She was the 40-year-old super mum who soared to the top of the podium in Zurich - and now Jo Pavey has revealed how she will mix family life with her goal of being at next summer’s Olympic Games in Rio.
The European 10,000m champion has decided to miss this summer’s IAAF World Championships in Beijing to fully concentrate on making the Great Britain team for Brazil.
It's been a very tough decision to make but I have decided to sit out the World Champs to focus on Rio. I will still be racing road & track.
— Jo Pavey (@jopavey) May 5, 2015
'If I were to compete in both Beijing and Rio it would mean three summers in a row with lengthy periods focused on championship running,' said Pavey. 'I feel this is not a good balance for my kids and so I am going to stay at home in 2015.
'In addition to this, I am also aware that I need to look after myself if I want to qualify for Rio. Without a championship this year I can back off a little and enjoy my racing which I feel will give me a much better chance of running well in 2016.'
Pavey turned last summer into the season of her career as she won the 10,000m at the European Athletics Championships in Zurich in August just weeks before her 41st birthday.
See the two final laps of the 10,000m final from Zurich 2014:
[VIDEO src='1276020' align='right']
Only 11 months earlier she had given birth to her second child but she was at the peak of her powers at the Letzigrund Stadium as she soared home to take the first major gold medal of her career in a time of 32:22.29.
The month before she had won 5000m bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and ended the year with a series of accolades including being named the British Athletics Writers’ Female Athlete of the Year.
During it all, it was a balancing act between being a mum of two and a world-class athlete, the reason she has decided to have a quieter summer.
Pavey, who is coached by her husband Gavin, added: 'Travelling to major championships that are far from home requires a lengthy period away to adjust to the time zones and climatic conditions.
'I trained extremely hard during 2014 and I believe if I push as much again this year I will increase the risks of not being at my best for 2016.'
She will still compete during the outdoor season, with every step leading to the 2016 European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam followed by the Olympic Games in Rio.