Hey! My name is Serena Grace, and I am an elite Sprinter, competing in both the 100m and 200m. I started sprinting competitively when I was around 15 years old, at this age I was about halfway through my high school education. This was also when I was introduced to the world of being a student-athlete and the challenges that came with this role too.

Fast forward 6 years and I am now finishing my third year of university, studying BSc PE, Sport and Health at the University of East Anglia. Being a dual career athlete is far from easy; I want to give maximal effort, commitment and dedication in both my academic responsibilities and athletic performance. From my experience, I have found that when I had to prep for major championships and high-level events, it was tricker to balance my studies.

However, with the right support network and proper time management, things became much easier. If anything, being at university whilst competing at a high standard made things much easier support-wise; I was fortunate to have supportive lecturers, advisors and sport staff, as well as my mother and close friends so I was never left to deal with the pressures alone.

However, I would be lying if I said balancing coursework and training was smooth sailing, especially during the latter stages of university life when reality really hit me. I experienced a roller coaster of emotions and at some stages, I felt very drained. However, what I did find that helped me stay positive was trying my very best to stay consistent, focused and most importantly not being my worst critic.

I am always reminded by a quote from Jim Kwick “On the days you have only 40%, and you give 40%. You gave 100%.”  It is so true! On the days I felt exhausted from balancing university, training, gym and work sometimes my tank became a little depleted but if I gave everything I had, that was giving 100%.

A lot of my gym programming consisted of core and resistance band work and purchasing an exercise mat meant I could easily do core, band and mobility work at home, with minimal equipment, rather than scheduling extra time in between lectures and work to do this.

Another must have for future student athletes is a durable and large Tactical Backpack that can fit both university and training gear inside. During term time, some days were spent having a 9-5 in lectures and then from 5.30-7pm I could have training. Therefore, having a rucksack/bag that could fit all my bits and pieces in for the day was a life saver!

Term breaks and summer holidays were always nice; it gave me the opportunity to mentally reset and remind myself of my goals. However, I still had assignments to do or prep for, as well as my part time job which I did all year round. Overall, during my time off I had more time to focus on my training and preparations for competitions but also to think about what things I perhaps neglected when university life took over.

For my part time job, I work as a receptionist and unfortunately, I am on my feet from the start of my day until the end of my shift. The importance of using Foam Rollers and massage balls to aid recovery quickly became apparent as the last thing I wanted was to rock up to training with sore and achy legs. Incorporating this aspect of recovery into my training was a game changer and really made things easier when term time started up again.

I hope reading this blog has provided you with nuggets of wisdom that will help prepare you for the student athlete lifestyle. The key is to remain focused, consistent and to show up every day. I wish you the best of luck on this new and exciting journey.

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Tags: Misc > Lifestyle