2:51:20 > 2:51:23The journey to reach the top in any sport can be long and tough.
2:51:24 > 2:51:29Often it's filled with lonely hours on the road, in a gym, at the range.
2:51:29 > 2:51:32Away from family and friends.
2:51:32 > 2:51:35But the rewards for getting it right can be so great,
2:51:35 > 2:51:37it's worth every bit of sacrifice.
2:51:39 > 2:51:42This month, we meet three people at three very different
2:51:42 > 2:51:45stages in their lives and their Olympic journeys.
2:51:50 > 2:51:53I've come to Portugal to meet a wheelchair racing legend.
2:51:53 > 2:51:56A six-time Paralympic gold medallist,
2:51:56 > 2:51:58six-time London Marathon winner,
2:51:58 > 2:52:01and at 34 years old, David Weir isn't finished yet.
2:52:03 > 2:52:06Also in today's show, Lee McKenzie spends the day with the teen
2:52:06 > 2:52:09skeet shooting sensation Amber Hill and her family.
2:52:09 > 2:52:13It's incredible, she gets it every time. Every time.
2:52:13 > 2:52:16Denise Lewis meets up with Eilish McColgan and mum, Liz,
2:52:16 > 2:52:20where the focus is firmly on this summer's Commonwealth Games.
2:52:20 > 2:52:23I don't want to just make teams any more, I want to perform well,
2:52:23 > 2:52:26I want to be in the finals, I want to be mixing with the best.
2:52:26 > 2:52:29And we want to inspire you to get active.
2:52:29 > 2:52:32Whatever your age or skill level, find out more about getting
2:52:32 > 2:52:35involved in a sport near you by visiting our website:
2:52:38 > 2:52:41And you can also get in touch with us via Twitter at:
2:52:49 > 2:52:50- Hi, David.- Hi.
2:52:50 > 2:52:52Great to meet you. This is fantastic.
2:52:52 > 2:52:55I can see why the warm weather training is quite
2:52:55 > 2:52:57an attractive option.
2:52:57 > 2:53:00Yes, it's nice to have a bit of sun on your back, you know.
2:53:00 > 2:53:03You've come out here pretty much every year for eight years?
2:53:03 > 2:53:04Yeah, pretty much.
2:53:04 > 2:53:07I've never been somewhere where there's been good roads
2:53:07 > 2:53:11to train on for the longer stuff and a good track to train on
2:53:11 > 2:53:15that isn't far from the hotel so you haven't got to load a bus up,
2:53:15 > 2:53:18you know, get everything ready and drive for an hour.
2:53:18 > 2:53:20You can literally push to the track
2:53:20 > 2:53:24and then you can push straight onto the circuit of the marathon training.
2:53:24 > 2:53:26So I've always done well
2:53:26 > 2:53:29when I've come out here first before the marathon.
2:53:29 > 2:53:32- A bit of superstition as well? - Yeah, a little bit, yeah.
2:53:41 > 2:53:44You'd had a falling out of love with the Paralympics
2:53:44 > 2:53:46after your first experience?
2:53:46 > 2:53:50Yeah, in '96, yeah. I was very young, you know.
2:53:50 > 2:53:55I got into sport when I was eight and people noticed I was a talent then.
2:53:55 > 2:53:58I was thrown in the mix straightaway.
2:53:58 > 2:54:00Racing for Great Britain at the age of 12 in Ireland for
2:54:00 > 2:54:06the senior squad and beating men. I was training a lot.
2:54:06 > 2:54:11- And I just lost the love of it, you know. But...- You weren't impressed, really?
2:54:11 > 2:54:15No, I just wasn't impressed with the whole Paralympic movement.
2:54:15 > 2:54:17I just didn't think there would be a future in it.
2:54:17 > 2:54:20And racing in Atlanta, you know, counting how many, there was
2:54:20 > 2:54:23probably more people sitting down by the pool here
2:54:23 > 2:54:27than there was in the whole of the stadium and...
2:54:27 > 2:54:30I trained for a bit when I got back and then I just said,
2:54:30 > 2:54:32"I don't want to do it any more."
2:54:32 > 2:54:34- COMMENTATOR: - She is a different class.
2:54:34 > 2:54:39And that is four gold medals for Tanni Grey-Thompson.
2:54:39 > 2:54:41It was watching Sydney?
2:54:41 > 2:54:43Yes, just watching Sydney and Tanni
2:54:43 > 2:54:47and the Great Britain team doing so well and seeing the crowds.
2:54:47 > 2:54:52I was, yeah, bitterly disappointed in myself
2:54:52 > 2:54:55and I felt like I'd let down a lot of people.
2:54:56 > 2:55:00I said to myself, "I'm going to get back into the sport."
2:55:00 > 2:55:03I didn't know what I was going to do but it was afterwards
2:55:03 > 2:55:07I just got my chair out and slowly got back into it.
2:55:07 > 2:55:11Are you now impressed with how things have changed?
2:55:11 > 2:55:16Yeah, and I think London was such an amazing experience for me.
