TEAM is not the first concept associated with athletics. Sure, you have Team GB or a club competing as a unit, but the main focus is on medals – individual glory.

Yet the support offered via teamwork is essential. Swimmer Duncan Goodhew said after winning gold in 1984 that he felt like just the end point of a machine behind him, including physios and coaches.

It is this sense of a group helping the individual – potentially to representing Great Britain at the London Olympics in 2012 – that has led Hannah Brooks to pursue an American adventure.

In early August the 22-year-old will head to Florida State University to train - and study a sport psychology masters. Meanwhile friends Charlotte Best (whose Dad, Mark, still coaches Brooks) and Dani Christmas make last-ditch attempts to qualify for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in October at the Crystal Palace Grand Prix two days later.

Having earned "pretty much a full scholarship" on the back of her 800m and 1,500m times, Brooks, from Caterham, makes it sound as if the trip is make or break for athletics career – and London in particular.

Injury-plagued over the winter, progressing through to international level, from a strong pool of female British middle distance runners, is "a case of getting a bit more consistency in my training.

"That's why I've taken the step to go to America. It has worked really well at uni," said Brooks of studying and training during a four-year psychology degree she has just finished at Birmingham, "but I ended up doing a lot more by myself.

"In America you meet with the group and do it together.

"Because it is so team based everyone is good friends and everyone encourages each other. That university training environment is a brilliant one. You study but you have time to train."

Was university life – conjuring images of drinking and perhaps not eating well - conducive to that of an elite athlete?

"It can be tough," admitted Brooks, who started her athletics at Holland Sports before moving on to Crawley. "I had a great deal of fun. I definitely don't feel I missed out on anything, but there were times when you have to say no.

"I was lucky enough to fall into a group of friends who would invite me out but were always completely understanding if I couldn't go. I did sacrifice some things but I did feel I benefited from some of those sacrifices."

It will be different when all her colleagues will be training.

"The decision to go to America was a little bit of fear about what to do after Birmingham, plus a bit about wanting to give my running a chance in the next couple of years until I got involved in a full-time career and that takes up all my time.

"So I just found out about a few universities over there and which ones were good for running." Florida narrowly beat Mexico.

The course will take 18 months. Her stay might stretch to two years, if Florida can gain an extension to the general American college rules that students can only run for universities for five years.

The World Championships, in Daegu, South Korea, next year might come a little soon. "I don't know if I'll be running under two minutes by then, but you never know," Brooks says coyly.

Clearly preferring 800m over 1,500m, qualifying will be a tough ask, not least with a best time of 2:04.71 and Jemma Simpson, Marilyn Okoro and Jenny Meadows, all breaking two minutes. They seem to have the three British places sewn up.

Hannah England, with whom Brooks should have trained at Birmingham (proving that Loughborough is not the only place for good athletes), also has that time and tends to run the 1,500m while Lisa Dobriskey is Britain's number one.

Brooks' coaches, Best and Birmingham head coach Bud Baldaro, concurred that the trip to the States could do her good. "They said this could be what you need – especially for me in terms of the medical back up and the whole team atmosphere."

The emphasis on treatment is poignant this year. Brooks had been hoping to "get close" to 2.01, the Commonwealth qualifying time, had injury and illness not blighted the winter.

A stress fracture in her foot was followed by a bad three-week cough – seriously debilitating as anyone who had one last winter will testify – stopping her running. Then came an Achilles problem during winter training in April, while in Portugal courtesy of the Aviva-funded On Camp With Kelly programme which she cherishes.

"This season I was hoping to run 2.03 for 800m and 4.15 for 1,500m," she said, her best being 4:19.56 in 2007, "and I think had I not had the Achilles problem I might have done that.

"I've not achieved exactly what I wanted," she adds, reflecting on the aims she put down when joining Kelly Holmes's On Camp With Kelly scheme in 2005.

That lost time spurs her on. "It definitely encourages you to be religious about the physio exercises and all the little things," she said.

Holmes, who achieved double Olympic gold over Brooks' distances aged 34, remains her inspiration as well as an important confident and mentor.

On Camp With Kelly has been "really supportive" of its mentees trying to achieve their aims, said Brooks.

"There have been so many areas in which she has helped. If you're feeling low you can always send her a text and I was able to go over to her house in Tonbridge after the Achilles injury."

There was also an insight into Holmes' standards when Brooks and others took sessions for youngsters in their early teens. "Kelly said the session wasn't hard enough and made them do it again."

Is there pressure to perform, having been given so much help? "I guess there is some pressure, but I think generally it's just how much pressure you put on yourself."

Thoughts drift forwards to two years time. "No athlete can say they wouldn't die to run in 2012. It's a great opportunity, there's a time pressure because it's only going to happen once."

And winning there? "I can't lie, I have thought about that – there's a long way to go though."

We speak with just two years to go until London, as reports suggest the British Olympic Association has dropped its aim to finish fourth in the medals to merely a place in the "top six".

Is that more realistic? "In all honesty I wouldn't like to say," says Brooks.

While her psychology degree did not focus much directly onto her athletics career, positive thinking kicks in by osmosis. "A lot can happen in two years.

"Running in front of a home crowd, in whatever sport, can only be a positive thing, as long as people don't succumb to the pressure.

"The media are going to have to be more cautious in putting people under too much pressure. Some thrive – London will bring out the best in everybody." Hopefully, Brooks included.