Happy New Year

The New Year is fast approaching and 2010 is coming to an end and what a year it has been.

Three National Championship medals, Two Commonwealth Games medals, The Herald Sports Personality of The Year and BBC South West Sportswomen of The Year, all this achieved after five years away from the sport. I really do feel blessed after such an amazing year, but as the year draws to a close I am busy making my own New Years Resolutions and my Short Term Goals for 2011 so I thought I would share them with you..........

Resolutions
1) GIVE UP CHOCOLATE
For a diabetic I have a real bad sweet tooth and love stuffing my face with chocolate, so from January I am going to limit it to one day a week this will be my treat day


2) HEALTHY DIET
No more fat food shall pass these lips!! NOTHING so if anyone See's me sat in McDonalds tucking into a burger feel free to come over and take it from me and remind me what I have wrote ;-)

That's it for my resolutions as if you have too many you won't achieve them all so now for my short term goals for 2011...........

Short Term Goals
1) ? ? ? ? Number one will have to remain a secret for now I am afraid as I have something coming up in early January and if all goes well I shall write a Blog and inform you - it's a big one!!

2) Run sub 7.3 over 60mtrs, Sub 11.3 over 100mtrs, Sub 23 over 200mtrs

3) Double medallist at both Indoor and Outdoor National Championships

4) Make the European Indoor Championship Team

5) Make the World Outdoor Championship Team

6) Increase my 1RpM by 10K on Cleans, Bench and Squats within three months

That's my Short Term Goals complete, it's always good to set goals so you have something to work towards and I strive to succeed and do my best to achieve them. At least now I can tick off when I achieve any of my goals and then I can set myself new targets
so here is too 2010 and hoping 2011 is an even better one. Wishes you all a great 2011 and may all your dreams come.



You got to believe to succeed

Merry Christmas Everyone

I would like to take this chance to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and I hope you have had a fantastic time with loved ones, ate loads, and got merry ;-)


Since having my daughter Christmas has a whole new meaning, just seeing Mia's face when she wakes up in the morning and sees Santa has been is priceless. Mia is so grateful I could have given her a cardboard box and she would have said "thank you mummy your so kind". This year as one of her presents I brought her a high top bed so me and my dad spent about four hours on Christmas Eve while Mia was asleep in mine putting it together (the things we do for children ay) when Mia woke up in the morning and we walked out of my bed room she saw her old bed in bits, she asked what had happened. I told her the Father Christmas had broke her bed as he was tired so he laid down on her bed for a sleep and it broke. She turned and said " but I don't have a bed now mummy!" so I told her we had better check her room and see, when she walked in and saw her hightop bed her face lit up and she turned to me and said "do you know what mummy your the best mum in the world, your so kind, good girl" bless her that for me was the best Christmas Present in the world and it came out of the mouth of a three year old ;-)

I'm not going to say I had a lazy Christmas Day as I didn't, although I do have to confess that I have eaten WAY to much food the last two days BUT while my parents and Mia where chilling on the sofa watching the telly I was busy doing a weights session!! How good am I?? Haha. Every now and again Mia would stand up and count my lifts and during circuits join in. I did get a Twitt from my coach telling me to REST but that was after I had finished, never mind I took today off instead and spent the day at my parents house with my brother, sister in law and my nephews and niece. It was our second Christmas dinner so now I'm not going to eat for the next week as I have probably put on all the weight I had lost!!!!!!

This is what Christmas is all about enjoying family time

Thought I would share some pictures with you guys and show you the conditions I have trained in the last few weeks

BBC SouthWest Sportswomen of The Year 2010

Friday the 17th I was invited to BBC Spotlight Studios for a live interview to talk about and reflect on the year I've had after the last five years of setbacks, well this is what I was led to believe anyway.

There I was sat in the studio talking about how hard I found the last five years and everything I had been through, and how I felt after my success this year when Natalie Cornah confessed that she had told me a bit of a lie to get me into the studio, and then I was presented with the BBC SouthWest Sportswomen of The Year! I was totally gob smacked I had know idea that was going to happen, I was blown away. I really can't believe how fortunate I have been this year it really has been the best year of my life. Not only did I come away with two Commonwealth Medals I have picked up two amazing awards and really has capped of a fantastic year. The down side is I now have alot to prove next year as I don't want this to be a one off. The bar has been rasied and I have up'd my game and can't believe that in under three weeks I will be back competing again and starting my indoor campaign!! Man it's come around fast but I'm excited to see what I can achieve in 2011 I'm confident it's going to be an even better year.

