Hard Work

This is my fifth week in training and I’m finding it hard work. Getting into a mindset of training regularly from one to two times a week to four or five times is hard work – both mentally and physically. I’m not the lean mean machine of Uni days; so, my first immediate target is to lose a load of COVID kilos over the next 10 weeks – another 10 kilos in total – ideally more. Ensuring a healthy diet is also important in achieving this target. Hard work!

Recently, I welcomed Jackie and Ata to the team. Jackie is a Masters swimmer, trainer, and friend. She helped me in the fundraising for Rita some 10 years ago and will now help me with improving my swim stroke technique for all four strokes. Having a good stroke technique in swimming can account for as much as 10% improvement in times. Ata is a top trainer and friend. He is responsible for my dryland training. Currently I train once a week with him and once on my own at home. We have a mini-gym with some basic equipment (dumbbells, kettlebells, etc) and a cross trainer – so no excuses. I would like to build it up to three times a week; but - you guessed it – it’s hard work. Now, organizing my day to include all this as routine has become an essential rather than a need! BUT…

I’m finally seeing small improvements in body weight and training times, slowly going in the right direction (down), and feeling much fitter – still, a long way to go though. The first big test will be at an international meet in Luxembourg in five weeks’ time. That will be the time when I’ll see if all the hard work begins to pay off.

Yesterday I trained for the first time in our brand new local pool, in our brand new sports center. The center has just re-opened after 4 long years, when it was burned down by an arsonist. It’s a great facility and only a few minutes from home.

Although it’s early days, we’ve had our first donations! So, thank you Liz and Pieter for believing in and supporting Rita’s projects in the Rwenzori. This makes all the hard work worthwhile. Hopefully more will follow your initiative in the coming months!