Jo Pavey interview: The long-distance runner on Russian doping, training with her children and traffic-free London

Pavey became the oldest female European athletics champion when she won the 10,000m at last year's European Championships

Pavey after winning gold in the Women's 10,000 metres at the European Athletics Championships in Zurich last year (Getty Images)

Backpacking kick-started my running career My husband and I left our jobs and went travelling around the world. I have memories of running up Mount Ngauruhoe in New Zealand, staring at the scenery, my feet deep in volcanic ash. Every day we ran somewhere different: running in beautiful places inspired me to train harder and helped me get so fit that, when I got back, it got me to the athletics World Championships in 1997.

I thought the days when a nation systematically doped its athletes were behind us I did have my suspicions about certain Russian athletes over the years. It's bitterly disappointing, and they've ruined the Olympic spirit. I want to feel I can stand on that start line on a level playing field. If banning Russia from the Rio Olympics is what it takes to ensure that cheats aren't on the start line then they should do it.

It would feel bittersweet if I were awarded a Bronze medal after all this time [Pavey could potentially be upgraded from fourth at the 2007 World Championships 10,000m after the race's runner-up, Elvan Abeylegesse, was charged with doping offences – Abeylegesse is fighting the charges.] I lost that moment of being on the podium, winning a medal for my country.

I can make it to a fifth Olympics It will be tough, as there are lots of good young girls coming through, so I'm not complacent. If it doesn't happen I'll think, OK, I've enjoyed my career – but Rio does look amazing.

Training has become a family affair for me My little boy gets on a bike with me, and my little girl gets on the back of my husband's bike, and we go to the track or park together, and make fitness a family event so we can spend time together. It makes me even more motivated.

I wish I'd known what I do now when I was younger Perhaps I would have had I listened to my body more. Now, having to organise my training around my kids' needs, parties and play dates has actually helped me make better decisions about running, and made me stress less if I don't hit certain times during training; I've started to enjoy it more.

You're never too old to run Someone tweeted me the other day that they'd been told that, at 42, they were too old to run [competitively]. I'm the same age! It makes me cross; I meet people at events still running in their late seventies.

Running a road race around a major city is an extraordinary experience To have those roads to yourself, free of traffic, is brilliant; in London I love running past sights such as Trafalgar Square and St Paul's during events like the Cancer Research UK London Winter Run.

I'd have been a footballer if I'd had the chance I spent hours playing as a kid, but I was jealous that I couldn't be in a team like my brothers. One of my nieces plays, and although there's still a long way to go, girls are now getting those opportunities, and there are so many female role models out there in rugby and cricket, too.

Do what you can rather than feel guilty about what you should do When aiming for a fitness goal, like taking part in a 10k race or even just going for walks, it's better to be realistic about what fits into your lifestyle; if you're juggling a family, just do what works.

Jo Pavey, 42, is a British long-distance runner and became the oldest female European athletics champion when she won the 10,000m at last year's European Championships. Pavey is an ambassador for the Cancer Research UK 10k Winter Run, which will be held in Liverpool, London and Manchester from 17 January (winterrunseries.co.uk)