From the track to the lab

Poppy Tank’s career as a British steeplechaser and long-distance runner has taken her across the world, from the track to the lab and onto some of the biggest stages in athletics.

She has represented Great Britain at senior level and became the British champion in the 3000m steeplechase in 2023. She also recently represented England in the Commonwealth Games and competed in the European Championships here in Birmingham.

But behind those achievements is a life built around an almost constant cycle of training, racing and studying.

A life without an off-season

Poppy competes throughout the year across track, road and cross-country racing. Her races can range from 5km to half marathons, alongside the 10,000 metres and steeplechase.

Unlike other athletes, she doesn’t have a ‘clear off season’. Instead, long distance runners often compete year-round with Poppy typically taking just ten days off each year.

‘For every five lows, I get that one high’

Just days before finding out she had qualified for the Commonwealth Games, Poppy had travelled to the Netherlands to run the qualification standard which she missed by just four seconds:

‘I was quite sad because I'd put a lot into this race and I was feeling a bit disappointed and unsure what my plan was going to be’.

On Monday night she received the call that changed everything and left her, ‘shaking, sweating, crying’. News that she struggled to believe:

‘I was like, are you joking? I asked her about four times, like, really, are you sure? Because it felt like a bit of a sick joke’.

That emotional rollercoaster is, for Poppy, one of the defining characteristics of elite sport. Athletes often hold themselves to high standards and set ambitious goals making disappointment difficult to process.

But ultimately, it’s all worth it as Poppy explained:

‘When you get the highs, like for example, being selected to represent England at the Commonwealth Games, it just makes it worth it because for every five lows, I get that one high and it cancels them all out’.

From the track to the lab

Running, however, is only one part of Poppy’s life as she is midway through her PhD at the University of Birmingham.

Her route into doctoral study was unconventional as she never completed a Master's, instead studying Human Anatomy as an undergraduate in the US, a decision promoted by the opportunity to pursue her running.

It’s a recurring theme in Poppy's story; she goes where the running takes her.

When she first came to Birmingham, studying here was not part of the plan. She had already spent time in the city for training and was familiar with the University through her sister.

Poppy had even explored campus during the 2022 Commonwealth Games when Birmingham hosted the Games and fondly recalls taking a snap with our iconic Old Joe.

A year later, she found herself studying at UoB after stumbling across a funded PhD opportunity — a moment she describes as a ‘full circle moment’ and a chance to ‘still pursue running’ while setting her up ‘for a better job eventually’.

Balancing the two has been made easier by the support of her supervisor, Professor Paul Withey who she tells us has been nothing short of encouraging:

‘He's very understanding and supportive of my athletics career. He knows that athletes are typically very diligent, hardworking people and we’re good at working on tight margins’.

Making every minute count

Poppy is intentional about how she structures her days, fitting in a run in the morning before finding a quiet space to work on her research and spending hours in the lab.

When she does switch off, she opts for more ‘low level socialising’ such as going for a walk or having a coffee.

Despite the extraordinary demands of her lifestyle, she is keen to point out that athletes are still fundamentally ‘normal people’:

‘We just have a very unusual and unconventional way of approaching life’.

That includes late-night doom scrolling and having a sweet tooth.

Finding support and asking for help

Poppy emphasised the importance of having a support system as a student athlete since it can be isolating. Being part of a small research group and coming from a non-Engineering background has also meant navigating feelings of imposter syndrome.

One of the biggest lessons she has learned though, is that being independent does not mean doing everything alone:

‘I think I find it easy to ask for help, but I don't find it easy to like then feel comfortable accepting it. I'm very independent to maybe a bit of an extreme sometimes.’

With the support of her supervisor, mum who she is very close to, and friends who understand the demands of her life, Poppy has built a strong network around her. For her, learning to accept that support has been just as important as learning to ask for it.

Life beyond the finish line

So, what’s next for Poppy? She dreams of getting a paper published and remains passionate about sustainability, hoping to work in this area in the future.

In terms of the immediate future though, Poppy is focusing on ‘plugging away at the running’ while trying to ‘stay healthy and happy’.