2:55:16 > 2:55:18Not just winning all them gold medals.
2:55:18 > 2:55:21I remember underneath the stadium as we were going in
2:55:21 > 2:55:24and they already said the tickets were sold out.
2:55:24 > 2:55:28But you still had that little doubt, "Have they, have they really?" You know.
2:55:28 > 2:55:36And I looked up and all I could see was the top layer and it was full.
2:55:36 > 2:55:41And I just had a big smile. And I just thought, "We've done it."
2:55:41 > 2:55:44The pressure's building for all that time,
2:55:44 > 2:55:47the relief as the valve comes out must have been enormous.
2:55:47 > 2:55:50Was it at the back of your mind that you'd have to take off
2:55:50 > 2:55:53quite a bit of time to decompress, almost?
2:55:53 > 2:56:00It only took about two months when I had a bit more downtime where I could sit down and watch my races.
2:56:00 > 2:56:07I remember my eldest daughter, she come downstairs and she could see that I was crying a little bit
2:56:07 > 2:56:12because I was just watching my races back and I just didn't believe it was me.
2:56:12 > 2:56:15I couldn't believe I did that in London, in my home back yard.
2:56:15 > 2:56:18Yeah, I was in a flood of tears.
2:56:18 > 2:56:21But I watched it all day and then she came down a bit later and said,
2:56:21 > 2:56:24- "Are you still watching yourself?" - Putting yourself through it?
2:56:24 > 2:56:26Yeah, I was putting myself through it.
2:56:26 > 2:56:28But you still had to have that downtime
2:56:28 > 2:56:31and you came through 2013 with very little in the way of your normal
2:56:31 > 2:56:36success, fifth in London, which for you must have felt slightly strange?
2:56:36 > 2:56:37It was a bit strange,
2:56:37 > 2:56:42but I just had to think about it and process it after and say,
2:56:42 > 2:56:47"Well, you know, them guys probably trained straight after London.
2:56:47 > 2:56:50"You've had four months off." And it wasn't a bad position.
2:56:50 > 2:56:54Yes, I was a little big gutted and I knew I'm better than that
2:56:54 > 2:56:58and I think I need time like that to drive me on a little bit.
2:56:58 > 2:57:01But I always said to my family and friends
2:57:01 > 2:57:06that the races I do in 2013 will just be for fun, really.
2:57:06 > 2:57:09I will train for them, but I won't put the intensity in,
2:57:09 > 2:57:13because mentally and physically I was still drained and tired.
2:57:13 > 2:57:16That year, I said, "Look, Jen,
2:57:16 > 2:57:18"can I have the whole of August off this year?"
2:57:18 > 2:57:21I've never been on a summer holiday with my family.
2:57:21 > 2:57:25She said, "You don't even have to ask me, you can do what you want.
2:57:25 > 2:57:29- "I'm just here when you want to come back."- See if the grass is greener?
2:57:29 > 2:57:33Yeah. So, I just really enjoyed myself in 2013.
2:57:33 > 2:57:35But I always had a date when I was coming back and I know
2:57:35 > 2:57:37when I'm coming back.
2:57:37 > 2:57:41And the date was September 1st, get back into training
2:57:41 > 2:57:44as soon as you are back off holiday and work hard all winter.
2:57:48 > 2:57:51You've got all those incredible memories now.
2:57:51 > 2:57:55Do you draw on them in those difficult days of training?
2:57:55 > 2:57:58Yeah, you think of what you've done and it drives you on.
2:57:58 > 2:58:02And I still have a few challenges left.
2:58:02 > 2:58:04If I didn't have that, then...
2:58:05 > 2:58:07I probably would have retired.
2:58:07 > 2:58:11I've still got goals I want to achieve and I still think...
2:58:11 > 2:58:14You want to beat Tanni's marathon record?
2:58:14 > 2:58:16Yeah, I'd love to do that.
2:58:16 > 2:58:18It's going to be tough because the strength
2:58:18 > 2:58:21and depth in the men's wheelchair racing is getting tougher
2:58:21 > 2:58:24and tougher each year and I'm not getting any younger.
2:58:24 > 2:58:27You can see whether David wins a record seventh
2:58:27 > 2:58:32London Marathon from 8:30am next Sunday morning on BBC One.
2:58:32 > 2:58:36David's determined to stay at the top of his sport for as long as he can.
2:58:36 > 2:58:39As long as he has the motivation and drive and his experiences,
2:58:39 > 2:58:43both good and bad, have shaped how he feels about Paralympic sport.
2:58:43 > 2:58:47Well, at 16 years old, Amber Hill is blazing a trail in her chosen sport.
2:58:47 > 2:58:50Inspired by her grandad, she's a real shooting
2:58:50 > 2:58:54star of the future, as Lee McKenzie has been finding out.
2:58:58 > 2:58:59Amber Hill is different.
2:59:02 > 2:59:06Not different for the choices she's made to become a top class athlete.
