LITTON Cheney’s Nigel Gates has risen the top of the World Masters Athletics indoor rankings in the men’s over-65 3,000m list – with the help of dog Silva.
Gates’ indoor time of 10:16.02 run at Lee Valley last March was over 28 seconds superior to that of compatriot David Bedwell’s, and just 1.13 seconds quicker than Australian athlete Ian Cameron’s outdoor time of 10:17.15.
And Gates credits his training partner Silva, a Kelpie dog, with recent improvements – and for jolting him out of competitive retirement.
In 2018, Gates had decided to stop competitive running due to chronic injuries, but the arrival of Silva changed that.
Silva needs lots of exercise and likes to run off the lead over the fields, forests and beaches around Litton. With all his running on soft surfaces, Gates found he was running freely with no injuries.
A year later, Gates broke the British over-65 3,000m record at the British Indoor Championships – fastest in the world on the outdoor lists, too.
Also third on the 5,000m list with 18:14.53, Gates hopes to keep running with Silva for as long as possible.
He advises all runners that although roads are easier to run on, countryside is kinder to your body.
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