SHE may have banked a degree in veterinary science from Glasgow University over the summer, but golden girl Laura Muir is in middle-distance running for the long haul.
Inverness-born Muir is a dominant force over 1500m on the world stage – crowned European champion in Berlin in August – and she insists she will be at the top for ‘10 or 15 years’ to come.
As well as elevating herself to world class status on the track in Berlin, the 25-year-old also found time to chase her dream of becoming a veterinary surgeon as she graduated in the summer.
It seems, though, the certificate may be gathering dust in the coming years with Muir determined to compete at the highest level for a decade and more.
“I’ll judge the long-term future of my career based on how my body feels,” said Muir, speaking at the mascot launch for the 2019 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
“But I’d like to think I have at least another ten or 15 years left in me of being competitive.
“Maybe then the veterinary stuff will become more of a full-time job. It’ll only be in a year or two I think about doing some voluntary work.
“I think athletics and running will always be a part of what I do, it’s just the level I’ll keep on running to that I’m not sure about.”
Muir, appearing as a Championship Ambassador at the grand reveal of Scottee as official mascot, has plenty of pedigree in the highly-charged, electric atmospheres of indoor athletics.
She announced herself on the senior stage in claiming double gold in the last edition of the European Indoor Championships, winning the 1500m and 3000m in Belgrade in 2017.
The chance, then, to restate her credentials in the country of her birth next spring is an inviting one to say the least.
Muir feels her diminutive stature is perfectly suited to indoor competition and can propel her all the way to the top of the rostrum in Scotland.
“There’s not a huge amount of difference between indoor and outdoor but with my physicality I feel I’m quite suited to indoor running,” she said.
“The preparation is largely the same; I’ll be ramping it up with some race prep when it comes to the turn of the year.
“For now, I’m just getting myself back into winter training and going to South Africa for a month in a few weeks.
“I love competing in Scotland and especially in Glasgow. We always have such a great crowd behind us as home athletes.
“It’s an intimate arena and I’m sure we’ll get a great atmosphere.”
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