Under the microscope
Olympic rower Katherine Grainger, 40, takes our health quiz CAN YOU RUN UP THE STAIRS?
YES. I haven’t been doing a lot of training since retiring, so recently made myself walk up 32 flights of stairs in an apartment block. For the Olympics, I was training three times a day for a total of six hours, six days a week, but I’ve found it much harder to exercise since then because I no longer have a regimented schedule.
GET YOUR FIVE A DAY?
I CERTAINLY did when I was a full-time athlete and had a really good nutritionist. To save time at breakfast, I bought a smoothie maker and threw in kale or spinach with fruit.
EVER DIETED?
NO, ALTHOUGH I’ve always been aware of my body weight because it’s key to my sport. I’m 6 ft and raced at about 78 kg (12st 4lb). It’s quite common for rowers to be one or two kilos heavier in the winter, and carrying a little extra weight can keep you healthier because, when you’re training at such a high level, you’re more at risk of picking up colds. When training, I could largely eat what I wanted because I burned off so many calories. Sadly, that’s no longer the case.
ANY VICES?
COFFEE, chocolate and the odd glass of wine or gin and tonic. Everything in moderation — that’s my mantra.
WORST ILLNESS OR INJURY?
IN 2003, in the warm-up to the World Championships, I felt an excruciating pain in my lower back. I had to complete the race to qualify for the Olympics, so I didn’t tell my rowing mate. Bizarrely, we went on to win. Scans revealed that a disc in my lower back had exploded and three specialist surgeons recommended I had an operation. But my coach said it would end my Olympic dream, so instead, I worked with a sports doctor and physiotherapist, using acupuncture and other therapies. Five-and-a-half weeks later, my disc had healed.
POP ANY PILLS?
I AVOID taking multi-vitamins because, as an athlete, you’re encouraged to get all your nutrients from food.
EVER HAVE PLASTIC SURGERY?
NO. THE good thing as an athlete is that you’re judged on your performance, rather than your looks.
COPE WELL WITH PAIN?
POSSIBLY too well — because sports people learn to push themselves to almost ridiculous levels.
EVER BEEN DEPRESSED?
I’VE had ups and downs, like everyone else. Ironically, my most disappointing time as an athlete was winning my third Olympic medal in 2008. Winning silver was fantastic by any stretch, but we’d gone to get nothing less than gold. Having committed every single day of the previous four years to that one goal, I felt we’d completely failed.
SLEEP WELL?
I SLEEP incredibly well and fall asleep in a split second.
LIKE TO LIVE FOR EVER?
I LOVE life, and there are loads of things I want to do, but it would depend on the quality of my life and who I had along on the ride.
KaTHerine GrainGer: The autobiography is published by andre Deutsch at £10.99.