Persistence prevails when all else fails

With with more testing is sight the pressure is on to make more improvements in the short space of time since the last testing. We had an individual goal setting review and we have been told we have to reach certain targets to stay on this boot camp. At the time I found it very positive and something to aim for but training with fatigue can soon make you feel like the target is a out of sight. I found you have to quickly dismiss these negative thoughts and remember that no matter how tired you are you still have to make sure you give 100% and get as much out of the session as possible. With people around you, all potential competitors for 2012 selection there is no time to take it easy on anything!

We did some more hill sprints this week but as it was raining . . . AGAIN so for health and safety reasons we couldn’t run down the hills so our coach told us to roll down them. Yes getting on the floor and rolling down in the mud and goose s**t that seams to b everywhere. As some people know I get car sick very easily and hate all fair ground rides for the simple reason; they make me very sick! By the last hill sprint I was crawling back up the hill instead of running and Antonia was following shortly behind.

Later on that day we had our first race in K4's where we were put into random crew boats with experienced kayakers and had to race 10k! Most of us had only paddled 6k at the most in one water session and that was with countless stops, wobbles and fallings out. So the challenge was on to not just complete the race without our arms failing us but also to beat the crews with the other talent ID girls in. We all got though it, my crew didn't come last, and arms could just about reach mouth to have dinner so it was all good. Made me realise how much stronger we have to be.

Today we had a proper rest day and all went to a very posh leisure centre where they did us a special deal for being 'Women’s British Fast Track Kayaking Squad' little did they know we have only been on it four weeks! Jihan joined us for the day too and had no problem flashing her guns along with the rest of us to prove we were part of the squad.

Back Holme (yes I used it again!)

I think the novelty of being here has slightly worn off, training has upped a pace and everyone knows they have to up their game to get through the next 2 weeks. Rest has never been more important, so tomorrow we are having a sleeping workshop (no we aren’t aloud to sleep in it!) Our coach doesn’t think we are resting enough and making it compulsory we all sleep for an hour in the day!

The next two weeks are a real test if we can sustain the training and give every session 100% even if we are tired. I am finding the paddle sessions the hardest because we still aren’t entirely stable and it’s so frustrating trying to apply technique when you are still trying to balance the thing. Extra sessions on the kayak Erg seem to help and also being reminded if you have a bad session just make sure the next session is the best one you have done yet. Positive thinking and some visualization gets you everywhere!

This really is FAST TRACK

I haven't written for a few days mainly because we were moved to a hotel while some French rowers took over Holme Pirrepont and also because our new GB boats are so unstable that our coach took away our time off and replaced them with extra water sessions - a few of the girls weren't happy but we got on with it!

Yesterday we had lots of testing one being another 4k run where I took 50 seconds off, another part of it was some timed pieces in our twitchy boats but it was more who can stay in there boat for the whole 500 meters. It was quite funny as a few of us would line up on the start, the coach would say 'go' then as we paddled down the course you would hear a huge splash and you knew there was a woman down. At one point one of the girls fell out on the start line, the safety launch sped over with urgency, knocking 2 others over with the wash, so there was now no one on the start line to actually compete. The girl in question threw some abuse at the man on the safety launch and said she didn't need any help and if it wasn't for him she wouldn't be in the water in the first place. I managed to do two of the timed pieces, but fell in on the way up to the start line by getting caught in masses of weed.

Back in lovely Somerset now for some much needed rest . . . but that didn't last too long as I just had to go for a run.

Resting HR has gone down by 10 beats in just two weeks, this really is fast track!

Tired but happy

Apparently cakes are ok if you share them I was told by the nutritionist today, so I got a slice of lemon cake and a slice of fruit cake and shared them both . . . aren't I good!!!! It was actually very interesting, carbs and protein are in a lot more food than I initially thought, no need to eat extra protein to get bigger muscles because if you eat too much meat it's just plain fattening.

Everyone seems to be having a slightly off day, we all went out in K4's this morning for two hours, the rowers of the group not surprisingly stay in time with stroke without even thinking about it, the others were caught out on timing quite often. I can't disclose our exact training plan we do for various reasons you can probably guess . . . wouldn't want the Hungarian women getting any inside information (big rivals we need to be as fast as or pref ably faster than by 2012) but I think fatigue is setting in and the honey mood period is coming to an end, we just about know each other well enough now to let our inner thoughts somehow escape when cross. But it's all part of the experience. We have swapped rooms as well which is good I think as groups were starting to form, mainly because we tended to stick with the people we knew better.

Very, very tired in every way. Going to bed at 9pm tonight and I can't wait!!!!

Big girls are beautiful!

This morning we had a heavy weights session where I discovered a new pain thresh hold which is always good. Every time I think I have pushed my self to the limit I soon find new levels I didn't think existed.

We are seeing the nutritionist tomorrow, but my food diary from a week I did when I was in my working and rowing life is completely different to now. I eat three times as much and a lot healthier but a lot more cakes, muffins, brownies and hot chocolate, I think the food at Holme Peirre Pont is amazing! Oh and on the unhealthy stuff there are signs saying 'stop and think' well that just makes me stop and think how much I want it! With lots of heavy weights sessions and eating so much I am going to be massive in no time NICE!!! I'm just hoping my neck will take longer to develop!

Quotation of the week

If you don't train hard today someone else will!

FRIDAY

We have to fill out a form every morning about how we feel, mood, fatigue, motivation, how much sleep etc it's out of 10 (10 being great) so muscle soreness 4, motivation 10!

Went for a 35 mile cycle ride and it was awesome and best of all I managed to keep up with the triathletes although I only lead for about 2 miles of it though. Very hard work and I thought I was going to be sick at the top of one of the hills as my quads were hurting to much! With 4 miles to go we did stop for a cream tea, which we well and truly deserved. Had a massive lunch then slept, yes I have finally learnt to sleep in the day.

I am loving this life, don't want it to end . . .