Busy busy times...

The last couple of days have been pretty tough and I’ve been feeling a bit down about things. Got myself into a little bit of a rut. Went down to London for the day on Thursday for a meeting with the UKA Doctor. I will post more details regarding this when things are more clear and for definite. I got a direct flight from Dundee early Thursday morning but it was perfect as it took me straight to London City. I had never been to London before apart from going direct to races on the outskirts of the city. I was slightly worried I would get totally lost trying to head into the centre but it was so easy to work out. I absolutely loved it. It reminded me of New York although it was absolutely freezing.

 I got in pretty early and so had 3 hours to kill before my meeting. Decided my best option was to go shopping for a bit. If I had 10p for every person that stared at my massive astronaut boot I would easily be a millionaire. Several people actually stopped me to ask what I had done, they were all very friendly and harmless, but when I told them I broke it running I always got funny looks.  Went into Abercrombie and Fitch (as I absolutely loved the store in NY), but the one in London was not the same. The people are extremely annoying. As soon as you walk in the door they’re harassing you and dancing in your face pretending their loving life. It doesn’t make me want to buy clothes; it makes me want to leave. Anyways I got out of their pretty quickly and made my way to Topshop. It was maaaaaassive and the boss, as in Sir Phillip Green, walked past me with several huge bouncers, which was pretty cool. The only purchase I made was some underwear and a packet of Twizzlers. I think I am having withdrawal symptoms from them. Twizzlers are an American candy, strawberry flavoured, and generally the best thing you will ever taste. My first ever memory of being alive is one of which I am in a buggy, in America, eating Twizzlers. Strange but true. The other day I looked them up online and was considering shipping over several boxes however it was pretty expensive and I definitely do not have enough money at the moment… I will start saving.

I am (hopefully) going to be attending the UKA Aviva Awards on the 26^th November, which is my birthday weekend, and so I had already planned to head to London for the weekend with my Boyfriend to visit some of his family and to go shopping! Cannot wait.

Anyways back to what the Doctor said. I still have another 5 weeks in this horrifically huge boot, but I can continue with my cross training and slowly start to increase on that aspect of my rehab program. I also need to start doing little exercises for the small muscles in my foot as they have literally turned to jelly!

Currently on the lookout for a small job as my current job doesn’t have many hours available in order to support myself and I am still not on any funding. Thankfully all my physio and rehab costs are being covered by UKA. However I still need to find some money in order to eat! Haha I laugh just now, but I wont be laughing when I’m at home starving!  Jokinnnnnnng…. Sort of. The foot is getting a lot better though. It is no longer sore to stand or walk on and I don’t feel it at all cross training. The muscles are slowly getting more strength in them and the mobility has masses of improvement in the last few days.

On Sunday I attended a Question Of Sport Live show through at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. My mum was a panelist on a team with Phil Tufnell and rugby player Andy Nicol. It was a pretty funny night with several members of the drunken audience shouting out abuse and wrong answers. Also introduced my mum and my boyfriend to Nandos. They had never had one before! I know... The two of them are weirdo’s...but they absolutely loved it! Eilish wins!

This week I have been busy with workshops as part of the 'Champions in School' program I am taking part on. This is in conjunction with the Winning Scotland Foundation. The first workshop was in Glasgow with the Broadcasting Business the second was in Edinburgh with Jamming Fitness. I will upload a more in depth blog on both of these workshops as their concepts and ideas are pretty interesting!

This weekend is just as busy! Everything seems to all be happening at once. I am attending the Scottish Athletics Awards ceremony on Saturday night through at the Mariott Hotel in Glasgow. Looking forward to it however not looking forward to wearing a nice dress and this astronaut boot! Not a good look. On Sunday it is my Boyfriend Howells Bday and so we are going to visit his parents for the day then meet with friends that night. It will be the first time I have seen my friends socially since Feb! Looking forward to it, may even dress up with it being so close to Halloween, hopefully people will think the moon boot is part of my outfit! Haha 

Till next time!

Meeting in London..

