If ever there was a true test so see if you can push your self on your own for me that is now. In the beautiful surrounds of Somerset which use to be associated with a place of relaxation and eating lots it’s now a training zone.
Coming back from Nottingham without a boat, paddle, gym, a coach and more importantly an accessible river close by, the decision to carry on Kayaking and training to eventually compete at such a high level was quite a challenge to say the least. But with such good people in the world we now have all of the above and we couldn’t have got this far without:
Andy Maycock: New coach (previously competed at the Worlds, loads of experience, drive and actually trains with us instead of shouting from a car through a megaphone) He also found us our wonderful speedy racing boats.
Granny: For letting us turn her Cider Cellar into a 1st class gym (my sister has had to get over her spider phobia, as they come back as fast as we get rid of them!)
Dad: For having a rugby pitch right opposite our house to do circuit training on but has yet to join us for a session (Dad, just because you scored a fluke try last week doesn’t mean that training is obviously not needed, we know you just don’t want to be 5 laps behind your two daughters!)
Mum: For reminding us to stretch all the time, cooking and doing 4 loads of washing a day! (Mum I will cut the hedges very soon I promise!)
Simon: For building us a chin up bar in the Garden.
Last but not least thank you very much to Jihan, Sarah, Alisdair, Neil, Diego, Dee, Gidas and Lauren for your letting us stay over in Bristol so we can get all the water sessions we can on one tank of petrol. Jimmy, Christi and others who I have not approached yet can we stay at yours at some point?
So training has taken a turn but for the better, we can run and cycle in one of the most beautiful parts of England, actually meet other canoeists instead of being refined to Holm Pirrepont and Antonia can work for Dad at the Farm, one of her dreams come true . . . not quite, but it has it’s pluses - free Chicken, wuhoo.
