This weekend I am really excited to have an interview with Rosie Clarke. Rosie has gone from strength to strength over the last few seasons and now specialises in the steeplechase, but her times on the flat are still seriously credible. Here's an exciting and inspiring post from this amazing athlete! Rosie has a 3000sc pb of 9:32:08 from this season. You have been to the World Championships and Commonwealth Games, what are your next goals? 2018 is proving to be an interesting year. We had the Commonwealth Games very early in the calendar, as well as our regular summer season to contend with. I am now focusing on getting some solid months of winter training before the 2019 season. My best performances always comes when I’m focused on racing, so I will be enjoying all my competitions and not fixating on times. What first drew you to running? Have you done it from a young age, or did you pick it up when you were slightly older? I ran a little as a youngster, but I really didn’t enjoy it! I was involved in a multitude of different sports, lacrosse, netball, swimming, trampolining to name a few. It was actually whilst studying at the University of Bath that I met some of my closest friends through the athletics club, and fell in love with running. I never envisaged making a career of it at that stage, but I have certainly never looked back! What has been the biggest challenge you have faced during your running career? Injury is a horrid theme that litters the majority of sporting careers. I suffered a major setback in June 2017 with a stress injury to my fibula, just 8-weeks before the World Championships in London. This was to be not only my first World Champs, but also hosted in our own capital city, I was determined not to miss out. Naturally, injury results in physical pain, but since I could work really hard on the watt bike throughout my rehab I dealt with that side ok, it was the mental battle of remaining positive that I found most challenging. Fortunately I have an amazing team, and with their help I made it to London. My performance at the World Championships was disappointing, but I remain incredibly proud of the issues I overcame in order to make it onto that start line. A few years ago you started competing in the steeplechase. What initially drew you to the event? I had always been fascinated by hurdling. When it is done well, it is such an impressive skill, and coming from a multi-sport background the technical elements of the steeplechase really interested me. It was when I linked up with my coach, David Harmer, and knew I could trust him to manage the event transition, that I decided to go for it! This was the best decision I have made. I have now finished my third season of competing in the steeplechase, and really feel like I have found my event. What has been the highlight of your career so far? Placing 4th at the 2018 Commonwealth Games has to be my proudest achievement to date in athletics. I may not have come away with a medal, but I put myself in contention to do so, and I didn’t fall too far short! This performance has really helped me to reassess my long-term aims, and grow my self-belief as an athlete. What would you say to you 16-year-old self? Trust your instincts. Listen to others, learn from others, but at the end of the day you know yourself better than anyone, so don’t be afraid to pave your own pathway. Do you have a favourite post-session/race food? Any nutritional advice for younger athletes? I love food! Personally, a really juicy steak is always a winner post-session/race. Food is obviously essential as our fuel source, but it can also be great fun. I travel a lot as an athlete, and trying local delicacies and dishes is a great way for me to get a better feel for whatever country I happen to be staying in at that time. The best advice I could give to younger athletes would be learn to cook. Natural, fresh ingredients are always the best for you. You don’t need to transform into a Michelin starred chef, just have a handful of well-balanced, tasty meals that you enjoy and are confident to rustle up! I just want to say a massive thank you to Rosie for answering these questions, which I am sure will inspire and teach many others!
G x
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
HelloI'm Grace, a 18 year old runner, and fitness fanatic. Join me on my crazy journey through life, squeezing in an adventure in every second of spare time I have. Archives
November 2018
Categories |