Christmas! :D

Ho, ho, ho, merry Christmas! I am blogging now from my new iPod! Cool right! I have just downloaded a blogger app such allows me to look at my blog and blog, technology is amazing isn't it? I got wonderful presents and have just had a nice big Christmas dinner, yum! My grandparents are down and we are just trying to set up hungry hippos for my 2 year old brother Henry, why can't things just come already together instead of coming in bits and pieces, it is just so stressful! I am enjoying my break off although I think I have been swimming well recently. I will be back training soon and hard in preparation for the next open meet, which I am feeling quite confident about. Well I am of to play a game of hungry hippos, so merry Christmas and a happy new year! Xxx

Christmassssssssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello everybody! Wow it is only 4 more sleeps till christmas how exciting is that! I have just got back from school and am now getting ready to travel up to Peterborough where we are staying at my Aunt Tracey&Uncle Pete's house is. Me, my brother and my dad are then going to QPR vs Newcastle away tomorrow morning, my mum is going to drop us off at the train station and we are getting the train to Newcastle then our Grandad is going to pick us up from the train station and take us back to my Grandma&Grandad's house where we are having breakfast and then we are going to the match and going straight back to my aunt&uncle's house and then the next day we are going home. I am very excited and can't wait! We  are spending christmas at home this year but we are having relatives coming and seeing us aswell so that will be really fun. Anyway moving on to swimming, recently I have been training really hard. I am quite thankful of the nice big  christmas break and I am going to go back training harder and harder in preparation for Bexley Open Meet which is fast approaching.
Well so long my friends I wish a very merry christmas and a happy new year and I will be back again after the holidays!

Christmas Cracker

Hello! I am back from swimming all day at the Christmas Cracker Open Meet. I have been there all weekend, and I got some Pb's!!!!! I am really happy and now I am only 1 second off my 50m Breastroke! I did not Pb on my 50m backstroke, but my coach said that it was one of the best races he has seen me swim. He said my start,turn and finish were really good and so was my technique, so I am really happy. My bestfriend Tyra got her county time on Saturday and so did my friend George. I am really happy for them and I am not bothered about my county time because I know that my time will come and I am just going to train hard in preparation for Bexley. I am really happy that I am finally getting Pbs again. Also  after my 200m breastroke I went over to my coach Pete and he told me to watch a swimmer he used to coach. Her name was Laura Manzolini(not sure about the second game). He found her when she was 8 years old and she is amazingly fast, she is absolutely amazing, her 100m breastroke time is 1.15! I mean thats only 2 seconds slower than my 100m frontcrawl time(which I Pbd in today)!
Basically he said that her techinique(which is really good) is what my technique should be like and that I have the same build as her and that he says no reason why I cant do that technique. So today in my 50m breast I did that technique and it certainly seemed to work! I will be swimming in the morning aswell, its gonna be hard but I have to do it! So until next time!

Santa Fun Run!

Hello! Sorry I haven't been blogging recently but the last week has gone so fast! Right so on Sunday I took part with my mum in a 3 mile Santa Fun Run, everybody had to dress up like Santa, it was brilliant and my best friend Evie and her family were there so my mum and Evie's mum ran together and me and Evie ran together. I really loved it and me and Evie had a right natter all the way round. Also as a special treat my dad has payed for me, my mum and my brother to all go and see The X Factor Live Tour!!!!!!!!! I am sooooooooooo excited I can't wait! So back to swimming, last Saturday I had long course training, it was hard especially as it was my first training session back since I have been off with costochondritis, so I found it a little challenging. But I trained hard and I think I did well. Then the next training session was on Sunday after the fun run, my legs were so tired! So I found it hard and I didn't have a very good session. But I was up the next morning and I had a really good session, I led the lane for some of it and I really enjoyed the set and the session went really well. Then that night I had a netball match in the freezing cold! It was not fun because being absolutely frozen is one thing but being absolutely frozen and getting thrashed is another. And then on the way home I got chilblains-I was not very happy. Then I went swimming again this morning and again I had a really good session and I enjoyed the set. I am working really hard in preparation for the Christmas cracker this weekend, I really hope I can get some good PBS, but if I don't I am just going to forget about it and get ready for the next one, I am now going to finish my homework and then I am off to bed, ready to swim again in the morning, so until next time!

