Jess Hull travels from Jamaica to Perth to run at Australian Athletics Championships

If Jess Hull appeared in a jovial mood on the start line for her 1,500 metres heat at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth, there was good reason.

Hull was competing only a matter of days after taking part in the first Grand Slam Track Meet in Kingston, Jamaica.

Instead of feeling anxiety about her hectic travel schedule, the Olympic silver medallist could see the funny side of hopping between different time zones.

"I was kind of standing on the line, like laughing," Hull told reporters in Perth on Thursday after winning her heat in a time of 4:09.26.

"I was in Jamaica [four] days ago and here I am."

To reach Perth in time for the opening day of the national titles, Hull undertook a "long-haul" procession of flights.

"I raced Sunday morning [Australian time] … a quick turnaround but it was Kingston to New York to Hong Kong and then straight to Perth," Hull said.

Not that Hull is complaining.

"It's just one of the things you have to get used to," the 28-year-old said.

"The big meets are overseas and if you want to race in them, you've got to get used to the travel and not overthink the little things.

"As long as I'm getting enough sleep and enough fuel, it doesn't really matter what time of day it is. As long as I'm alert on the start line."

'Got a little bit of sleep'

Getting to Perth was one obstacle Hull cleared successfully, but recovering from her trip presented another challenge.

Hull arrived in Perth late on Monday night, before going for a run along the Swan River the following morning to stretch out her legs.

"I got a little bit of sleep," Hull said.

"I got in at 10:30 on Monday night and I got as much sleep as I could and I knew I'd be awake pretty early."

Hull completed an 8 kilometre run on Tuesday, but admitted she felt "terrible".

"I knew it was pretty bad when I turned around and I could still see my dad," she laughed.

"He was running behind me, as I'm usually way off and I turned around and I was like, 'He's only right there'."

A session on a grass track in Perth on Tuesday afternoon made Hull confident she would give a solid account of herself in Thursday's heats.

The national record holder led home fellow Olympian Georgia Griffith (4:09.53) to comfortably qualify for Saturday's final. 

"I needed to put something in my legs, so I think I'll feel even better on Saturday," Hull said.

"I was surprised how good I felt. I was like, 'I feel really good'. I knew I was fit."

Hull showed how fit she was at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing last month, claiming bronze in the 3,000m.

She finished third in the 800m in Kingston last weekend via a personal best of 1:58.58 and was fourth in the 1,500m, clocking 4:05.48.

In Perth, Hull and Griffith are among four Australians who have run under four minutes for the 1,500m.

The other two members of the quartet, Linden Hall and Sarah Billings, qualified for the final from the second heat, running 4:11.55 and 4:11.87 respectively.