The youngsters would seem to have it all...

Last weekend's World Indoor Athletics Championships provided some great viewing and a reasonable medal haul for GB, despite some disappointment for athletes like 800mtr runner Laura Muir who going to Sopot was ranked third fastest in the world and a medal prospect. A bump and barge and she was eliminated in her heat and did not get the chance to run for a medal.  But at 20 her time will surely come.

Letsrun.com in their weekly round up page focussed on the age of the new champions and also put in some added perspective of  the ages of World and American record holders.  It seems that 26 is now old for a middle distance athlete.

Bernard Legat's silver at 3,000mtrs at age 39 ( after his gold at age 37) does give hope that there is life after 26!

It serves to remind us our prime athletic years are relatively few in number, even though we can potentially perform at a high level for many years. Our young athletes need to appreciate that they have no time to waste in their quest to become the best athlete that they can be - not to waste a year, a season, a month or even a single training session.  You never get that time back.

This weekend I am taking six of Guernsey's best junior endurance athletes to the English Schools Cross Country at Donnington Park.  They'll get an amazing opportunity to test themselves against the very best runners in the country and to experience the thrill of a major event.  Among the runners will be the future senior elite runners of the future. The future elite may not win, or even place highly this weekend, but the event can create the inspiration and determination to apply themselves and strive for their goals.  Seeing athletes enter into a cycle of become inspired, committed and getting rewards for their hard work is also truly rewarding for me as a coach, which is why it is great to be able to take the athletes to these events.  What is harder to impress on the youth is that they have not got long, so they should make the most of moment and not let the future happen, but make it happen.

Junior boys stream towards the finish line at the 2013 English Schools Cross Country.