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Lee McConnell - Athlete
Lee is a 400m & 4 x 400m Relay Runner. A Commonwealth Silver and European Bronze medal winner, she was born in Glasgow where she was a Brownie."Every challenge in life is better when broken down into taking small steps and achieving small goals."
It would have to be Loch Lomond, it's a really beautiful and peaceful place. I have many happy memories of great family holidays there - living in a caravan and doing lots of watersports.
Being an athlete your life is full of challenges, just depending on what the goal is determines the size of the challenge. Every challenge in life is better when broken down into taking small steps and achieving small goals.
I have day to day difficult challenges to overcome - for example just improving my time from the day before. Slowly those will build to achieving my aims for the year and they finally all add up to a main objective over a four year period.
My two individual medals which would be the Silver at the Commonwealth Games because that kick started my career and then also the Bronze at the European Championships - which is the most respected in my field.
I'll tell them all of it - well if they want to hear about it?
It's about focusing on the goals that I talked about earlier. Sometimes if I'm trying to get through a painful and hard session - I focus on external factors such as my bigger goals.
I have a massive network of people behind me - from family, friends, coaches, my training squad, physio, sponsors….. I need all of them behind me. I couldn't do what I do without them.
I really admire Paula Radcliffe - she is such a strong, determined and gutsy woman - who gives her best in every performance.
I think you need to be very well disciplined and a strong-minded person as you need to be very focused. I would say with the right approach and attitude - dreams can become a reality - so give it a go.
Derek Redmond was a very talented athlete but was frustrated with injuries. At the Barcelonia Olypmics his right hamstring muscle tore and he fell. He began hobbling forward despite the pain he felt.
His father ran out of the stands and joined him on the track. Hand in hand, with Derek sobbing, they continued together. Just before the finish, Derek's father let go of his son and let Derek completed the course on his own, as the crowd of 65,000 gave him a standing ovation. It was amazing thing to see and I won't forget it.
To find out more about Scottish Athletics please see www.scottishathletics.org.uk
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