2:59:07 > 2:59:09And not different for the sacrifices she's made
2:59:09 > 2:59:12to follow her dreams to get to the top.
2:59:14 > 2:59:16But she's different for her choice of sports.
2:59:18 > 2:59:23Most girls her age won't even have heard of skeet shooting.
2:59:23 > 2:59:26She's the youngest ever winner of a senior competition.
2:59:26 > 2:59:29And now she's got her sights firmly set on Rio.
2:59:35 > 2:59:38Incredible, she gets it every time, every time.
2:59:40 > 2:59:43GUNSHOT
2:59:47 > 2:59:49It's incredible. You must miss them.
2:59:49 > 2:59:53I've not seen you miss any but, do you leave here and think,
2:59:53 > 2:59:55"That was a really good training session?"
2:59:55 > 2:59:58To be fair, I'm not happy until I hit all of them.
2:59:58 > 3:00:00That's pretty much how I train.
3:00:02 > 3:00:03That's unbelievable.
3:00:04 > 3:00:06You're just so calm.
3:00:06 > 3:00:08Yeah, you have to stay really calm throughout
3:00:08 > 3:00:11because if you get too worked up, your body becomes
3:00:11 > 3:00:14more tense and make everything twice as hard for yourself.
3:00:14 > 3:00:18It's almost like an extension of your body. It's like another limb?
3:00:18 > 3:00:21Yeah, it's sort of like part of you. They're not light at all.
3:00:21 > 3:00:24My gun is the same weight as any other men's gun
3:00:24 > 3:00:27because it's got to be a certain weight for balance.
3:00:27 > 3:00:29You've just got to get on with it.
3:00:34 > 3:00:37It's so nice to see you in your home from home.
3:00:37 > 3:00:39How much time do you actually spend here?
3:00:39 > 3:00:41I spend quite a bit of time up here training.
3:00:41 > 3:00:44I shoot about three to four times a week at the moment
3:00:44 > 3:00:47preparing for my competitions, so hopefully everything will go
3:00:47 > 3:00:50all right with all the practice I'm getting in.
3:00:50 > 3:00:52It's been an incredible year for you.
3:00:52 > 3:00:53This time last year you were still at school
3:00:53 > 3:00:55and how often could you practice then?
3:00:55 > 3:00:59It was very tough for me last year, I had to juggle my GCSEs,
3:00:59 > 3:01:00my shooting, my social life.
3:01:00 > 3:01:03I was probably training about once a week, which was nothing
3:01:03 > 3:01:07compared to some of the international shooters I was shooting against.
3:01:07 > 3:01:10But I made it work and I had an incredible year, last year.
3:01:10 > 3:01:13You're number one in Great Britain.
3:01:13 > 3:01:16Can you still enjoy the same sort of life as you used to?
3:01:16 > 3:01:18Is it worth the sacrifices?
3:01:18 > 3:01:21It is definitely worth the sacrifice. Definitely.
3:01:21 > 3:01:24But I still make time to see my friends as much as I can,
3:01:24 > 3:01:26because you need that, being a teenager and stuff.
3:01:26 > 3:01:29But, I'm just enjoying what I'm doing at the moment
3:01:29 > 3:01:32- and I wouldn't change it for the world.- What have you got coming up?
3:01:32 > 3:01:35I'm aiming to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,
3:01:35 > 3:01:39which should be an amazing event, seeing as it's in Scotland.
3:01:39 > 3:01:42All my family will be able to come up and support me, which I don't normally get.
3:01:42 > 3:01:45Hopefully everything goes well and I'll get there.
3:01:47 > 3:01:50It's the support from her family, hard work and dedication that's
3:01:50 > 3:01:54got Amber to where she is today and it was her biggest fan,
3:01:54 > 3:01:58grandad Bill, who started Amber on her Olympic journey.
3:01:58 > 3:02:01Bill, I understand it's your fault Amber got into shooting?
3:02:01 > 3:02:03Yes, I'm afraid so.
3:02:03 > 3:02:05About nine or 10 when she picked up a small gun which
3:02:05 > 3:02:08we had with us at the time and she said, "Can I have a go?"
3:02:08 > 3:02:11I said, "Yeah, but it will put you on your back!"
3:02:11 > 3:02:13But she fired it and loved it.
3:02:13 > 3:02:16And ever since she's been doing the same old thing as you've seen today.
3:02:16 > 3:02:20At which point did you think she had a real talent?
3:02:20 > 3:02:23Within about a couple of months of her shooting,
3:02:23 > 3:02:25you could see she was a natural with a gun.
3:02:25 > 3:02:27She had a lot of training to do
3:02:27 > 3:02:30and we did a lot of work together on it, but she was there, you know?
3:02:30 > 3:02:35I understand you lost a bit of money in a bet to young, innocent Amber?
3:02:35 > 3:02:37- She fleeced you?- She did fleece me.
3:02:37 > 3:02:40Quite a long time ago now, but we went out one afternoon
3:02:40 > 3:02:42and I said to her, "If you beat me, you win £50.
3:02:42 > 3:02:44"If I beat you, you give me a pound."
