Comeback on The Mall: A British Senior Medal and 10-Second Mile PB

Isabella Harrison - Vitality Westminster Mile 2026

I competed in the Westminster Vitality Road Mile in the BMC wave, which also doubled as the UK and England Athletics Road Mile Championships.

I finished 3rd in a strong field, alongside professional athletes including Kate Axford and Holly Dixon, to win my first British senior medal and run a 10-second PB of 4:40.

The race was held over a one-mile loop around St James’s Park, starting on The Mall and finishing in front of Buckingham Palace.

The result was particularly encouraging given that I was only a few months into my return to running following a stress fracture. Since then, I’ve had the amazing opportunity to start triathlon training, which has made me stronger physically and psychologically- and allowed me to come back to running feeling stronger.

To run a 10-second PB so soon after returning to running was a really positive sign that the training is working! It was a super fun day out and a good indication of where I’m at as I continue to build back into racing.

Thanks to Optima for all the support and training throughout the comeback!