A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity of interviewing one of the UK’s greatest female distance runners – Liz Yelling. In this second part of the interview, Liz Yelling offers insight into her achievements to date, Beijing disappointment, as well as life as an athlete and advice for running mums.
You left your day job to become a full time athlete – was this a difficult decision?
Leaving my day job as a teacher was always slightly risky – having a secure job with regular income was taken way. However, it was made easier with lottery funding but my personal circumstances changed and I moved to Loughborough. I could no longer rely on lottery funding alone and found other routes to sustain my lifestyle.
What does a typical training day hold for you?
A normal training day entails getting up in the morning and eating breakfast, going out and starting training at roughly 10am. This run will last between 90 minutes to 2 ½ hours depending on the point in my training programme. Afterwards, I would have something to eat and have a sleep to aid recovery. I would get up in the afternoon and do some written work. In the evening between 6.30pm – 7.30pm I hit the road again for a recovery run.
What’s your favourite distance to race?
My favourite race is the half marathon, it’s the perfect distance to get out and race. The 13.1 miles invites you to take risks which combined with the shorter recovery time makes it my preferred racing distance.
Beijing was cruel for you – how do you pick yourself up and move forward?
Beijing was frustrating. I managed to get myself in the best shape of my career. However my fall at mile 10 is something I’ve accepted was an accident and outwith my control. The whole event has put things into perspective for me, running is a big part of my life but there are also other important strands. I’ve accepted life throws these kind of challenges at you, it’s a case of dealing with it and getting on with it.
The Olympics is an amazing experience, living side by side with the top athletes was something special and unforgettable. The superhuman talent around you is amazing – you’re in the company of the top three in the world at each sport.
Does the opportunity of competing at your home Olympics in London add some extra spice when you return to training and racing?
2012 is on my radar, but I will see how I feel once I’ve had my baby. With it being at home it does make it that extra bit special. Liz gave the impression she’ll be at the start line in London.
What’s your biggest achievement to date?
Without doubt my greatest personal achievement was finishing 3rd in the 2007 Commonwealth Games. Taking home a bronze medal with 50,000 people cheering you on is something quite special. What made the achievement so rewarding was my 2005 season was a dull year in which I didn’t realise my potential. In 2005 I learnt a lot about myself as an individual which, along with training and nutrition, has allowed me to become a better and stronger athlete, making my bronze medal in 2007 all that more rewarding.
What is your advice to mums-to-be, and new mums, with regards controlling or losing weight?
Whilst pregnant I suggest light physical activity, staying fit and active is important. But, don’t under estimate the importance of a balanced diet. I wouldn’t worry about weight whilst being pregnant and most importantly listen to your body’s signals. At the post pregnancy stage getting active when your body is ready is important. Listen to your body. Resuming gently activity will kick start your metabolism and breast feeding will also help. Although I’m at this stage at the moment I hope to start by walking gradually leading to part-walking, part-running.
It’s important to get children involved in sport, how do we as a nation go about it?
I’ve recently been involved in a new project called ‘Playing for success’ which demonstrates the importance of getting kids involved in sport in a fun and interesting way. Children need a positive experience enjoying sport, without being afraid of failure. If children get enjoyment from sport we will see longer sustained benefits. Sports need to be made more interesting for children – running laps around a track is not inspiring. Running has a role to play but needs to be made more interesting to children.
