I’m Aly (Alyson) Dixon and I’m a marathon runner from Sunderland. I currently run for Sunderland Strollers but previously ran for both Chester Le Street AC and Sunderland Harriers.
Through my dad being a marathon runner I have been brought up with athletics as part of my life. As a child my weekends were often spent travelling around to watch my Dad compete at road races and track events and I would often participate in the accompanying fun runs which most road races had back then just to keep me entertained. During school I enjoyed all sports but was never great at any of them. At age 11 I joined the local club (Sunderland Harriers) purely so that I could go on the club trip to Flamingo Land!
At the time I regularly trained for gymnastics, swimming, hockey and netball but it was athletics that I loved the most. I started off wanting to be a hurdler or long jumper, but I quickly changed my mind when I tripped over a hurdle during training and hurt my ankle. It wasn’t until I was at University that I won my first race, the British University Championships and this prompted me to start to take my athletics serious.
From this point I enjoyed a lot of success on the regional and national stage over various distances and eventually in 2008, aged 29, 18 years after first joining an athletics club, I eventually got my first England call up (10k). This was quickly followed by my first Great Britain vest in 2009 (Half Marathon). I have since run for England on numerous occasions and in 2011 represented GB at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships (Marathon). Unfortunately my performance was hampered by a foot injury which turned out to be 2 broken bones. This injury required 3 months of rest from running in order to repair. During this time I dedicated myself to a strict and rigorous cross training programme in order to make sure I was in my best possible shape when I was allowed to recommence training again.
Five months after starting back running I competed in the Virgin London Marathon with the hope of making the qualifying time for the 2012 Olympic Games. Unfortunately this did not go to plan and I narrowly missed out on my target.
Since then I have switched coach to now be self-coached and I have lowered my PB over all my main distances. In 2016 I finally achieved my lifelong dream of becoming an Olympian and represented Team GB in the marathon at the Rio Olympics.
You can view my Power of 10 profile here
PB’s:
- 5K – 15m.52s
- 10K – 32m17s
- Half Marathon – 1h10m37s
- Marathon – 2h29m06s
Outstanding achievements:
- Represented Team GB at the Rio Olympics 2016
- British and English marathon champion 2017 & 2016
- Team Gold European Cup 10,000m 2015
- Silver in English 10,000m Championships 2015
- Bronze in British 10,000m Championships 2015
- Silver in British and English Half Marathon Championships 2015
- Represented England at the 2014 Commonwealth Games Marathon
- Competed for GB at 5 World Championships, 1 European Championships and 2 European Cups
- British and English 10,000m Champion 2013
- Winner of Brighton Marathon 2011
- Age group winner ING New York City Marathon 2010
- 3rd British Half Marathon Championships 2008
- Twice winner of British Universities Championships 10,000m.
I am currently sponsored by Nike and Everyone Active and I am an ambassador for Bamlife milk drinks.
Aly Dixon 
U r running no faster than many at 35yrs including myself, get real A.l.WRIGHT
Hi Amanda,
Thank you for taking the time to post a comment. Maybe I will get real when I return from the Commonwealth Games, but then again, I’d rather just continue to train hard, improve and try my best to make more championships.
I wish you luck in also doing so, as if you are running just as fast, then you must also have a great shot at making future teams! 🙂
Never heard of you .. what are your pb’s ?
Aly, you should delete rubbish like the above from your page you don’t need this negative rubbish. You’ve done a great job, it’s your page so you can decide what goes on it.
best wishes
Tim
Hi Aly, thanks for presenting the awards at the recent South Shields Parkrun anniversary. Also had the pleasure of a 2 mile warm up with you and Steve Cram in preparation for the Sunderland 10k. Couldn’t keep up with you but managed to beat Steve Cram (just don’t mention he doubled back for the slower runners!). Hope you can find time to do the Shields Parktrun again, take care, Dave
Well done in today’s London Aly, you were flying!many congratulations!
Brilliant run today Aly. You’ve done yourself and Sunderland proud.
Huge congratulations on today’s fantastic performance. Rio! 😀
HI Aly, Did your Dad start his running at Houghton Harriers?We had a Dixon there in the late 60’s.
Best of luck for the future great to see Norh East in the top class of athletics again.
Hi Robert,
My Dad ran for Sunderland Harriers late 60’s through to early 90’s
Thanks
Aly
Good luck in rio bring home the gold x
What could be the potential disadvantages of altitude training for you Aly??
As long as you are sensible there are very very few disadvantages of altitude training.
Hi Aly. I can think of a couple of disadvantages. It might be cold or you could fall off a cliff – but maybe that would only happen if you weren’t sensible and went too close to the edge or didn’t watch out for goats.
Well done this year especially at the Olympics. It is nice to see an elite athlete who still turns out regularly in club events. And by the way, I did a 5K PB when I was 40, so you may still not have reached your peak . Keep going – you’re a long time retired. (From a retired runner, turned time trial cyclist – from Billingham).
Watching you now 2017 London Marathon. Cheering you on. I’m a 44 yr old from Sunderland couch potatoe but after watching you today I wonder if its too late for me to get off my ass and do some running. Great inspiration. Good luck ❤❤❤
Better update your marathon PB! :). Just seen you cross the finishing line on TV – congratulations!
Well done !!
I’ve just popped over to read this while I’m watching your marvellous run in the World Championships Athletics. Whether you win or not – and I really hope you do – no one is ever going to forget the way you have run this marathon. What an amazing thing to watch.
Well done. Run, Aly, Run.
I am so thrilled to see you leading in the Marathon today! So hope you can hold the others back. You are doing an absolute amazing run. Well done! X
So nice to see You keeping that nce pace in London 2017. Thanks!
Great racing today Aly you are inspiring my son to run marathons!! Well done!
Good run by you today Aly, no luck at the end, a wee bit of luck and you may have been near the medals. Good luck for the future.
Aly love watching you! I am a Dixon as well love running too😀. Keep at it
Dear Aly, wanted to say Hello from Berlin and wish you all the best. Maybe you remember we once went to the UK Students Championship in Bradford (?) when you had a hairline fracture in your foot. Mark (Jackson) just today told me on Facebook about your career and I was so excited that I searched on Google and found this page. Keep on running!
Yours, Daniel, the German exchange student and 5k runner at this time 😉
Enjoying watching you in tonight’s (morning for you) Commonwealth Games marathon. I’ve followed you for a few years since my dad asked if you were Dave’s daughter and asked me to look you up on the internet. My dad used to run with your dad at Sunderland Harriers (Keith Boyle). I run with my young daughter for enjoyment and also work in Sport. I believe Kevin Carr’s ( Sunderland Harriers also) daughter works at UK Sport and I work for Sport England. Sunderland Harriers experience’s were clearly good one’s!
Great performances and continual improvement. Good luck for the future!