Former 400m runner Nicola Sanders on Sky Scholarship and finally winning an Olympic medal
Christmas on an Olympic medal, injury woe along with a beach ten years late! It was a lively athletics career for Nicola Sanders.
Among Britains finest 400m runners, who retired after a series of injuries from October 2014, shows just how being a Sky Scholar between 2013 and 2011 had been a huge increase during a really challenging and painful period in her life.
The mum of two opens up on discovering peace with her troubled nevertheless glorious travel since launch, together with Sanders among 11 pilot Scholars as the Scholarships celebrate eight years.
The Scholarship programme came at the best time for me personally.
After a profession in the 2007 World Championship in which I won silver after which a European Indoor gold, I had been hit by injury in 2008 and 2009 and hadnt quite reached my potential and frustration was setting in.
My trainer Tony Lester approached Sky around encouraging individuals and they not only agreed to encourage us in our trip to 2012 but they chose to roll it out across a few sports and the Sky Scholarship programme was created. I like to think I was the inspiration!
Once I became a Scholar, my athletics was in a tough location. I struggled with my back injury and I had to start from scratch, creating up my own body from the interior out to be stronger again.
With the backing and perception of Sky at one time like this really fostered me gave me the confidence and perception to carry on and get there.
Some of the principal things the programme enabled me to do was eliminate for hot weather training more. As my muscles didnt have to work so hard in the warmth, I suffered in my career with chronic injuries but my body really profited from operating in warmer climates.
Our training team usually went to South Africa for most of January to escape the British winter in the lead-up to 2012, Tony and I decided that we had to maximise this and move out in December, spend Christmas there and return as normal in late January.
It was tough to be off for Christmas, but it was also a simple decision knowing it would put me in the best location for the subsequent season.
It was strange being somewhere so sexy for Christmas (up to 40 degrees) and I got somewhat sunburnt on Christmas Eve which was a new one for me! It went OK although there were not many decorations up and due to the warmth it didnt 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 boxsets for most of it Greys Anatomy and 24.
Then I did a Skype phone house and my whole family were hauled round the dinner table and I had been passed from person to person. It made me feel miserable, but on the track in the stunning South African sunshine I had been on Boxing Day. Athletes arrived and we all spent New Year together on the beach that was good.
When you know you are doing something thats terrific for your sports it doesnt feel like a sacrifice and I am thankful Sky gave me the chance to put myself in the very best shape I can be.
Regrettably 2012 did not prove to be a wonderful year. My injury lasted and I had to draw in the warm-up in the European Championships which was my very last chance. So it was only the 4x400m relay event in the Olympics for me personally.
I had been in very good shape in London. I had been excited to be part of the squad and had a terrific training camp. Unfortunately I did not get picked for the group that was last and never have to run in that stadium that was amazing.
Although it didnt work out how I wanted in London, I value Skys service and aid on my journey. I understand as a group we gave it our best shot my body just let me down.
I had an remarkable career to look back on with some enormous highs. I even finally got my own Olympic medal (out of Beijing following two teams were disqualified for doping violations) 10 years overdue, as a mum of 2, before a home crowd in the London Olympic Stadium!
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