Former European cross-country champion explains how she has come to love running again following a family tragedy

Gemma Steel is a different athlete to the one she was. The 2014 European cross-country champion has enjoyed notable success throughout her career, but in recent years she’s also experienced unimaginable heartache, first losing her mum to suicide in 2019, then her dad to cancer earlier this year.

Running was her life, but such traumatic events put its all-consuming nature into perspective and, perhaps understandably, she fell out of love with the sport for a time.

“I had to reassess what was important in my life,” she says, reflecting on the period after her mum died. “It made me question a lot of things. I had to do a lot of soul searching. I was still running, but with the trauma it was hard to battle on. 

“The pandemic came along at the right time, it actually helped me. I was totally drained and it gave me some time out. Otherwise, I’d have carried on battling, racing, running at an average level. It was a blessing in disguise, really.”

Steel admits that, without the distraction of college or university as a younger athlete, she felt excessive pressure to excel on the road and in cross country. “I never had a fall-back option, it was the be all and end all for me,” she admits. “I’ve had to re-evaluate in recent years and I realise now that there’s more to life than running.”

Lockdown presented an opportunity to take the pressure off. It also marked a low-key transition into masters athletics.

Self-coached since 2018, the 37-year-old is able to draw on the knowledge she has gathered over the years from experienced coaches John Nuttall, Rob Denmark and Liz McColgan-Nuttall. 

It’s almost a decade since Steel posted the seventh and eighth-fastest times ever by a British female athlete over 10km (31:26) and half marathon (68:13) respectively, but that’s no longer important. 

In fact, during tough times, it was the unexpected magnetism of parkrun, without pressure or expectation, which gradually recaptured her heart and inspired her to start clocking up the miles again.

“Losing my dad to cancer at the start of this year triggered me to start running again in a way, because he had wanted me to carry on,” she says. 

“I started doing parkrun at Watermead Country Park [near Leicester]. I ran about 18 minutes for my first one then, as I got quicker, I got more and more motivated,” she adds.

“Parkrun hadn’t really entered my consciousness when I was running as a professional. I didn’t realise the importance of the community and how it can help get people out of bed in the morning.

“People treated me like a normal runner. I wasn’t a professional athlete when I was there. I was a parkrunner and that’s what I needed. 

“I needed to feel like I was part of a community and not trying to live up to expectations of the past, because obviously I’m not the same athlete.”

In recent months, Steel has returned to her cross country roots and won titles with Charnwood at the British Masters Relay Championships and English National Relay Championships.

“I’m getting back on track now and I’m enjoying it again,” she says. “It’s a different phase of my career. I tried to dabble with other things like arts and crafts, but I realised it didn’t bring the same satisfaction and fulfilment that running gave me.

“I train on my own and I just do my own thing, I’ve always been good at that. I don’t need people around me to be able to push myself. I get more satisfaction training on my own and I like to run at my own pace. I find it empowering.” 

Steel has gradually built back up to 85-90 miles per week over the past year. She aims to leave at least three days between sessions and is flexible to maximise recovery. “I’m doing a higher mileage [compared to when I was younger], but I’m listening to my body a lot more,” she says. “I’m not putting as much pressure on myself to be in a rigid training programme. I haven’t anything to prove now, really.”

Monday: (am) nine miles (hilly off-road route); (pm) five miles (about 7min/mile pace).

Tuesday: (am) session day with six-mile warm-up (for example, 5-4-3-2-1-1-2-3-4-5 off 60 seconds); (pm) strength and conditioning, either yoga or Pilates. “I think that’s crucial for me now that I’m getting older,” she says. “I put more value on that than doing another five-mile run. I’ve always done Pilates, but yoga is more a recent thing and it’s helping to increase my flexibility. It’s crucial, really.”

Wednesday: (am) six miles; (pm) six miles (or a single 12-mile run).

Thursday: as Monday or rest day if racing Saturday.

Friday: five-mile leg turnover (if racing).

Saturday: session such as 3-2-1 x 5 off 60 seconds (if not racing). “This session hits speed and endurance and working on speed is vital for me.” 

Sunday: Long run of 15-18 miles.

Favourite session

“Minute reps with static recovery [around 45sec] – I don’t get to do them often. They’re short and sweet. I’ve got that sprinter’s mentality. I like to do the explosive work when I can.”

Least favourite session

“The 5-4-3-2-1… although I know the ones you dread are the ones that are doing you the most good! I try not to put too much pressure on myself, but if you don’t put the effort in you won’t perform in the races. There are no short-cuts.”