3:02:44 > 3:02:47And she went out in the afternoon and won £250 off me.
3:02:47 > 3:02:48Bets off from that day on.
3:02:50 > 3:02:54With all bets off, it's time for me to have a shot.
3:02:54 > 3:02:57I feel like I'm the novice that's about to get
3:02:57 > 3:02:59involved in something I've got no right to be at.
3:02:59 > 3:03:03I'm not going to try and compare myself anywhere near to Amber, because she's
3:03:03 > 3:03:06- the benchmark for most shooters in Britain now, isn't she?- She is.
3:03:06 > 3:03:08You know, you'll be all right, you'll be good.
3:03:08 > 3:03:12OK, well, we'll let you have a go first. I'll learn from you.
3:03:20 > 3:03:25- It's incredible how easy you make it look.- Thank you.
3:03:25 > 3:03:28- It's just such a skill. - You and me.- Me?!- Go on.
3:03:28 > 3:03:29Pull.
3:03:32 > 3:03:33Argh!
3:03:34 > 3:03:35No, I missed it.
3:03:37 > 3:03:40- Well, that £50 is coming your way. - You weren't even close that time.
3:03:40 > 3:03:42LAUGHTER
3:03:42 > 3:03:45- That time(!) - Ignore him, he's harsh.
3:03:45 > 3:03:47But we could wind you up?
3:03:47 > 3:03:49You won't wind me up with this thing.
3:03:49 > 3:03:52- Because the pink cartridges suit you.- They do, don't they?
3:03:52 > 3:03:54Pull.
3:03:55 > 3:03:58He started you off and now he's using your gun,
3:03:58 > 3:04:00he's using your cartridges?
3:04:00 > 3:04:04Yeah, it's nice to think that he's still involved in my shooting.
3:04:04 > 3:04:05Pull.
3:04:12 > 3:04:15That's amazing. You were saying earlier you haven't shot for almost...?
3:04:15 > 3:04:18- Just over a year. - But it never leaves you?
3:04:18 > 3:04:21No, you can still do it, but the trouble is I blame the pink cartridges.
3:04:21 > 3:04:24- It's got to be, a lady's thing. - Is it the pink cartridges?- Never.
3:04:24 > 3:04:28It's been such a pleasure to spend time with both of you today.
3:04:28 > 3:04:31The one thing my eyes have been opened with, it's
3:04:31 > 3:04:34a really difficult sport to do. The speed, the composure.
3:04:34 > 3:04:37- I mean, it's an incredible talent to have.- Thank you, yeah.
3:04:37 > 3:04:41It is a difficult discipline. I don't think people realise,
3:04:41 > 3:04:44because they don't have the opportunity to give it a go.
3:04:44 > 3:04:47It's just a lot of skill involved,
3:04:47 > 3:04:50but I've managed to pick up things over the years from different
3:04:50 > 3:04:53people because I've been shooting since I was 10.
3:04:53 > 3:04:56So, everything is falling into place now
3:04:56 > 3:04:59and I'm just enjoying what I am doing.
3:04:59 > 3:05:02Your emotions, you're standing here holding Amber's gun,
3:05:02 > 3:05:03using Amber's cartridges...
3:05:03 > 3:05:07it's a long way from the little girl who used to come along here
3:05:07 > 3:05:09- to learn how to shoot? - It is a very long way.
3:05:09 > 3:05:12When you think about it, in five years where she's come from,
3:05:12 > 3:05:15from a little tiny girl... still a little tiny girl.
3:05:15 > 3:05:18But number one GB, who could imagine it? It's fantastic.
3:05:18 > 3:05:21You're obviously looking forward to Rio. That's your big aim.
3:05:21 > 3:05:23But it's difficult when there's so much to happen before that.
3:05:23 > 3:05:26How easy is it to focus on a week-by-week basis?
3:05:26 > 3:05:29You do have to take things one step at a time,
3:05:29 > 3:05:31otherwise you just get lost in it.
3:05:31 > 3:05:33So much is going on with the Commonwealth Games
3:05:33 > 3:05:37this year in Glasgow, the World Championships, World Cups,
3:05:37 > 3:05:39but the one I'm aiming for is Rio.
3:05:39 > 3:05:42But I'm going to take one thing at a time and keep practising hard
3:05:42 > 3:05:45and hopefully everything will fall into place.
3:05:48 > 3:05:52There is an exciting future ahead for Amber Hill and her family, that's for sure.
3:05:52 > 3:05:56For David Weir out here in Portugal, it's about conditioning,
3:05:56 > 3:05:58stretching, doing the miles on the road.
3:05:58 > 3:06:00Miles and miles of training that he will draw on
3:06:00 > 3:06:03when he needs the most in competition.
3:06:03 > 3:06:07Driving David on is someone he's known since he was eight years old.
3:06:07 > 3:06:10Former Wimbledon Football Club fitness coach Jenny Archer,
3:06:10 > 3:06:15who he turned to in 2002 after taking a break from the sport.
