Hi there,

The last few weeks have been really hard. At the start of November, I took a good hard look at my position and decided that if there was any chance that I could make next year's Olympics than I had to get fitter, faster and stronger.

So I sat down with Dan Travers (Scotland's High Performance coach), and a lot of other people at the Scottish Institute of Sport, and we looked at every aspect. As a result, I am in the middle of a two month block of really tough training. And when I say tough, I really mean it. But I have to improve my physical condition.

I've been aqua jogging at Hampden - it's actually really good - and just working my socks off trying to get into really good shape for the start of 2008 and the final push for the Olympic selection.

In the midst of the training, I took part in the bank of Scotland Centenary Championships at the Kelvin Hall. The real blow was that I was drawn against Li Wenyan - a top Chinese player - and went out in the first round.

But I do feel I've been playing well over the past few months, I just need to get a run of good results. Hopefully, the training regimes will give me the confidence for a good 2008.

If I am to make the Olympics, then I have to get into the world's top 16 (currently No.39). I could have kept doing what I was doing and producing OK results. But that wouldn't have been enough. The training is a final all or nothing attempt to make Beijing.

The Olympic squad is named on May 1 and, at the moment, England's Tracey Hallam, is in good shape. She's No.17 in the world rankings.

It would be amazing to make Beijing, and that's what keeps me going through the tough training regime. The opportunity has started to slip away - it would be great to claw it back.

My next tournament will be in a Super Series tournament in Malaysia at the start of the New Year - hopefully, that's where I'll start reaping the rewards for the two month slog.

Susan

Susan is supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport.  To view her profile, click here.