Tara Bird tells the story from the day of her selection for the Aviva GB & NI Team through to the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Turin, Italy, on 6-8 March.


Monday 23 February

A little before heading out for my evening run with my training partner Marilyn Okoro my coach Ayo Falola called me and when I answered he said: “Congratulations Miss Bird you have been picked for your first senior Great Britain team!” I had been named in the 4x400m team for the European Indoor Championships. I was a little shocked, but very excited and after speaking to Ayo I was looking forward to going training tomorrow as five of my training partners - Maz, Donna Fraser, Victoria Barr, Dawn Wilson and Nick Leavey had also been named in the squad for Turin.

Tuesday 24 February

Ayo told me that I would be doing two weeks of 400m and speed sessions. I have mainly been doing endurance sessions as my summer focus will be 800m, so I thought that some 150m reps sounded like fun. The session went well, I had Victoria, Donna and Dawn for company but I was smashed! I definitely underestimated speed sessions!  I spent the rest of the day at home before an evening run with Maz and as it was Pancake Day we headed to her house to make some for dinner!


Wednesday 25 February

I am studying for a Masters in Professional Writing at Brunel so had to head into uni today. My lecture started at 10am, meaning I had to do my 40 minute run at 7.45am before I left. Once I got home in the evening I headed to Lee Valley to do my weights session and then spent the rest of that night playing with my 5 month old puppy Lola!


Thursday 26 February

Today the speed sessions really started! I did some 30s and 60s indoors before one 300m rep outside with Donna. It was the fastest 300m I have ever done in the winter, but Donna still passed me after about 150m! She is in great form and I can’t wait to see her perform in Turin.


Sunday 1 March

Today I spent the day in Cardiff for a University competition, I am the captain for the Brunel women’s team and I wasn’t planning on competing so carried out my training session there, however got roped into doing a leg of the 4x200m at the end of the day.


Tuesday 3 March

I have completed my last session before heading out to Turin, I spent the rest of the day packing and looking forward to my first senior international.


Thursday 5 March

I have been in Turin for one night so far and I am sharing with my fellow ‘On Camp with Kelly’ athlete Hannah England. Today I went to the stadium, with Ayo and my training partners and we did a few runs on the bends. In the evening we had a team meeting where I was presented with a pen for my first senior GB international.


Friday 6 March

The championships started today and I stayed at the hotel in the morning with Marilyn, but we were pleased to hear that out training partners Donna and Nick had progressed through their rounds and in the afternoon I went down to watch and loved the atmosphere in the stadium.


Saturday 7 March

This afternoon I saw Dwain Chambers run 6.42 for 60m metres and it was amazing! I have never seen such a huge gap in a 60m race and he left the crowd wondering if the world record was going to be broken tomorrow! Shortly afterwards Mo Farah won the first medal for the Aviva GB & NI Team and it was gold! It was a great atmosphere and I am really enjoying being part of the team. Donna then finished sixth in her 400m final and I was hugely proud of her but I don’t think she enjoyed lane two very much!


Sunday 8 March

Today is the day of my event - the 4x400m relay, we were told the running order and I am the first reserve. Marilyn will be running on fourth leg - if she is too exhausted after her 800m final I will run in her place. Shortly before warming up I sat in the stand to watch Marilyn’s final, which also featured Jenny Meadows. Unfortunately there were no medals for GB & NI and after watching the dramatic end to the race I had to get prepared in case I needed run in the relay. Marilyn showed admirable bounce-back ability and she was ready to take her place in the relay so after finishing the warm up and watching the girls head to the call room I headed back to the stand to watch the rest of the afternoon’s action unfold. Three more medals were won, gold for Dwain and well deserved silvers for both relay teams.

Although I didn’t get to race at the champs I enjoyed being part of my first senior team and it was certainly a valuable learning curve, which can surely only benefit my summer season and my future in the sport.