This year for the first time ever I was invited to attend the BBC Sports Personality of The Year as a VIP I was intending to go but due to the bad weather I was unable to attend, my daughter had her christmas Nativity the day after and I didn't want to get stuck up in Birmingham and not make her Nativity, I was gutted that I didn't make the BBC SPoTY as it looked like a fab night and was full of amazing Sports stars but my daughter has to come first. She has to put up alot with me and my athletic, I'm always away from her either training or away competing abroad and she never moans about it so when Mia has something on I will give up anything to be with her

The Herald Sports Personality of The Year 2010

Monday December 7th was the evening of the Herald Sports Personality of The Year awards 2010. These awards have been running now for nine years which allows Plymouth to celebrate sporting success both on and off the field. The last time I was up for one of the awards was back in 2003 where I won Amateur Sports Personality of The Year, that seems a very long time ago now and what a journey both mentally and physically I have been on since then!! As mentioned in a previous post this year I was up for Champagne Moment of The year which is awarded for the best sporting moment, and also Sports Personality of The Year.

These awards are always a fantastic night and a chance for sportsmen and women, coaches, officials, clubs, family, friends and fans to meet and look back on the sporting highs Plymouth have achieved throughout the year. There are eight categories awarded on the night and there is a few that I thought were very well deserved. Coach of The Year went to Plymouth Leander's and my friend Jon Rudd who helped sprint swimmer Antony James to two medals at the Commonwealth Games, he keeps telling me he could make me a swimmer but I keep telling him I don't like putting my head under water as it will mess up my hair and make my makeup run haha. He's a lovely guy and totally deserved to win.
I was also pleased for the winner of Outstanding Contribution To Sport this went to a good friend Keith Reed from the Armada Athletics Network. I have known Keith for a very long time and he has always been very supportive throughout my athletic career. Keith has been involved in athletics for the best part of 30 years as an athlete, a coach and now administrator. He works very hard and is dedicated to athletics and works hard to promote and develop athletics in the city. For me he also deserved to win without Keith around in Plymouth athletics would have fallen by the way side. So thank you Keith for all your hard work.

Champagne Moment Of The Year was awarded to Tom Daley for the perfect day at the Commonwealth Games where he achieved seven flawless 10's from the judges and won the Gold. Tom is such an amazing young talent and a very nice young man too. I knew that Tom would pick up this award his performance well and truly beat any of our achievements this year perfect 10's by a 16 year old he has my vote for the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year.

The main award of the night was the big Sports Personality Of The Year and this was definitely the toughest category every seen at these awards, it had five Commonwealth Games medalists who had all achieved an amazing year anyone could have won it, it really was hard to call. At my table we had our money on Tom taking it, I really was not prepared at all for what was about to come. Colin Jackson was guest of honor and he opened the envelope and said it's an athlete, at this point I swore a little then thought OK we are all athletes really, it could be any of use, then when he said she has been out of the sport for five years, I really swore I couldn't believe that it was me I was totally blown away, a complete shock. The whole room came to their feet, clapped and cheered and I was still sat in shock. How emotional was I haha, my mum and dad where so proud. The walk to the stage was where I had to hold back the tears this for me was the icing on the cake to a great comeback year, I really couldn't believe that I had won during my speech I thanked my parents for everything as they are the only ones who have been by my side through the good times and the bad. They are the ones who believe in me and what I can achieve, they support me financially, they really are my world and without them by my side I would not be where I am today.

What a great way to put a lid on 2010 an unbelievable year the last five years of my life have been the hardest ever, I have overcome so much heartache and injuries over the last five years but it's moments like these that makes it all worthwhile. Thank you Plymouth ;-) xxxxxx

Where's the snow?

I'm not really a fan of Winter to be honest as I spend my whole time all year round come sun, wind, rain, or snow training outdoors and living by the sea makes it feel like I am stuck on the North Pole at times!! This Winter I am definitely feeling it.

I have lived in my flat now for over two years and this Winter I decided it was time to have my chimney cleaned out and ready for use, and since I had that done two weeks ago I have had my open fire lit every evening which makes it even harder for me to want to venture outdoors for training. At the moment I am praying for snow as at least then it wont be so cold outside, everywhere else in the UK seems to have snow besides us.I remember last December training on the track in the snow it was great fun a little bit tricky at time with a few slips her and there but it made the training session more interesting to say the least.


I have not been to well lately and have really suffered over the last two weeks, I have been trying to train but when I do my heart beats so fast and loud that I feel my chest is going to explode, not a nice feeling at all never I seem to end up laid out flat on the track thinking I am going to have a heart attack, it makes me light headed and then I end up with a headache, so I took a visit to the Doctors and having some blood tests taken to make sure everything is OK. Even when I am sat down my heart is beating fast, maybe I am just tired and my body is playing catch up now that I am back to reality and working, training etc.

