European Indoor 3000m champion on Night of the 10,000m PBs and smashing her own glass ceiling

Amy-Eloise Markovc goes into this years Night of the 10,000m PBs off the back of a 2022 which saw the On athlete claim personal bests outdoors in the 3000m, 5000m, 10,000m, 5km and half marathon.

The 27-year-old athlete, however, agonisingly missed out on claiming a first major outdoor track medal at both the Commonwealth Games and European Championships.

Markovc finished fourth in Birmingham, fifth in Munich and was also 12th in her 5000m heat at the World Championships in Oregon.

She claimed a first British 5000m title but the aim for 2023 is to focus on the competition in front of her on a global scale and not just look at times.

At Highgate tomorrow (May 20), Markovc will put that to the test as she opens up her outdoor season at Night of the 10,000m PBs, an event she first did last year and finished only behind fellow Brit Jess Warner-Judd.

Markovcs time of 31:25.57 she set at Parliament Hill remains her PB and placed her tenth on the UK all-time list in the process.

In what doubles up as a qualifier for the World Championships, Markovc will hope to nail the standard of 31:10.00 and be one of the top two Brits to automatically qualify for Budapest.

Amy-Eloise Markovc poised to strike (Mark Shearman)

Whats the best bit about Night of the 10,000m PBs?

The event just makes athletics and running more engaging. Its different. People who are really into running will love watching high calibre athletes run 5km or 10km races but for some who are on the fence or its their first event, it makes it really interesting as theres always something going on.

For the athletes its great as everything feels a bit more intimate than being in a stadium. Its such a cool meet as there are people of all levels competing and the races get faster and faster throughout the night.

I ran Highgate last year and I wasnt 100% so I always wanted to go back and give it a good run. I feel like I can run a really good 10,000m and I wanted to do it regardless of being 70% or 90% because its such a good event but its always nice going into it feeling like youre in contention.

I hadnt run a 10,000m before 2020. Ive never been in an environment where so many people are excited about running a 10,000m. Its really palatable to everyone watching and it means that so many British athletes can feed off the energy you got from the festival vibes to run a quick time.

How has the start of 2023 been?

I was struggling with a few health issues earlier on in the year including a couple of illnesses and a torn disc.

That took a while to sort out and fitness came back way faster than expected. Training has been ticking over really nicely and I feel in a great shape to race. Sometimes it can be easy to focus on times too much, especially when qualifying standards are on the line, and its more about competing. I feel like I could get a pretty substantial 10,000m personal best and Im excited to give myself that opportunity for success.

The past few months has been a bit like a yo-yo as my body adjusted post-injury. The focus is on enjoying what I am doing and I feel fulfilled and love what I do every day. I felt like I was running out of time so it was just about focusing on the day-to-day.

What about last season with so many personal bests?

I actually came off last season feeling that Id under-performed. I felt like we got my peak wrong and I peaked way too early in the season so by the major championships I couldnt tap into that goodness I had earlier in the year. I obviously made a lot of progress with personal bests but Im now using last year as experience for this season.

I dont just want to make championships anymore. I want to perform well and compete against the best of the best. I know my ceiling is so much higher.

How have On helped you as an athlete?

On has been huge in facilitating all the changes Ive made in the past year. Due to being with them Ive gone back to the UK and choosing a different coach and set-up. As a brand theyre so engaging regarding athlete feedback and incorporating what we say into products because theyre innovating so quickly.

Its been amazing running for On. Its been just under a year since I joined them last June and theyve been so supportive. It means a lot to have a brand that backs you in this way.

Being with On has helped me move to a base in Loughborough. Its good as Im working with Rob Denmark whos an amazing coach. I train with Melissa Courtney-Bryant and we have a really good dynamic in the group. We also work with athletes like Sam Harrison even though she is coached by Vince Wilson. We are competitors but we collaborate and genuinely want each other to do well.

Jess Warner-Judd leads Amy-Eloise Markovc (Mark Shearman)

What do you make of the strength of British female distance running now?

When you see other athletes doing well its inspiring and it pushes you on. When Sam [Harrison] ran that quickly [2:25:59] at the London Marathon thats only going to help me when we do the longer sessions. The same goes for when Melissa runs a fast 3000m. Times are getting so quick so fast and its cool to be a part of.

I think my ceiling is perhaps a lot higher than what someone would think based on my current performances but when you see these athletes achieving these things, it makes you believe it even more.

The focus this year wont be on time and it will be putting myself in a position to compete at the highest level when it matters the most. The times will hopefully come with that. Having said that, Id love to PB in events from the 1500m up to the half marathon as the season unfolds. The focus will be on the 5000m and I have a lot of unfinished the business in the event but I also feel theres opportunity in the 10,000m.

Could you even do a marathon in the future?

I will definitely do a marathon at some point. Its a bit of a rite to passage as a runner and the distance does intrigue me. Ive only ever done one half marathon and I feel like I need to do a few more of those first! I just love testing myself and Im curious to see what I could do.

What about reflection and your journey in athletics so far?

I think sometimes achieving your ambitions in this sport can take longer than you think. I had a few years where I wasnt really competing at all and I think I really struggled from about 18-21. I think that slowed down my progression as I felt I was starting to scratch and I lost that ambition when I was younger of wanting to become an Olympic athlete. That was the ambition.

On one hand Ive stayed in the sport a lot longer than I thought I would but on the other hand I couldnt imagine life without it. Its been a long journey with a lot of up and downs and Ill keep doing it for as long as I can.

Budapest 23 and Paris 24 are the two major goals over the next two years. Im trying to put myself in a position to make those teams and then be in contention at them. As long as I walk off the track knowing Ive done everything I couldve done when analysing the context of the race and Im proud of that, then thats success for me. I hope that means being around the medals but I want to represent may country proudly.

For fast times, festival vibes and free entry for spectators, see On Track Nights.

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