3:06:15 > 3:06:18I asked him what he really wanted from me and what he wanted
3:06:18 > 3:06:21and he said, "I want world records, world gold medals.
3:06:21 > 3:06:24"I want to be number one in the world." Like an idiot, I said,
3:06:24 > 3:06:25"I'll take you there."
3:06:25 > 3:06:27So, I thought, "I can't let this guy down now."
3:06:27 > 3:06:29So, why did he come back to you at that point, do you think?
3:06:29 > 3:06:32Because you had all kinds of different hats you'd been
3:06:32 > 3:06:34- wearing in your professional life, hadn't you?- Yeah...
3:06:34 > 3:06:36From school teacher to Crazy Gang fitness coach.
3:06:36 > 3:06:38I think that's what he likes about it,
3:06:38 > 3:06:41he knows that I will kick his backside for him.
3:06:41 > 3:06:44He had a load of talent and I've always said to people,
3:06:44 > 3:06:47I've never taken it away from him that he's had talent
3:06:47 > 3:06:50but he just needed someone there to give him that extra push.
3:06:50 > 3:06:53He came and asked for help and I've been there ever since.
3:06:53 > 3:06:55And it's been an honour, for me,
3:06:55 > 3:06:57to be by his side in all these years, you know.
3:06:57 > 3:07:01What's the difference in coaching somebody who's wheelchair racing
3:07:01 > 3:07:05to a group of slightly crazy footballers,
3:07:05 > 3:07:07who over-achieved...
3:07:07 > 3:07:08THEY LAUGH
3:07:08 > 3:07:12Erm, I look at Dave and I think, Well, OK, he's in a chair but I look
3:07:12 > 3:07:15at his arms and I think, you've got your calves, your quads, hammies.
3:07:15 > 3:07:18You know, and I said, "You're no different,
3:07:18 > 3:07:19"All you're doing is using your arms."
3:07:19 > 3:07:21And I see his arms as his legs.
3:07:21 > 3:07:24- Right.- I know it sounds crazy, but that's the way I looked at it.
3:07:24 > 3:07:26So, the programmes that I had,
3:07:26 > 3:07:30I started to adapt and it started to work for him.
3:07:30 > 3:07:33But as the years have gone on, I've had to go one step higher
3:07:33 > 3:07:37every year to keep him up at that top-class level.
3:07:37 > 3:07:41This year, we've got to, yet again, step up another level for him.
3:07:41 > 3:07:42Keep him up there.
3:07:42 > 3:07:45I've not only got David, I've got Shelly Woods on board now,
3:07:45 > 3:07:47Mickey Bushell's now on board.
3:07:47 > 3:07:50Those days of coaching Vinnie Jones and the like,
3:07:50 > 3:07:53how much did that prepare you for the mood swings,
3:07:53 > 3:07:56the temperamental changes that you see in athletes?
3:07:56 > 3:07:58Cos athletes are quite finely tuned, aren't they?
3:07:58 > 3:08:01They're a bit like racehorses, everything has to be quite,
3:08:01 > 3:08:02you know, perfect.
3:08:02 > 3:08:06Working with the Crazy Gang, it was a fantastic experience!
3:08:06 > 3:08:08One that I will always remember.
3:08:08 > 3:08:10You see this hard man called Vinnie Jones,
3:08:10 > 3:08:14underneath it all, he's a soft guy, he's a lovely guy
3:08:14 > 3:08:17and working alongside Don Howe at the time
3:08:17 > 3:08:20and he was the England manager as well and Bobby Gould.
3:08:20 > 3:08:23I look at Don Howe and he was a great mentor to have.
3:08:23 > 3:08:25I was there for ten years
3:08:25 > 3:08:28and it's ten years that I really, really enjoyed.
3:08:28 > 3:08:30Do you get as much out of your relationship with
3:08:30 > 3:08:33David as he does out of you, do you think?
3:08:33 > 3:08:38Yeah...there's a special bond there and I lost my mother three years ago
3:08:38 > 3:08:41and I nursed her through the last six months of cancer
3:08:41 > 3:08:44and just going out with Dave for three hours in the morning
3:08:44 > 3:08:48and an hour in the evening just kept me going through that six months.
3:08:48 > 3:08:51She passed away just before the London Marathon and
3:08:51 > 3:08:55he actually dedicated the race to my mother and that was it,
3:08:55 > 3:08:58it just totally destroyed me when he said that.
3:09:02 > 3:09:06Is it a case of you now handing over your coaching skills to David,
3:09:06 > 3:09:10so that when he's ready to stop racing, he's able to bring...?
3:09:10 > 3:09:11I keep telling him,
3:09:11 > 3:09:14"You might be a good athlete but it doesn't make you a good coach."
3:09:14 > 3:09:16SHE LAUGHS
3:09:21 > 3:09:24While David puts in the hard yards here in Portugal,
3:09:24 > 3:09:26back in Loughborough, Eilish McColgan is preparing
3:09:26 > 3:09:30herself for what, potentially, could be a career defining year.
