Welsh middle-distance runner says ending runner-up to Kelly Holmes within the 2002 Commonwealth Video games 1500m in Manchester is her most interesting second
For the smaller nations, the Commonwealth Video games is an actual stepping stone. I at all times seen 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 then you definately go into the subsequent one pondering: “I didn’t obtain what I got down to obtain there.” It sort of hangs over you a bit 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 correct form. I simply felt a bit like a donkey all 12 months 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 could come collectively, and then you definately 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 had been attempting to give attention to on the monitor? We simply went again to fundamentals the next 12 months 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 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’d blow up right here as a result of we’ve received the Kenyans, and we’ve received the Brits and the Australians … a variety of good runners.” I actually felt I used to be attempting to realize one thing towards the chances.
The week earlier than, I went to Monaco, got here thirteenth and ran 4:07. I’m an individual who will at all times view the glass as half full, however I got here again damaged after that race. On the finish of the day, what might 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 the heats comparatively simply and also you at all times know you’ll be able to’t run the ultimate if you happen to’re not in it. Within the ultimate, I got here by in direction of the top however it nonetheless shocked 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 correct day, in the correct place. And I had that.
Hayley Tullett (Getty)
Possibly it was that racing mind of an athlete, that aggressive edge. In case you’re operating folks down, you’ll be able to sense that possibly you’re going to realize one thing. You simply maintain operating 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 a bit carrot dangling. I began to suppose: “If we get a superb season going, let’s see what we will get out of that.” It shifted my mentality.
With hindsight, we possibly modified too many issues, particularly the health club work. I used to be higher off simply sticking with the essential stuff that I’d been doing earlier than, and doing that effectively, versus attempting to do new issues. On the finish of the day, 5000m classes aren’t going to give you the results you want if you happen to’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 initially of December, I completed fifth. We’d realised what my strengths had been. It confirmed in how I felt actually sturdy coming into that winter, and it saved popping out to the opposite aspect of it, into the monitor season the place I used to be finally in a position to do effectively on the World Championships and get on to the rostrum.
As informed to Mark Woods