Jo Pavey: An inspiring parent encouraging others to get active as a family

Jo Pavey had an inspiring athletics career representing Team GB at five Olympic Games, from Sydney 2000 to Rio 2016 and Team England at three Commonwealth Games, achieving two medals. Beyond her athletics prowess, she’s a dedicated mother of two and loves to get active with her family. We caught up with her at the National Running Show to find out more about getting active as a busy parent and her transition to coaching alongside her husband.

Winning European gold as a parent

There were many highlights in Jo’s long and distinguished athletics career, but the one that stands out to her the most came in the 10,000m in Zürich in 2014.

“I was fortunate to win the European Championships gold in 2014 and it was most memorable because I was over the age of 40 and I was just coming back from having our second child, so it was really unexpected. It did feel really special.”

Getting active as a busy parent

Having achieved this gold medal just ten months after having her daughter, Jo successfully balanced her training with parenthood. Since then, she continues to get out for a run regularly and her advice to parents is:

“First of all, be kind to yourself. You’ve got to accept that having a family makes life busy. And especially when you're coming back from a baby, you've got all those body changes that are going on, so you do have to take your time.

“If you're busy with a family, you have to plan. You work out at the start of each week where a workout is going to fit and then work around it. But also, always have kit in your car so that if you're out with people, you could maybe sneak off for a run.

“It is important to realise that you're only human, you can't do everything. Just accept that and do what you can and most of all, enjoy it.”

Going for a run does not have to be solo time that takes you away from your family, Jo describes ways that you can include your children in the activity that you are doing. This helps to create healthy physical activity habits for them too.

“As the children get older, look at opportunities for keeping active as a family. Maybe the kids could be in a running buggy, on the bike, or running with you, all different stages depending what age they're at. Trying to find that quality family time together, so the whole family gets the benefits of being fit and active and works towards goals together.”

Passing on key learnings as a coach

 Using her wealth of experience, Jo has since become a coach, working alongside her husband, Gavin. They train an endurance group in Exeter which includes rising star Innes Fitzgerald, who competes in the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China next week at just 18 years old.

“My husband is the lead coach, but I'm really enjoying being involved. It's so exciting to see a lot of the young athletes coming through, achieving great things and just being able to really pass on our experience.”

Jo emphasises the importance of sharing both her athletic and life experiences with the athletes. She has been in the athletes’ shoes, so offers a uniquely valuable perspective to help them on their athletics journeys.

“A lot of it is not only the experience we've had of what key sessions are needed, but just the overall package of health and well-being, trying to avoid injury and trying to optimise health. That is really one of the huge things we're enjoying passing on.”

Belonging to a running community

We caught up with Jo at the National Running Show, the launch of RUN:EA – our new individual running membership – to find out her initial thoughts.

“I think the scheme by England Athletics is absolutely brilliant because you've got to remember it's lovely for everyone to be part of something, yet some people haven't got the confidence to go along to a club and it might be for many reasons.”

Running may often appear to be an individual endeavour, but being able to enjoy it as part of a supportive running community can enhance your running experience.

“Some people just need that bit of a confidence boost and it [RUN:EA] gives them that, maybe in the future they want to join a club, but if not, they still can belong to something. They can still be part of England Athletics and that is only going to encourage more people to really get the benefits and I think that's absolutely brilliant.”

Jo’s support of RUN:EA emphasises the power of community in running. Whilst the act of running may often be solitary, the feeling of belonging to a network of like-minded individuals can transform your running journey. RUN:EA offers that crucial sense of connection, fostering a welcoming environment for runners of all abilities.