Reading Athletics Club master w40 athlete Karen Burles has broken the GB 200m record at the World Masters Championships.
Competing in Tampere, Finland, Karen raced exceptionally to take the bronze medal while she set a new GB 200m record.
As well as being a mother to three children, Karen is the owner of Elite Conditioning and has just returned from her first ever World Masters Athletics Championships.
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Having rejoined the athletics world back in 2019 Karen started training with her old club Reading AC and coach Nathan.
Following a short winter training she became Double GB indoor w40 60m and 200m champion in 2020.
Karen continued to train throughout all the lockdowns to keep her fitness intact and in 2021, full access meant she could go back to full training.
Competing in the w40 age category and competing as the eldest at 45, her focus turned to chasing times and not people.
Just weeks before Karen became double GB w40 outdoor Champion over 100m and 200m
In a gruelling three rounds of competition and each round did not disappoint as she finished second in the heats with 12.69, third in the semi-finals with 12.51 and fifth in the final with 12.76.
After some treatment on a hip flexor strain picked up days before travelling to Tampere, she turned her attention to the 200m race.
In the heats, she earned second place and an automatic place into the semi finals in a huge lifetime PB of 25.54 and a new W40 200m British record.
The wind turned the next day and after a very tough semi final Karen made it through to the finals with a non favourable lane one draw in the final despite having ran the second fastest time in the world.
She came off the bend in eighth place but used her speed endurance to pull through into bronze medal position.
Just three days before she turned 45, Karen proudly stepped onto the world championship podium collecting her bronze medal as new British record holder.
Karen said: “To say I am over the moon isn’t enough and still now it is all sinking in, I think it might take a while. I dared to dream and achieved the unthinkable.”
“One huge motivator is obviously my children, to inspire them to dare to dream and achieve the unthinkable in whatever they want in life.
“But also it’s my work and clients, I’ve lived breathed fitness since my early teens. Health & fItness is my passion and I am lucky enough to live my passion through my work.
“I believe that life is about balance and of course I align myself to walking the walk alongside talking the talk but to achieve the unthinkable your mindset has to be clear, your values must be the driver of your decisions, and your goals must light a passion in you that even the biggest of mountains couldn’t stop you from reaching them.
“I’ve spent months not only training hard but ensuring my cup of health (mental, emotional and physical) stays full.
“Removing those drainers, surrounding myself with cheerleaders, working my training round the barriers of every day life and ensuring my health remains a priority.
“I have an amazing team around me, my coach Nathan, great trainers partners in fellow international runner from Ireland Leanne Wellings (also a bronze medalist herself) and Harry, My strength and conditioning coach Pete from The Fox Den and all the fellow athletes who supported me out there including fellow local Reading AC Athlete Kevin Cranmer who got a fabulous silver in the mens w40 decathlon and Gold medalist and European record holder Dominic Bradley.
“I am still very new to this and their advice and support was 100% part of my achievements.
“Masters athletics is completely self funded and I am grateful to local Twyford based company Benedict Charles financial who have been my sponsors since my return to athletics.”
