Christmas on an Olympic medal, injury woe along with a beach ten years late! It turned out to be a lively sports career for Nicola Sanders.
Among Britains finest 400m runners, who retired following a succession of injuries at October 2014, reveals how becoming a Sky Scholar between 2013 and 2011 was a huge increase during a challenging and painful period in her entire life.
The mum of 2 opens up on finding peace, Since the Scholarships celebrate since launch, with Sanders one of 11 pilot Scholars.
The Scholarship programme came at the right time for me personally.
Following a career high in the 2007 World Championship where I won silver after which a European Indoor gold, I had been struck by trauma from 2008 and 2009 and hadnt quite reached my frustration and frustration was setting in.
My trainer Tony Lester approached Sky about encouraging individuals and they not only agreed to encourage us in our trip 2012 but they decided to roll it out across several sport and the Sky Scholarship programme was created. I love to think I had been the inspiration!
Once I became a Scholar, my athletics was in a difficult place. I was struggling with my injury and I had to begin from scratch, constructing up my body from the inside out to become more powerful.
With the backing and belief of Sky at a time like this really fostered me and gave me the confidence and belief to carry on and get there.
Some of the main things that the programme enabled me to do was eliminate for warm weather training longer. Because my muscles did not need to work so hard in the warmth, I endured with chronic injuries but my entire body.
Our training team usually travelled to South Africa for the majority of January to escape the British winter but in the lead-up to 2012, Tony and I decided we all needed to maximise this and go out in December, spend Christmas there and return as normal during late January.
It was tough to be off for Christmas, but it was also a simple decision knowing itd put me in the very ideal location for the subsequent season.
It was odd being somewhere so hot for Christmas (around 40 degrees) and I got somewhat sunburnt on Christmas Eve which was a new one for me! It all went OK although there werent many decorations up and because of the warmth it did not feel like Christmas.
Christmas afternoon was bizarre! I spent the day alone (apart from the cleaner that drifted in and left me a biscuit!) And observed boxsets for many of it – Greys Anatomy and 24.
Then I did a Skype phone house and my whole household were sat round the dinner table and I had been passed from person to person. On Boxing Day I had been on the track in the sunshine, although it made me feel unhappy. Athletes arrived and all of us spent together.
If you know youre doing something that is very good for your athletics it doesnt really feel as a forfeit and I am thankful Sky gave me the opportunity to put myself in the best shape I will be.
Regrettably 2012 did not end up being a terrific year. My injury lasted and I had to draw in the European philosopher that was my very last opportunity to qualify for the 400m in the London Games in the warm-up. Therefore it was only the 4x400m relay event in the Olympics for me personally.
I was in very great shape in London. I had a fantastic training camp and has been excited to be part of the relay squad. I didnt get chosen for the team that was last and never have to run in that Olympic stadium that was wonderful.
Although it did not work out just how I needed in London, I love Skys support and help on my trip. I know as a team we gave it our best shot – my body only let down me.
I had an incredible career to look back with a few huge highs. I even finally got my Olympic medal (out of Beijing after two groups were disqualified for doping offenses ) 10 decades late, as a mum of two, before a home crowd from the London Olympic Stadium!
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