In the race for regular reinvention, Steph Twell has frequently managed to sneak out ahead of the pack. A teenage Olympian and a Commonwealth Games medallist by 21, it was an ascent halted, only temporarily, by a broken ankle. Then, progress once more, to 2016 and an emotional European medal and another five-ringed circus act in Rio. Challenges at every turn, but also commitment and clarity of thought.
Barely a month past her 30th birthday, the Scot is primed for another spin of the wheel. On Saturday, she will line up in the sweatbox of Doha for the 10,000 metres at the IAAF world championships, the first time she has competed in the longest of track events on the international stage. It is a shift in emphasis and perhaps a step before the junction that leads her to a marathon next summer in Tokyo and fresh gambits on the road.
Based in Aldershot, Twell’s journey has been pockmarked with travails but also rewards. She has emerged stronger and wiser from each, enough to now assert control over her own training and destiny.
It is a bold move which also makes perfect sense, she hints, after prior extended spells with distance gurus including Mick Woods and Geoff Wightman.
“Mick was very useful even though I was kind of driving my own coaching towards the end of that relationship,” she says. “Now I know what intuitively works for me.
“I have spoken to a few coaches, but I haven’t used any of their stuff. And it’s been totally designed by myself. I speak more to my physiologists to bounce ideas off them. I have had a conversation with Robert Hawkins, but it’s not the coaching. It’s like, ‘tell me what your philosophy is’. So that’s very different to when someone sets something for you, day in, day out.”
An easier fit also, given that Twell will likely return to a teaching career that has been parked until next summer, at least. Now, she possesses freedom to accept distractions that appeal. She gives workshops and talks, and contributes to a charitable initiative near where she resides with her husband Joe, no mean runner himself.
“I help on a panel that decides which good causes deserve some funding, little things like that,” she says. “I’m quite active in my local community.”
It slots in between the miles required to challenge in Doha, where even the promise of a stadium air-conditioned to 14 degrees has only attracted a 10-kilometre field of just 27 entrants, one which may be reduced further if her compatriot Eilish McColgan decides to solely focus on the 5,000m following a final ponder in the days ahead.
Twell will measure her readiness by feel but also by the flow of output graphs she plots each day.
“They help a lot,” she says.
A medal next weekend would be extraordinary, with controversial Ethiopian Almaz Ayana, the world record holder, defending her title but with a rigorous challenge expected from the Netherlands’ currently-omnipotent Sifan Hassan.
It also doubles as a warm-up for the Frankfurt Marathon, almost exactly a month later. It will only be her second excursion at the distance. The Olympic qualifying mark of 2 hours, 29 minutes and 30 seconds will be Twell’s goal.
Before that though, new ground can be broken in Qatar among a 12-strong contingent of Scottish hopefuls. Further progress, Twell trusts, after winning the UK title this summer.
“I had a positive experience,” she smiles. “Let’s see what I can do at world level.”
Meanwhile, Katarina Johnson-Thompson believes she may need her greatest showing yet to challenge heptathlon rival Nafi Thiam. The Liverpudlian is one of the UK’s leading medal hopes along with Laura Muir and Dina Asher-Smith. However she knows the consistency of Belgium’s Olympic champion is something she must match over all seven disciplines.
“I don’t think I have ever had one where everything comes together at once and that is what I am working towards,” the 26-year-old said. “That is what she is working towards too and obviously she is very strong in a lot of events now. She is definitely pushing me but I am not sure about the other way around. You just have to concentrate on yourself in a heptathlon.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here