Winter Training and Selection!

So winter training actually started with a month off (in October) mostly spent in Scotland which included a magical week on the Isle of Arran – Why? To spend some time processing and planning what I wanted for the coming months ahead in 2017, with guidance and support from my family. It was a breath of fresh air hiding away in a cottage on such a beautiful island. It allowed me to relax and enjoy some family time and my other hobbies – hill walking and cycling – before hitting a heavy block of winter training.

I arrived back in Nottingham with a clear head and motivated to train hard. If you read my last blog you’ll know I am now on my own, no programme to support me fully. The Scottish Canoe Association have invited me into some camps in London for the lead up into selection but day to day it’s me who will steer the training. I’ve had plenty years of experience and actually coming off the programme gives me a little bit more freedom of when, how and what I’m doing in training. I have training logs all the way back to when I was 16 and have worked my way through them to pick and choose sessions that I know I have benefited from. Time to train in Lee Valley was key as selection was raced over 3 days at this venue – the hardest part of my training. As a coach I was down there one weekend a month, where I would paddle with the young paddlers I coach. You would think this was not ideal but actually I was coaching/training with a different type of pressure. A pressure to perform and demonstrate techniques to these young paddlers, going on to show them how to train on courses with confidence and precision. I feel my coaching has improved me as a paddler so much in my competence to perform. I now have a little fan club at races following me down.

I came out of winter training and into selection stronger and more confident than the year before. My first race in Tully was a stormer, coming third both days behind Olympian Fiona Pennie and senior programme athlete Kimberly Woods. I had trained as a happy athlete and now raced with no pressure but the will to do my best.

Selection was tough, I was one of the only boats on the start line that was not on a national or GB programme. I had done all my training myself and a lot of the time on my own – out of choice. I find it easier to do it on my own without distractions, I know how to analyse my paddling and mistakes. Occasionally I would paddle with other boats to compare, contrast and learn. So it all came down to three days of racing, selection after selection after selection. A turmoil of mental and physical strengths. I would say I gave it my all but I felt I was still missing something. I was fast enough to be on team but one bad day cost me. I was one whole point off making full team to compete at the U23 World and European Championships – I was left with only competing at the U23 Europeans but I was also selected to compete at a senior world cup. I was happy, I couldn’t have gave anymore but it motivated me to keep striving to be better.