Lotta Harala on her divorce: “Really hard”

“But I am my own coach alone”, hurdler Lotta Harala stressed the Tampere exhibition center in Uumen on Wednesday.

The career plans of the quick-witted SE woman have been pondering until the end of November, when she announced divorce his former partner-coach Matias Myttynen with.

The speculation has amused Harala.

“I changed coaches for ten years, looking for a pattern that suited me. Then Matias and I created a very functional system for me, where my role was to create a training program all the time,” the 33-year-old athlete explained.

Although Harala hasn’t even considered other options, it’s not that he’s avoiding help.

“As before, if necessary, I will contact experts. Among other things Teemu Leppämäki I have one that I primarily call if there is a tenkapoo.”

Yle news in the beginning of January, that Harala has gone running Mikael Ylöstalo in the training group in Helsinki, where, for example, racing sisters Saara Keskitalo and Vilma Mäki hone their skills.

Harala said that he sought encouragement from two training trips to Urhea hall.

“Nothing bigger than that was ever in my thoughts.”

In the process while the public turmoil has focused on coaching, Harala has dealt with one of the biggest crises of his life.

He and his ex-fiancé Myttynen had built a life together for more than ten years, which then no longer existed.

“It’s been really tough, really difficult,” Harala said.

“Now I’m doing just fine. It’s been a tough school to find security in myself, and I’ve found it.”

Harala described that the days have passed in learning a new life. Everyday life changed completely when the partner left the side.

“He was both at work and in his free time, so we were pretty much together 24/7. Yes, the change has been huge. Someone said he would return to everyday life, but everyday life had to be recreated.”

However, the more difficult phase has taught Harala to appreciate the good things he has.

”[Minulle tuo iloa] my dog ​​Leo and the basic things in life to be grateful for. I’m healthy, in good shape, I enjoy sports and I get to do the kind of work I’m really grateful for, which is really a great privilege these days.”

However, the experienced athlete pointed out that breadmaking in itself will not change. The aim would once again be to get his life in order for the summer.

“Yes, that’s the goal,” Harala said about breaking his SE time of 12.65.

Harala opened his competitive season with second place in the 60-meter hurdles and a time of 8.04 seconds at the Tampere exhibition center on Wednesday.

The result did not please the woman from Tampere Pyrinnö.

“I’m disappointed. I know I’m in better shape, but I had challenges with the start today. There’s not much time to do anything else with a distance of 60 meters.”

The victory wasn’t even close, because the indoor EC gold medalist of the trip, a teammate Reetta Hurske shattered the world’s top time of 7.92.

While Hurske, the starting cannon, always knocks under eight seconds when he is healthy, Harala has managed to fall under the same limit only once.

The record of 7.97 was set at last year’s European Indoor Championships, and an improvement will be sought in exactly two weeks at the international competitions in Ostrava, Czech Republic.

When you asked Harala about the main event of the indoor track season, the World Championships in March, you couldn’t help but notice that right now life is faced with a much shorter term.

“I haven’t thought that far at this point.”