Birthday Girl

It’s been a week and a half since my all-important 21st birthday. I really don’t feel like I’m 21, but I guess I don’t do anything that 21 year olds are actually able to do. I don’t drink, gamble, haven’t had a kid or gotten married and still live at home. Wow aren’t I a bundle of fun! I said at 16, 18 and now I’ll repeat myself at 21 I really thought I’d be more mature at this age. My mum got married at 21 and I’m certainly not ready for that commitment.

The day before my birthday Jack came over and my family, Jack and me went to Spice 45 for a late buffet lunch. It was pleasant enough. The morning of my birthday I was woken up early as Jack was leaving for work and needed to be back in London for 10am. I was hyper for about 5mins and then got tired again! I was shouted to come downstairs, but refused, as I was too tired! What I didn’t know was that my mum had already got a birthday cake out!

Anyway, Jack left without cake since I was being lazy and I tried to sleep until about 8am when the phone rang and I had my uncle and aunt singing Happy Birthday full blast. Argh, I just wanted to sleep!

At 9am I was dragged out of bed kicking and screaming! My mum insisted we had to cut the cake before my brother went to the Day Centre. The cake was circular and had pretty colourful stars on it; I had candles that spelt out 21. The cake was lush, but not exactly what I’d normally eat for breakie!

Let’s get down to the presents. You already know about my diamond ring and white gold charm bracelet. I also got a variety of clothes, a monkey holding a banana saying I love you this much, monkey key cover things, hot pink computer chair, flowers, 10 thousand bottles of Lucozade don’t ask and for the life of me I can’t remember what else! Oh yeah I got a key, bit upset I only got one key, as I remember seeing my mum’s about 10years ago and harped on how beautiful they were and how I couldn’t wait until I was 21 to get my own keys! After moaning my mum did offer to give me hers!

I went for lunch and bowling with Amy and Cara from 11am. Afterwards we got a hot choc from Starbucks and browsed the shops not that I found anything I liked. It was nice spending time with them anyway, as we don’t get the chance much these days. I was meant to see the new Harry Potter film with Emma, but she cancelled on me and haven’t heard from her since!

I was pretty exhausted by the evening; you wouldn’t believe I’m only 21! I had another birthday cake, which was the head of a monkey, but couldn’t eat it, as it smelt of awful chemicals! Never mind.

The following day I got the train up to Sheffield and met up with Katie, Beth, Rachel and later in the day Michael. Us girlys went to Frankie and Benny’s for lunch where the service was appalling, but at least I got the birthday song played to me and the musical candle Beth bought for my cake failed to sing. I had another star cake since I enjoyed it so much. Beth and Katie spoilt me with gifts from a Paul Frank t-shirt and pillow, to a Lush gift set, Ferrari key ring, a little blue monkey and cup cakes.

I’ll add in here that Jack forgot my card at home, didn’t buy me a present, but my fave white and red roses arrived on the Monday from Inter Flora so can’t complain too much! He did later post my card with a balloon that after my mum and I got pumped up flew out of the car window and resulted in my mum running through a car park to catch it!

All in all a great birthday. I was in Miami for my 16th and Venice for my 18th, but although I didn’t have the sun this time I was happy to have my friends.

I know I’ve been harping on for a while now, but need to quickly tell you about my competition at Crystal Palace on Sunday. It was the biggest comp and most important of the year. The morning featured up and coming athletes like myself and the afternoon was an international Paralympic comp.

Peter Eriksson the Head Coach said hi to me along with Keith Antoine a Paralympic coach, Marie Yates from UK Athletics and Paula Dunn the Performance Manager. Most of the parents of the athletes know me now too and all stopped to wish me luck and have a chat. It was all really friendly.

Paul Dickinson from the BBC commentary team was doing all the intros in the stadium and when I was standing on the 100m-start line I was thinking wow Usane Bolt was exactly here yesterday! I got a great start, but when I came out of my drive phase I didn’t fly. I blame my guide runner Sophie as she didn’t pull me along in a sense and I felt my arms weren’t going all the way back and forward, which shortened my stride length. She’s stronger than me and so I couldn’t alter the way my arms were going. I came 3rd behind the 2 T13s bearing in mind I’m a T11 so they’re partially sighted. They both ran 15.2 and I ran 15.8. I really should have been up with them on top form. There was some wind which prevented fast times.

I was determined to do well in the 200m and advised Sophie to stay within 2 seconds of Natasha who is a T13 and I know can run 30secs. Bearing in mind my PB was 34.1secs. I ran a really good race, but typically the electronic timing system broke didn’t it! My coach clocked it as 32.8, but the time I was given was 33.66. A PB but disappointed with the time. Apparently, the other T13 only just beat me by less than half a second. I’m at such a disadvantage by not being able to see because if I had known I was that close I’m sure I could have found an extra gear to over take her.

To finish off I failed to secure any funding as apparently I need to get more muscle on me. So winter training will be delightful pumping those weights! My next comp is August 5th, the Charnwood Open.

Run, Run, Run

Last Sunday I went to a Parallel Success Talent Identification day lead by UK Athletics. I thought it was a sprints camp, but it was based around sprinting. It was at Lee Valley in London, which has an impressive indoor track and makes Loughborough look basic!

On arrival a tad late I was met by Marie Yates who is the Disability Coordinator for UKA. I was instructed to warm-up before joining the group. The session was being coached by Keith Antoine who has coached Darren Campbell and Catherine Merry along with some Paralympians.

We did some sprint drills and my posture and heavy footedness were soon corrected. We then had to do a series of sprints. Initially it was 60m, but then it was 50m and 60m, then 50m, 50m and 60m, next 40m, 50m, 50m and 60m and finally 40m x 2, 50m x 2 and 1 x 60m. It was exhausting, but I wasn’t flat out on the floor, which I think was a positive sign!

After that the Head Coach of Paralympics came to talk to me, Peter Erikksson. He appeared impressed by my sprinting and quizzed me about my sight, training and goals. I wanted to sell myself, but held back a little, as I know I’m ok, but not amazing yet! Keith joined in on the discussion and reckons I am running sub 15.4sec 100m pace, but I’m not too sure. I hope I am though and really want and need to run sub 15secs this season.

Lunch was a bit surreal, as Dame Tanny Gray Thompson, Peter Eriksson and Keith Antoine all came to sit with me. Tanny was talking about going to Downing street the week before for dinner. Jamie Oliver cooked the meal and she rubbed shoulders with the likes of JK Rowling, Naomi Campbell and Barrak O’Balma! As you do!

After lunch a Paralympian John sorry can’t remember your surname came to speak to us. He is 28 and lost his leg in a motorbike accident at the age of 19. Last year he won Bronze in the 100m at the Paralympics. He seemed very down to earth.

Next was time to get working again and when I heard we were doing circuit training I knew I was going to crash and burn big style! To be fair I didn’t do overly badly, but was breathing like a dragon! We had 10 exercises to do; the first round was for 30secs and the next 2 for 45secs each. I was glad to get it over and done with along with the rest of the group. Keith commented that I lack core stability and that’s why I struggled. Apparently this was the basics and I need to be at that level at least. I’ve been strongly advised to do circuits 5 times per week on top of the training I already do! That’s training 11 times per week on average for me! Argh!

To conclude I’ve been told to email the Head coach my times from my first competition on April 18th. He wants to track my progress. In return he is going to email me the times I need to meet to get funding.