So I shall be taking it easy until I get the all clear from the Doc and I have plenty of things to keep me busy. On Friday evening I am turning the Christmas Lights on at Albion Rugby Club where they also have a Santa's Grotto. Somehow Santa, myself and Mia will be riding in on some kind of slay but they are still busy trying to arrange that! so I could be arriving on a milk float for all I know ha ha. Then on Saturday I am opening up Chaddlewood Primary Christmas fete and then next Monday is the big night for me when I have the Evening Herald Sports Awards. So no rest for the wicked

Holidays Are Coming

Ok so it official the Christmas season is fast approaching as I have seen the famous coca cola advert 'holidays are coming it's coca cola' I love this advert but I'm sure it gets shown earlier every year! :-)

Also this week I was asked to help turn on Plymouth City Centre Christmas lights and I joined Fame Academy Student Lemar, Diving sensation Tom Dayley and the Face of Plymouth Charlotte Holmes in pressing the plunger and lighting up the streets of the Town Centre.
Lemar performed three songs for the crowd and he was fantastic and sang live, I had one of the best seats watching from the side of the stage. I got to meet him before we where taken down to the stage and he was lovely really down to earth and even had a chat with Mia (my daughter has a great life for a three year old haha).


I couldn't believe the amount of people that turned out to see the lights being turned on the street was packed. They even have an outdoor Ice Rink in the middle of town and I can't wait to get my skates on and have a go on it, I have an excuse as Mia keeps telling me she wants a go. ;-)


I have never been to any of the Christmas lights switch on as it always falls on a training night so this was my first one and I got to turn them on and I really enjoyed it they had many local dance acts and singers performing on stage so it was an entertaining night for all. I even managed to get a little bit of shopping done but I have to confess it wasn't any Christmas shopping I went and treated myself to a nice new dress to wear at next month sports awards. I have been nominated for Sports Personality of The Year and Champagne moment at the Herald Sports Awards and then I have also been invited to attend the BBC Sports Personality of The Year Awards. I really looking forward to going as it will be great to meet some amazing sports stars and witness the evening in the crowd instead of sat on the sofa watching the telly.

I am enjoying every moment of my life and feel very blessed to be able to be part of all these wonderful events

I'm A Celebrity........Keep Me In Here

So for the next four weeks the only way I am going to get to see my coach is to tune into 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' lucky for me I have been given my training sessions for the next month, so while Linford is having fun in the jungle I shall still be banging out the sessions.

I am a big fan of the show and have watched every series but this series will have my undivided attention and will be even more interesting. I know I am going to be glued to the telly watching Linford on his journey in the jungle and I may even phone and vote for L to do a bush tucker trial as a pay back for all those lactic sessions I have to endure, myself and Conrad Williams are already on the case haha

Linford has a wicked sense of humour, cracks jokes all the time, laughs alot and is a fun person to be around. There is not a session I have been to where I haven't had a giggle or two he's crazy!

I saw on a website recently that L had said "people will be going in there to win and they have an agenda. But I am going in there to meet people and have fun" this comes from a sprinting legend that has more golds than I have had hot dinners, you can't take the competitive streak out of any athlete I don't even let my daughter beat me at snap! Haha

I'm pretty sure that the whole nation will fall in love with Linfords sense of humour and he definatly gets my vote, here's to some great viewing TEAM LINFORD all the way do us proud coach :)

Winter starts all over again

Ok so I am two weeks into Winter training after a few weeks recovery following the Games and I'm certainly putting the hard work in. Training has stepped up a gear this Winter as I have plenty to prove next year and I need to stand up and deliver.

I have been working hard on shifting some body fat and leaning up as I have always struggled with my weight due to my diabetes and having Mia (even though she is 3 now haha) and I have been doing well. I have lost over a stone in weight in the last year and when I returned to training two weeks ago and did my 1rep max testing session in the weights room I hit everything hard, hit some pbs and realised my power to weight ratio was even better than before and can only get even better :)

I have also made a return to Boxing, which I did last Winter in prep to return back to athletics after five years out. This year my Boxing trainer has made me train with the men which has made me step it up a gear, I love it, I love working on the pads. These sessions are intense but I love the feeling when I leave knowing I have worked my ass off!!
My trainer had a chat with my dad after one of my sessions this week and told him I could have a good career in Boxing as he has never seen a women who can hit as hard and as fast as me. You never know maybe when I finish athletics I could take up Boxing instead ;)



whilst in the Boxing gym I saw a great quote which I would like to share with you

"when you have been defeated and you feel hopeless and all you want to do is feel sorry for yourself, this is the time a TRUE CHAMPION evolves to pick themselves up and keep going no matter how many times they've fallen in the past"

Commonwealth Reflection

Commonwealth Games double medalist still hasn't sunk in to be honest. It certainly isn't a championships I am going to forget in a hurry.

I must be the first women in history to go from 4th place to silver. However for me I was over the moon finishing in 4th this was a great achievement in my first year back after a long time out, and then the events unfolded which I am not going to go into as it has been covered everywhere you look and it's certainly not a highlight for. However coming away with a Gold medal was amazing and with three great girls who truly deserve it made it even sweeter :)

It was definitely the most emotional week of my life I went through every possible emotion but when standing on the podium it makes you realise that all the set backs you have, the hard work and graft you put in every day is worth it. I grew in confidence at the Games in every round and I learnt alot about myself and I now know that I want to achieve more.

