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

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Start of challenge 6, and planning for challenge 7!

With the weather improving and the traithlon a short time away (2 and a half months!!) I decided a few days ago that it was time to step up my training so out came the bike. Now I thought I would maximise my time with my triathlon training and also cover my cycling section whilst training.  For the first outing (but not on my new bike!) I covered 6 miles in 20 minutes.  I've got to aim for 12 miles after a swim, but I dont think thats a bad start and has also placed me 6 miles into the 50 miles I have to cover for the cycling section.

 With only 3 days until my 100 metre "olympic" sprint debut I'm planning on a few chill days now in prep.  Maybe a few swimms but not much else.
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Friday 9 March 2012

Pre - Judo session

I'm on leave this week so thought I would take my mind off things and start to focus again on my outstanding gold challenges, with my triathlon training starting in earnest next Wednesday.  So I thought I would go and try a martial arts session, before the Judo task starts soon.  This session was taken by the same instructor that done the boxing with me, and last nights session there were 6 of us of varying abilities.

We started the evening with some shadow boxing, and then moved on to some  boxing with kicks before moving onto ground moves and then onto knife defence with a little 1:1 work with what I can only call play fighting (though I am sure there is a proper name for it) in the middle. This was really enjoyable and was one of the hardest PT sessions I have done in a long time.  I did however learn several lessons last night, and not just the technical skills, but the kind of lessons you can't be taught:
1/ Trying to train with a younger person that was apparently made out of plasticine as he was so bendy and wiry there was no way of getting hold of him is impossible.
2/ Doesn't matter how strong you are, when one of the instructors catches you in the head with his foot (it wasn't a kick, he was trying to move from a position and I got my head in the way trying to stop him) it hurts and dazes you a bit!


Even though I ache today (with a gym session booked for this afternoon!) it was good fun. 
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Thursday 1 March 2012

Running at the Olympic Stadium!!

  Had some good news today that really surprised me.  In a nut shell I have been chosen, with one other adult, to represent Sea Cadets in some Charity 100 metre races at the Olympic Stadium on the 1st April.  There will be Representatives from all the charities and we race each other.  This is a great honour as it means that not just am I representing sea cadets but I'm also going to be one of the first to race on the Olympic 100m Track..  Now, that is in my opinion quite cool, but has got me thinking.

  I'm going to be running in front of LOADS of people, and racing potentially people dressed up for there charities.  Now this has given me some food for thought, and I am starting to get more then a bit worried about the possibility of getting beaten by a dude dressed as a rhino.  I don't think I would live that down so I might have to do some cheeky 100m runs before hand!

  Mrs L is coming along so there will be photos in due course.  30 days to go!
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