Need To Work Even Harder

Monday:
Went to the track and was quite impressed with the amount I did. I did 4 x 200m at about 50%, 4 x 100m at 70% and 4 x 50m at 100%.

Tuesday:
Worked on my arms at the gym and I must be getting stronger, as the 2kg weights don’t seem very difficult anymore.

Thursday:
Courtney was ill on Wednesday so couldn’t go to the Pingles. However, Sheila sent the session through and I did it today. 800m warm-up, 4 x 30m strides and then 4 x 4 60m with a 20second rest after each one and a 4 minute rest after every 4. Again, I found it hard work, but feel I should have pushed myself even more.

Friday:
At the gym I did core exercises and they were made a bit more difficult. The plank was increased from 45secs to 50secs per one and I put my feet on the ball to do the crunches.

Saturday:
By this time I always feel a bit tired, but pleased to report I’ve not ached once this week. At the gym I worked on my legs and it felt like all of the weights had been increased to make it that little bit harder. A constructive week I think and only 4 weeks until my first competition.

Freezing Pingles

It was absolutely freezing yesterday evening, but I still went to the pingles for training. Better than rain I think anyway.

I did a 400m warm-up, stretched out indoors and then did 3 x 200m. I’ve never really ran 200m in training or ever in a race and thought I would just collapse halfway round, but the first one seemed to take forever, but the other 2 felt better. I did a long cool-down and was aiming for 3 and a half laps, but think I quit after about 3. Good session though.

Sheila gave Courtney some more tips on guide running, which is always useful and I asked about competitions this year. Hopefully I can enter 5 or 6, but will wait and see. It’s a shame that the lack of VI people in athletics and sport in general, which reduces the amount of competitions.

Courtney gave me her new timetable for college that actually means I can train 5 times per week now instead of 4. I’ve devised the timetable for now so that I’ll be on the track twice a week and in the gym 3 times.

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!

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!