2025 flash quotes

On the win and equalling Jo Pavey’s record: 

“I am absolutely buzzing with today. I think that was only 10 seconds off my best on this course from three years ago. So it is nice to know you can still come back from injury and illness and compete at this level. To match Jo Pavey, who is one of my heroes in this sport, is really special.” 

On the race and a strong field: 

“When I woke up this morning the weather was amazing, so I was like, ‘Please stay like this!’ It was really nice. It was a really good field today, a lot of high-quality men at the very top of the field so there were people around me the whole way and that makes a big difference too, rather than doing a women’s-only race, it is nice to have a big mix. I think that definitely helped the last couple of miles when I was starting to really hurt and tire and I was battling all the way to the Finish Line with people.”  

On the crowd support: 

“It is amazing, every time I come to London it is always so well attended; just the whole way around the course people are cheering you on. Again, that helps with motivation when you start getting a little bit tired and you think you’ve gone off a bit too hard, the cheers of people keep you going. 

“I always get people shouting my mum’s name; they’re like, ‘Come on Liz, oh, actually Eilish!’” 

Advice on getting more women into running: 

“I think not to be afraid, an event like this is perfect; it is for everyone. All ages, all abilities, it doesn’t matter if it’s your first-ever race or you’re gunning for a PB [personal best] and have done this race 10 times. Everyone is on the same Start Line, which is so unique. So make the most of the opportunity to put yourself out there, everyone has their own personal best so it doesn’t matter if you’re first, tenth or last place. You have your own time to try and beat and I think that is what makes our sport particularly unique.” 

On what’s next: 

“[The TCS] New York [City] Marathon is the next big one for me, not sure if I will do a race in between then and now. I did [the] Great North [Run] and got sick after that so wasn’t sure how I would feel today, but I am really happy to feel strong and back to full health so hopefully can push on these next four weeks.” 

On the race:

“I found it good, I was so nervous it was going to feel really fast. The last three weeks I’ve probably done about 330 miles so my legs are pretty battered. It was quite nice, this week I dropped down to about 90 so that felt a bit better, but it was just hard. I wanted to get out and follow Eilish for as long as possible, I know she is in really good shape so I was like just hang on for as long as I can. I probably got to about 5 or 6K then it started to really bite, so I just hung on and I am really happy with that.” 

On whether she will run the 2025 TCS New York Marathon at start of November: 

“I am really enjoying the hilly runs, I’ve done a lot of longer stuff, so that felt a bit of a shock to the system, that is what I was more nervous about, that 10K today, so I am taking it day by day and we said get to October and make a decision. I am really happy with how it is going, I feel strong at the moment, I just don’t feel particularly fast so that was a nice run-out. 

On running the famous central London 10K route today: 

“It was really fun, I grew up about 30 minutes away on the train. We used to come for day trips to London as a family and running past certain places that we went is really nice and nostalgic.  

“So many people cheering you on and my dad and sister where here and my husband was racing as well, it’s just been a really fun day out. This finish is just amazing, when you walk past it all; it inspires you to do London Marathon as well.” 

On the race: 

“The route was amazing; I’ve been dying to get into a race where I could be in the mix with people. A few of my previous races I’ve been detached or just a bit clueless really with how to approach a race so first and foremost, I welcomed being in the crowd – I was using a lot of the guys to help me push through to a PB [personal best].  

“And then, I was so excited to come to London – I’ve seen obviously the London Marathon and all the events on the roads of the UK and to be a part of that today was incredible – it’s a brilliant day for it. It was amazing.”  

On her performance and what’s next: 

“My PB prior to this was 32:28, I believe; I’ve been doing a couple [of 10K races], I think this is only my fifth one, and according to my watch today – unofficially I got 31:27, so I lost a minute. I’m on the lead-up to Amsterdam Half – I’m three weeks away – which is actually one of my main goals this year. 

“Today I didn’t put any expectations on the time. I knew from previous races here that it was going to be fast, so I sort of took away the pressures of a time in mind and just raced.  

“I know I’m in fit condition for a half marathon but I didn’t know where I was at 10K-wise, so it was quite nice coming in in the dark and then that’s the amazing outcome. Expect the unexpected I always think.” 

On the win: 

“I am very happy! I have been away from racing for more than two months so today was to test out where the fitness was. I’ve got Valencia Half Marathon at the end of October, so that is one of my main targets.” 

