Celebrating a Milestone
There’s really nothing like the refreshing taste of a cold beer, right?
This sentiment rang true for Scottish runner Josh Kerr as he enjoyed his first beer in months after breaking the men’s mile record, clocking an impressive 3:42.66 on Saturday.
Kerr mentioned he hadn’t had a drink since his wedding in December, but felt it was appropriate to celebrate with a few drinks to “take it easy” and step back a bit.
“Athletes often rush through these moments without pausing to appreciate them, so a beer seemed necessary,” he observed.
After his celebratory drink, he struggled to get much sleep and was up at 5 a.m. the following morning, ready to jump back into training. Now, his sights are set on the 1500 meters.
However, his wife wasn’t exactly on board with the idea of immediately aiming for another goal. She suggested they take “12 hours” to rest before diving into the next challenge.
Back in March of last year, Kerr started his journey to becoming the seventh Briton to officially break the mile record, achieving it before a crowd of 60,000 at the London Stadium.
“I’m honestly amazed by all the attention,” he reflected. “Deciding to go for the record was a big call; lots can go wrong, and I’m grateful to have such supportive people around me who kept me focused.”
Kerr conveyed his ambition to make a lasting impact in athletics, hoping to follow in the footsteps of legends. “These performances demand everything from you and the team,” he added. “What we accomplished today was incredible, though I was hoping for an even faster time!”
His coach had suggested that his 1500m time could match his mile performance—which is, you know, an interesting perspective. But—it sounds nice to think about taking a break in a sunny place like Hawaii too!
Kerr is committed to his training and remains open to his coaches’ guidance, ensuring they’re free to advise him on when to rest.
Yet, he doesn’t plan on slowing down anytime soon. Kerr has ambitions of clinching a major marathon victory after tackling the 1500m. “I hope the person who eventually breaks my world record will be inspired and eager to chase me down,” he mused. “That, for me, is the legacy I wish to create in this sport.”
