by Callum Hawkins is enjoying being a runner again.
Not an injured runner, nor a runner in rehabilitation, nor an unfit runner; just a runner.
It sounds basic, but for Hawkins, who has endured terrible injuries in recent years, 2024 has been an eye-opener for him.
He’s gone back to being someone who can put on his sneakers and just run, without having to worry about whether he’s pushing too hard, feeling reprimanded, or doing more than his body can handle.
And having the luxury of being able to run without worries is something he has never appreciated more.
“The main reason I do this sport is because I love running. You can get into the flow, feel relaxed and really enjoy running and that’s what I love,” says the 32-year-old.
“Coming back with that feeling was so great.
“It’s been good to achieve the times I used to in training and be able to feel comfortable at those paces rather than not feeling strong when I’m going hard.
“I feel a lot more like before again, where I could just run and not think too much.”
Hawkins’ ‘old me’ is one of Scotland’s greatest long-distance runners.
His notable results were a fourth place in the marathon at the 2017 and 2019 World Championships, during which time he also set Scottish records in the 10k, 10 mile, half marathon and marathon.
But an ankle injury, which began in 2019 and caused him to retire mid-race during the 2021 Tokyo Olympic marathon, proved far more lasting than anyone could have predicted.
For nearly four years, Hawkins fought to regain his fitness.
Finally, in 2024, he found it.
In March this year, Hawkins ran the London Marathon, which was the first time since the Tokyo Olympics that he had taken the start line of a marathon and, far more pertinently, the first time that he crossed the finish line of a marathon. marathon for almost five years.
His final London time of 2 hours 17 minutes 34 seconds may have been almost ten minutes off his best time, but completing a marathon after such a long time was, Hawkins admits, hugely significant both physically and, more importantly, mentally.
“London wasn’t the best, but I knew it was a crapshoot and really, it was more about getting to the start line and finishing than it was about my time.
“I felt good halfway through, so I decided to continue – but it was a mistake.
“When the wheels started to come off, they came off pretty quickly. This happened for about 15 miles, but it was good to tough it out and get the monkey off my back of not finishing a marathon for a good while.
“And I loved being back in what I call the wars.
“It showed that I could still suffer.
“Sometimes when you haven’t suffered in a while it can be difficult to get back into that mentality, so being able to dig deep again was encouraging.
“I pushed myself to the limit, so it showed I could still do it.”
Callum Hawkins regained fitness in 2024 (Image: Getty Images)Unsurprisingly, suffering such prolonged injury problems led Hawkins to change his training plan, and find the balance between pushing as hard as necessary to be one of the fastest marathoners on the planet, without breaking his body, was not easy. .
But the balance seems to have been found.
If finishing London was the first box ticked on Hawkins’ return, the next is to seriously compete with the best again.
That will happen, he hopes, this weekend.
Victory in the Great Scottish Run Half Marathon last month, in comfortable style, suggests Hawkins is within touching distance of his best and tomorrow the Kilbarchan man will be on the start line of the New York Marathon, nursing a discreet optimism about his ability to be in the running. .
The programming in New York is excellent; current Olympic gold and silver medalists Tamirat Tola of Ethiopia and Belgium’s Bashir Abdi are in the running, as are former New York marathon winners Geoffrey Kamworor, Albert Korir and Evans Chebet of Kenya.
But the Scot is optimistic and believes that, if everything goes according to plan, and that’s never a sure thing over 26.2 miles, he could be at the head of the peloton.
“Finishing London means I can go to New York without having to worry about crossing the finish line.
I may not quite be back to my best, but I’m happy with where I am. I had in mind the kind of shape I would like to be in right now and I went beyond that,” he says.
“It’s a tough one to throw in terms of expectations, but I think the course will suit my strengths because it’s a bit hillier.
“A top ten would be great, but it’s a very busy field so we’ll see.
“New York is a brilliant city and it’s a special race, so it will be great to experience that and I can’t wait to see how I can do it.”
Hawkins’ immediate focus may be New York, but he already has his eye on 2025.
With his wedding on the agenda in early May, his plan is to have a good time in the sack before becoming a married man.
Having spent most of his career focusing on major championships, he admits he is considering whether to focus on big city marathons rather than aiming for a place on the GB team for the World Championships next summer.
But Hawkins admits he would never completely close the door on another major championship appearance.
“I’ve had to plan my wedding, but if things continue as they are, I’d like to do a little marathon in the spring. Based on my training journey, I’d like to think I could get close to my best early next year and have a good time,” he says.
“And I’m at the point in my career where I might start thinking about doing more big city races and chasing fast times.
“But if a GB vest came along I probably wouldn’t say no to it.”
