Turning Points – Kelly Holmes
July 5, 2016
Years of injuries and setbacks haunted her. But
Dame Kelly Holmes had also tasted victory, so she leaned into her strengths when the pressure was on. She made history, and that’s what it means to be an athlete.
We asked seven elite athletes the same five questions and are revealing their answers in our weekly
Turning Points blog series. Check back in each week to see how each athlete deals with off days, trains with the
Forerunner 735XT and embraces the
turning point moments.
When you have an off day with training, how do you come back the next day?
It’s always good to have a day off. Recovery is underrated but it makes you come back refreshed and ready to focus again
When a race didn’t go as you wish, what did you tell yourself to get back on track?
We all have bad days and it’s important that you learn by them. There is always a reason that you feel something went wrong or could have been better. Reflect and rationalise and just ensure you put it out of your mind at the next race and focus purely on that
What’s the most important part of racing/training to you?
We train to race, so race day should not be alien to you in terms of pre-race preparation. Time, date, event or session is in the plan so you just focus on the finer detail, like how you are getting there, food, hydration etc.Know what you want out of the session or race and prepare yourself mentally.
What advice would you give to other athletes who might be at their “turning point”?
If in the past things have not gone easy for you continue to strive for something better and different, as that’s what has kept you going anyway. If you didn’t want your ambition much, you would have given up before your “turning point.”
The moment there is that glint of hope that things will be better and are ok it will increase your confidence and get back that motivation you once had – believe me I have been there.
What features on your Garmin do you appreciate the most when training?
I am wearing mine now as I write this. There is something addictive to setting a step goal as it makes you want to achieve it each day.
I set up the data screens so on screen 1 for running I have, timer, distance, pace and average pace; which is the feature I most huddle myself on.
I use the heart rate on specific sessions when I am trying to either get full recovery, reduce heart rate as quick as I can or actually not let it drop too much.
