PRESTON runner Helen Pattinson has returned to the UK after a long and tiring athletics season.

Although the 1500m runner had some success this year she was not entirely happy with her overall performance writes David Jones.

"It was disappointing," said the 27 year-old, "Although I won the AAAs event, my times were not as good on the track as the previous year, and your always looking to improve them."

Although she made the semi-final of the world championships in Edmonton she still has her sights set on reaching a major final. Finishing ninth in the Commonwealth Games final three years ago, the Penwortham athlete remains optimistic for the future.

"The Commonwealth Games are in the UK next year, and so I'm looking forward to that.

"A lot is always made of athletes altitude training as preparation for competing at the highest level but it doesn't help all athletes, if you spend a month at altitude and it doesn't work then you've lost a months's training, It works for some and not others," she said.

Helen was also keen to point out that the World Championships was not as bad as the media made out, but understood their concern:

"The press made a big deal of it, but if you look at Christian Malcolm's (100m/200m sprinter) performances he ran a lot of personal bests, but he didn't get a medal so the press said we were not good enough. I achieved my expectation of getting to the semi-final." she said.

After taking a short break, her coach Jeremy Harries will review Helen's season and make the necessary alterations for the coming cross-country season.

As for the World Championships her coach also indicated she had mixed feelings, but said it was hard to sustain top-level fitness after an Olympic year.

"Helen was pleased to make the semi-final," said Jeremy, "but she was disappointed at not making the final, it was very difficult after Sydney."

Off the track Helen has completed the first year of her HNC in Sports Studies, but she still has her sights set on a track major final.

"The European Championships come after the Commonwealth Games and the standard is higher for that, but I'm looking forward to that and hope to make the final."