Six hours in a taxi, two days off from her job and a world-class field all around her – nothing was stopping Laura Muir from becoming a world indoor medallist.
The Beast from the East has sent even the best laid plans awry but nobody told Muir that, registering an excellent 3000m bronze medal for her first indoor honours on the global stage.
Twice the Scot became European champion last year but a step up to world level was always going to be tough but she was to deliver, coming close to a silver medal on the opening day in Birmingham.
“We had to put yesterday behind us; six hours in the car, windscreen wipers were frozen but we got here and I’ve won a medal; I couldn’t be happier,” she said.
“I ran the race as hard I could; I was so tired at the end. It means so much to me to get the win; it bodes well for the rest of the year, especially the Europeans.
“I’ve been fourth, sixth and seventh at major championships so the bronze is very special. To finally get that world medal means so much; I’m delighted.
“I just wanted to stay out of trouble at the start; (Konstanze) Klosterhalfen took over the pace so everything went to plan. I knew I could be strong at the end so I’m very pleased.”
A season’s best 8:45.78 was just rewards for Muir, only a tenth of a second off getting silver behind Sifan Hassan after asking for time off from the animal hospital where she works. That only told half the story of her day though, unable to fly from Glasgow due to the weather and forced to take a 300-mile taxi ride instead.
Britain’s Eilish McColgan finished inside the top ten while the win went to Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia, the first gold medal on the track at the World Indoor Championships.
There was also some field action on the opening night in Birmingham as Morgan Lake and Robbie Grabarz competed in the high jump.
And for Lake a matter of inches were all that separated her from a medal, forced to settle for fourth though her effort of 1.93metres matched those from the silver and bronze medallists.
But the extra faults she accumulated – notably in the early stages – meant a place on the podium was not to come her way, victory instead going to Mariya Lasitskene.
Grabarz was another to miss out, jumping 2.20m after failing at 2.25m to take a share of ninth place, 16cm shy of the winning jump set by Danil Lysenko.
The action from Birmingham continues on Friday, with the first session seeing Katarina Johnson-Thompson take to the track for the pentathlon.
Sportsbeat 2018