Things have been a lot better this week. I am back walking about (almost normally) wearing this massive boot. I have even been able to start walking in normal trainers. However this has only been for the marathon distance of about…5 metres. Went into university for an exam the other day and got A LOT of strange stares due to my massive moon boot. It looks like an astronauts boot. To be fair, it’s not a great look. Putting weight through it, initially is quite sore due to the foot being so stiff and quite rigid. There is absolutely no flexibility in the forefoot or toes and so normal walking is a bit of a chore at the moment. I have a meeting with a UKA Doctor down in London on Thursday. Hoping to fly down on the morning and fly home at night, bit of a trip, but I am sure it will be worth it. Cannot wait to get my rehab program started.  I have started slowly replacing my pool sessions with cross training sessions. Things are going well so far, however my legs are already aching with just the slight increase in impact.

My last exam is tomorrow and I cannot wait for it to be over. As soon as it is done I will be free from Uni over the next few months to concentrate on getting myself back fit and healthy! I’m hoping to head over to Kenya for a few weeks at the start of January. I found out today that I have been included on UKA’s World Class Performance Plan, (link below). So happy to have been included on this program and I know that with their help and expertise I will be back running again in no time.

Currently as I type this blog, my boyfriend Howell, my flat mate Craig and his friend James are all upstairs playing ‘Nazi Zombies’. Listening to them get so excited over a game is hilarious although, I am a bit of a loser sitting downstairs on my own watching TV. I miss having girls as flat mates! 

My little brother turned 12 yesterday, so a massive HAPPY BIRTHDAY to him!! Although his hair cut is slowly becoming more and more Justin Beiber-esque. I have tried to persuade him several times to cut it but it’s obviously ‘cool’ for his age. Supposedly driving about on a tiny bike is also ‘cool’, he has told me this is called a BMX and is no ordinary bike as “it can do tricks and stuff…” I feel like an old woman, its horrible. Anyways if you are reading this Martin you need a hair cut and a proper bike. Haha. My little sister on the other hand is walking around the house like a little Paris Hilton, also very funny. I sort of miss living at home, however I do live so close to them that I can still see them every day, but can leave as quickly as I entered!

In other news.. my mum has a brand new website. Have a quick look on: www.lizmccolgan.com

Will post another little update after my meeting down in London.

World Class Performance Program

UKA ANNOUNCES 2011/12 WCPP ATHLETES

17 October 2011
UKA, the national governing body for athletics in the UK, has today announced those athletes to be supported by the World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) for 2011/12, the season of the 2012 London Olympiad.
The WCPP selections, across both Olympic and Paralympic programmes, categorise the athletes into two levels of funding; Podium and Development with both groups delivering against UK Sport funding requirements and strict performance targets.

In this crucial final countdown to London 2012, selection to Podium level funding is focussed entirely on achieving medal success and top eight finishes at next summer’s Games.

2011 World champions Mo Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar) and Dai Greene (Malcolm Arnold) retain their places on Podium funding, while Daegu medallists Phillips Idowu (Aston Moore), Jessica Ennis (Toni Minichiello), Hannah England (Bud Baldaro) and Andy Turner (Lloyd Cowan) are also retained at the top level.
Three-times IPC World Champion David Weir (Jenny Archer) - reigning Paralympic champion over 800m and 1500m - is among 25 Paralympic athletes named at Podium level.
Following their top eight finishes at the IAAF World Championships in South Korea in August, Tiffany Porter (James Henry) and Yamile Aldama (Frank Attoh) will now also receive full WCCP Podium level support.

Elsewhere, a number of previous Development level athletes have been elevated to Podium funding. Holly Bleasdale (Julien Raffalli-Ebezant), Jack Green (Malcolm Arnold), Emma Jackson (Alan Morris) and Nathan Woodward (Nick Dakin) are amongst some of the athletes that are demonstrating how effectively the WCPP programme is nurturing young athletes towards success at senior level. While Paralympic athlete Scott Moorhouse (Dan Pfaff), fourth in the IPC World Championships, moves up through the WCPP from Development level to Podium courtesy of his lifetime best performance of 47.33m in the F42 javelin which ranks him second in the World.

Charles van Commenee, UKA Head Coach (Olympic), said: “We operate in a results driven business in which clear decisions have to be made if athletes are not performing to the high standards we set.

