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Raise Your Game: Were you happy with today's performance?

Dale Garland: Not really, to be honest during the race itself I felt quite good, I felt that the stride patterns were ok. When people came past me after 300 metres I knew I probably wasn't running fast enough. I gave everything I had, unfortunately, I was half a second slower than I was running back in England two weeks ago. So it's something to think about.

RYG: Is it all about hard work?

DG: A lot of it is to do with hard work. Somedays it's hard to train. A lot of people say to be me, 'Oh you're so lucky to be an elite athlete, able to get out there every day and not work full time.' But the days when it's raining or in the winter, and you don't want to go out to train, it's hard. Those are the days you have to dig deep to keep going, and eventually it will pay off.

RYG: What keeps you going?

DG: It's personal drive. If someone asked me what my perfect job would be, this would probably be it. I want to stay in athletics as long as possible. I want to achieve as much as I possibly can. I want to go to major championships, I want to go to the Olympics. I want to win medals and, more than that all of that, I want to get my times better and better. That's why I do it.

RYG: Is planning ahead and goal setting important?

DG: Yes. Goal setting is a major part of athletics. It's something you have to do with your coach. They play a vital part in the process as goals have to be attainable. It's good to have someone with experience who has been there before and seen people like you come through the ranks. They know what goals to set and can help you with them.

RYG: What does your coach say to you before a race?

DG: He's been coaching me for a while now, so it's literally 'Go out do your thing and run your race. If it all goes well get a personal best.' It didn't work out like that today but hopefully it will in the next race.