3:09:30 > 3:09:33A Commonwealth Games in her home country may well be the moment
3:09:33 > 3:09:36she really makes her name on the world stage.
3:09:36 > 3:09:40It certainly was for her mum, Liz, back in Edinburgh, in 1986.
3:09:40 > 3:09:44Denise Lewis went to find out how preparations are coming along.
3:09:48 > 3:09:50Eilish, it's really good to see you.
3:09:50 > 3:09:52I knew I'd find you here in the great outdoors,
3:09:52 > 3:09:55because mileage is such an important part of what you do.
3:09:55 > 3:09:57Tell us what you've done this morning.
3:09:57 > 3:10:01Erm, so this morning, I just had an easy five mile run and,
3:10:01 > 3:10:04to be honest, that's what the bulk of my training is, easy runs in
3:10:04 > 3:10:09between my main hard track sessions, that I would do three times a week.
3:10:09 > 3:10:11Very different from Kenya, which is
3:10:11 > 3:10:13where you've been training for the past few weeks.
3:10:13 > 3:10:17Yeah, it's been a bit of a shock to the system, coming back and,
3:10:17 > 3:10:19I mean, we had perfect weather for five weeks.
3:10:19 > 3:10:23Erm, so to come back here and there's snow and hail in my first
3:10:23 > 3:10:26session on the track, it was a little bit of a shock to the system.
3:10:26 > 3:10:28Kenya seems to be almost like an integral
3:10:28 > 3:10:33part of the preparation for you guys, what's so special about it?
3:10:33 > 3:10:36It's absolutely perfect for endurance running.
3:10:36 > 3:10:38You can go out on the trails and run for miles and miles and, erm,
3:10:38 > 3:10:40the weather's perfect and, obviously,
3:10:40 > 3:10:43it's the added altitude of 8,000 feet.
3:10:43 > 3:10:45There's so many of the world record holders
3:10:45 > 3:10:49and Olympic champions all in the one town, it's a really unique situation.
3:10:49 > 3:10:52If you're a runner, it's difficult not to be inspired
3:10:52 > 3:10:53when you're out there.
3:10:53 > 3:10:56Training is the one priority that they have
3:10:56 > 3:10:58and life is just pretty simple and basic.
3:10:58 > 3:11:00So, I've tried to replicate that as I've come home and get myself in a
3:11:00 > 3:11:05good routine, where my athletics and my running is my number one focus.
3:11:05 > 3:11:07And the season ahead, we've got the Commonwealth Games
3:11:07 > 3:11:09and the European Championships.
3:11:09 > 3:11:11Yeah, I mean, my main focus is, obviously,
3:11:11 > 3:11:14the Commonwealth Games, being in Scotland it's a huge event for me.
3:11:14 > 3:11:18I'm very fortunate that I've got that to look forward to.
3:11:18 > 3:11:21One person who knows what success at a home Commonwealth Games feels like
3:11:21 > 3:11:24is Eilish's coach and mum, Liz.
3:11:24 > 3:11:28Whilst Eilish will be running the 3,000m steeplechase in Glasgow,
3:11:28 > 3:11:31it was in the 10,000m that Liz took the gold.
3:11:31 > 3:11:37Liz Lynch takes the 10,000m gold for Scotland.
3:11:37 > 3:11:40What a great moment for the host nation.
3:11:42 > 3:11:44- Hello!- It's good to see you!
3:11:44 > 3:11:47Ha-ha! Good to see you!
3:11:47 > 3:11:49- How are you doing?- Really good.
3:11:49 > 3:11:52- In you come.- Thank you. Miserable weather!
3:11:52 > 3:11:55Did you always have an inkling that she might run?
3:11:55 > 3:12:00I always knew, at a very young age, that Eilish was capable of running.
3:12:00 > 3:12:02She was always energetic.
3:12:02 > 3:12:04She was always pretty good
3:12:04 > 3:12:06at anything she put her hand to at sport.
3:12:06 > 3:12:09She was a very good style of runner. She made it easy, it was effortless.
3:12:09 > 3:12:13So, it was great to be able to develop it such a young age.
3:12:13 > 3:12:16Is she as tough as you, as robust as you?
3:12:16 > 3:12:19Because I remember you were a gritty, gritty athlete.
3:12:19 > 3:12:23I would say that Eilish is as robust as me, or as tough as me,
3:12:23 > 3:12:25but in a different way.
3:12:25 > 3:12:32She's very, very gutsy, especially on her race tactics. She'll dig in.
3:12:32 > 3:12:36But I don't think Eilish is as intense as I was on my training.
3:12:36 > 3:12:39Eilish can lighten the load and turn off,
3:12:39 > 3:12:42whereas, I think, with me, I was always on it.
3:12:42 > 3:12:44I think that's the difference. That's a good difference
3:12:44 > 3:12:47because one of my bad traits was that
3:12:47 > 3:12:50I never took the foot off the pedal.
3:12:50 > 3:12:53I was always going, going, going.
