Fourth is always the cruellest of positions in sports.

This summer, when three athletes stand beaming on their podiums at the Olympics, spare a thought for that individual watching on.

One can only imagine what it would be like to miss out on your first Olympics by one spot.

Clara Evans, a Welsh marathon runner from Herford was experiencing that exact emotion having missed out by one to represent Great Britain this summer in what would have been a maiden Olympics.

Named as reserve behind GB’S three strong marathon team of Charlotte Purdue, Rose Harvey and Calli Hauger-Thackerry, Evans was in limbo, needing to be ready if called upon, however short notice that might be.

“If the opportunity presents itself, I’ll have to be ready to step up and run, if I’m called two days before, I’ll be there,” said Evans.

“I was trying to find another event on the same weekend to have a focus for this part of the year, be it the Olympics or not, but I haven’t found any while the Olympics is on.

“You don’t want anyone to get injured and I’m friends with all the other girls but at the end of the day, someone else’s bad luck can be your good luck.

“I’m doing a half marathon build up, if you can say that. I’m just making my long runs a little bit longer, there isn’t that long until the Olympics so there’s not that much time for people to pull out.”

However, just a couple of days before the event was set to take place, Evans received her dream call-up and is now set to compete at the marathon in Paris.

Evans is in the form of her life, having recently recorded her half marathon personal best which she set at the beginning of the year at the recent European Championships in Rome.

“I wasn’t running for a PB, and I wasn’t looking at the time,” said Evans.

“It felt hard and when I crossed the line it felt like I’d run a PB, but it wasn’t until I saw the screen that I knew for certain.

“My coach said ‘I thought you were fitter when you raced your half marathon at the start of the year’ where I ran my PB, but you never know with Championships.

“It was hot there, the only half marathons I’ve raced this year have been more than 25 degrees! Hopefully I can run a few in cooler conditions and run a bit faster!”

Her new best came as Evans finished ninth in the race behind teammates Hauger-Thackery and Abbie Donnelly.

However, the celebrations did not end there, as the three’s times, combined with Lauren McNeil’s, were good enough to win European team gold as the nation with best combined time.

“Normally in the road events you finish on the road and not in the stadium, so it was quite a different experience,” said Evans.

“In the end it was probably one of the slowest 400 metres ever to be run on a track, but it was a great atmosphere.

“We almost knew we had the gold because we knew we had myself, Calli and Abbie over the line before any other country came through and then when Lauren came through, we knew for certain.

“We won it by quite a long way in the end which was quite nice.”

Gold wasn’t necessarily a target before the race, but the team always felt they were in the running for a medal.

“We saw the startlist before and we knew that if we performed well, we’d get a medal,” said Evans.

“It was quite close with Germany and France in terms of personal bests, so we knew it was going to be quite tight for the gold.

“For us it was about all having a good run. We wanted a medal, and no one said we wanted the gold but maybe sub-consciously we were aiming for that, so to get it and stand on the top step of the podium was the icing on the cake.

“It’s probably the proudest achievement I’ve had. Going to the Commonwealth Games was pretty special but being in the stadium and standing on the top of the podium was something else so I think that’s top.”

Olympic Reality 

Evans admits never having had the ambition of going to the Olympics and even before hitting the Olympic standard in Valencia it wasn’t something she had aimed to achieve.

“It’s never been my dream,” said Evans.

“I started running when I was younger because I wasn’t very confident and my parents wanted me to meet new people, putting me outside my comfort zone.

“It was something I enjoyed with the social side and the friendships I made, in the end, I just stuck with it. I’ve never thought about running fast times, that’s just come.

“I’ve always thought if I don’t enjoy it, I’ll just stop, primary for me is that enjoyment. I’ve still got my day-to-day job so it’s not everything and that probably helps with my performance because it takes the pressure off and don’t need to perform if I don’t have to.

“I’ve enjoyed the ride and I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.”

Evans balances her running career with a now part-time role as a transport planner.

“Post-Covid has been good because I work from home now 99% of the time and it’s helped me and my performance with recovery, extra sleep because there’s no commute,” said Evans.

“I run before work, at lunchtime, after work and my job is pretty flexible which is nice.

“On a Monday I’ll do two easy runs, probably a seven and a five-kilometre run. I’m off on a Tuesday, so that’s when I do my session in the morning, and I’ll probably do another run and go to the gym.

“Wednesday is a medium-long run but faster and then Thursday is similar to Monday and then off Friday again so that’s my other sessions along with a run.

“Saturday is an easy run along with probably the gym and then a long run on Sunday which is probably around 2hrs.”

As a professional athlete Evans is used to running in all weather and conditions but even she admits to taking an extended break during the Christmas period due to the adverse weather.

Since then, Evans has balanced running five- and 10-kilometre races along with half and full marathons during the year, having broken Wales’ marathon record in December last year.

“The marathon is what I tailor my year around,” said Evans.

“I’ll race one or two key races for that a year and everything else will be factored around those races.

“The 5k and 10k are designed to build up my fitness for the marathon. I needed Berlin half marathon for Olympics qualification and that was my focus while for the shorter distances I don’t really feel that pressure to perform.”

With it being marathon and triathlon season, Evans has some advice for would-be athletes completing the races for the first time.

“Get some comfy shoes you’ve worn prior and comfortable outfits too,” said Evans.

“Firstly, so they don’t chafe but also, so you think you look good because you don’t want to be thinking that you don’t like what you look like in something when you’re wearing it.

“It’s easier to run when the weather’s nicer, but definitely invest in some good waterproofs. You can wear headphones if you like but I would find a group to train with because it makes it so much nicer.

“Even I hate running on my own every day, so find some good company who you can talk rubbish with, and it’ll make the miles fly by!”

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