 2.6 miles of the main race, and it was a brilliant experience with such a big crowd lining the pavements.
Then I won Gold in the 800 metres at the Welsh Indoor under 15's Championships held at UWIC in January 2008, followed a month later when I won Gold when representing Welsh Schools at the Celtic Schools Indoor International in the Under 16's 800 metres, beating my personal best and running 2 minutes 18.8 seconds.

Can you tell us your proudest moment?

I have now represented Pembrokeshire, West Wales, Dyfed Schools and Welsh Schools but putting on my Welsh Schools’ vest and winning on my Welsh debut was the very best. Some of this year’s performances have also been brilliant, and holding the Welsh records for 300, 800 and 1,500 metres at the same time was something I am very proud of.

What is your most disappointing moment?

Whilst running the 800 metres in the Gerald Codd Meeting, I only had 50 metres to go and was well ahead of the rest. But I made the mistake of looking over the wrong shoulder and did not notice Lora Roberts coming up behind me so I slowed down coming to the line, thinking I had won. But Lora, who is a Bridgend athlete, came past me and took first place. I vowed never to make that mistake again!

Have you had a most nerve-racking moment?

I was very nervous before starting the London Mini Marathon. We were taken from the bus, away from our parents, and put with athletes from all over the country into a multi storey car park. I did enjoy meeting Mo Farah, who is a world class athlete and he told us how he had won the Mini Marathon on several occasions but even after the horn sounded for the start of the race, we still had to run through two tunnels and all join up on the other side. I enjoyed running past Buckingham Palace and all the other famous sites but I found it one of my hardest races.

What are your main ambitions?

I would love to win some more Welsh titles and break some records and to represent Wales in the Commonwealth Games in 2014 would be a dream.

Who is the athlete you most look up to?

Paula Radcliffe, as she always shows such determination and commitment. She admits to going through bad patches which gives me confidence that I can run through the pain barrier as well.

Have you had plenty of support so far?

Pete Freeman has been brilliant. He works so hard at his coaching and without his commitment Pembrokeshire Harriers' success over the years would not be the same. My training partners have been pushing me hard in training and they all deserve success. Finally, I would like to thank dad Ian for his training schedules which always involves something to make us laugh, my mother Debbie, who gives up all her spare time to take me to training and look after my kit, my sister Kirsty who comes to watch whenever she can and the rest of my family who are supporting every step of my career.

Lauren’s most recent records
(Listed month by month because there have been so many!)

March 2008

Lauren came second in the Welsh Schools Cross Country at Brecon ensuring her place in the Welsh Schools Cross Country team for Perth, Scotland. A week later she ran at the UK Inter-counties cross-country at Nottingham where she came fourth out of a field of almost 300 athletes. On the 28th March she competed in the Schools International Cross Country in Perth.

April 2008

She set a new 800 metre Louise Arthur League Record at Carmarthen - 2 minutes 15.7 seconds.

May 2008

On Bank Holiday Monday, she set a new personal best time of 2 minutes 13.47 seconds at Millfield School, promoting her to the fastest 13 year old at 800 metres in the UK.
She won both the 300 m and 800 metres West Wales Championships in Carmarthen.

June 2008

Lauren won the Dyfed Schools 200 metres and 800 metres, then the Welsh Under 15 1,500 metres title at Swansea in a time of 4 minutes 37.39 seconds, the second-fastest 13 year old in the UK.
At the Under 15 Welsh Championships in Swansea later in the month, she won the 800 metres title to go with the 1500 metres title.

July 2008

She won the Welsh Schools 800 metres title at Brecon, running in the Junior Girls race. Her winning time was quicker than the Middle and Senior girls race, giving her not only a place in the Welsh Schools team for Bedford but also the Kirsty Wade Cup for ‘Middle Distance Athlete of the Day’.
She ran for Welsh Schools at the Schools International at Bedford at Under 17 level against athletes three years her senior. Although finishing eighth, it gave Lauren a real insight into competitive competition, knowing she still had three years to compete in this event.

August 2008

Competed at Grangemouth in the Celtic Games and won Gold in the Under 16 girls 800 metres.

November 2008

Sports Pembrokeshire Awards 2008 - Lauren won the Under 16 category.

December 2008

Lauren is invited to Cardiff to join the Welsh Talent Development Academy. She is given an intense conditioning screening before signing on to the academy.

January 2009

The year begins with Lauren winning the Welsh Indoor Under 15 800 metres title in Cardiff.

February 2009

Lauren came fourth in Welsh Cross Country Championships in Builth Wells. Pembrokeshire Harriers gained gold in the team event.
The following week she won the Welsh Under 15 300metres indoor title in Cardiff.
Tuesday 10 February, sees her gain second place in the Dyfed Schools Cross Country.
Then that weekend, Lauren travelled to Birmingham, where she won Gold in the Indoor UK Under 15 800 metres, winning in a new Welsh record time of 2 minutes 15.32 seconds.
The following weekend it was off to Cardiff for the Celtic Cup Indoors International. Representing Welsh Schools, Lauren ran a new Celtic Cup record of 2 minutes18.1 seconds to win Gold in the Under 16 800 metres.
Her last race in February was the Welsh Schools Cross Country in Brecon. Her third place gained her a selection for the Welsh Schools team for Bangor in March.

March 2009

Sunday 22nd, Lauren won Gold in the Welsh Indoor Under 15 Championships at 1,500 metres. This meant she now held Welsh titles at 300 metres, 800 metres and 1,500 metres indoors.
Lauren ran for Wales in the Schools Cross Country International at Bangor finishing seventh overall but also the first Welsh girl to finish.

April 2009

Won 200 metres and 300 metres at the West Wales Championships outdoors in Neath. Her time of 41.30 seconds in the 300 metres was a new West Wales Championship record.

June 2009

Won Pembrokeshire Schools 200 metres and 800 metres.
Won the 200 metres and 300 metres in Gerald Codd Trophy, Havefordwest. The 200 metres in 26.1 seconds was a new Gerald Codd record.
Finished third in the Welsh Under 15 1,500 Metres Championships.
Won Dyfed Schools 800 metres in Carmarthen.

July 2009

Lauren won the Welsh Schools 800 Metres Championships in Cardiff in a time of 2 minutes14.65 seconds, just 0.01 second outside the Welsh Schools record.
The following week she won the Welsh Under 15 Championships at 800 metres in a time of 2 minutes14.40 seconds, a new Championship best performance.
Last weekend she ran for Welsh Schools in Antrim, Northern Ireland, at the Schools International finishing in a fine fifth place. She ran a time of 2 minutes13.55 seconds, her best time this season. She is still two years young for this meeting and competes against athletes two years her senior. Hopefully when she reaches the top of the age group, a medal will be a real possibility. She also ran the third leg of the 4 x 300 metres relay. Taking over the baton in fourth place, she ran a storming leg to hand over in second place, helping Wales gain a Silver medal.
Lauren will next compete at the UK U15 Championships in Bedford, hoping to better her fifth place in the 800 metres last year.