3:12:53 > 3:12:56I never took the opportunity to actually enjoy my success,
3:12:56 > 3:12:58whereas Eilish is slightly different in that way.
3:12:58 > 3:13:01Liz McColgan finishes in second place
3:13:01 > 3:13:03with the silver for Great Britain.
3:13:04 > 3:13:08It must be a fine line between wanting to give her
3:13:08 > 3:13:12all of the knowledge, and maybe making her work a few things out.
3:13:12 > 3:13:15We do discuss everything very openly,
3:13:15 > 3:13:17but the good thing for me, as a mother-coach,
3:13:17 > 3:13:20is the fact that I know it's Eilish's career.
3:13:20 > 3:13:23I don't look at it from what I did and when I did it,
3:13:23 > 3:13:26I look at it from where you are and where you need to go with it.
3:13:26 > 3:13:28It works really, really well.
3:13:28 > 3:13:30I think, because I was self-coached,
3:13:30 > 3:13:33I feel that I know endurance running inside out.
3:13:33 > 3:13:35I know the highs of it and the lows of it
3:13:35 > 3:13:38and I think I've worked out a pretty good philosophy
3:13:38 > 3:13:41on what it takes to be a really good endurance runner.
3:13:41 > 3:13:44But the whole ethos of that whole package
3:13:44 > 3:13:46is the athlete that you've got,
3:13:46 > 3:13:50and I'm very fortunate that I've got a great athlete to work with.
3:13:51 > 3:13:53When Eilish is in the UK,
3:13:53 > 3:13:56she is based at Loughborough University because of the top-class
3:13:56 > 3:14:01training facilities and medical experts that are available to her.
3:14:01 > 3:14:07At what point did you realise you just didn't have a regular mummy,
3:14:07 > 3:14:11she was a little bit special, almost like a celebrity?
3:14:11 > 3:14:14Yeah, I think when I was younger I was a bit naive to it all.
3:14:14 > 3:14:17I wasn't aware in the slightest.
3:14:17 > 3:14:19I thought everyone's parents were sporty
3:14:19 > 3:14:21and everyone's parents went for runs.
3:14:21 > 3:14:25I suppose it wasn't until I got to the end of primary school
3:14:25 > 3:14:29that I realised she was at the highest level of our sport.
3:14:29 > 3:14:32It took me quite a while to realise that.
3:14:32 > 3:14:36How do you cope with the comparisons between you and your mum?
3:14:36 > 3:14:40Mentally, I think people think we are probably quite similar.
3:14:40 > 3:14:45And the fact that I'm just determined to work hard.
3:14:45 > 3:14:48I know you've got to work hard in this sport to be successful,
3:14:48 > 3:14:50but I enjoy running, so it's easy to do.
3:14:50 > 3:14:52It's not difficult for me to enjoy it.
3:14:52 > 3:14:57Do you feel like you've got an advantage over the other athletes
3:14:57 > 3:15:02because you've got such a formidable woman, mother, in your back pocket?
3:15:02 > 3:15:04Yeah, maybe slightly.
3:15:04 > 3:15:10I feel like I've got the advantage of someone who's been there and done it.
3:15:10 > 3:15:13To get advice from someone who got a silver at the Olympics
3:15:13 > 3:15:14and a World Champion,
3:15:14 > 3:15:17it's obviously going to be beneficial to me.
3:15:17 > 3:15:19I can't really ask for anything more than that.
3:15:19 > 3:15:22So, Eilish McColgan, first Olympic Games.
3:15:22 > 3:15:25- It's great to see her here, Brendan. - It is great to see her here.
3:15:25 > 3:15:28I hope she's enjoying the Olympic experience.
3:15:28 > 3:15:30You've had two very important years,
3:15:30 > 3:15:33two big major championships - thrown in at the deep end.
3:15:33 > 3:15:37It was pretty impressive to see how you managed to cope with all that.
3:15:37 > 3:15:40Yeah, I mean, it's been a difficult two years.
3:15:40 > 3:15:42The Olympics just came far too early for me.
3:15:42 > 3:15:45I was competing at Scottish University level,
3:15:45 > 3:15:48then going from that, maybe ten people in the crowd in the stadium,
3:15:48 > 3:15:52to 80,000 at the Olympics was a massive, massive shock.
3:15:52 > 3:15:54I wasn't really prepared or ready for the Olympics.
3:15:54 > 3:15:58That's probably why I didn't compete to the level I probably should have.
3:15:58 > 3:16:00I feel that my mindset, in that way, has changed.
3:16:00 > 3:16:03I don't want to just make teams any more, I want to perform well.
3:16:03 > 3:16:06I want to be in the finals, mixing with the best.
3:16:06 > 3:16:07The Commonwealth Games on home soil,
3:16:07 > 3:16:10what type of advice has your mum given you?
3:16:10 > 3:16:13Yeah, she said that the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh
3:16:13 > 3:16:17were her standout memory of all the races she did throughout the years.
3:16:17 > 3:16:21She said that would be the same for me in Glasgow,
3:16:21 > 3:16:22regardless of how I perform.