I do have to say a massive thankyou to Christine Bowmaker who gave me such great support and encouragement whilst in Delhi she was my rock :) and also a massive thank you to my parents as they have been amazing this year and have been by my side every step of the way they have been there through the highs and the lows and more importantly my on tap babysitter for Mia haha love you all so very much. Also my brother John he was great whilst I was in Delhi keeping me updated on all the support I had at home and picking me up when I was feeling down :)

Enough of the love now haha but thank you to everyone for all your support whilst in Delhi now it's time for 2011 :)

Commonwealth Games Doha

Sorry it has been so long since my last blog but the Commonwealth Games have now arrived so all the hard work comes down to the next ten days or so. As some of you may know I am competing in the 100mtrs and the 4x100mtr relay and I really cant wait to get under way.

The last week I have been at the Team England holding camp in Doha and training at Aspire with my coach Linford and my training group Laura Turner, Mark Lewis-Francies and Conrad Williams. I have been busy doing my final preparation before heading into Delhi tomorrow. I have been fine tuning and sharpening up in the heat of Doha and I am feeling great and confident I can deliver a good performance.

The hotel we stayed in was lovely and the facilities where amazing however cause of the heat it made the block sessions hard as putting your hands and knee on the track was like putting them into a fire!!!



It's been great being here as everything I have done has been around the Games, I have ate, and slept athletics and ignored all the things in the press regarding what has been going on in the athletes village in Delhi. I don't care where I sleep I would sleep on the track, I am out here to do a job and that is to run and for the first time ever in England colours. I have been training hard and walked away from every session I have done out here getting better, sharper and full of confidence and I am ready to go to Delhi and step on the track and let rip. I kick off my first round of the 100mtrs on the 6th at 2.30pm UK time.


I have a bit of a story to share with guys as I am at the moment suppose to already be at the athletes village in Delhi with 29 athletes, however I am sat in a not so nice hotel in Bahrain!! we left Doha at 5am this morning on our first flight to Bahrain with some athletes being given two boarding cards for our connecting flight and others including myself only given one. Little did we know that when we would arrive in Bahrain those athletes that didn't have the connecting flight boarding pass where not getting on the connecting flight as the airline had OVER BOOKED the plane leaving 19 athletes and team management stuck in Bahrain! After about an hour of talking to the airline we where told that we would be put on the next flight to Delhi at 12pm travelling business class and while we had to wait we would be put up in a hotel. Could this day get any worse? YES to say the hotel is basic is an understatement and it looks like it has never been cleaned before!! To say all 19 of us are not happy is also an understatement we cant wait to get into Delhi this certainly hasn't been a stress free day haha. I'm confident that we will finally get to Delhi in the morning and I will be catching up on lack of sleep until the 6th haha. We maybe a little annoyed about what has happened but we are still in high spirits and making jokes out of the bad situation but please God get us to the village.

Anyway that's me done for now as we shall be leaving the hotel shortly next stop the Athletes Village followed by my time to shine so please tune in and support myself and Team England.

Chat soon.xx

Busy week working the press

Since the news of myself being named in the English Team for the Commonwealth Games I've been busy doing alot of press work this week and I feel like all the days have rolled into one.

I went on BBC Radio Devon breakfast show with my good friend Mr Gordon Sparks who was thrilled for me getting on the team. I love going onto his breakfast show as we don't really take things too serious and we have very good banter and always have a giggle. I had to be up at 6am in the morning to be on the show for 7am I am not a very good morning person at all, if I could I would stay in bed all day!!! On the show they where asking people to phone in with a poem consisting of four line about Plymouth so I wrote one myself so I thought I would share it with you............
Plymouth City holds a special place in my heart
Which is why us sporting Heros never do part
The swimmers, the divers, and an athlete too
Are off to Dehli to fly the Plymouth flag just for you!!!
I'm a women of many talents!! Haha

Following the breakfast show I then went onto the Countywide show and had another chat on the radio about how pleased I was to be included in the team and how I found it coming back after five years out. The talk on this show was about G.C.S.E's seen as it was result day and they where talking about how people offer their children rewards for good grades!! I never had that when I was at school and I didn't have good grades either, the question was asked "if I had been offered rewards would I have done better?!" I replied I don't think so I just wasn't that focused at all when I was at school, I was the child that always got in trouble ;)

Next stop was BBC Spotlight interview for local news. So I took a visit to the track with Mia to film me doing some drills and have my interview whilst walking around the track. The interview went really well and I was very pleased with the outcome. Whilst filming me doing my drills who was copying me in the lane next to me??!! Mia!! She was a little star a champion in the making for sure she stole my limelight, she looked so cute watching it back on the news, the presenters even said it looks like kathereine has an athlete in the making with Mia.......wonder how much I would get on her if I went to the bookies and put money down on her making the Olympics?! Ha

Commonwealth Games Here I Come

OK well it goes like this............I knew on Tuesday that I was going to Delhi and I had to keep it a secret until today when the Team was announced. I don't know how I managed to keep my mouth shut, this is a first for me!!! haha. However, I was allowed to tell my family so that made it a little easier for me.