“We have reviewed performances from 2011 including those from previous years and identified what needs to be done in order to meet our targets for 2012.
“Progress was made in 2011 but there is still work to be done before next August to make our athletes perform better. A target of eight medals including one gold still remains.”
While the eyes of the World will be on London next summer, the Development level athletes have been selected onto the WCPP as part of the long term focus on medal success during the next Olympiad.
European Under 23 discus gold medallist Lawrence Okoye (John Hillier) has been included in the Development squad for the first time along with many improving performers including James Shane (Martin Brown).

Charles van Commenee, further added: “The athletes selected onto the programme will deservedly be given support from UKA and the National Lottery and these people will perform to the highest possible standard for the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team on the international stage.
“The funding made available to UKA from the National Lottery enables our athletes to work with the best coaches and other support staff to ensure they got the best possible preparation for when they pull on a Great Britain vest.”
Peter Eriksson, UKA Head Coach (Paralympic), added: “It’s been a long year because of the IPC World Championships in January, but in the main, our athletes have continued to deliver high quality performances throughout the summer which have made this selection process easier for us.
“Moving into a Paralympic year it’s important that we’ve increased the base level at which our athletes are competing and I’m confident that we’ve done that, partly through more competition opportunities, but also due to the commitment from the athletes and the no-excuses environment in which we’re operating.
“Added to that, while the support we have from UKA and the National Lottery gives every athlete the opportunity to demonstrate their ability, the medal targets set by UK Sport ensure that once on funding, they must maintain that exceptionally high standard.”

