The first in a new video blog series as Olympic medallist Katharine Merry shares her journey from elite sprinter to Great North Run pacer

Katharine Merry, the Sydney 2000 Olympic 400m bronze medallist, is not only stepping up in distance by taking on the Simplyhealth Great North Run on September 10, but she’s also going to be a Duracell bunny pacer as she helps others to hit their running goals.

It's set to be quite a journey, with the 13.1-mile Great North Run the furthest she will have ever run in her life.

Follow Merry's training through a vlog series on athleticsweekly.com as she offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to go from former 400m elite to half marathoner.

To hear more from Katharine Merry, follow her on Twitter @KatharineMerry.