Baddick determined to go a fraction faster
IT DOESN'T matter how fast you run, you could always run a fraction faster.
That attitude has driven Frank Baddick to his best season on the athletics track.
This summer, the North Devon athlete has posted a succession of personal bests and reached the finals of the 1,500m at the senior UK Championships.
But like most athletes, Combe Martin's Baddick says there is always room for improvement.
"I ran 3-42 two weeks before the senior championships which equates to a sub four-minute mile," he said.
"If you'd told me I would run 3-42 this year and then reach the seniors final, I would have been over the moon. But, I don't know whether it's part of being an athlete, you're never quite satisfied."
Achievement tinged with frustration was evident again last Wednesday when he set a new 800m PB of 1-50-00 in Manchester.
"That is one of the most infuriating times to run as an athlete," said Baddick."If only I'd run a hundredth of a second quicker, I would have been in the 1-49s."
Having completed a degree in graphic design at Loughborough University, Baddick has benefited from more time to train.
He still lives in Loughborough and works his tough schedule around flexible hours as a cafe manager.
"I've got a great training group up here in Loughborough," he said.
"There's probably six or eight guys all around the same ability and you never get an easy ride in the sessions."
Working with legendary coach George Gandy has helped put 23-year-old Baddick among the most promising middle-distance runners in the country.
The veteran coach has trained more than 75 international athletes down the years, including Sebastian Coe.
Lisa Dobriskey, who finished fourth in the 1,500m at last year's Olympics, is currently his star pupil.
Baddick has been with Gandy's group to South Africa at the last three Easters, training in extreme heat.
During the year, the training is split into three blocks.
Baddick said: "Before Christmas it's all solid background work and endurance, and by Christmas you're really fit but not particularly quick.
"Then you spend Christmas through to March working on a range of things to build up your speed and endurance.
"When we go to South Africa, we start bringing in the speed work."
Finishing 10th in the national finals was a major breakthrough for Baddick who is now ranked in the UK's top 25 for the 1,500m and top 35 for the 800m.
Last summer he also signed for Newham and Essex Beagles, helping them win the British League Premiership.
As UK champions, they went to Spain for the European Club Championships in May and Baddick was part of the team that finished joint fifth.
His enthusiasm for the sport began with North Devon AC as a youngster.
"My dad used to run for Bideford and when I was about 10 or 11 he took me down to the Braunton track," he said.
"It just started from there. I was doing the 100m, shot put, javelin, long jump, the whole lot.
"I didn't start middle-distance running until I was 13 or 14 and then I didn't start training properly until I was 17 or 18.
"I thought if I just train a little bit harder I could be reasonably good at it."
Now his tough programme includes 12 to 14 sessions every week, running 80 to 85 miles per week during the winter.
"At the end of September I have three weeks without running, just to give my body a chance to recover from 11 months of punishment."
Before that though, Baddick is determined to have a crack at breaking the four-minute mile. Although mile races are rare these days, matching Roger Bannister's historic achievement is still a major goal for serious middle-distance athletes.
"Nobody really understands how quick that is," said Baddick, a former Ilfracombe College student.
And he is already planning ahead for even quicker times next summer.
"To run sub 3-40 (for 1,500m) would be nice bearing in mind the world qualifying time is 3-39," he said.
"You have to put in the hard work all the time and hope that everything falls into place."
That attitude has driven Frank Baddick to his best season on the athletics track.
This summer, the North Devon athlete has posted a succession of personal bests and reached the finals of the 1,500m at the senior UK Championships.
But like most athletes, Combe Martin's Baddick says there is always room for improvement.
"I ran 3-42 two weeks before the senior championships which equates to a sub four-minute mile," he said.
"If you'd told me I would run 3-42 this year and then reach the seniors final, I would have been over the moon. But, I don't know whether it's part of being an athlete, you're never quite satisfied."
Achievement tinged with frustration was evident again last Wednesday when he set a new 800m PB of 1-50-00 in Manchester.
"That is one of the most infuriating times to run as an athlete," said Baddick."If only I'd run a hundredth of a second quicker, I would have been in the 1-49s."
Having completed a degree in graphic design at Loughborough University, Baddick has benefited from more time to train.
He still lives in Loughborough and works his tough schedule around flexible hours as a cafe manager.
"I've got a great training group up here in Loughborough," he said.
"There's probably six or eight guys all around the same ability and you never get an easy ride in the sessions."
Working with legendary coach George Gandy has helped put 23-year-old Baddick among the most promising middle-distance runners in the country.
The veteran coach has trained more than 75 international athletes down the years, including Sebastian Coe.
Lisa Dobriskey, who finished fourth in the 1,500m at last year's Olympics, is currently his star pupil.
Baddick has been with Gandy's group to South Africa at the last three Easters, training in extreme heat.
During the year, the training is split into three blocks.
Baddick said: "Before Christmas it's all solid background work and endurance, and by Christmas you're really fit but not particularly quick.
"Then you spend Christmas through to March working on a range of things to build up your speed and endurance.
"When we go to South Africa, we start bringing in the speed work."
Finishing 10th in the national finals was a major breakthrough for Baddick who is now ranked in the UK's top 25 for the 1,500m and top 35 for the 800m.
Last summer he also signed for Newham and Essex Beagles, helping them win the British League Premiership.
As UK champions, they went to Spain for the European Club Championships in May and Baddick was part of the team that finished joint fifth.
His enthusiasm for the sport began with North Devon AC as a youngster.
"My dad used to run for Bideford and when I was about 10 or 11 he took me down to the Braunton track," he said.
"It just started from there. I was doing the 100m, shot put, javelin, long jump, the whole lot.
"I didn't start middle-distance running until I was 13 or 14 and then I didn't start training properly until I was 17 or 18.
"I thought if I just train a little bit harder I could be reasonably good at it."
Now his tough programme includes 12 to 14 sessions every week, running 80 to 85 miles per week during the winter.
"At the end of September I have three weeks without running, just to give my body a chance to recover from 11 months of punishment."
Before that though, Baddick is determined to have a crack at breaking the four-minute mile. Although mile races are rare these days, matching Roger Bannister's historic achievement is still a major goal for serious middle-distance athletes.
"Nobody really understands how quick that is," said Baddick, a former Ilfracombe College student.
And he is already planning ahead for even quicker times next summer.
"To run sub 3-40 (for 1,500m) would be nice bearing in mind the world qualifying time is 3-39," he said.
"You have to put in the hard work all the time and hope that everything falls into place."