The selection panel, consisting of Head Coaches, National Event Coaches and an independent statistician. Athletes entered at either level have met strict criteria and performance standards which have been present throughout the year and will have further targets to meet over the next 12 months with the support of UKA staff.
WCPP 2011/12 Podium
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Michael Khmel), Yamile Aldama (Frank Attoh), Hollie Arnold (Anthony Hughes), Michael Bingham (Kevin Tyler), Paul Blake (Rob Ellchuk), Holly Bleasdale (Julien Raffalli-Ebezant), Sally Brown (Philip Tweedie),  Mickey Bushell (Fred Periac), Chris Clarke (Nick Dakin), Libby Clegg (Keith Antoine), Hannah Cockroft (Peter Eriksson), Tasha Danvers (Malcolm Arnold), Aled Davies (Anthony Hughes), Hatti Dean (Bud Baldaro), Kate Dennison (Scott Simpson), David Devine (Brian Scobie), Marlon Devonish (Dan Pfaff), Lisa Dobriskey (Ricky Soos), Nathan Douglas (Aston Moore), Kyron Duke (Anthony Hughes), Hannah England (Bud Baldaro), Jessica Ennis (Toni Minichiello), Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar), Dan Greaves (Jim Edwards), Jack Green (Malcolm Arnold), Dai Greene (Malcolm Arnold), Katrina Hart (Rob Ellchuk), Phillips Idowu (Aston Moore), Emma Jackson (Alan Morris), Beverley Jones (John Parker), Jeanette Kwakye (Michael Afilaka), Nigel Levine (Linford Christie), Steve Lewis (Dan Pfaff), Christian Malcolm (Dan Pfaff), Lee McConnell (Rodger Harkins), Jenny McLoughlin (Darrell Maynard), Jenny Meadows (Trevor Painter), Stephen Miller (Ros Miller), Scott Moorhouse (Dan Pfaff), Brett Morse, Christine Ohuruogu (Lloyd Cowan), Marilyn Okoro (Ayo Falola), Craig Pickering (Micahel Khmel), Tiffany Porter (James Henry), Shara Proctor (Rana Reider), Paula Radcliffe (Gary Lough), Stefanie Reid (Dan Pfaff), Michael Rimmer (Norman Poole), Hazel Robson (Janice Kaufman), Martyn Rooney (Nick Dakin), Ben Rushgrove (Rob Ellchuk), Greg Rutherford (Dan Pfaff), Nicola Sanders (Tony Lester), Goldie Sayers (Dan Pfaff), Perri Shakes-Drayton (Chris Zah), William Sharman (Malcolm Arnold), Nathan Stephens (Anthony Hughes), Richard Strachan (Linford Christie), Chris Thompson (John Nuttall), Chris Tomlinson (Frank Attoh), Andy Turner (Lloyd Cowan), Steph Twell (Michael Woods), Sophia Warner (Jonas Dodoo), David Weir (Jenny Archer), Dan West (Dan West), Richard Whitehead (Liz Yelling/Keith Antoine), Rhys Williams (Dan Pfaff), Shelly Woods (Peter Eriksson), Bethany Woodward (Jonas Dodoo), Nathan Woodward (Nick Dakin), Mara Yamauchi (Shige Yamauchi)
WCPP 2011/12 Podium Relay
Shana Cox (Chris Johnson), James Ellington (John Powell), Mark Lewis-Francis (Linford Christie)
WCPP 2011/12 Development
Ola Abidogun (Stephen Thomas), Jonathan Adams (Malcolm Wallace), James Alaka (Clarence Callender), Meghan Beesley (Nick Dakin), David Bolarinwa (John Powell), Ashley Bryant (Ian Grant), Abdul Buhari (Mark Wiseman), Eilidh Child (Malcolm Arnold), Sean Clare (Shelley Holroyd), Lawrence Clarke (Malcolm Arnold), Adam Cotton (John Nuttall), Lee Doran (John Davies), Max Eaves (Alan Richardson), Luke Fagan (Michael Afilaka), Adam Gemili (Michael Afilaka), Thomas Green (Ken Green), Charlie Grice (Jon Bigg), David Guest (Mike Guest), Matthew Hickling (Paul Moseley), Sophie Hitchon (Derek Evely), Jordan Howe (Jane Coia), Katarina Johnson Thompson (Mike Holmes), Jade Jones (Ian Thompson/Tanni Grey-Thompson), Rhys Jones (Jane Coia), Luke Lennon Ford (Linford Christie), Mervyn Luckwell (Esa Utriainen), Jack Meredith (Donald Moss), Eilish McColgan (Liz McColgan), Dean Miller (Bud Baldaro), Mukhtar Mohammed (Mustafa Mohammed), Jade Nicholls (Andrew Neal), Georgina Oliver (Paul Moseley), Lawrence Okoye (John Hillier), Andrew Osagie (Craig Winrow), Scott Overall (Robert Chapman), Jonathan Peacock ( Dan Pfaff), Andrew Pozzi (Malcolm Arnold), Charlotte Purdue (Mick Woods), Julian Reid (Chris Harley), Matthew Roberts (Fayyaz Ahmed), Laura Samuel (Glenys Morton), Chris Scott (Andy Neal), James Shane (Martin Brown), Lynsey Sharp (David Sunderland), Vicky Silk (Anthony Hughes), Alex Smith (Shane Peacock), Stacey Smith (John Smith), Andrew Sutcliffe (Julien Raffalli-Ebezant), Danny Talbot (Daniel Cossins), Owain Taylor (Anthony Hughes), Kieran Tscherniawsky (Jim Edwards), Lorraine Ugen (Frank Attoh), Laura Weightman (Steve Cram), Laura Whittingham (Esa Utriainen)

Daily Record Article

Track legend Liz McColgan's daughter aims to follow in mother's footsteps with OIympic glory

Oct 13 2011 Rick Fulton

eilish mccolgan Image 1

LIZ McCOLGAN'S dream of Olympic glory for her daughter is back on track.

The Scottish track legend was devastated in August when 20-year-old Eilish suffered a broken foot, leaving her hopes of a place in the Olympics next year hanging by a thread.

But on Tuesday night Eilish, who excels in the 3000m steeplechase, was given the all-clear by her surgeon to start walking on the foot again.

She will now undergo intensive rehabilitation and should be back in full training after Christmas, ahead of the Games, which get started in nine months.

Liz said: "I'm pleased. It's been a hard couple of months for her and now she can see light at the end of the tunnel.

"I think she's still got time and I'm confident she will make the trials in July next year for the Olympic squad.

"She's had a great attitude and, although she's been on crutches and wearing a protective boot, she's been keeping her training up in the pool and with cycling."

It's been a nerve-shredding few months for mother and daughter after Eilish suffered a broken foot at the Diamond League event in London.

The youngster set a new Scottish steeplechase record in the race but ran the last 550 metres after a fall, which resulted in surgery and having a plate put in her foot.

