Liz Yelling's been one of Great Britain's leading runners for
the last ten year's or so. She's raced everything from Cross-country to
two Olympic marathons, this year though, she embarked on a new
challenge; motherhood! I caught up with Liz to find out about how her
life has changed since the new addition to the family and what her
plans are for 2010.
AE Liz good to catch up with you
- there's been some pretty major changes in your life this year with
the new addition to the Yelling family, how’re you finding
motherhood?
LY I am absolutely loving
motherhood and everything it brings. It has been better than I ever
imagined and I am really enjoying being with Ruby. She just makes me
smile all day. Before she was born some people rattled on about how
hard it was, how little sleep we’d get and how it would change
everything. Of course things have changed, and it’s been tough at
times, but you know what, it’s been brilliant and the changes have all
been positive and rewarding.
AE Has becoming a mother changed
the way you look at your training or is it business as usual?
LY I guess with being a mother
time becomes very precious as it seems to whizz by so fast. It’s
definitely not been business as usual as priorities have changed and
shifted. I’ve been running a very long time (25years!) and have been an
international runner for 20 of those so it’s about time I had a break.
My training now is about making the most of the time out on the roads
and making each mile a productive mile. This does not mean I hammer
every mile, but rather each mile has a purpose and a benefit to getting
fitter. I’ve really taken my time to to get back into my running.
There’s no rush. If I feel tired then I rest. Once things start to get
‘serious’ again I can’t hide from the training it takes to run a fast
marathon. I guess once I’m fully back in the swing of things when I am
out on the roads it will have to be business as usual. I’m quite good
at getting my running head on!
AE What’s tougher giving birth or running a marathon?
LY Giving Birth is definitely
harder. With a marathon you know where the finish line is! My labour
was 34-hours and I had no idea how long it was going to go on for.
Nevertheless I would say the rewards of being a mother far out weigh
those of running a great marathon.
AE What would be your top tips
for a new mother looking to return to running after giving
birth?
LY Firstly, over everything else
you must take your time. Not only to allow your body to get over having
the baby, but also to allow yourself quality time with your baby. I was
lightly walking two weeks after I gave birth and I have now taken six
months to build up to 50% of my previous training loads. All of which
has been steady running. I am a great believer in patience. I want to
make an injury free come back and if that means taking my time to get
my fitness then that’s what I will do. In reality I’m allowing the same
amount of time the pregnancy took to get back into it. So, Ruby will be
nine months old before I’m really back into things.
Secondly, get an MOT by a good sports physio. Even better if
they treated you pre-birth, as they will know your body.
Thirdly, activate your core and glute muscles. Mine went to
jelly after giving birth! These are key to supporting your lower back
and preventing future injuries.
And finally listen to your body. I found after giving birth my
body felt very disjointed and un-coordinated. It does come back, but
don’t force anything. Run for short periods of time until you feel
ready that you body can cope for longer. Also my energy levels changed
massively from day to day, if you are so tired from being up all night
and breast-feeding then take a rest day, as you won’t enjoy the slog
anyway. If you do breastfeed then the hormone relaxin also affects your
ligaments and so it’s a good option not to stress the body running when
these are ‘sloppy’!
AE If Yelling junior decided she
wanted to become a marathon runner what would be, in your opinion, the
most important advice you could give her?
LY Really want to do it and be
passionate about it. Marathon running is hard and without true passion
the journey will be tough. Also be patient. Do it slowly. It takes
years to layer the training on and to take the necessary steps forward
in running. The problem with many runners is that they want it all
‘now’ and give up if it does not happen. I started running at
nine-years-old and made my first Olympics at 29. That’s a huge
investment, but well worth it.
AE 2008 held so much promise for
you as you went into the Beijing Games in the form of your life; but
disaster struck when you were tripped up from behind causing bruising
to the ribs, which of course seriously affected the rest of your race.
How does an athlete recovery from such disappointment?
