We speak to the British champion whose big breakthrough in January opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
Among the many highlights, there are two images that stand out on Issy Buffet’s Instagram feed: the first is his response to breaking two minutes in the 800m for the first time in Madrid in July 2023, clocking 1:59.30. Another is his joy, relief and even disbelief at running 1:57.43 in Boston in January 2026.
Both events were milestones, each representing significant progress. That 1:59 qualified for the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Boffi’s first senior international berth after completing a clean sweep of European age group titles from 2016-2021. But 1:57 completely changed the game. The qualifying times for the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games, targets for the start of the summer, have already been achieved, while the World Indoor Athletics Championships, which were not originally on her agenda, were quickly penciled in.
“We made a kind of joke, for example. “Oh, maybe I’ll just miss 1:58,” laughs Boffy, whose 1:59.30 remains his second-fastest time. “It’s so weird because I think my goal for the last two years, obviously, injuries and stuff, was just to be consistent in 1:59 and then run 1:58. Suddenly every race is 1:59 and I’ve jumped up to 1:57. It’s only been a long time, but it’s been a goal.”
Progression is rarely linear, and for an athlete who has enjoyed such incredible success as a junior, the challenges of progressing to the senior ranks can seem even more acute. While Boffi made it to the outdoor world championships in Budapest three years ago, she suffered an injury and illness during the summer of 2024 that put paid to any chance of an Olympic run. Last year was an alarm.
“I was really surprised at how long it took me to come back and mentally I was really, really struggling,” she admits. “Before the British Champions Championship, I was thinking. (Boffy ran back-to-back 1:59s to end his season).
“Sure, there have been a few lows, but that makes the highs even better. Running 1:57 (in January 2026) took three years, and it definitely required some stamina and perseverance. Obviously, it’s so hard to see the highs when you’re so drained and tired from it all, but I really thought the game was bigger.
Coach Luke Gunn encouraged Boff to see a sports psychologist for a while. “It took me a while to find the right person,” she says. “Now that I have, it’s made a big difference, just having a very open, non-judgmental space to talk about how you’re feeling, how the run is going, and how life is going in general. It has allowed me to feel more free, which in turn has allowed me to be more relaxed and stress-free.
Acknowledging the current depth of talent in the women’s 800m, Boffi is now setting her sights on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the European Championships in Birmingham this summer. “I don’t think I could live here in Birmingham and not be at that Champs, I think it would break my heart a bit, especially as I’ve already missed the Commonwealth in 2022,” he says.
As a 1:57 runner, the opportunities available to him now, such as participating in the Diamond League circuit where he will compete against and learn from the best athletes in the world, will best prepare him for success.
Normal training week (winter training week in Birmingham ahead of the 2026 indoor season)
Boffie is based at the University of Birmingham, where he is on a Senior Sport Scholarship. In addition to a refreshed mental attitude, the increased mileage has also made a practical difference.
“It’s been a very gradual progression over the years,” he says, explaining that his max weekly mileage is 50 miles, but he consistently aims for 40-45 miles per week. “A lot of it is just doing three miles in the morning and then a bigger session in the evening. I don’t do anything fancy, but it works for me.”
As he progresses through the winter, his focus shifts from tempo to speed work (for example, a winter VO2 session becomes an 800m tempo session in the summer). “I’m a natural speed but not so natural aerobic power person,” he says. “Every athlete is different, and while my speed can increase very quickly, my aerobic capacity has to build over time, and it took us a while to figure that out.”
Monday(am) 20 minutes of running followed by a gym/strength and conditioning session; (pm) follow pace eg 30 x 200m off for 30 seconds or variation eg 3 x (10 x 200m) or speed session variation eg 4 x 250m (long recovery off)
Tuesday: (am) 40 minutes of running; (pm) 30 minute cross train followed by sauna
wednesday: (am) 25 minutes of running; (pm) VO2 max session, eg 4 x 1000m or 6 x 600m (2-3 min off) or 15 x 300m of 100m (plus two-mile warm-up/two-mile cool-down)
thursday(am) gym, including strength and conditioning classes; (pm) 30-40 minutes of easy jogging
Friday(am) tempo session 20-25 min 1 min tempo/1 min float or steady jog eg 30 min steady plus warm up/cool down
Saturday: (am) hill or grass session eg 5 x 45s, 5 x 30s, 5 x 20s hills (slow jog recovery) or 6 x 3min 90s rest (using Metchley Fields); (pm) 20 minute run or 30 minute cross train
Sunday: day off
Favorite session: Speed ​​Session – 300m, 250m, 200m (12 minutes off)
Least favorite session. long term
