I am an instructor with the Sea Cadets at Worthing Unit and have seen how much the cadets get out of the activities they do. I have also seen how much these activities and all the surrounding admin costs. The sea cadets are a charity, and I felt this was a fantastic way of raising money for Worthing in particular and also to encourage some of the cadets to try something different. If I can do it, so can they!

The gold challenge is based on the sports in the Olympics. Some of these sports I can do with the sea cadets, and I have purposely chosen several of these to illustrate the variety of activities that can be done, whilst also doing something that I think will be fun.

My challenge is to do the following activities.

1. Swim - Learn to swim - again. For those that have seen my swimming style, it has recently been described by Mrs Lawrence as "directional panic in water". DONE

2. Canoe - Learn to canoe. I have canoed in the past, but again this was a long time ago and all the new stuff I have learnt has forced this skill out! DONE

3. Boxing – Learn to box. I needed another sport and someone I work with can train this! DONE

4. Weightlifting – For those that know me, they will know how therapeutic gym time can be for me. This is a great opportunity for me to focus some of my energy on something different in the gym. DONE

5. Triathlon. This is a personal goal, to do a half triathlon. I have never done one and this is the one element that I plan to do in 2012. This will link my swimming and gym work together. DONE

6. Athletics - sprints. I was given the oppertunity to race at the 100m olympic stadium. DONE

7. Wrestling - in the process of doing the Judo section I managed to also cover the wrestling challenge, so it seamed approapraite to include it - DONE

8. Cycling. Take part in a cycle ride or three. I'm training for a triathlon. This incorporates a cycle leg, so why not do a cycle challenge too? DONE

9. 1/2 Marathon. This is similar in theory behind the cycle ride. If I'm doing a triathlon I might as well develop it further and do a half marathon. I'm not expecting to be fast round the course, just finish and not die on the way round would be a bonus. DONE

10. Judo - Try judo. To be perfectly honest, I needed another sport, as its in multitudes of 5, and this was suggested by some one at work. DONE



The challenge is to do them by the end of 2012, but I am aiming to have most of them done by the end of 2011.


Please feel free to add comments of support to this blog, and please sponsor me at - http://www.justgiving.com/alan-lawrence-SCC

Saturday 19 March 2011

Swimming - part 2.

So, swimming this morning for my second session. 

This was my first session training with goggles.  This caused me several issues.  Firstly it seamed to fascinate me that much that I could see the bottom of the pool whilst swimming I kept forgetting to breath.  Then when I did breath I kept forgetting to lift my head out the water.  Esporta I feel would be within there rights to ask me for a donation for all the pool water they are now missing.  Secondly, I felt that I looked stupid!

There was an inmprovment this week, with no near collisions.  However, I did overtake some one, and I was so pleased with myself I forgot to pick my head out the water, breathed in and got two lungs full of water.  Started coughing and had to stop a moment, allowing the swimmer I had overtaken to get past me! Dohhhhh!
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Monday 7 March 2011

March will be a step up in my training

The training starts this month in ernest for the triathlon part of my challenge.  I have my next 1:1 swimming session booked for a few weekends time and fully intend on going swimming a few times before then.  I also want to have been out for a few runs before the end of march.

Also went training yesterday, still ache, but getting there!
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Thursday 3 March 2011

Near miss in the pool

Firstly, how do kids make learning to swim look so easy?!?

First 1:1 swim session happened today.  Half and hour in the pool and I can now (sort of) swim.  There were a few awkward moments, one being a near head on miss with another swimmer as I haven't mastered  looking where I am swimming yet, let alone how to steer!  On a positive note, I didnt swallow nearly as much water as I thought I would, and I didn't drown.

Off to buy some goggles now!
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Tuesday 1 March 2011

Curry Night to aid sponsorship.

Okay, so after a few days of ideas and planning the sponsorship total is now over 1/4 of the way to the target total of £300.

As a way of increasing this, we are going to hold a curry and quiz night at TS VANGUARD on  the 4TH JUNE 2011.  Tickets will be £10 and all the profits will go into the sponsorship total and then to Worthing Unit.  So far there have been several donations of prizes including a bottle of champagne and a weeks pass for Esporta Rustington (Thank you esporta).  Details via email from worthingcurrynight@sky.com

Looking at the next challenge and thinking it should really be the swimming one..........
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