Liz Yelling Battling Back From Injury

At thirty six Liz Yelling is a veteran of British athletics having competed at two Olympic Games - and looking ahead to a third.

I caught up with her to talk about coaching in the Alps, getting over an injury and the excitement of a home Olympic Games next year.
 
- You are working with Adventures in the Alps as a coach so can you tell me about the work that you are doing there?

I was contacted by Pip, who actually runs lots or retreats at her venue in the Alps, and she asked me if I would like to do a luxury running retreat for a small number of people, I think we have got between twelve and fifteen places, on a week with luxury accommodation and coaching with myself and my husband Martin.

We have got an action packed week for all abilities to just really help people with their own running and to motivate them so they use this as a springboard into developing their own running really. 

- For some time now as well as being an athlete you are also a coach so how do you find the other side of athletics?

I really love it. I thought that nothing could compare to achieving your own goals but I get a real buzz from helping others achieve their own goals as well.

It doesn’t matter what ability you are you get a real buzz from setting those goals, working towards them and getting them and, for me, seeing people get the same buzz that I do from my running is really great. I have found another way to get my highs (laughs).

- And how is the work that you are doing with Adventures in the Alps helping your own training?

I guess it will give me the opportunity to do some lovely running in the Alps it’s just a nice break for me and to spend it with other people.

I get a buzz of other people and I love doing camps with like minded people who all love running and I think just spending time focusing on your running with other people is a healthy place to be.

-  You have competed in the last two Olympics so how excited are you at running in a third in your home country?

To qualify for London would just be amazing as I think we are going to do an amazing job. Having been to the last two Olympics there is such an amazing buzz around the Olympics and to have it on our home turf in our lifetime is something that is really special.

- In terms of your training and preparation how much are you now looking forward and planning for London 2012 - or do you prefer not to look too far ahead?

I have been ever since Beijing really I have been focused on London 2012 - I wouldn’t say it’s been the smoothest ride as I have had a few niggles and injuries since having my daughter Ruby two years ago.

At the moment I’m doing six week of rehab where I’m trying to get my body really strong so I can run a fast marathon in the autumn.

I’m not doing the amount of training that I would normally be doing at this point, although I am still running, because I have got lots of rehab and exercises to do, my core has been letting me down and I have had to have some specific treatment to get me body back again.  

- And how have you found juggling you athletic commitments as well as being a new mother?

It’s different. I have to be a bit more creative in juggling my time, because I work from home it use to be very easy because I use to work then I would go out and do my training and come back, but now I have got a little person to look after and Martin and I have to juggle her.

She does spend a little bit of time in nursery and we have some great support from grandparents so it’s more of a juggling act and I have to fit my runs in around her now.

She always comes first of course so I get her needs sorted out and then I dash off (laughs) and get some time in when I can.

- You have hinted that you have had some injury issues already this year so how is training going and what sort of shape do you think you are in at the moment?

I’d say I’m far from fit at the moment - I had a disaster at the London Marathon earlier this year and that was due to some back problems. So I’m on a course of injection at the moment for my back to try and tighten some ligaments - it’s basically wear and tear from years of running.

So I’m going to try and reverse that wear and tear with these injections and some real hard core stability and hopefully I should be able to bounce back in six weeks and be back in full training again.

- And are we going to be to see you compete any time this year?

Definitely, I want to run a late winter marathon to give me as much time to prepare for it as possible, given that I’m not running that much at the moment. I will probably run some half marathons but until this is over I can’t really commit to what those will be just yet.

- Early on in your career you competed on the track at the 10,00m so how have you found the transition to the marathon?

I love the marathon. And I love it because it has so many more challenges and you have to tick all of those boxes to get it right on the day. I think I like it because it’s hard and it’s hard to get it right so I think it suits my personality (laughs)

- The Beijing Olympics didn’t quite go to plan after a fall so what are you hoping for in London next year?

I really believe that I was capable of top twelve in Beijing because I was in the shape of my life. It would be great if I could get back in that sort of shape and qualify for London and then aim for that sort of position again as that would be the icing on the cake in terms of my running career.

