Two weekends ago my sister and I were invited to Nottingham to stay with a very good friend known to many as Aggressor and to also train with the Fast Track girls we left at the end of August.
I my self was very apprehensive about it although I knew it was an opportunity we couldn't miss as it would show where we are compared to the girls still on the programme.
After seeing the word time trial on the duel carriage way on the drive up and automatically finding myself driving as fast as I could to win of course, I realised that I was in a good, focused mind frame and if I got a speeding ticket I would never be able to borrow my mums car ever again! (don't panic mum nothing has come through yet!)
Saturday morning we got up early and walked to Holm Pierrepont and met the girls, they were so pleased to see us both it was quite overwhelming. It felt very strange, like a day in the life of the Summer but so much has happened since then. We met Mark our old coach, got out our previous boats we initially learnt in and pushed off the landing stage. Our racing boats we now own are far more unstable than the boats we started in so it felt good to know our stability has improved.
We were doing 500 metre sprints and just the feeling to be back training with a bunch of people who are so focused and driven was exhilarating (like being in a committed rowing crew) and to get that intense coaching made me really miss what we had in the Summer. Antonia and I weren't last out of the four who still remain which in my mind is a big achievement. However we have a lot of work to do by the sprint season which starts in April but now knowing where we stand and have a good set up at home our only limitations are our selves.
It is a lot harder doing it with out the kind of structure and input they have, but we have to remind ourselves that we also have a lot of support and must focus on what we do have not what we don't. If you can get through the hardship and stick at it, you will come out on the other side a far stronger person with far more motive to keep going especially after you have invested so much in it.
After some kayak erg work with one to one coaching we then hit the water again for the last session. We boated on one of the smaller lakes beside the main racing lake and paddled onto the river Trent to do a steady state piece. On our way back onto the lake I was in a slight trance, feeling quite tired. The next thing I know the water is actually pulling me into the lake and thought for a split second 'oh my gosh they have turned the rapids on' Nope I was heading for the Slalom lake and even with frantic back paddling it was too late and was swallowed into the first rapid. I capsized and had to get myself out of my spray deck under water which I have never done in flat water let alone in a waterfall type situation. My boat and my paddle went flying out the other end and I came up spluttering and choking to find a group of worried kids paddling towards me. I manged to grab hold of the side when the instructor taking the Children's slalom lesson pulled me out. I thought straight away how will I live this down! The slalom kids paddled over with my boat (in one piece thank god!) and my paddle. Antonia came running over the bridge after seeing the whole thing from a safe distance to see thankfully, I was OK. Mark my coach had disappeared which he later told me was so embarrassed at what I had done pretended to disown me!
Antonia asked how I missed the big sign above the bridge saying SLALOM CANOE COURSE, HELMETS AND LIFE JACKETS MUST BE WORN AT ALL TIMES! Yes I still don't know how I didn't see that either, again so focused I was oblivious to anything around me!!
That night we went to the classy stores of Asda to get things for dinner and one of the Canoe guys who I didn't know happened to be working in the Pharmacy and said "are you the girl who took a sprint kayak down the slalom course?" word gets around fast.
A lot learnt and much banter had, I just hope we get invited back after making such a lasting impression??
