Before we kick off the episode, I think we should just give a little warning that this has a lot of talk about mental health, a lot of talk about suicide.

And if this is triggering for anyone, perhaps be warned, maybe don't listen to it.

Or if it is, we put loads of links in the description where you can go to to look for help. Say that before we start.

Hey guys, welcome back to Pro and Pass with Tom Bosworth. Here's the rest of the episode.

What was your training like? I mean, because this is what I want to understand is that you're, you know, you're being this full-time athlete, you're, you're, you know, the amount of pressure that's on you is crazy.

You know, when you were in season from that January period until August, what was it like for you as a human? What were you doing?

Waking up training, eat, sleep, train, sleep. That was a day. So what were you up in the morning? What time normally?

I wasn't too bad, you know, eight, nine, go training, to bed, really are in the world. We did a lot of altitude training because it gets you fit a quicker.

So I just spent three or four months of the year way altitude training.

Whereabouts in January, you'll be South Africa, then springtime would be Arizona or maybe Europe, depending on the snow, and then the summer would be in France or in Switzerland.

You know, we're so lucky to see some stunning places.

And, but it's very lonely. That's the lack of connection you must do.

Yeah, very lonely. But you, you, you form friendships and, and close bonds to other athletes that you spend a, you know, a lot of time with different events, sometimes different countries as well, and the coaches and the support team, they become your family.

They really doing, they really invested in what you're trying to achieve. So it's, it's really cool. But yeah, you wake up, I do 10 to 25 kilometers in the morning, do something shorter in the evening, physio doing, doing the day.

And then just trying to eat enough, drink enough, and sleep enough, basically. And just, yeah, it's like a robotic life day in day out.

Leading towards one event, and typically you're, you're waiting four years to do the Olympics. And so that's what you're kind of heading towards.

I mean, at least we have every, every summer there was always something. You know, for sure.

Yeah, for sure. But it was always about Olympics. I would have a season. So there'd be races around usually with try and stay in Europe if we can. But there's races all over the world.

And you try and get world ranking points, you know, think about all these sorts of different bits. But I like it. If you're, it was awesome. No, go be wrong. It was also what I get it. I get it.

I was awesome. But what happens if you're an athlete? And you want to be the best and you want to things, but you're middle of the range, you're never really heard of or do it. And you spend 14 years doing that. And you never win anything. We'll never do anything.

Where are the highs? The highs are in the, the highs are in the competing.

Yep. And I think you know what? I think don't, they don't acknowledge it until it's all over. I should have celebrated that day because that was the best time I ever ran or walked or jumped or whatever.

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