- There is obviously a big drive to get more kids into sport at the moment so for those who are thinking about distance running what advice would you give?

I just think that it’s great for kids to be sociable; I think the social element really helps kids to enjoy sport, so going to your local running club and doing a sport with lots of other people is a fantastic way of enjoying the sport and making it fun.

I know that I didn’t always run that well as a child but because I had lots of friends at my running club it kept me in the sport.

- How did you get into the sport?

My mum use to run, well she still does in fact, I remember being dragged around as a kid watching my mum run and then when I was about nine I was like ‘mum can you take for a run?’

So she started taking me on theses runs and she realised that it was no fad and it was something that I really wanted to do she took me down to my local running club where I met my coach.

- Finally what’s next for you say over the next six months?

Well the next six months really is about getting over this injury and doing all of my rehab exercises and then preparing for an autumn marathon.

So it’s going to be about getting my mileage up to 100 miles a week and putting in some really marathon specific sessions so I can run a fast Olympic qualifying time in the autumn.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

www.adventuresinthealps.com

At thirty six Liz Yelling is a veteran of British athletics having competed at two Olympic Games - and looking ahead to a third.

I caught up with her to talk about coaching in the Alps, getting over an injury and the excitement of a home Olympic Games next year.
 
- You are working with Adventures in the Alps as a coach so can you tell me about the work that you are doing there?

I was contacted by Pip, who actually runs lots or retreats at her venue in the Alps, and she asked me if I would like to do a luxury running retreat for a small number of people, I think we have got between twelve and fifteen places, on a week with luxury accommodation and coaching with myself and my husband Martin.

We have got an action packed week for all abilities to just really help people with their own running and to motivate them so they use this as a springboard into developing their own running really. 

- For some time now as well as being an athlete you are also a coach so how do you find the other side of athletics?

I really love it. I thought that nothing could compare to achieving your own goals but I get a real buzz from helping others achieve their own goals as well.

It doesn’t matter what ability you are you get a real buzz from setting those goals, working towards them and getting them and, for me, seeing people get the same buzz that I do from my running is really great. I have found another way to get my highs (laughs).

- And how is the work that you are doing with Adventures in the Alps helping your own training?

I guess it will give me the opportunity to do some lovely running in the Alps it’s just a nice break for me and to spend it with other people.

I get a buzz of other people and I love doing camps with like minded people who all love running and I think just spending time focusing on your running with other people is a healthy place to be.

-  You have competed in the last two Olympics so how excited are you at running in a third in your home country?

To qualify for London would just be amazing as I think we are going to do an amazing job. Having been to the last two Olympics there is such an amazing buzz around the Olympics and to have it on our home turf in our lifetime is something that is really special.

- In terms of your training and preparation how much are you now looking forward and planning for London 2012 - or do you prefer not to look too far ahead?

I have been ever since Beijing really I have been focused on London 2012 - I wouldn’t say it’s been the smoothest ride as I have had a few niggles and injuries since having my daughter Ruby two years ago.

At the moment I’m doing six week of rehab where I’m trying to get my body really strong so I can run a fast marathon in the autumn.

I’m not doing the amount of training that I would normally be doing at this point, although I am still running, because I have got lots of rehab and exercises to do, my core has been letting me down and I have had to have some specific treatment to get me body back again.  

- And how have you found juggling you athletic commitments as well as being a new mother?

It’s different. I have to be a bit more creative in juggling my time, because I work from home it use to be very easy because I use to work then I would go out and do my training and come back, but now I have got a little person to look after and Martin and I have to juggle her.

She does spend a little bit of time in nursery and we have some great support from grandparents so it’s more of a juggling act and I have to fit my runs in around her now.

She always comes first of course so I get her needs sorted out and then I dash off (laughs) and get some time in when I can.

- You have hinted that you have had some injury issues already this year so how is training going and what sort of shape do you think you are in at the moment?

I’d say I’m far from fit at the moment - I had a disaster at the London Marathon earlier this year and that was due to some back problems. So I’m on a course of injection at the moment for my back to try and tighten some ligaments - it’s basically wear and tear from years of running.

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