So it's official I am going to the Commonwealth Game in Delhi to represent England in the 100mtrs and 4x1 relay. I feel very blessed to have been given the opportunity to compete in the 100mtr as I was chasing the qualifying time race after race and was coming into form with PB after PB. I am grateful that the selectors have seen that I am coming into form and I know that by the time it gets to the Games I will be in better shape and ready to run fast and lay down a marker.

I am amazed at the amount of support and well wishes I have received during my season, even from people I have never even met and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all very much. I will do my best in Delhi to make everyone proud and I cant wait to go out there and do the business. I am very glad that I decided to give my athletic carrer another shot after five years out it goes to show that with alittle hard work and dedication anything is possible

PB Machine!!!

Since I last wrote following the South West Inter Counties I have had a great week............my training sessions where going great I was running Pb's in training in my block sessions and everything started to feel like it was all coming together. I was pleased with the way things where going and how my body felt. One day in the week my mum phoned me to ask why I hadn't told her I had been given a lane at the Crystal Palace Diamond league??!!! To which I replied I hadn't that's why!!! My mum had check the Internet and I was down on the start list, me I was a Little confused.com but after sending an email it was confirmed that I was to compete. This was as a result of a lane becoming available and me posting a PB the previous weekend.

I was pleased to again be given the chance to run in such high quality competition and knew that it was going to be a busy weekend as I was also competing on the Sunday in the Bedford International Games this time over both the 100 n 200mtrs!

Well Crystal Palace for me was great and again I managed to produce another PB this time of 11.46 this was my 3rd PB in three races and it's wasn't one of best runs as I kinda fell asleep between 40-60mtrs so imagine how quick I can go with the perfect race!! Following Crystal Palace I was collected by my parents to travel to Bedford. My parents and Mia left Plymouth at 10.30am on the Saturday, they stopped off at a service station to watch my race and then hit the road again and eventually got to me at 6.30pm!!!! It took them 8hours to make the journey, that's support for me! Bless them they follow me everywhere they can and it's always great to have them with me when I'm racing.

The Bedford International Games was again another good competition for me I was second in the 100m with 11.47 just outside my PB set the day before so I showed consistency and have finally broken the 11.5 barrier! Next event for me was the 200m which turned out to be very eventful some of you may not know but I am an Insulin Dependent Diabetic so for me when competing it is important to keep my blood levels at a good reading so I check my bloods every time before the call room this time when I did it I showed I was having a hypo (very low blood sugar) this as a result means that all my glycogen stores are depleted (energy) . Then my name was called over the speaker to come straight to call room, when I got there I had to explain to the officials what has just happened and one of the lovely guys gave me a red bull and his banana to bring my levels back up!! Walking out on the track I told my mum I has just had a hypo and she told me not to run as I'll have nothing left in my legs but for me they had done all that travelling I was going to run so I did!!! On the blocks I thought to myself what the hell are you doing???!!! But it was too late the gun had gone so I reacted I had the best bend of my life and on the home straight I was struggling I had nothing in my legs at all but I kept going I crossed the line in 2nd place and I even managed another PB this time of 23.56. How I did it I'll never know, it was hard work if I hadn't had a hypo I would have gone alot quicker for sure but I'll just have to save it for another day :) I had to be pleased with what I had achieved.

So what's next?!........well tomorrow is when the meeting takes place and the team for the Commonwealth Games is named and I am keeping everything crossed that I have done enough and showed that I am coming into form and I will be named.
So fingers crossed I'll be sharing some good news with you

South West Inter Counties

Today was the first time I've raced since I ran in Gateshead where I set a personal best of 11.51 although I was pleased with a pb I wasn't happy with the lack of drive phase in my start. Since then I have spent alot of time trying to fix this and today i finally got it right :)

I competed for Devon today at the inter counties, my first event of the day was the 100m and I finally got out of the blocks and stayed down for once, and it felt good. It was my most relaxed run ever and I won by about 30 meters. I thought I was proberly near to my pb but when I looked back at the clock I had run a personal best of 11.48 and I felt like I was holding back. I'm not very good at racing against the clock I need the competition but today I did good and I was very pleased with my performance.

My second event of the day was the shot putt a bit random for a sprinter I know but I do it for a bit of fun I've never trained for it but in my first throw I managed another pb of 11m28 I finished 2nd in this event I stopped after my third throw as I had to concentrate on the 200m.

In my 200m again I had another good performance I didn't manage to make it three personal bests but I won and ran 23.77 this is quicker than I ran at the trials and again I was about 30meters ahead of second place. I felt really strong and for the first time this year I ram a perfect bend and off the curve onto the straight.

