David Gillick: I have rebuilt my life and come full circle 

When Olympian David Gillick retired from competitive sports, he hit a low point. He has since rebuilt his life and is now running for fun, just like he did as a child 

David Gillick.

David Gillick’s resumé from the past seven years is impressive.

He is the author of two cookbooks, a regular sports contributor for RTÉ, a public speaker and consultant in corporate wellness and performance, an ambassador for multiple brands and a member of the Olympic Federation Of Ireland Athletes’ Commission.

The former Olympian, who remains one of Ireland most successful sprint athletes, says when he looks at where he was, who he was, seven years ago and compares it to his life today, he has to pinch himself.

“I am very fortunate,” he says, “I am lucky.”

The seven-year mark is significant because it represents the time that has passed since Gillick considered taking his own life - something the former 400m runner has spoken publicly about in the years since.

Reflecting on that period in his life, Gillick says it was an “awful time”, where he saw no future for himself that didn’t involve the sport.

“I loved being an athlete. All I wanted to do as a kid was be a professional sportsperson.

“I had a goal. I had a purpose. Every single day I was working towards a competition, an Olympics. It kept me motivated, inspired, and then it was just all gone.”

The two-time European Champion had aspired to reach three Olympic Games - Beijing, London and Rio. But it wasn’t to be, with the Dubliner missing out on the London games in 2012 after tearing his soleus, a calf muscle. Two years later, at 30 years of age, he reluctantly called time on his athletic career ahead of Rio.

Everything in his life, he says, his confidence, his self-worth, his drive, it had all come from running.

“I was always the runner,” he says, “when I retired I thought, ‘I am nothing”.

But, looking back at his 30-year-old self, he believes his early retirement was “probably one of the best things that could have happened” to him.

“It forced me to reevaluate what’s important. To reevaluate who am I and what do I really want to do with my life.”

And it forced him to get help. “I still see a counsellor,” he says.

The departure from the track has also enabled him to revisit his relationship with exercise.

“Coming from sport, running was all about performance, getting faster, fitter, stronger, medals, everything hinged on that.

“Now I exercise for fun, for enjoyment. Doing a parkrun, kicking the football with the kids, going swimming, that’s what it’s about.

As kids, we get involved in sports because it’s fun, and I am getting back to that. I’ve come full circle.

Gillick and his wife Charlotte are parents of three children, with five-year-old Oscar, three-year-old Olivia and nine-month-old Louis keeping them busy.

Is there any chance they might follow in daddy’s footsteps?

“Oscar is at an age now where he’s playing soccer and GAA with the local club, he goes to the junior parkrun in Marley Park. Olivia is doing gymnastics and we bring them both swimming and all that. But I don’t want to push my kids into anything.

“What I want to do is what my parents did - just give them the opportunity without any pressure.”

Talk turns to Gillick’s support of Vhi’s latest campaign, ‘Start With...parkrun’, which is encouraging those of all ages and abilities and levels of fitness to get out walking, jogging or running at their local event.

It’s coming towards the end of January, and I admit that my own goal of hitting the pavements on a daily basis has come to a halt. Has he any advice for those of us who are struggling to commit to those well-intentioned New Year’s resolutions?

“First and foremost, don’t beat yourself up,” he says.

“That happens and it’s part of it. It’s about going back to basics and asking: what is the goal? Is it, I want to run a 5K? It has to be something that’s really meaningful for you.

“And make it personal,” he says. “Maybe you’re doing it for someone or you want to do it with someone? There’s accountability in that.”

His other tip is to look at how realistic your goal is - and be honest.

“There’s no point thinking I can get out five days a week if you have a busy household, it just doesn’t work that way. If you can get out once a week in January - you’re already winning.

“We all want to do everything and we want to achieve it now, but life is not like that.

“Give yourself a bit of structure, put it in your calendar, whether that’s in your phone or on the wall. Make sure you can see it and make sure other people can see it.”

And finally, when starting a new fitness programme, it’s all about starting small.

“Nobody is looking at you, nobody’s analysing what you’re doing, this is for you. You just have to start and that’s the hardest part.

“All we have to do is just try and move,” he says.

“If we can do that on a regular basis, well then you’re already winning.”