Sonia O'Sullivan

After a career as one of the world's greatest long distance runners, Irish athlete Sonia O'Sullivan now calls Australia home splitting her time between her favourite running destination on the Great Ocean Road and her hometown of Cobh on the Irish Coast.

How were you introduced to running?

Ireland in the 80s didn't offer a huge choice of sports for girls, so community athletics was my first introduction. I made the County finals at 14, the same year I was introduced to cross country running. I won my first cross country race and I was hooked after that.

When did you realise you wanted to be a world class runner? What inspired you to dream big?

As I started to win National championships, I paid more attention to international athletics. I was approached by colleges in the USA for scholarships, and I attended Villanova University, Pennsylvania to push myself and train with other athletes. I was inspired by the success of Irish track stars at the time, many of whom had passed through the US college system.

You've had some ups and downs through your career. Can you pinpoint any of the peaks and troughs and how you turned some of the disappointments around?

At college in America I dealt with a number of injuries that stopped me competing for months. I had some rollercoaster results through my Olympic years too, such as 4th, DNF, and even being lapped. I learnt a lot from each of these races, how to deal with disappointment, devastation and how to fight back. You learn more from the difficult times than when things are easy.

Did you adopt any strategies to deal with the pressure of a particularly big race?

I was very lucky in that I raced much better than I trained, and was able to rise to the occasion for big events. If I was certain in my mind that I was fit, had trained well and had no doubts, I knew I could tackle it. Before each race, I would lay out my gear the night before and always folded my tracksuit before going to the start line. Doing this provided me with some grounding.

What was your reasoning behind applying for dual citizenship with Australia?

I generally spent 3 months at a time in Australia but it was never enough, particularly when my two kids came along. It was easier to spend more time in Australia between seasons. When the Commonwealth Games were in Melbourne in 2006, I was selected to run for Australia but an injury stopped me from running in the green and gold. I did get to be a part of the Australian team for the 2008 World Cross Country Championships, where we won bronze.

What do you enjoy most about Australia?

I like the active lifestyle in Australia. Rarely is there a day when you can't get out for a run. I love the weather, the coffee, the parks and forests for running and cycling, and of course the beautiful Great Ocean Road for swimming in the sea and running along stunning coastal paths.

What advice would you give to athletes aspiring to reach the top of their sport?

Success takes a long time, on average, close to seven years for a promising young athlete to be competing at a high level. You need to be passionate about sport, listen to your coach, and be patient.

Where is your favourite place to run? Do you have a favourite course?

When travelling, I look for interesting places to run and for local runners to show me the best spots. Every Sunday we go to Ferny Creek in the Dandenong Ranges with Glenhuntly athletics club. I also like to escape to Jan Juc, running along the coastal tracks and down onto the beach. I have also rekindled my love of running in Cobh, my hometown on the Irish coast.

What other sports do you enjoy participating in?

I like to cycle and swim. I had the opportunity last year to cycle in Ras na MBan, a professional bike race in Ireland. It was amazing, cycling along some pretty tough routes on the west coast of Ireland. I also really enjoy the ocean swims that take place in Australia throughout summer and try to tick off new swims each year.

What's next for Sonia O'Sullivan?

I still split my time between Melbourne and Ireland. I try to stay involved with athletics on a local level both in Australia and Ireland to hopefully inspire future champions from both hemispheres.