All in all I think I had a good day at the track and have walked away full of confidence I can go alot quicker. I know I'm coming into form and am in pb shape! So I am now looking forward to racing next weekend and hopefully I can go from strength to strength and post some more personal best :)

Now I'm going to have a nice relaxing evening with Mia and get an early night as I have to be up early in the morning to join my friend Mr Gordon Sparks at BBC Radio Devon breakfast show at 8.30am for a chat so be sure to listen in

Home Sweet Home

Well that's it European Championships complete!!

A great team effort from Team GB and 19 medals brought home, 6 Gold, 7 Silver, and 6 Bronze and one of the silver medals went to my good friend and training partner Mr Mark Lewis Francies! To say I was over the moon for him was understatement and trust me he was over the moon too! It's always great to see someone in your group do so well and after a period of time out makes the achievements even more sweeter. It certainly rubs off and makes me want to achieve greatness on my return to athletics but at the same time I have to be patient as my time will come I'm sure of that!!

I had such an amazing time the atmosphere was electric and I had front seats! I learnt alot whilst I was away it's always good to watch how every ones preparation differs know one prepares the same and you always learn new drills or different aspects of warm up! I took plenty of mental notes whilst at the training track and in the warm up track at competition.

I didn't get to run in the relay and of course I was disappointed and upset if I wasn't then there would have been something wrong me! But these things only make me stronger, I look at it as it wasn't my time to run these things happen for a reason and mine is that I need to make the commonwealths for the individual spot and the relays so I can now take my dissappointed and put it to good use on the track and post the qualifying time so they have to pick me and I have to run!!

So Now I am back home in Plymouth with my beautiful baby girl and as soon as I was back I was back to training getting myself prepared to race this Sunday. It's not a massive competition for me but I'm representing Devon at the South West Inter Counties. I enjoying doing these meetings as it's my routes it's where I cone from and where I started out! I'm doing both the 100 and 200 plus check this out........the SHOT!!!! I am Devon Champion and all haha. So for me I am looking to go there and run fast and who knows try and break the records, not that I know what they are but anything is possible and I know I am in great shape at the moment and ready to run FAST!!!!!!!!

Championships Begin

Well I don't know what to say really.......

three minutes (more like three days) to the biggest battle of our professional lives....either we heal as a team or we're gonna crumble, inch by inch, play by play till we're finished, we're in hell right now (actually we're in Barcelona), believe me and we can stay here and get the shit kicked out of us or we can fight our way back into the light, we can climb out of hell (run) one inch at a time now I cant do it for you I'm too old I look around and I see these young faces and I think,I mean........
I made every wrong choice a middle aged man ( athlete) could make, I pissed away all my money believe it or not, I chased off anyone who's ever loved me and lately I cant even stand the face I see in the mirror.......

you know when you get old in life things get taken from you I mean that's part of life, but you only learn that when you start losing stuff you find out life's this game of inches so is Athletics because in either game life or athletics the margin for error is so small, i mean one half a step to late or to early you don't quite make it, one half second to slow or too fast you don't quite catch it, the inches we need our everywhere around us, in every minute and every second, this team we fight for that inch, on this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch, we claw with our fingernails for that inch because we know when we add up all those inches that's gonna make the f#@"*ing difference between winning and losing, between living and dieing........

I'll tell you this in any fight its the athlete who's willing to die who will win that inch and I know if I'm going to have any life its because I'm still willing to fight and die for that inch because that's what living is, the six inches in front of your face now I cant make you do it you got to look at the athlete next to you, look into her eyes now I think your gonna see a girl who's gonna go that inch with you, your gonna see a girl that will sacrifice herself for this team because she knows that when it comes down to it your gonna do the same for her, that's a team ladies and either we heal now as a team or we will die as individuals........


That's Track and Field, That's all it is, That's GB ;)


What a great start to the championships already, medal tally doing well and a massive congratulations to my training partner Mr Mark Lewis-Francies and a great Silver medal performance in the 100mtrs!
The stadium is amazing It is by far the best track I have been too, and according to the athletes its also fast. At the moment I am chilling in the corridor of our team hotel Jamming with some music with Miss Elaine O'Neill, Miss Hayley Jones, and Mr Graham Hedman (Just been informed by Graham he is a SIR!! Bull, haha). This is us trying to keep ourselves entertained, we even painted our nails in red and blue for Team GB colours! The relay Team doesnt compete till Saturday morning so its a very long wait for us guys but when our time does come it's going to be out of this world

Barcelona Here We Come

So Team GB and myself have been in Portugal now for over a week, but for some of us it comes to an end tomorrow when we head into Barcelona and the count down to the Europeans begin.

The weather has been great, the surroundings amazing, and the training has been going great too! I've had some great treatment by the physio guys out here which have helped to keep my body ticking over nicely. As you can see by the needles in my leg, I had 13 in total right down my leg!!! I feel like a human dartboard but it does help.
I've even managed to brave the Ice Baths a few times out here or should I say wheelie bins check it out....
Its not all fun and games being an athlete, there is alot of aches and pains along the way.

