Hannah Miley: Hard work on road to Shanghai and beyond

I'VE been feeling very tired but really happy this week after a great time in Manchester at the British championships. I took part in 17 races and won the 200m and 400m individual medley and qualified in both events for the world championships in Shanghai in July. beyond

Shanghai is the focus for every world-class swimmer this year, and such a vital stepping stone towards London 2012. It will be the last big meet before the Olympics and will probably feature the same swimmers. It would be such a confidence boost to do well.

This will be my third world championships. I came fourth two years ago in Rome in the 400m medley, so it would be nice to get my hands on a medal. However, everyone has to remember that the one, two, three at the worlds won't necessarily be the same at the Olympics - and London is the big one.

In Manchester, my dad (coach Patrick) and I decided to enter a whole bundle of races. I usually do it at Scottish National Championships but this is the first time that I've tried it at British level.

It was really good to race tough over eight days, and one event that particularly pleased me was the 400m freestyle. I set a personal best of 4:09, which was amazing.

It was my first long-course personal best since the full body suits were banned and it was great to be involved in a really fantastic race.

Becky Adlington won the title and she was in outstanding form in Manchester, winning three golds. That was another nice aspect to the championships. It was the first time since the Commonwealth Games that all the GB swimmers have been together and it's always great to catch-up and get an inkling on how everyone has improved. Becky was one who was in really great shape.

It was quite hard for me because the 200m medley was at the start of the meet and the 400m medley was the final event.

It was good to keep up the racing spirit throughout the championships and to replicate the heats, semi-finals and finals programme that is part of the world championships and Olympics.

Back at home in Inverurie, it has been nice to do some day-to-day things such as going for a walk with my mum and our golden retriever, Molly. I love the fact that the evenings are getting longer.

Over the next few weeks, it is going to be training, training and more training. There is a second set of world championship trials at the British Gas ASA Nationals Championships in Sheffield in June.

However, I'll be able to use that meet as a build-up to Shanghai. I won't be taking part in so many events - I don't want to push myself too hard before the world championships, but it will be a good test.

I'm also back at Robert Gordon's University. I'm in my third year and have been allowed to spread my fourth year over two years, which will give me great flexibility.

I'm studying sports and exercise studies and have a placement on 11 April. Then I'll be able to really work at my speed until after the Olympics.If I've got a spare moment, I'll be able to study. I'm going to try and do as much as possible, otherwise, I'm going to have a really hard time after the Olympics.

But that's the future. At the moment, everything is going according to plan.

This year is all about training and getting ready for London. Shanghai is important, but 2012 is vital.

lHannah Miley is one of Scotland's leading prospects for the 2012 Olympic Games and is a member of Team Kellogg's.