Wednesday 24 December 2008

Don't Know What I'm Doing Wrong!

I went to the gym today with my mum and brother, as it’s nearly Christmas and Courtney booked today off. I was aiming to do a pure CV work out, but it didn’t quite go to plan.

I did a 5min warm-up on the bike and then went on to the treadmill. I wanted to do a 400m run on 12.2 speed and 2% incline using the new technique Sheila suggested. Normally, this is easy for me and I don’t really get tired, but for some reason after 250m I was huffing and puffing and had to stop. I don’t know if it was because of the new technique, as I can’t pull my arm as far back or if I’m generally that unfit. I can’t understand why I’d be that unfit though!

I went on the cross-trainer afterwards for 10mins and again I struggled. I managed just under a mile. I need to be more assertive with Courtney from now on as I’m not sure if this is average or poor for me. She never tells me my distance on any equipment except for the rower. I have requested it in the past, but it hasn’t sunk in.

I went home after that, as I wasn’t feeling very fit and it didn’t go as well as I wanted. It’s very frustrating!

Tuesday 23 December 2008

Gym - Arms

Last night’s gym session focussed upon working my arms and the work out included bicep curls (with a bar this time not free weights), triceps curls (I think I’ve just made the name of that up), shoulder press, low row, lap raises and press-ups (the girly ones). Then my usual CV stuff of bike, cross-trainer, rower and stepper. The session seemed to take longer than normal and I felt shattered afterwards, but that’s because my arms are weak compared to my legs. A good session though.

Saturday 20 December 2008

Back at the Gym

Ok I’m finally better after having the dreaded flu for 2 weeks! Last night I went back to the gym and did a gentle work out that included 5mins on the bike, 15 x2 sit ups and pull ups on the Swiss ball, 5mins on the cross trainer, usual interval training on the rower, 1kg weights x 15 x2 of shoulder press and bicep curls and finally 5mins on the stepper. I didn’t feel too tired afterwards, but there was no point in pushing it on my first day back.

I then went to the gym this morning and did my usual work out of 5mins on the bike, leg lifts and curls, 10mins on the cross trainer, leg press, interval training on the rower, back extensions and finally 5mins on the stepper. All of the weights and back extensions were 10 x3. I’ll do my arms on Monday and then hopefully Courtney will write me a new programme for the New Year.

Monday 8 December 2008

Ill

I can't believe I woke up this morning with a chesty cough and even though i've had some covornia this morning I now feel terrible. So much for not being ill since September. Just when i want to start training more, typical! Hope to be fine for Wednesday, but until then i'll be resting.

Gym - Prep work for new programme

Ok bad start at trying to keep this diary, as I forgot to write what I did on Friday.

Friday 5th December:
I went to the gym with Courtney. I did my usual 5min warm up on the bike and then tried out the new technique of touching the front bar on the treadmill each time when running. To get used to it I did it at walking pace and slowly increased it in order to build my confidence up. It felt ok, but now and then I felt like I was swaying from left to right. Next time I will do it whilst running. I spent 10mins doing this. Next I went on the cross trainer. Normally I've only been doing it for 5mins, but we decided to increase it to 10mins. After came the rower, which I do interval training on. 1min of hard rowing and 30secs rest repeated 5 times. Each time I increase my distance and generally get up to about 210m. The final part of CV was 5mins on the stepper.

This wasn't my usual programme and we were just bridging for the next one that I will start on Monday. Courtney showed me some core exercises, such as the plank, press ups that I couldn't do properly and had to do the girly ones on my knees, leg lifts and some work with a 2kg medicine ball. We were just testing how many reps I could do so that they could be incorporated into the programme.

Courtney is still going to keep some of the weights exercises that I did with my arms and legs from last time too. These included bicep curls, shoulder press, triceps dips, leg press, leg lifts, back extensions and a few more!

I look forward to the new programme and pushing myself further than before.

Thursday 4 December 2008

Introduction

I best introduce myself before I start rambling on about what I do in the gym and on the track every week! In short I'm 20 years old, totally blind in my right eye and just have light perception in my left. This makes me a B1 athlete in the disabled world of sport.

My main sport is running, but I also play Goalball. I enjoy going to the gym and generally keeping fit. I am aiming for the 2012 Paralympics and know it will be a tough journey.

I've started this diary in order to be more of a serious athlete. It will enable me to track my progress and I hope I can regularly write new PBs. At present my best time for 100m is 15.9secs and 800m 3mins 33secs. I need to be running sub 14secs for 100m to be a world class athlete in my category.

Since September I've employed Courtney who is my guide runner, takes me to the gym and generally helps me to access sporting activities. Sheila is my coach, but only yesterday did I see her again after a fair few months.

So join me on my determined journey to become one of the best visually impaired runners! I know I have the potential, but most people think I'll never make it! I'll prove them wrong!