After a long winter, it finally feels like summer might be on the horizon.
This year, more than most, it’s felt like a real grind. January and February seemed endless—cold, wet, and windy days where just getting out of the door felt like an achievement in itself. But in a strange way, I think those are the days that shape you the most.
When the rain is hitting your face and the wind is against you, you learn a lot about yourself. It’s not glamorous, but it builds resilience—and that’s something every athlete needs.
Watching the World Indoors
My indoor season was intentionally low-key. I raced a couple of times—1500m in Ostrava and a 3000m in Karlsruhe—but we decided to wrap things up early.
It wasn’t about chasing results; it was about enjoying a few races, breaking up the winter training, and keeping things light. With a busy summer ahead, it felt like the right decision to reset and refocus.
Of course, that didn’t mean switching off from athletics completely. Like a lot of people, I was glued to the World Athletics Indoor Championships.
Watching the British team have so much success was genuinely inspiring. Seeing athletes like Molly Caudery—who I’ve actually shared a room with before at a Diamond League—win on the global stage was so special.
She is from near where I am from in the Westcountry of England, so it makes it all feel a bit more real, especially when it’s people you know and have spent time with. You realise that those big moments aren’t as far away as they sometimes seem.
That’s definitely something I carry with me on those tough training days. When you’re out on a Tuesday evening in the rain, it can be hard to remember why you’re doing it. But seeing what’s possible—seeing British athletes winning medals—gives you that extra bit of motivation to keep going.
Consistency, cycling, clay modelling and crochet
Since finishing indoors, it’s been all about putting in the work again. There’s nothing particularly exciting about that—it’s just consistent training, day after day—but I’m really enjoying it. That’s the most important thing for me. If I’m enjoying what I’m doing, everything else tends to fall into place.
At the same time, I’ve been making sure to keep a bit of balance. Without races every weekend, I’ve had the chance to do some different things, which has been really refreshing.
I’ve been out on my bike quite a lot—nothing too serious, just getting out and enjoying it. I’ve also been doing things like tree-top climbing, which is probably not your typical distance runner activity, but it’s great fun and a good way to switch off.
I’ve even been getting into more creative things like clay modelling and crochet. It’s something completely different from running, and I think having that contrast is really important. It helps me relax and keeps things from becoming too one-dimensional.
Excited for the summer
Looking ahead, I’m really excited for the summer season. I’ll probably open up with a 1500m at a British Milers Club meeting—something a bit more low-key to ease back onto the track.
From there, the aim is to step things up and hopefully get into some bigger races. I’d love to race in the Diamond League, particularly in Oslo and Stockholm. Those are the kinds of meetings you dream about competing in.
That said, I try not to get too caught up in the big picture. It can feel a bit overwhelming if you look too far ahead, so I prefer to focus on what I need to do today, and then tomorrow. As long as I’m ticking off the work and enjoying it, the rest will take care of itself.
Away from the track, I’ve also been keeping an eye on the road scene. The London Marathon is something that always captures attention this time of the year, and it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to be part of something like that one day. Right now, a marathon feels a very long way off—but it’s definitely something my coach Gavin Pavey can see me doing the future.
For now, though, it’s about learning, building, and gaining experience on the track. I’m still at the beginning of my journey, and there’s so much I want to achieve. But if this winter has taught me anything, it’s that progress comes from showing up—especially on the days when it’s hardest.
And with summer just around the corner, that’s a pretty exciting place to be.
Innes FitzGerald is a multiple European U20 champion on track and cross country and one of Britain's best distance running prospects. She is a regular columnist for European Athletics.
