Clifton Bradeley is a podiatrist who specialises in treating runners and has 21 years experience in clinical biomechanics. A former athlete himself, Clifton ran for England and Great Britain with a career that saw him break the British Indoor mile record in 1985 and finish 20th in the World Cross country Championships.
As a podiatrist, Clifton has carried out approximately 15,000 clinical assessments of athletes and footballers, helping them to achieve their potential by becoming biomechanically more efficient.
Clifton Bradeley Q&A
Can you give us a brief career history?
I have been practising for 20 years and the way I got into it was I started running when I was 10 and I got into the England team at 16 until the age of 21. I was in the senior team with Linford Christie and Colin Jackson, but then I got injured so I went to America to get away from the press and I saw a podiatrist and I thought I will do that when I get back to the UK. I have now been doing it every day with athletes for the past 20 years, and I have had a fantastic career.
What is your favourite sport?
It would have to be anything to do with athletics as that is where my heart is, I also love football and, in fact, any sport really.
Do you play any sports?
I run from hotels and on a Saturday and Sunday when I am at home. I don’t have any time to play sports unfortunately!
How long have you been working in athletics?
I have been working in athletics for 20 years but I have been involved with athletics since I was a child.
What are your accolades and achievements to date?
I still hold a couple of national records, but the culmination of my running career was when I took Sebastian Coe’s place in 1985 in the USA and I broke the British record. I became the British national record holder for the indoor mile 3.57.88, in 1985. Career-wise I am doing research at the moment, I am doing a PHD to try and prove that a lot of repetitive injuries with runners are caused by human asymmetry so for example you might have one leg slightly longer than the other. I have a few unique theories that I am trying to prove at the moment.
What is your most memorable sporting moment?
It has got to be being asked to take Sebastian Coe’s place and then breaking the British record and Coe was sitting in the crowd watching. Apparently he stood up and said who’s that as I was trying to be his rival at the time but he retired and I got injured.
What’s the best advice you have given?
General advice is get the best out of every day as life goes quickly and try and achieve something everyday. In terms of advice for athletes, don’t take on styles out of magazine because you think that is the right way, let your body tell you the right way. No matter if you are a heel to toe runner or a mid foot runner, your body will tell you that in time. If you try and use a different style it could lead to an injury and you could be out for 6 months so always listen to your body.
How do you feel about being part of the ASICS Pro Team?
I think its fantastic. It’s a great pleasure and honour, but mainly because it’s great to come in today and see people like Sarah for the first time in 18 years. Plus seeing some of the legends in coaching like Bud who I first met 35 years ago, when I first started running and I have seen him now and again. I love being around people and getting new bits of information.
Who is your sporting hero?
Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett equally, because both were incredibly inspiring to young athletes and that’s what we need now. We need icons to inspire young athletes today.
What was your best run or worst run?
My best run is the sub four-minute mile but equally winning any Championship was a good feeling. The worst one was Great Britain, Italy and Yugoslavia indoors in 1985 in Genoa, Italy and I had an injured foot, and the team doctor anesthetized my foot and I ran the whole race without any feeling in my foot or leg and there was a drop off at the inside of the track and they had no protective wall and anytime I could have lost my leg. I finished 4th but that was the most dangerous run I have ever done.
How important is foot care for runners?
It’s incredibly important, not just the superficial foot care to make sure you don’t have hard skin or ingrown toenails but also the structural health, which can really affect you, even causing problems in the lower back.