It's not the first time injury has scuppered Eilish's dreams.

She was selected to compete in the Commonwealth Youth Games in India in 2008 but suffered a major knee injury that took her a year-and-a-half to recover from.

If Eilish can battle back and get to London 2012, she would become the first Scottish daughter of an Olympic athlete to perform at the Games.

It wouldn't be the first time in Olympic history that a mother and daughter have both competed.

Russian Irina Nazarova won a relay gold medal in 1980, following in the footsteps of her mother, Elizabeth Bagrinaseva, who took gold in the discus in 1952.

While Liz scooped silver, she is hoping her daughter will go one better and bag a gold - but maybe not next year.

She said: "I don't think she's there yet for a medal but she could set a new British record.

"She's got it in her and was only a second off it running with a broken foot.

"My hope is she'd be in a good position to win gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and then be ready for chasing a medal at the Olympics in 2016."

It would be an amazing case of deja vu for Liz.

She won her first gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1986 as a 22-year-old in the 10,000m.

She became a national treasure - not just because it was the only track and field win for Scotland, but due to the fact that she celebrated draped in a saltire.

She went on to bag silver in the 10,000m at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988, and won a second Commonwealth gold in 1990 for the 10,000m, as well as bronze after competing in the 3000m.

She then became World Champion in 1991 and would go on to take three gold medals in the marathons of New York, Tokyo and London. Having retired in 2001, Liz now coaches some of Scotland's most promising youngsters.

The oldest of Liz's five children, Eilish has now been nominated for the Under-23 athlete of the year at the Scottish Athletics Sports Awards on October 29. Liz is up for coach of the year.

Once Eilish is back running, Liz hopes she'll go to Kenya in January for an altitude camp.

They will also decide whether the youngster will compete in the 3000m steeplechase or the 5k trials for next year's Olympics.

But for now they are focusing on Eilish walking again. And Liz will be right by her side.

Eilish, a sports scholar at Dundee University, showed early promise when she won the 2004 British cross-country championships in her age group, and was ranked top in Scotland over 800m and 1500m.

While Liz's other children are still too young to compete, like most parents, Liz knows how hard it is to get kids off the computer and out of the house.

She said: "I've got four and they play the games. You've got to find the balance.

"I have no problem with it as long as they are outside as well.

"I wouldn't want them on 24/7 but I think for all kids, especially during the summer months, it's good to get outside and get social skills by playing with your mates.

"It used to be that you would walk your kids to and from school, or take them on the bike, but now they are taken by car.

"There's a lot of inactivity because our lifestyles have changed. I know it's difficult if you've been working all day.

"It's easy to pop the telly on, let them play the games, so you can chill out.

"You have to make an effort and get on a bike or take them to the park at the weekend."

Like many involved in sport, Liz is overjoyed that Britain has the Olympics and the Commonwealth Games 2014, showcasing talent and creating stadiums and pools in London and Glasgow.

Liz, from Panbride, near Carnoustie in Angus, trains her youngsters in Dundee and says more cash needs to be pumped into Scotland's facilities.

She said: "It's ridiculous what we train on.

"But the Ethiopians and the Kenyans have nothing and they are able to cope with it, so we've got better than some people.

"It's certainly better than when I was younger. It's not perfect or ideal, and our track is not in good repair, but you make the best of what you've got.

"You don't moan, you just get on with it."

Liz now runs a property and leisure business but will take time out for the Olympics.

She said: "I'm hoping to be at the Olympics in a coaching capacity. But the BBC haven't approached me to be a pundit.

"An event like that lifts the atmosphere in the country, even in Scotland, and doom and gloom goes by the wayside."

Next week, the former Sports Personality of the Year is a panellists for the Question of Sport tour.

The show is at Glasgow Clyde Auditorium on October 22, with host Sue Barker and team captains Phil Tufnell and Matt Dawson joined by Dennis Taylor among others.

Liz joins the panel for the Edinburgh Usher Hall leg on October 23 with Dennis and Dominic Cork.

She said: "It's much better fun than the television shows. There's lots of banter with the audience."

Hoping I got paid for this gig..

