Michael Rimmer is returning to full health at just the right time as he targets restoring Great Britain's 800metre pride at this summer's World Championships in Berlin and beyond.
The 23-year-old has endured a torrid time over the last 10 months with a succession of injuries and illnesses which not only ruined his Olympic hopes in 2008 but also threatened to derail all his ambitions this year.
A bout of food poisoning picked up during a pre-Games training camp in Macau thwarted his preparations ahead of Beijing, where he subsequently missed out on reaching the final, and since then his bad luck continued with foot and calf problems during the winter before shockingly being diagnosed with asthma earlier this season.
Despite all of this he still managed to become the first British 800m runner to win four successive national titles - eclipsing the record set by Steve Ovett between 1974 and 1976 in the process - when roaring to a convincing victory in Birmingham earlier in July while his recent performance at the Golden League meeting in Paris, finishing fourth, proved he remains hot on the heels of some of the fastest competitors in the world.
And by his own admission the Liverpool Pembroke Sefton runner has only been operating at 80 per cent due to another virus he's only just shaken off so there's every reason to expect him to at least reach the final in Berlin if he's firing on all cylinders by then.
A medal-winning performance in Berlin could just be out of the equation but like for so many other young British talents, any major championship over the next three years is viewed predominantly as part of a vital learning curve ahead of the major objective - London 2012.
However, to get to that golden standard, Rimmer feels it's essential for there to be greater competition and rivalry for honours at domestic level - and points to the glorious era of Ovett, Sebastian Coe and Steve Cram as a prime example of what knock-on effects it can have.
He said: "Breaking such a legend like Steve Ovett's record was very pleasing. Hopefully I can win a couple more and set a tougher record for someone else to break in the future!
"The novelty hasn't worn off - it's always been something I've set my stall out to be the best in Britain although obviously there becomes a time when you've got to look further afield and become the best in the world.
"When I look back to 2006 when I won it for the first time there was a really good crop of athletes. Sam Ellis, Richard Hill, Tom Lancashire and myself were all pushing each other but for one reason and another the competition isn't quite the same.
"I know everyone looks back to the era of Coe, Ovett and Cram but they pushed each other so much domestically and created that great rivalry it was only going to lead to one thing and that's a huge improvement in performance.
"It only takes a few more of us to step up and create that competition. It would be nice to recruit a few more athletes and get them in the group and I think having greater competition in Britain is a necessity to help me push on to another level."
While Rimmer is clearly ambitious, he's also keen to shake off the tag and reputation of being one of the most unluckiest athletes around following such a difficult time with injuries and illness.
"The last 10 months have been unreal," he said. "That bug I got in Macau was obviously a massive blow and it wasn't long after that in October when I got these stress reactions in both feet and I struggled to do any running for about two and a half months. It was so frustrating.
"I was finally able to get back into it again around mid-December but a month later I was diagnosed with compartment syndrome in my calves which was probably down to training too hard and too quick.
"My calves were taking a real battering and I thought I'd need an operation but luckily they were able to find me certain exercises and physio to keep it at bay.
At the moment I don't need an operation as I'm keeping it under wraps but it's something I might have to do in the future.
"Then I was diagnosed with asthma and having got over the worst of that I then got a virus a week before the trials! It's just been one thing after another and I couldn't believe it.
"I'm on inhalers now and it seems to be helping and everything seems to be calming down slowly but surely and hopefully I can get a good block of training in and get ready for the World Championships.
"In a way it was encouraging to see how well I did at the trials despite these problems, and the fact there were rounds to get through. To go into the event around 80 per cent and come out with a fast time was pretty impressive.
"But it's been very difficult and there were times when I thought I wanted to give the whole season a miss. It makes me able to relate to the news about Tim Benjamin having to retire - he's had constant problems for four years so I'm lucky to have just had 10 months of it in comparison."
Rimmer's previous experience of the World Championships ended in disappointment back in 2007 in Osaka, where he led from the front during his semi-final only to fade dramatically in the home straight.
However, the youngster vows he won't make a similar mistake and is intent on making sure he has a race plan and tactical nous for all eventualities.
He said: "I know I'm capable of reaching the final but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself by saying I'll definitely do it - especially with this year being so up and down.
"It's a case of putting myself in the mix. If I run tactically sound and be there of thereabouts with about 200 metres to go then I'll be in with a great chance. I've got the speed and fast times behind me so I think I can handle any race.
"It's just keeping the mental part of my running in check and not doing what I did in Osaka when I went a bit crazy. I've got to stay mentally calm and execute my own race plan.
"You've got to learn from your experiences and the mistakes you've made in the past, not do anything rash, knowing your own abilities, what you're best at and trying to influence the race to produce your best performance.
"You never know what kind of a race it will be - it's either going to go off slow or quick. And you've got to be prepared for both. It could take a PB but there aren't many people around at the moment running super quick. The fastest in the world this year was set by Abubaker Kaki but he's injured."
Over the next three years more pressure is bound to be heaped on Rimmer to emulate the achievements of Coe, Ovett and Cram following such a long barren spell for British middle-distance running but it's a challenge he relishes.
"I try not to think about it like that but even so it's great to be talked about in the same phrase as Coe, Ovett and Cram. I'd love to take on that mantle and be the one to bring the glory back to Great Britain.
"It's something I've aspired to do since I was young so fingers crossed it will happen sometime in the future.
"My main aim is definitely 2012 - not just because it's in London but also I'll be hitting my peak then."
Indeed if he manages to fulfil his goals, Rimmer will become an even more recognisable face for aspiring youngsters, who he feels need more active role models at a grass roots level to ensure a bright future for British athletics.
Rimmer recently led one of the Aviva UKA Academy training sessions in Liverpool, which is a scheme aimed at getting more kids involved in the sport by 2012, and feels it's important for established stars to continue spreading the message.
He said: "It's important for smaller sports such as athletics to reach out and get youngsters excited about it. When I was that age I thought it was just about running around and that it would make my body ache but it wasn't long before I realised how much you can do.
"There's so many different things like the javelin or the long jump and I want to try and convince people there's an event out there for everyone. It doesn't matter what size you are, you can get out there and do something - so hopefully these kids will try everything and find an event they take a particular liking to and do it again.
"These grass-roots schemes are very good and we must keep spreading the message to a wider audience. Normally it's down to just word of mouth so it's up to us as professional athletes to go around a lot more, go into schools and encourage them as enthusiastically as possible."
Michael Rimmer was hosting an Aviva UKA Academy training session at Edge Hill University in Liverpool. The Aviva UKA Academy is a fresh new approach to grassroots sport, designed to give every child in the UK the opportunity to get involved in athletics by 2012. For more information go to aviva.co.uk/athletics.
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