I was around 15 when I first wanted to compete in an Olympics. I even remember the first time I got to wear a GB kit as a junior. I've even kept it. It's in my mum's loft somewhere, probably gone mouldy by now.
It's quite funny in that I once won Rear of the Year at my school! I was about 17 in the sixth form and we used to have an end of year celebration and give out different awards. I even got a little trophy!
I carry a golf ball to put under my feet when they get tight, and a Thera-Band for general stretching.
I don't look at Twitter between events because it's a distraction but I will ring my fiance and parents to let them know how it's going.
To get the adrenaline pumping between events - or to help me switch off, Jay Z, the Roots and Drake are on my playlist.
There was a massive poster of me down my road, right outside the chip shop. I was about to go in, but then I saw it and changed my mind. Me coming out with a bag of chips, while I'm up there doing crunches on the poster... well, it would not look good.
One minute you're a developing athlete trying to get to the top, then the next minute you do well and win a medal somewhere, and then it's all foisted on you. You never know when it's going to happen. You don't think about the media side of things when you're a young athlete trying to do well.
Things have changed so much, with Facebook and Twitter. Everyone is so much more accessible these days: no British athlete has ever experienced what we are experiencing now. It's such a unique situation with the home Olympics.
Training is full-on. Some days I really don't want to get out of bed and hit that track again. Sunday and Monday morning sessions are always horrible. But who really looks forward to going to work on a Monday morning?
We always spend more time on the throwing events and a little bit more on the long jump. They're my weaker events - they don't come as naturally to me as running and jumping. I like the hurdles and the high-jump, I'm a springy, speedy athlete so those suit me.
I don't want to think of life after competing. But if I were to do anything else I'd go down the psychology route. That's what interests me.
It's really important for me to look good before a race. I definitely think if I feel I look good, it makes me feel more confident.
I love getting dressed up for red carpet events and having my hair and makeup done professionally - that definitely helps with nerves of going down the red carpet.
As soon as I had a child, he became the priority. Now, I fit my training around him. I've changed as an athlete.
With athletics, you put all that training in for only two major championships a year and the Olympics every four years. So when you get on top of the podium, it is relief and excitement and... Oh! it has all been worthwhile... the hard work, the sacrifices.
The closer I get to retirement, the more I feel it will be a huge change, a shock, because athletics has been the core of my whole life. I know I'll miss the feeling of running fast, the adrenaline rush, and hearing the crowd cheering me on.
Motherhood has changed me as a person. I'm much happier and very content with life. That can only transfer positively to the track. It will make me a better athlete.
I have always been small and one of the smallest heptathletes out there. And earlier in my career, I was faced with coaches and athletes who felt I was too small to be a multi-eventer. It gives you a push to show you can do it.
Being a mother changes perspective. Things that were once really important, the sole focus of your life, aren't the same.
To be confident going out and performing, I need to be with my son for as long as possible; then I know I'm happy, and he's happy, and I can go out and put all my energy into performing.
