Welsh middle-distance runner says ending runner-up to Kelly Holmes within the 2002 Commonwealth Video games 1500m in Manchester is her best second
For the smaller nations, the Commonwealth Video games is an actual stepping stone. I all the time considered the 1998 Video games as being simply that for me: a primary main outside championship and one thing that will set me up properly for future occasions.
However that didn’t occur – I received injured and pulled out – so you then go into the following one pondering: “I didn’t obtain what I got down to obtain there.” It type of hangs over you just a little bit and the Commonwealths solely come spherical as soon as each 4 years.
However, in 2002, I didn’t know what was taking place. I couldn’t get in the suitable form. I simply felt a bit like a donkey all yr and it was actually irritating. I had no clue why it was taking place. I couldn’t hit coaching correctly. I simply couldn’t race. All season, I used to be having to hope it might come collectively, and you then get deflated when it doesn’t.
My coach Mark Rowland couldn’t perceive it, both. What was it that simply wasn’t working for us? Was it a change within the weights [I was lifting in the gym]? Or what we have been making an attempt to deal with on the observe? We simply went again to fundamentals the next yr and I ended up getting bronze on the World Championships however, after 2002, 2003 felt like a final likelihood as a result of I couldn’t maintain going by way of issues like this.
Hayley Tullett, Kelly Holmes, Helen Clitheroe (Mark Shearman)
I don’t know if there was a strain I used to be placing on myself as a result of it was the Commonwealths, and I had missed the Video games earlier than, however I went into it not anticipated to realize something. I wasn’t in form. I didn’t even make it out of the opening spherical on the European Championships per week later.
On the Commonwealths I used to be pondering: “I would blow up right here as a result of we’ve received the Kenyans, and we’ve received the Brits and the Australians … plenty of good runners.” I actually felt I used to be making an attempt to realize one thing in opposition to the percentages.
The week earlier than, I went to Monaco, got here thirteenth and ran 4:07. I’m an individual who will all the time view the glass as half full, however I got here again damaged after that race. On the finish of the day, what may we do, although? I believed: “You’ve received a Commonwealth Video games the next week – simply get on with it.”
I had nothing to lose. I received by way of the heats comparatively simply and also you all the time know you possibly can’t run the ultimate in the event you’re not in it. Within the remaining, I got here by way of in direction of the top but it surely nonetheless stunned me how I got here away with silver.
You knew that, if Kelly was even 80 per cent match, she was going to be on for a medal and was in all probability going to be champion, whereas I needed to be 100 per cent to problem. That silver was such a giant achievement as a result of there was so little expectation. Typically, it’s about getting all these little issues to go proper on the proper time, on the suitable day, in the suitable place. And I had that.
Hayley Tullett (Getty)
Possibly it was that racing mind of an athlete, that aggressive edge. In the event you’re working individuals down, you possibly can sense that perhaps you’re going to realize one thing. You simply maintain working to the road. I got here previous a number of others and constructed on it down the house straight.
It meant a lot that we received one thing out of a nasty season. There was a silver lining in there. Or there was just a little carrot dangling. I began to suppose: “If we get season going, let’s see what we will get out of that.” It shifted my mentality.
With hindsight, we perhaps modified too many issues, particularly the gymnasium work. I used to be higher off simply sticking with the fundamental stuff that I’d been doing earlier than, and doing that nicely, versus making an attempt to do new issues. On the finish of the day, 5000m periods aren’t going to be just right for you in the event you’re aiming for 800m-1500m particular coaching. It didn’t work. We simply went again to fundamentals.
On the European Cross Nation Championships in 2002 originally of December, I completed fifth. We’d realised what my strengths have been. It confirmed in how I felt actually sturdy coming into that winter, and it saved popping out to the opposite facet of it, into the observe season the place I used to be ultimately capable of do nicely on the World Championships and get on to the rostrum.
As instructed to Mark Woods