Found this the other day when my mum was cleaning out the house. Back in 1993, aged 3, think it's the Daily Record. It's a complete crime the clothes they have dressed me in, but very very funny. The top left hand photo cracks me up. Casually posing on a dog statue, as you do. These pictures have every main trend going:

Bumbag- check
Matching tartan hat and shorts- check
Holding flags down the catwalk- check

Don't know how my modelling career didn't take off.....

Finally some good luck.

Things over the past week have gone really well, I’m pretty lucky with the amount of good luck I have received recently. Yesterday was my meeting with the surgeon and I have been informed that I can start back walking! Wooooooo! People were looking at me strangely as I was so excited to be walking about the hospital with my new massive moon boot! This morning I managed to ditch the crutches and walk (very slowly) with just the moon boot. Initially it was pretty sore, it feels as if the muscles are going to snap. Everything is very tight and rigid but it’s definitely a massive improvement. Have started spinning every morning with alternate spin or pool sessions at night. Tiredness has slapped me hard in the face this week, I am struggling! I will post a re-cap of sessions I have done over the past few weeks if I have time.  The amount of times I have fallen in the last month is ridiculous, I’m a disaster. But I have learnt to land with my foot kicking up in the air regardless of how or where I fall! It’s like an automatic response now as I am so paranoid about hurting my foot again! This new moon boot is huge though so think I’m pretty safe! Ignore the horrible fake tan line in that photo...

I have another 3 weeks with this boot on, then I can start to try walking in normal trainers. Arc/Cross training commences in 3 days. I am slightly dreading this. It is the closest thing to running, compared to in the pool or spinning, however I can’t wait to start it. Hopefully it will kick start me on the road to fitness! Surgeon believes that I will be back jogging within 3-4 weeks. My last meeting with him is in 6 weeks to which he claimed that if everything was still ok by then that I could ‘run,jump,train… do whatever I want’.

I find out sometime next week if I will be included in UKA’s funding program for the following year. Really hoping I am, as it would be a massive help towards the expense of my forthcoming rehab program, so fingers crossed things go my way and I can receive the best chance in order for me to get myself back to full fitness. Also had a very important meeting with BMW this week, will post more information on this at a later date.

My first exam was on Tuesday, Mathematical Methods (do not ask me why I took maths… I have no idea.. horrible decision) It actually went quite well though, so I’m confident that it is passed and out of the way, for now! The other two remaining exams are this Friday and next Tuesday then I am FREEEEEEE from university for the year!

Not much has happened the past week, mainly due to me being a geek and revising all day. Went to watch the East District XC Relays through at Camperdown, Dundee on Saturday. Don’t particularly miss that side of athletics. Used to love XC as a youngster but as I got older I have started to HATE it, especially the training. We used to always do our XC sessions around Caird Park Golf Course, in the freezing cold, rain and the majority of the time, snow! Not even slightly enjoyable. I remember a few years ago a couple of the 12 year olds in the group were kicking my ass going up hill reps. My excuse is that I am tall, my legs take longer to move…..Anyways, most of the training group then came through to watch Xfactor (Obviously) and a dominoes (Obviously). Was a pretty funny night, I miss everyone all living here!  Still thinking of what to do for my 21^st, thinking more, meal out then head out. Now to find somewhere fancy to have a meal! Looking forward to the next couple of weeks, getting back to normality slowly. Its also my boyfriends birthday soon, so we are going to head up to Aberdeen to visit his sister for the weekend and do a bit of well earned clothes shopping! You can never have too many clothes… FACT.. Also, went to Tartan Cafe in Dundee the other day as I hadn't been since the start of last semester at Uni. Decided I wanted a little cake after lunch. Their choices, Coffee cake(eurgh), Carrot cake (boulk), Cheese cake (yuck) and then..... CURLY WURLY CAKE! Never been so happy in my entire life.. and yes it was amazing.

End of season awards..

Found out that I have been nominated for 'U23 Athlete of the Year' at the Scottish Athletics Sports Awards. Think I actually may venture out of my flat for this, as it is the 29th October and I would hope to be walking by then! You get one complimentary ticket for yourself however if you wish to take a family member its an additional £40! Pretty lucky that my mum has also been nominated for ‘Coach of the Year’ and so it may be nice for the two of us to go along for a bit. Hoping that my boyfriend won’t be working and so he can come along too. Lynsey Sharp has also been nominated and so will definitely be the favorite to win after she has had such an outstanding year. Both of us last competed at the Commonwealth Youth Games back in 2008 but then we both had a full year out the sport 2009/10 only to make a return this year.  Very strange that the two of us have had the same time out of sport, due to injury, but both managed to recover in time to have a good year in 2011.

