ATAS Athlete Profile: Emily McArthur

Emily McArthur, one of Orkney's leading middle-distance runners, is about to swap Orkney Athletic and Running Club training sessions for a new set-up at the University of Stirling. As one of our ATAS-funded athletes, she took time to reflect on her journey so far - from primary school running clubs, to medalling at the Orkney Island Games.

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself - what's your sport, and how long have you been doing it?

A: I'm a middle distance 400m/800m runner for OARC and have been running for 10 years now.

Q: How did you first get into it?

A: Myself and one of my friends used to run the daily mile in primary school as fast as we could every day. She took me along to training with Mags and Nigel, who still coach us today, and they've helped us progress ever since.

Q: What's your proudest moment or biggest achievement so far?

A: Medalling at the home Island Games last year, as that had always been the goal from the beginning, so it was a special week.

Q: What has being part of Orkney's sporting community meant to you?

A: I think it's something all of us athletes take a lot of pride in. It's more than just racing, it's the bond the teams have built over the years that's so special too. Particularly with events like Junior Inter County and the Island Games, the team really helps pull out the best performances from everyone. Being a small, interconnected community also means local businesses are incredibly supportive in terms of sponsorship.

Q: What's next for you?

A: I'm off to university in Stirling next week, where I'll be joining a new training group and coach, so it'll be a chance to experiment with a new set-up, which I'm looking forward to. I'm also looking forward to being on the mainland, which will mean less commuting.

Q: What would you say to a young person in Orkney thinking about getting into sport?

A: Go for it, and stick at it. If you want to get the results you're looking for, it takes a lot more resilience than you probably think, but stick with it and it'll be worth it.

Q: What's one common misconception people have about your sport?

A: That track is just about running fast. There's a huge amount of work and volume that has to go into building a fitness base that can cope with the load of running fast. Without that base, it's hard to sustain that speed without getting injured. So it's the winter training, where the volume gets increased, that allows us to see the results we want in summer.