Verity Ockenden

@youngverit

British runner based in Italy 🇬🇧🏃‍♀️🇮🇹 Sponsored by HOKA
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Weeks posts
☎️ 🥷🫡 To think that I considered not racing the British Trials because of a slight cold, finished 6th, was named as first reserve for the team and ended up not only racing at the European Champs but coming away with a Team Silver medal alongside my very talented teammates @megankeith_ , @phoebeianderson , @_izzyfry , @carihughes & @poppytank & also managed to finish 21st as an individual… It’s always an honour to compete in the British vest, but this time was particularly special after the heartbreak of injury just as things were looking promising this track season. Going home full of pride, renewed confidence & inspiration. As ever, indebted to Team V for getting me to the start line ready to give it everything. The journey continues! 📷: @sammellishphoto / @britishathletics
753 29
5 months ago
🌍🌍 WORLDS!! 🌍🌍 Finishing this season with the highest high of my career, an 8th place in the 5k at my first World Championships & in a lifetime best of 15:18! I am leaving Riga feeling so much joy and so much peace. Over the past couple of years there have been moments when racing at a world class level seemed like a dream that would never come back into reach. A tibial edema followed by achilles tendinitis and sciatica meant that consistent training and competitive racing was elusive, and as a result I had to work even harder on keeping my mental health strong. I feel so privileged to have been a part of these inaugural Championships, to be fit and healthy enough again to get the very best out of myself and to have proven to myself that it was a dream well worth chasing so stubbornly for so long. Long may the journey continue & I am so unbelievably thankful to have had @thommo26.2 & @federico.gasbarri & @barbuscioguido_gblab putting so many hours in working together so brilliantly & so carefully to coach me ~ wherever that road may take us next! 🧨🧨🧨 . . . #on #runningonclouds #dreamingon #cloudboomecho3 #riga #latvia #worldroadrunningchampionships
723 68
2 years ago
Font life is: 🌞🥐 AM sunshine & post-run pastries // PM showers & post-treatment sauna 🌨️🥵 & somehow everything always takes all day but the pre-season focus is GOOD 🙌🌄 2: @1609.studios 4: @basile.prod 5 & 7: @mehd_production #HOKA #FontRomeu #flyhumanfly
159 6
4 days ago
Two weeks into training camp in Font Romeu, three more to come & then it’s time to go racing in Belgium 💪🏽⏱️🔒 📷: @charlie_mccarthyyy
209 2
15 days ago
🤗 🛒 Been a while since I updated the @faves.xyz page mostly because I wanted to really get to know some of the new products I’ve been using before making any recommendations. But, here we are - I’ve already found my fave new trainers to wear 👟👟👟& everything else you’ll find on here is basically my packing essentials / survival kit for training camp… not forgetting sunscreen because a tan looks nice but protecting your health comes first! 🌞🧳🏔️ 🔗 Link in bio to shop! #faves #ad #theseareafewofmyfavoritethings
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23 days ago
🎞️⏳Some more from training in Flagstaff a few weeks ago… Frankly, I had hoped to run a bit faster than I did over that 5km in Lille after 4 solid weeks of prep at altitude, but there are times in life when you need to prioritise family & this was one of those times. 🥐🐮🇫🇷 Fortunately I’ll get another chance to race soon enough, after one week at home & another month of mountains courtesy of @hoka , this time in Font Romeu. Maybe, just maybe, that 5k PB will finally go down this year! 🧐 📷: @charlie_mccarthyyy #HOKA #flyhumanfly
139 3
1 month ago
“Fish need water… People need people” : spending a month training together in Flagstaff with @teammakou & @hoka_eu was so good for me. Even introverts need to socialise sometimes! 🐠🏞️🤝 Time to test out the fitness tomorrow over 5km in Lille ~ my first race in HOKA kit! 🤩 📸: @charlie_mccarthyyy #flyhumanfly #HOKA
270 7
1 month ago
