I think that’s particularly important for women. Did you train according to your cycle when you were competing professionally? How do you think the way we approach women’s health has changed in sport over the years?
“It was pretty non-existent when I was training. I was aware of feeling different at different stages of my cycle, and that it had an impact on training sessions, headspace and motivation levels. But when I was competing, it wasn’t really something that you could openly speak about to coaches or the medical team. It just didn’t seem like it was a topic to be discussed.
“Since retiring, I’ve learned so much more about this whole area, and a lot of young athletes are now more educated on what their bodies are doing and how to speak about it openly to practitioner. It’s definitely changed the way we look at the female body from a physiological point of view – we know we’re going to have peaks and troughs based on our hormones.
“More than anything, it gives athletes context around the way they’re performing. We often have a bad day and we’re like, oh gosh, I’m terrible, I can’t run the times that I used to. But if you look at all the different elements, and you put your hormones and your menstrual cycle into that as well, it gives you a much broader picture of why you might be performing or not performing the way you want. There are definitely more female athletes that come out and openly talk about it, and our voice is heard now in a really positive way.”
Health and wellbeing is obviously really important to you – how does that align with your work with Vitality?
“I’ve worked with Vitality since 2011. Everything they do, the whole ethos around getting more people active, looking at the barriers that women face getting into sport and just helping more people be health conscious is something that I believe in to my core.
“I’ve been on the amazing side of all the opportunities, learnings and skills elite sport can give you. Understanding your health makes you rich, doesn’t it? It’s the most important thing.”
Is that the biggest thing you’ve learned in your athletic career, do you think?
“Sport has completely shaped me as a person; my personality, my life in so many ways. I started I was nine or ten years old. As a young girl who was quite shy and very body conscious, it initially gave me that confidence in who I was, to have a voice, and to see my body in a different way. I think that’s a really important tool that a lot of young girls need. Your body is this amazing tool that can achieve and do great things.
“It’s also given me the ability to understand that things aren’t going to happen straight away. It’s taught me a lot about patience, resilience, failure. As a sports person, you’re failing all the time, because that’s how you get better. I’ve been able to take that into other areas of my life.
“Being a mum and having kids, I’ve got so many things that I want to pass on to them. Everything that you learn through being active, how you nourish your body, I’ve learned all that through sport.
“Finding a way to be active and to enjoy sport is enriching for everyone, particularly for young girls. There are so many barriers for young girls, and so many things that stop them in their tracks. But being able to guide girls through sport is really important for their general development.”
It’s so important for young girls, I agree, and also for older women. Have you got any advice for women in their forties, fifties and beyond who want to get started with running or being more active, but aren’t sure where to start?
“Carving out small chunks of time is really important, but it is so hard. I’m the same, and I’ve got lots of friends that have just got really busy work lives and kids, and the kids have all the activities, and you’re trying to find time to squeeze in bits for yourself. But if you can carve out half an hour or 20 minutes, go on a little run or do some form of exercise. It also gives you that headspace, some time to yourself, or to socialise with friends.
“You’re not going to change straight away, it’s a gradual thing. You’ll build up, you’ll get stronger, you’ll keep practicing, and you’ll get better and better. It’s inevitable, you will.
“If you don’t know where to start, try a bit of everything. Try your local yoga club, or go and do a little walk/run. Start somewhere and see what you actually really enjoy doing. And then it’ll very quickly build up if you enjoy it and you’re passionate about it, and you’ll get better and stronger, and you’ll feel amazing. Find the thing that works for you.”
Want more inspiration? Read our interview with Bryony Gordon.
