Dani Nimmock is proud to have been part of team GB women's gold medal winning performance at the IAU 50K World Championships… but she never wants to go through a similar experience again.
Nimmock was part of the GB squad that finished top of the podium in Brasov, Romania, thanks in large part to the performances of Aly Dixon (3-07:20), who broke the world record and Helen Davies (3-09:16).
Julie Briscoe's run of 3-22:57 helped secure top spot for GB, coming ninth overall, whilst Nimmock came home in 3-30:22 in 20th place… but this only told half the story.
The 29-year-old's training cycle had been interrupted by a tendonitis injury in her foot, which threatened her involvement up until a few days before.
Despite being under-trained for the race, Nimmock was determined to pull on the GB vest and she insists she has no regrets despite the last five miles never feeling like they were going to end.
"The event went really well for GB and to see both Aly and Helen out at the front really was an inspiration," said City of Norwich AC athlete, Nimmock. "It was amazing to be part of the winning team and to be on that podium.
"But from a personal point of view it didn't go so well because I just didn't have the training in my legs.
"I injured my foot in the week leading up to Run Norwich and I couldn't put any weight on it for about a week.
"I started doing cross training and I was on the Alter-G (anti gravity treadmill) for a bit but you can't train properly for a 50K like that.
"There were a lot of times over the past weeks where I didn't think I was even going to make the start line.
"Two weeks ago I was doing some warm weather training in Girona and I injured my other foot there.
"I did the typical thing of trying to do too much too soon but I was having to push myself to try and get back up to speed.
"My longest run before the event was 22 miles eight weeks before but I was talking to the team coach all the time and I really wanted to give it a go - you don't know if you don't try.
"I wasn't in any pain any more (ahead of the race) but I didn't know how my foot was going to react when going past 10 miles, let alone 30!
"My foot was fine but by 21 miles the wheels were starting to fall off and that's just where my lack of training came back to bite me.
"I think I went through the marathon distance in 2-55 but after that it felt pretty atrocious! I kept telling myself that it's only another parkrun in the last 5K but I've never run for more than three hours before.
"It's such a long time to be on your feet and it definitely gave me a newfound respect for anyone that does a marathon in four or five hours."
MORE: Love running? Join the Run Anglia Facebook group hereFormer Dereham High School pupil, Nimmock, admitted 2019 has failed to hit the heights of last year when she won the Greater Manchester Marathon and represent England at the Frankfurt Marathon in the autumn.
However, she has had to prioritise a change in her role working for the London Marathon as head of Exhibitions, and trying to incorporate a heavy training regime has taken its toll.
"It's been a tough year - I've had a lot going on with work and that stress really doesn't help in terms of recovery," added Nimmock, who did set a new 10K PB of 33:41 in Brighton earlier this year. "But the two big events in my job that I had been worrying about have passed now so I feel ready to kick on with my training.
"It's certainly made me appreciate my training a lot more. You can become a bit jaded and tired but when it's taken away from you, then you really miss it."
Nimmock admits she feels like she has unfinished business in the 50K event but will be putting that on the backburner for now in the search for a new PB at the marathon distance in 2020.
"I just want to get fit now - I really need to get a solid base behind, get some good 10Ks into my legs and all the hard training that goes with that," she added.
"I couldn't do that recently because I just needed to make sure that I could make the start line. I'm looking forward to cracking out a few hard sessions.
"I've got the Big Half in March which will be my next big race but I'm not sure which marathon yet.
"Whatever one I do I want to make sure that I get a good PB out of it so if I'm not ready by the spring then I will wait until autumn."
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