For those of you following my stories lately, you might have already cottoned on… but now that it’s official, I’m delighted to share that I have signed a new contract with @hoka to continue this crazy, beautiful running journey that I still can’t believe I have made into my career. 🧡🏃‍♂️ 🪂 Over the years I have put my whole heart into this sport and I’m so excited that HOKA have recognised that, and see how brightly the fire still burns. We’ve got big goals ahead. Every new beginning is always a leap of faith but I wholeheartedly believe this leap is the right leap, and I thank everybody who has given me the courage, the support and maybe even a little push to make the jump. 🔥 Already over the past few weeks of training and sharing this adventure with my fellow HOKA athletes in Flagstaff, I’ve felt so welcomed and so energised. I can’t wait to wear my new colours at the next race, to embrace all that is human about this journey, and to push ever further beyond what my childhood self would have dared to dream. ✨ Thank you: @thommo26.2 @federico.gasbarri @andyhobdellahcoaching @christopher_rainsford @magnani2710 @hoka_eu 🙏 📸: @charlie_mccarthyyy #HOKA #FlyHumanFly #NewBeginnings #SameGoals
790 61
1 month ago
Over & out, On. Forever grateful to the brand that first gave me the opportunity to become a professional in the sport I love, four years ago. A huge thank you to everyone at On who believed in me and supported me along the way — it has truly been a joy and an honour to work with you. This chapter has been full of incredible memories, and now it’s time for the next one 🤍
507 14
2 months ago
💌 Hello friends, just a note to say that I made a “Gifts For The Girls” edit for my February Faves (link in bio) & it’s basically a list of lovely red things that I’d gladly buy for myself. You’ll notice it’s just a little bit inspired by the Chinese Year of the Horse which I think is very apt considering that a lot of what I’m working toward in 2026, with a little luck, will lead toward the next World Athletics Championships in Beijing in 2027 🧧 If you’re new to the concept of @faves.xyz , this is an athlete-built, athlete-led platform that enables athletes to build curated online stores full of the products that they love. By choosing to shop through an athlete’s store you will be helping to support their journey by allowing them to earn a small commission on your purchase at no extra cost to yourself. To those of you who have already bought from my store, many thanks & much love 🫶🥹🫶
23 9
3 months ago
Since it’s February it seems about time to summarise 2025’s athletic exploits before getting properly stuck in to 2026… 👀 Some things that I expected to achieve, I didn’t, and some things I didn’t expect to achieve, I did. It went something like this: Jan: First ever training camp in Potchefstroom. Winter sunshine & being surrounded by so many likeminded athletes was medicinal. Seasonal Affective Disorder didn’t stand a chance! Feb: Worked hard on camp but had no idea what my fitness would translate to in a race so winning Armagh 3k was an encouraging start. March: Another block of training at home led to another great race coming 2nd at Podium 5k ahead of the Pulford 10km where a road PB of 31:35 qualified me for the European Road Champs (though a little peeved not to break 31:30) April: Hoped for a fast course at said 10km Champs so I could PB some more, but alas it was destined to be “character building” instead (read hilly, twisty & rainy). Finished 11th in 32:11. May: Still determined to go sub 31:30 we entered the Great Run Manchester 10km but plans were thwarted again when my calf completely froze due to trapped nerves a week beforehand. Remembered to appreciate just being able to be there at all! June: A month in St.Moritz to prepare 5000m fitness for track season & feeling pretty invincible again until I got bursitis in my hip which I raced through at Vienna Track Night. Ran 15:10, which looking back isn’t bad with one leg. Continued in comments ⬇️
233 8
3 months ago
🥵🫠 Won’t forget that one in a hurry! A very humbling day out in Tallahassee: 41st in the world over 10km of sand, log jumps, water pits, mud, hills and ramps in 24 degree heat, but thanks to Megan, Poppy & Phoebe’s efforts as a team we finished seventh. Feeling disappointed not to have been able to contribute more to our team standing but I’d still do it all again in a heartbeat. Given a little bit of perspective, I’m still proud of the season I’ve put together and looking forward to building on the strength we had to rely on at these championships. Special thanks to all of the @britishathletics team staff who picked up the pieces at the finish line, and of course as always to my team, family, and friends who have supported me toward this goal in any and every way possible. @thommo26.2 @federico.gasbarri @fionamackezie @osteopalva @gb.lab_ @stephtwell @atletica_guastalla.reggiolo @_sport.vision 🫶🫶🫶 📷: @johnnepolitan
436 21
4 months ago