This evening I went to a local running club and ran with them. It has to be said, the group were really really welcoming and supportive, far more then I thought they would be. The session lasted about an hour, and was formed by a 1/2 mile warm up, interval running around a football pitch and then a 1/2 mile run back to the club. The football pitch is 1/4 mile around it, and including the the warm up/down I estimate we covered about 6 miles. This has taught me several life lessons:
1. There is a reason every one else was wearing running tops and not airtex t'shirts. Runners nipple hurts!
2. Like wise there is a reason every one else was wearing shorts and not tracksuit bottoms. Less weight is good!
3. Remember to pack your running trainers. I didn't, wore the trainers I wear for circuit training and now have a bruise underneath a toe nail. I didn't realise you could bruise under a toe nail!
4. There is no need to put hair gel in your hair to go running, It is not a fashion show and tastes rank when you sweat that much it goes in your mouth (oh yes, a delightful image and a taste to match!)
5. When the trainer says "stride out" that does not mean sprint as if you are being chased by a bear! I did spirit for the first few lengths of "striding out" and suffered for it later.
Apart from these lessons, I also found that my training has been paying off. My fitness isn't as bad as I thought. I managed most of the training session, okay I had to walk some of it instead of jogging it, but didnt stop.
1 hour of running training done, bring on barns green half marathon!
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
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