One of my highlights whilst being in the holding camp is the fact that each athlete had a photo shoot done this was great fun, I enjoyed this as I was able to mess around and play in the water having some fun pictures done and some serious ones also. I did have a complaint from the hotel as I was in one of the water features having mine taken and splashing around....know longer allowed to enter the water feature for future photos haha. Here is some of my photos


Aviva have looked after us here really well and I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity to be here. This week has been great the relay squad have trained together well and we are all looking forward to going into Barcelona and seeing who will be the four athletes running on the day.

Holding Camp Arrival

On Thursday the 15th of July I left a cold, wet Plymouth behind and my beautiful daughter Mia and headed for Monte Gordo, Portugal for Team GB holding camp in preparation for Barcelona 2010 European Athletics Championships.

We are staying in a beautiful complex in the middle of nowhere which is so peaceful and relaxing and the ideal place to focus on the task in hand. We have everything we need right on our door step. Plenty of sunshine which is always great to wake up too, an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, and a beach a short walk through the Golf course. Unlimited food.....this is where I have to be careful, with so much on offer I am resisting temptation as I do not want to leave her putting on weight my plan is to lose it!!! I have never eaten so much salad in my life, I'm not really one for the green things but I have to say I am doing well :) I will lose weight!!! haha.

We have our own training venue whilst here which is also another great place to train, it's about a 20minute drive from our Team hotel but its very secluded and again peaceful. Plus it's a lovely sun trap, after my first session at the track on Friday I was already burnt!! It's not good for my pale skin tone!!

I always seem to feel better training in the sun, I'm not sure what it is maybe it's just a feel good factor, plus I am here with my coach and some of my training group so that always helps. We have our first proper relay practice tomorrow so I am looking forward to that one......HHHHHHAAAAANNNNNNDDDDD!!!!!!!!

I have been able to stay in touch with Mia as we have Internet access so I have been chatting on skype, it's lovely just to see her and hear her voice. Although she keeps telling me that she is picking me up from the Airport I think she doesn't realise that its not just a few days this time bless her!! When I do speak to her it is as though I am just sat in the kitchen with her as she goes about her business like she does when I am at home, I have to keep reminding her that I am on the computer bless her!!

Anyway it is time for me to go to bed now as I have early practice in the morning, thinking of you always Mia and Mummy loves you lots.xxxxx Nite Nite

Time Is Precious

At the moment I feel like I am spending my life living out of a suitcase. I am really enjoying my season to date but the hardest thing for me is spending so much time away from my little girl.

I knew when I decided to make a comeback after five years out that it would be hard but I never imagined that I would have such a good year that would see me travelling around the Globe. The nicest feeling for me is when I return back home to Plymouth and finally get to see Mia and spend some quality time with her.

I do get to speak to Mia on the phone when I am away but its very brief as I am sure she does it to get back at me for leaving her behind again. However she is fortunate to have such good Grandparents who take care of her while I am away, Plus her Uncle John keeps her on her toes if she dares to play up!!! haha.
The great thing these days is the fact that you can use Skype if you have Internet access and Mia loves this as she gets to see me. If anyone could see our conversations via Skype video link they would think I was crazy!!!
I think that Internet access should be free in every hotel as the price they expect you to pay is ridiculous, but then the price of my mobile phone bill is even worse.

I know appreciate Mia even more and I just enjoy her company and I tell her I love her every chance I can. Although she is only two she is my best friend, she picks me up when I am down and brings a smile to my face all time and makes me laught every day.
We sit and watch movies together todays was Monsters Inc with our little picnic. We draw each other pictures mainly Peppa Pig, haha. We sing songs Mia's favourate is Imma Bee by the Black Eyed Peas plus a little song that goes....'wheres my mummy gone?, Wheres my mummy gone? She left me behind!!....Says it all really!

Best thing for me is I know that Mia is my number One fan and she tells me while I am away 'Run Fast Mummy and stay relaxed!'

My time is very precious with Mia and I love her with all my heart. Love You Mia Grace.xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Great Britain Grand Prix Diamond League

Saturday 10th July at 17.09pm saw me competing in my first ever Diamond League in Gateshead

If someone had said to me at the beginning of this year that I would medal at the Aviva UK Championships, represent Great Britain, be selected as part of the relay for the European Championships, and finally run in a Diamond League I would have not believed them for a second but...........all of this has happened and i feel blessed to have come so far this year.

In my last race before heading out to holding camp for the Europeans I lined up against some of the fastest women in the world and ran a personal best! I enjoyed every minute of it, I wasn't nervous I was just grateful to have the opportunity. I didn't execute my start and drive phase very well but the most important thing was that I didn't panic I stayed relaxed and managed to run a Pb of 11.51 only a small Pb but it counts and if i had executed my start phase correctly I would have done even better but I can learn from this and work on that during my time in Barcelona with my training partner Laura Turner and my coach Linford Christie.