3:16:22 > 3:16:26She said the support you will get with that crowd being Scottish
3:16:26 > 3:16:29and being a Scottish athlete will just be on another level.
3:16:30 > 3:16:33You can see how Eilish, Amber and David
3:16:33 > 3:16:35get on at the Commonwealth Games.
3:16:35 > 3:16:39There's coverage right across the BBC from 23rd July.
3:16:40 > 3:16:43Getting to the top is not without its sacrifices.
3:16:43 > 3:16:45Having three children, that's something
3:16:45 > 3:16:47David Weir knows only too well.
3:16:49 > 3:16:51The training's great when you're out here,
3:16:51 > 3:16:54but your kids are back home with Emily.
3:16:54 > 3:16:58I think it would have been tougher if my kids were really little.
3:16:58 > 3:17:02When you miss certain things like crawling and walking and stuff.
3:17:02 > 3:17:06But now Mason can talk on the phone, it's slightly easier.
3:17:06 > 3:17:09I can hear Tilly in the background.
3:17:09 > 3:17:12It is hard when he's saying, "Is Daddy coming back now?
3:17:12 > 3:17:14"Are you racing?"
3:17:14 > 3:17:17Emily says every time he gets off the phone,
3:17:17 > 3:17:21she has to put YouTube clips up of me racing in 2012
3:17:21 > 3:17:24so he thinks I'm racing and winning.
3:17:24 > 3:17:28It is tough, but Emily is very understanding
3:17:28 > 3:17:32and she's a great mum. She backs me.
3:17:32 > 3:17:35And by the time Rio comes around,
3:17:35 > 3:17:38he'll really understand what's going on.
3:17:38 > 3:17:39Yeah, he will understand.
3:17:39 > 3:17:41I don't know if they're going to go yet.
3:17:41 > 3:17:43I think they'll see more on TV.
3:17:43 > 3:17:46I won't be able to get out of the village much,
3:17:46 > 3:17:48because I will be racing constantly.
3:17:48 > 3:17:50So, it'll be easier for them to be at home,
3:17:50 > 3:17:52but that's going to be another hard trip.
3:17:52 > 3:17:57London set the benchmark so high in terms of packing out the stadiums.
3:17:57 > 3:18:00It was all-encompassing, wasn't it?
3:18:00 > 3:18:03- It turned you guys into household names.- Yeah.
3:18:03 > 3:18:08Yeah, they don't look at the chair and feel pitiful.
3:18:08 > 3:18:12They look at you and see that you are a great athlete.
3:18:12 > 3:18:14To win four gold medals,
3:18:14 > 3:18:16you can't just rock up that day and win them, can you?
3:18:16 > 3:18:19What does it mean to you when a child comes up to you
3:18:19 > 3:18:22and tells you that you are their hero?
3:18:22 > 3:18:25You know, you get little clips on Twitter where people have said,
3:18:25 > 3:18:28"My kid is sitting on his skateboard and he thinks he's David Weir."
3:18:28 > 3:18:30They're just able-bodied kids.
3:18:30 > 3:18:34They don't care that you're in a wheelchair and doing sport.
3:18:34 > 3:18:36It just gives you happiness and joy
3:18:36 > 3:18:42that we're being recognised for what we do, you know?
3:18:42 > 3:18:44We're athletes.
3:18:44 > 3:18:48Yes, we might push a machine, but it takes a lot of effort to do it.
3:18:48 > 3:18:51And the kids realise that now, I think.
3:18:52 > 3:18:55David, it's been great to meet you and to see all the hard work
3:18:55 > 3:18:59- in action out here.- Thank you very much.- Best of luck.- Cheers.
3:19:01 > 3:19:04David Weir's success of the past 12 years
3:19:04 > 3:19:06has genuinely inspired people
3:19:06 > 3:19:08and changed attitudes towards Paralympic sport.
3:19:08 > 3:19:13And, as a figurehead, he continues to demand more of himself
3:19:13 > 3:19:15and those around him.
3:19:15 > 3:19:17At the other end of her journey,
3:19:17 > 3:19:20Amber Hills' focus and drive is so impressive.
3:19:20 > 3:19:23A level head and supportive family mean
3:19:23 > 3:19:27she has a great chance of success at the very highest level.
3:19:27 > 3:19:30The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will present Eilish McColgan with
3:19:30 > 3:19:33a new level of pressure and expectation.
3:19:33 > 3:19:37But it's a challenge she's ready to meet head on.
3:19:37 > 3:19:40Would you like to get involved in sport? Visit our website
3:19:40 > 3:19:44to find a range of activities happening near you. Go to...
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3:19:50 > 3:19:52We're back on 11th May,
3:19:52 > 3:19:55when I'll be catching up with sprinter Adam Gemili.
3:19:55 > 3:19:56In the meantime, here's a taste of
3:19:56 > 3:19:59the Olympic sport coming up on the BBC over the next month.
3:19:59 > 3:20:01See you next time.