My coach knows me inside out. If he says I can do it, I can
The right backing is vital for any elite athlete and I have the greatest, with supportive parents and a coach who knows how to get the best out of me
When I was thinking about a subject for this column, I wanted to make it a little more personal. When I thought about it, I realised that in all my “personal highlights”, everything I picked out had the pronoun “we” attached to it. The “we” I refer to is my coach John and I. So, this column will be about John Blackie and our journey together, which started at Blackheath and Bromley Athletics Club, when I was eight years old.
But first I want to mention my parents. This year, I have competed in California, Sweden, Switzerland, Qatar, and Belgium. One thing I know for certain is that as I cross the finish line, my parents will be there cheering. My mum will make her way to the front of the stand. My dad is more chilled, chatting to people around him. I am very fortunate to have parents able to come and support me wherever I compete.
Their love is unconditional and I know they just want me to be happy. I do not think they realise how great they are at being parents, and especially parents of an elite athlete.
Having a strong and unwavering support system helps you as a person, but it can also make you a stronger athlete. My family forms the foundation, but my friends, my team and my coach have all shaped the woman I am.
My coach is like family to me. Lots of people wonder about him, as he is not the sort to seek the limelight. He finds joy in supporting others and helping them to fulfil their potential. He is a humble and kind person, and I love him to bits.
I trust John because he would never let me do something I was not ready to do. He would never put me in a situation that would compromise my happiness, or would not be good for me. In this industry that is somewhat unique.
No matter the situation, if John says I can do it, I can do it. He knows me inside out, and what the environment around me needs to be. Trusting and believing in a coach is essential in track and field.
On race day he does not say or do more than is necessary. He gives me my own space to warm up and get into my zone, which may include dancing to music or touching up my make-up. Before the race, he is the last person to have any input as I go into the call room and make my way to the start line.
Last year at the European Championships in Berlin, in the 100metres semi-final, I was slow out of my blocks. It was not a “bad” start, but it was not what we were looking for. I was not particularly happy with it, but crucially he was very calm. He said: “I just want you to do your normal start.” I was like: “My normal start?” He said: “Yep. Your normal start.” Something clicked after that. Now I reflect on that conversation and I know when he used the word “normal”, that word told me I had it within myself. He could have said, “Go out there and have a good start”, “a better start” or “a fast start”. But he just said “normal”.
I credit everything I do to John anyway, but I fully credit running 10.85sec in that final to John telling me to do my normal start.
Sprinting is a mental game. I am fortunate to have his experience and emotional intelligence. It is a sometimes undervalued trait in coaching.
My support system is unconditional. As well as John, the people who help me run fast and keep my body healthy include two osteopaths and a strength and conditioning coach. If I was to stop being any good as a sprinter, these people would not fade away. That makes it better for me as a person, and as an athlete.
It means I do not need to be running for any other reason than to run as fast as I can and not to maintain my friends, or to keep people around me. I think that is important for self-esteem and self-worth and, in some ways, makes it easier to run, as you are aware that whatever the outcome, everything is always going to be OK.