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

Monday 4 June 2012

Triathlon done, Cycling done. Challenge almost done!!!!

Yesterday was judgement day for the final challenge of my gold challenge.

  The day started with an early start, 0430 so my dog could have a walk.  Myself, Mrs L and my mum then went to the triathlon.  I started my race in the pool with the swimming section.  Previous to this I had never done 400 metres one off without stopping and my aim was 100m front crawl and the rest breast stroke.  So off I started after having my race number written on my arm and hand in permanent marker.   I'm not quite sure why my arm and hand had to have my race number on, and the best idea I could come up with was in case my hand fell off, they would know whose hand it was.  My swim time was longer then I thought, but was a mixture of front crawl and breast stroke and I came in at under 20 minutes.  So I'm happy! 
  Off I went for the bike section.  Now I have been told that there was a hill at the start of this particular triathlon.  I think it was more a mountain!!!!  The hill kept going and going and seamed to go on for ever.  Once at the top though I got into my stride and off I went.  My ride time was good, although I did have a close encounter with a lorry on the home straight.  The first thing through my mind - great I beat the hill now I'm gonna be squashed by a lorry! 
  The run section was hard.  I always knew the bike section would be a strength and the swim my weakness, but hadn't given the run section as much respect as it deserved!  3 miles after a swim and bike was hard to say the least and took me a little over half an hour. 

  My whole race time was 1hr 55 minutes.  This was a whole 35 minutes less then what I would have been happy with!  I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and persevered when I could have given up.  The training for this covered my triathlon section of the Gold Challenge and the bike part was what was needed to finish the cycling section of my challenge. 
That's all 10 challenges done now.  I still however have a video to make with a martial arts instructor that was promised if my sponsors got me to £600.  Now I'm at over £1200 I suppose I better do it!!!!

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Saturday 2 June 2012

Less then 12 hours to go now.....

The start times are out, the kit bag is packed (for the 8th time!) and the day is planned.  Tomorrow is triathlon day!

Now I know I have put the training in and built up to it, but in 12 hours time I will be lining up to start my final challenge, the Arundel Triathlon, and if all things go to plan in 14 1/2 hours time (or there abouts) it will all be over apart from the filming I promised of me and a black belt if I reached £600. 

Wish me luck..............
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