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