Advice for aspiring runners: 

“Athletics is easy to get into, as long as you like fitness and enjoy what you do. Just go and enjoy the local clubs, for example parkruns every Saturday, that is where I started. Athletics is really easy to access.” 

On the race:

“It was an OK time today; next week I have another race so I didn’t push it too hard, I keep it easy. The course today is so good… I enjoyed it; last year I came second which is good, but this year it was slow because next week I have a race.” 

On the race: 

“It was a good performance, but I forget how twisty the course is. I always want to go quicker. I had a tough time after [the] Paris [Olympics] as I was injured slightly, so I wasn't at my peak and wanted to be ready for [the] New York [City Marathon]. This time I was in good shape and it is nice to keep racing ahead of [the] Chicago [Marathon]. Today was a good test and it’s basically a six-mile sprint for me!” 

 On conditioning later in his career: 

“It is the little things. In previous years I need to do a bit more racing before big marathons like Chicago and New York, but it takes dedication.  

“It has been a tough year and there have been a few times where I have felt like quitting, especially after such a bad winter ahead of [the 2025 TCS] London [Marathon].  

“I was going into races cold and it destroyed me afterwards. I had to pick myself back up and dig deep and do things I haven't done before. I had a decent summer apart from a crash at the end of July. Since, my training has been good, and my recovery strategies have been working well.” 

 On his recovery from a collision with a car in July 2025 

“I still feel the cuts and bruises a bit after races but not where the impact was. But that may just be old age!” 

On starting this year's event:

“It was amazing! It was great to stand on the podium, waving the flag and seeing so many people coming out, running for different reasons, inspired by different things and just being active.

“You just feel the energy straight away; there's a bit of nerves, there's excitement, there's adrenalin - everyone has just come together in a really great way to be active.”

On the positive impact of the Vitality London 10,000:

“I'm massively bias but I think sport is the only way that brings so many people from so many backgrounds, for so many different reasons, together like this to run and just be together as a big community.

“I think events like this are hugely inspiring; whether you've come to run or to support a friend or a family member, once you're in this environment where the energy is so high it is infectious. 

“Year upon year more people are inspired to run at events like this and that's because of the energy of it.” 

On being part of the Celebrate You Wave:

“It's been everything I am about, really, as I run topless, and today I ran topless and in my pants. It's about celebrating your authenticity, maybe you've got scars like me and you're about yourself, running and empowering others - just inspiring people to run whether or not they feel they can. That's what it's about - everybody can just go out and run.”

On running topless and the message it sends:

“I think there's quite a few messages when I run, it is about owning what's happened to you, owning your mental health, owning your scars. I got through cancer and I think running helped me through that. I would say also running helped me through some of the worst mental health journeys I've had in my life. So really it is about taking running and using it as a medication. It is just amazing what it does for you.

“When I finished the London Marathon the first time I did it topless, it was unbelievable because it wasn't just about getting to the Finish Line, it was about the fact I had done it and shown my scars. 

“People in the past assume negatively assume there is shame around them. So that was so empowering and was a magical moment for me because it was about saying, 'No, I own these and am totally proud of living through cancer, getting through it and showing everybody at the end of it that you can have an amazing life - even if you've got no boobs.”

On the importance of being active and the benefits:

“Getting active for me was a life-saver; I would not have been able to get through the mental health journey and my physical health journey without running. When I started running I couldn't get down about 500 metres or 600 metres without stopping, out of breath. But I just kept being consistent and going out there and knowing that I would come back feeling better than when I left the house.”

Helen said: “It’s very hard to summarise – the whole thing has been so joyous ever since we announced we were doing it [the Celebrate You Wave], actually – it’s about choosing yourself. For a lot of women, a lot of mothers, you’re always thinking about other people. Today is about choosing yourself, choosing your body, getting to be joyful and sharing a community. It’s been bloody marvellous.  

“CY is fantastic, it’s really heartwarming. It’s not easy to start running, I only started running a few years ago and I know it’s a really hard thing and it can be really intimidating, but the more events we do like this and the more women we see it will just encourage normal people to get out there and run in your pants!”

Bryony on what motivates her to get active: 

“Feeling good, remembering the world is out there and it’s still spinning when my brain tells me that it’s not and I need to stay in bed and everyone hates me and that bad things are gonna happen; it’s like just get up, just focus.  

“And creating good chemicals with my body, doing it myself, not doing it with a drug or a drink – I’m an alcoholic in recovery – I can do this myself I don’t need anything, I just need me.”