LY I found out after the race I
had popped and fractured a rib. It was so painful and just finishing
with a broken rib became a real test of endurance. I still ran 2.33
like that and know I lost a lot of time in the second half. I really
believe I was in shape to respond when the hammer went and ready to run
four minutes quicker. I was of course so frustrated not to have
fulfilled my potential on the day, not only because I know I was
feeling so great, but also I know I had done the training to support a
great race, it was just down to the execution and I’d never planned to
be tripped! I was gutted, but when I think back I did nothing wrong, it
was something I could not have controlled, and no matter how much I
beat myself up there is no turning back the clock. I now know what
training works for me and I hope I can do this again. I can only look
forward and take the positives from the race; my second Olympic games,
running beside my life time friend and club mate Paula Radcliffe,
leading the race for the first nine miles! They are the special
memories I have banked. The fall has only fuelled my desire for the
2012 Olympics!
AE As an experienced marathon
runner would you say that big mileage is important for a successful and
fast marathon?
LY There is no hiding from the
fact that you need to put the miles in but not at the detriment of your
running. I am blessed with a body that can withstand the type of
mileage I need to do. If I was injury prone I would have to look at
some form of cross training to build my fitness, but I truly feel to
reach your best at marathon running it is about running smart miles
that suit you as an individual. More isn’t necessarily better but a
tough marathons demand tough training!
AE Great Britain has held on to
some of its athletes’ world records for many years - Coe’s 800m 16-year
record is a good example of one of them and Colin Jackson’s 13-year
110m hurdles record is another – how long do you think Paula’s Marathon
World Record (2:15:25) will stand for?
LY Paula’s record is a cracker
and she is a special athlete. I think her record will stand for many
years. They don’t make them like Paula very often. Paula is unique and
I have never met anyone like her. She has the most amazing ability to
push herself to the absolute limit and at one time her body could
support her huge intense training loads. I would not be surprised if it
stands for 20-years or more.
AE What’s your favourite training session and why?
LY I love hill sessions off-road.
I guess my first love for running was cross-country and I love running
in beautiful hilly parks. I also love that burning feeling of running
up a long steep hill and the deep satisfaction you feel having finished
a great hill session.
AE If you could invite one
sporting celebrity to dinner who would it be and why?
AE Chris Hoy, just to get a look
at those quads up close and because he seems so down to earth friendly
and approachable. I would invite my Grandad, who rode for the first
ever British professional team – Hercules just watch him chew Chris's
ear off! You know what though, I’d much rather have a bunch of my close
friends over for a glass of wine and a good old fashioned catch
up.
AE The Yelling family are used to
working and training together, rumour has it that you give Martin a
hard time on some of your runs, it that true and if yes does it affect
his male pride?
AE Martin says I give him a hard
time and when I am fit I guess I can but this has only been in recent
years since he has been retired and not really putting in the miles. I
am only getting him back for all the years he could run me into the
ground. We used to do a session where he’d give me a head start and try
and catch me up, now it’s the other way around. We made a decision that
we both couldn’t compete at the highest levels and do all the other
things we wanted to do in our lives (we have pretty packed schedules)
and so after he did Kona in 2007 he decided to stop training seriously
and help me train for the Beijing Games. Now he really supports my
running. He rides a bike now when I am fit so he can keep up, but also
to support me and give me my drinks and gels on my long training
sessions.
AE So times flying by and there’s
only two more racing seasons before the Olympic Games come to London,
as a British athlete what would it mean to you to be on the start line
in the Olympics 2012?
AE This type of opportunity
doesn’t come around often and I think I’m in with a good shout of
toeing the start line. I’m going to have a good go at reaching a third
Games. For the Olympics to be held in London in my lifetime is amazing
and a massive incentive to be a part of it. I guess as far as lifetime
experiences go it would top off my career but more than that it would
be a great opportunity to put Beijing to bed. I’m excited just thinking
about it!
AE And finally, where can we expect to see you racing in 2010?
AE I am planning to run a
‘cautious’ and low key spring road season. I know I won’t be in great
shape but you’ve got to start somewhere! I’ll probably kick off with
the Wokingham half marathon, then Silverstone and Reading half
marathons. I think Chicago will be my first marathon back after having
Ruby, unless I feel it is right to do one earlier. Having not given
birth before I am not sure how quickly my running fitness will be back
so my plans are pretty flexible.