It was a fantastic experience for me and I got to watch some of the best athletes in the world in action both on the track and in the warm up area, its amazing what you can learn from just sitting and watching other athletes go through their preparation before heading onto the track to compete. I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to compete in a world class field and it makes me hungry to achieve more and gain plenty more opportunities like this. So now its back to some more training during my time in Barcelona and who knows what may follow.......

Super 8 Series

On wednesday night I competed in the Super 8 Series at Scotstoun new stadium in Glasgow represting Team Plymouth!

This was great for me as Plymouth is my home town and people seem to think that the world ends at Bristol so it was great to see Team Plymouth added as one of the regions in this series! It was nice to finally put Plymouth on the map in athletics, and I wasn't the only athlete from Plymouth to compete I was also joined by Plymouth based Micheal Wilsmore and Sam Peters. The team itself was captained by Craig Pickering who had been busy practicing his janner accent!

The Super 8 Series Sees a number of events carried out over a space of two hours, the action on the track and field comes think and fast for spectators, and for us athletes!

This was my first ever invite to the Super 8 and I was asked to double up in the sprints however changes to the timetable of the competition left me with ten minutes between finishing the 200mtrs and the start of the 100mtrs! This was a tough task by anyones standards but I did it and so did fellow athlete Louise Bloor.
I finished 3rd in the 200mtrs trying to hold something back for the the 100mtrs as soon as we had finished the 200mtrs we where hurried along to the start of the 100mtrs not having time to catch my breath we where on the start line. I was good for about 30mtrs then the lactic hit hard and I was going nowhere!!! I will never ever, ever do that again but I did enjoy the experience and have learnt that it can not be done with success! I then went on and ran the 200mtr leg in the medley relay and my legs felt a little bit more back to life and I ran on adrenalin!

All in all it was a good experience and in my eyes a hard training session. In the end Team Plymouth finished in last position but some very good and gutsy perfromances from the team. But next year if I get asked to compete again I will not be doubling up and im pretty sure that Louise is thinking the same.

Im not heading home to Plymouth now instead im travelling down to Newcastle to compete in my first ever Diamond League and then I will be able to spend a few days at home with my beautiful daughter Mia before heading out to Monte Gordo for the Europeans holding camp

Cork City Sports 59th International Athletics Meeting

Today I raced at the Cork City Sports 59th International Athletics Meeting (bit of a mouthful I know lol) The last time I raced at this meeting if my memory gets this right was I think back in 2005!!

In my previous blog I had wished for perfect conditions and fast times....well that was not to be today. Instead we had to battle into very strong head winds. In the 100m it was into a -5.5 and then the 200m was a -4.6 WINDY!! Unfortunately we can't predict the weather but I'm there to do a job and that's to run. It's surprising how many athletes decided not to race due to weather conditions, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't step down in an Olympic Final.

Although I was disappointed with the conditions and the not so quick times recorded today the plus side is I did manage to medal in the 200mtrs.
I finished 3rd behind Cydonie Mothersill from the Cayman Islands and Alie Israel from the USA.

I even managed to get a picture with Kim Collins after his 200m.

For me I think my day went OK. I am a very hard person to please when it comes to competing I have very high expectations of myself and when I don't run like I am capable I get very disappointed. However today the fast times I would have liked to have run where never going to happen in these conditions, every athlete was way down on there PB's so I have to dust myself off and move on. My plan for this weekend was to stay relaxed and I did, I came away with a medal, I ran good times in these conditions, I know I am in PB shape and my time will come.

so whats next for me?!
I head back home in the morning to see my beautiful girl Mia. I promised to take her to the cinema to see Shrek if she was a good girl for Nanny and Grandad :) I will then head to Glasgow for the Super 8 Series on Wednesday night and following that head down to Gateshead for the Grand Prix on Saturday. I have a busy week ahead of me I seem to be spending my life living out of a suitcase at the moment

The world of Blogger

OK well I'm on the world of Facebook and recently joined Twitter so have decided now is the time to get with it and try the world of Blogging!

This is a whole new world to me so please bare with me, I will do my best!!

At the moment I am in Cork, Ireland relaxing in my room. I am due to race in the 59th Cork City Sports International Track and Field athletics meeting tomorrow. I am competing in both the 100m and 200m which prove to have good fields in both. This meeting seems to attrack alot of the Americans which is great to see. I am really looking forward to competing and hoping that I can produce some fast times and even some PB's!!! Now that would be great.

I have a busy week ahead of me as once I have competed here I shall head back home and see my daugther before heading to Glasgow to compete in the Super 8 Series where I shall be representing Team Plymouth, and then heading to Gateshead to compete in the Grand Prix over 100m which I'm really looking forward too. It was a shock when I got the call to say I can have a lane......I must be doing something right this year :)

Anyway thanks for taking time to read my first ever blogg!! Be sure to keep checking in

Best wishes

Katherine.xx