Rory Leonard interview: Ampleforth runner making a name for himself on European cross-country scene

It has two pubs, a boarding school, and one stunning abbey.

The scenery is often populated by a single runner, traipsing around its neighbouring forest or shale track.

In July this year, that runner became European U23 10,000m champion with a lightning time of 29:08.33. His name is Rory Leonard, a long-term village resident, and this weekend he will be targeting gold in Brussels in the European Cross-Country Championships U23 category.

With this description, it would be easy to picture running as being a life-long venture for the 22-year-old. That is not nearly the truth.

“I played football from being really young,” he told The Yorkshire Post.

“Then I got to about fifteen and I was just a bit sick of it.

“It was a bit tedious and other people’s parents and the aggressive attitude of it all wasn’t for me really.”

Football’s loss was to become athletics’ gain.

Leonard added: “I thought I’d have a crack at running and I had a few mates in the local harriers.

“I was quite a lazy footballer really, so I didn’t think it was going to stick. I got there, tried it, and it’s almost a sadistic feeling – you just get sort of addicted to it quite quickly.”

Living at the time in deepest, darkest Northumberland following a spell in North Yorkshire, the late-starter enrolled at local club Morpeth Harriers on his parents’ advice – who had previously been rapid runners themselves.

From there, the cross-country ball began to roll.

“It happened out of nowhere to be honest. The national relays in 2017 was one of the first races where I went from about ninth on last leg to first and I was a bit like ‘oh’. That was kind of fun and then, as I went through that season, I started winning races and I was relatively surprised because really before that I hadn’t done anything significant. Again, that was addictive, not just the running side but the succeeding, and I just wanted to chase that feeling.”

After a few years of sustained success at youth level, the time came for Leonard to select his next step on the path to elite competition. For the young runner, there was only one place to go: Loughborough – promising the golden tutelage of legendary coach George Gandy. Gandy – who guided the likes of Seb Coe to Olympic glory – was in regular contact with the ascending Leonard, and their northern connection proved influential in guiding the young man to the Midlands.

Only ten weeks into his time at Loughborough, however, tragedy struck.

Leonard said: “George passed away and it was awful, because he is Loughborough. Everything there is because of him.”

Alongside his coach’s passing, an accumulation of personal issues and Covid-19 related restrictions rendered the then 20-year-old “disillusioned”. An offer from the USA – through Oklahoma State University – tempted Leonard away.

Eventually settling on English studies, the former Helmsley café barista found the States to be everything he needed and more – even in the tougher moments of living abroad.

Leonard returned to his parents’ home in Ampleforth this summer – a place he views as the cradle of his early international success.

He added: “All the building blocks that went into (this summer’s) European title were in Ampleforth and I mean running around the college grounds, running around Yearsley Woods and the college’s shale track.

“Throughout the year it looks different. It could feel like a cross-country on certain days, and it could feel like a road on others.

“It’s funny. You start to realise in distance running you actually don’t need that much.”

A change of scene has also coincided with a change of training regimen.

Having been mentored by his father during his career’s initial stages, Leonard – who is aiming for 27:45 next year in his favoured 10,000m category – is now under coach Andy Hobdell’s guidance as part of sponsor HOKA’s training group. This means he effectively works alone, with plans to move to London in January.

Before then, this weekend in Brussels is the target. With this being his ninth time representing the nation, he feels the air is ripe for victory.

“I think anything other than winning this weekend would be a massive disappointment,” he said. “I know my strengths and weaknesses. I like going into these races with the absolute goal of needing to win.”