I have also been invited to attend the Scottish Sports Awards through in Glasgow in December. Myself, my mum and my boyfriend are all going along. Can’t wait to get formally dressed up, 3-course meal in a swanky hotel! It has been ages since I’ve been out for a really nice meal. Will post up pictures, if they’re nice…

On another note, a few years ago when I had a knee injury through growing pains, I decided to go over to visit Ger Hartmann. He was my mum’s physiotherapist when she was competing and has helped so many amazing athletes over the years. I was very lucky to be able to set up an appointment with him back at the end of 2009 and it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. The only reason I am randomly mentioning this is because I emailed him the day before my surgery asking for advice. I was extremely worried about all the different outcomes of breaking my foot and I knew that Ger wouldn’t ‘bullshit me’ and I trust every word that comes out of his mouth. He has this collection of items in his ‘museum’ from all the athletes he has helped in the past. Usain Bolts winning Olympic vest, hand written letter from Haile Gebrselassie, Spikes from several Olympic and World Champions, even a top from Lance Armstrong! Anyways, after seeing loads of physios, Ger with the help of his second man (also named Gerr!) got me back to training with absolutely no pain whatsoever. I don’t know how they do it! Truly gifted people. I am considering going over again if I have any serious issues starting back after my foot has properly healed. When I was last over he gave me a little poem called ‘Don’t Quit’, I still have it in my training diary so if I have time I will post it on here.

“Success is failure turned inside out”

The best £2.50 you will ever spend...

CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATE IN OCTOBER?! Still bought it though, and it was £2.50 well spent..

Countdown...

So not much has happened since my last meeting with the surgeon. I am going back sometime next week to see if I can start walking again or not. Fingers crossed I can start weight bearing. The mobility in it has improved so much over the past few days and I am more than happy with the progress, although it is mind-numbing little exercises daily to improve the movement within the joint. I got a little bit of an infection in the top of the scar, I wont go into details as I almost made myself sick even thinking about it! But everything is OK again. Thank jeeeeesus…

Exams are less than a week away, really can’t wait for them to be over! My life has consisted of sleep, eat, pool-run, revise, gym. I am 20 going on 90..  However, it is my 21^st (25^th of November.. if you are interested) in just over a month and I am hoping that at least I will be back walking by then and maybe be able to have a night out with my friends or at least go out for a meal together. I haven’t done anything with my friends since the start of February! With being away racing so much and then being confined to my flat for the last 7 weeks, I really can’t wait to do something normal! I am going to attempt to get everyone in fancy dress however I don’t know what theme to choose!

-       Runners…? Original but... predictable.

-       Monkeys and Bananas…? My flatmate Craig thinks this would be hilarious, I am not too keen to dress as either one for my 21^st!

-       If anyone has a good idea, let me know!

This half of the year has been really weird with two of our flatmates moving out! It has only been in the past week that I have realised how much I really miss all of my old flatmates. At one point there were over 10 of us, all athletes, all living right next door to it. We have had some pretty funny times together, too many to even mention, but it makes me upset to think the situation we were all in for 2 years won’t ever happen again. Many of them have quit the sport, others have just moved closer to the university. We are currently on the lookout for a flatmate though! So anyone in the Carnoustie area, get in touch!

Anyways, I am rambling on. Went proper swimming today for the first time since I was about 10. It wasn’t the best decision I’ve ever made. Thought I was going to pass out!  Did 3 lengths front crawl then had to take a break. The way I am speaking you think the pool was a standard sized Olympic pool. I think its 15m… Horrible. I now realise why people hate exercise.  Eventually after a few breaks, I did 60 (in total) then retired from the sport.

I also can’t wait to get back to work again and start making a little bit of money again! No more living off of cereal and pasta. Still on the lookout for a potential sponsor so I will keep this updated with my progress!

If I stay on crutches much longer...