Costochondritis. :L

Hello! Well what a lovely day I have had today! It snowed in the night and the bus didn't turn up to take us to school so we all went sledging! It was brilliant, although I missed my jab and really I want to get it over and done with! My friends were unfortunate enough to still be able to go to school, they were very jealous! I went home yesterday from school feeling ill and whenever I breathed in I got a really excruciating pain in my torso, so my mum took me to the doctors and turns out I have Costochondritus, which means I have pulled a muscle around my lung so whenever I breathe in it really hurts, although this is mainly only after or during exercise so I get a week off of sport, which means no swimming!There is an advantage to this because my Dad is in America on a business trip for the whole week so it means we don't have to wake the whole family up just to take me swimming! Although I hope it heals soon so I can get back into training for the next open meet. I am going to forget about the county times, just focus on getting PBS. Well am off to finish homework until next time!

Tired out!

Hello! I have just finished putting up the christmas tree and am going to bed soon as I am really tired! This week I have found quite tough and after long course training yesterday. It was really fun but very hard and tiring. I found it quite difficult and really tiring but I worked really hard and did well, I got out the pool looking like a tomato! Then training today was ok although I had to get out early as I got a sharp pain in my side everytime I breathed. I am going swimming in the morning, so I must get off to bed, everygirl needs her beauty sleep!

No pressure!

Hello, sorry it's been such a long time! I have been back in the pool this week, training hard. I am a bit disappointed after the Deben open meet as it is the second open meet where I haven't got a pb, but well done to Lucy who got her first county time! I had a talk with my coach on Sunday night and he said that I shouldn't be disappointed, I am a very good swimmer and that my time will come and that he will beleive in me every step of the way. He also said that I need to take the pressure of myself and relax in my swimming and have more belief and know that it doesn't matter if somebody overtakes me or I am at the back of the lane, as long as I am working hard and enjoying it then that's fine. Maria, who coaches us in the mornings, also said a similar thing to me this morning, so I am just going to relax, take the pressure off myself and enjoy training. Well I am now off to bed, ready for swimming in the morning! Until next time!

Sick.

Hello this will be a short post as I am ill and going to bed early. I have a really bad headache and felt sick yesterday. I also felt really hot today at school so I am going to bed soon to get an early night. I went swimming Tuesday morning, Wednesday morning and last night, so not many sessions which is bad I know but I am going to have a fresh start next week and go to as many sessions as possible and try and get my attendance up.The sessions all went well, and I tried hard. I have enjoyed the sets recently as there is a lot more variety of strokes. So now I am going to bed,night!

Long weekend.

Hello! I am back from a day of swimming at Deben open meet. It has been a really long weekend. I was there all day yesterday and today. Unfortunately I didn't get any Pbs b I was hitting them and was really close on some of them. It was a very slow weekend, but I did enjoy it, although I am a little disappointed that I did not Pb I did have fun and I did enjoy it, with the exception of a few events, which I did absolutely rubbish in. I am just gonna put it behind me and then start again this week and train really hard so that I will be ready for the Christmas Cracker open meet in December. I am also going to try and bulk up and get some muscles! I think I have had a growth spurt recently, so that may be the reason why I did not Pb at Deben, but I am just gonna move on and work towards the next open meet. I think I will be training in the morning, so I am going to try my hardest and over the next few months I am really gonna work hard and train well. So I am now off to bed now so night!

Big Weekend!

       Hello! Sorry I never got back to you on Sunday, but I forgot! So Sunday night was fine, although it was quite hard as my muscles were aching a bit from long course training, but I did enjoy the set. I missed Monday morning, but I did go Tuesday morning, and I really enjoyed it, it was one of my favourite sets so far, only because it consisted of my two favourite strokes! Then I couldn't go running unfortunately last night as I had to do a French assessment, but I still made it for netball, which was fun, although it was very cold again! Then this morning was a bit of a disaster as I got to the swimming pool and realised I had left my bags at home1 So we had to go back home and grab my bags then go back to swimming, thankfully I only missed about the first 15 minutes, but I will make sure I won't do it again! I will be swimming again in the morning and tomorrow night, but I won't be swimming Friday night, as I am having an early night, ready for a big weekend. It means an early start in the morning for Deben open meet. This,I think, is one of the last chances to get county times, so I really want to do well at this meet, I really want that county time! But I am not going to worry about, just going to go there nice and relaxed, and try my best. I hope I get a county time soon, but I know that my time will come!

Tired!

Hey! Man I am tired! We had long course training yesterday, and Lee gave us a really good land warm up and then we swam for two hours. But my body is aching!  I really enjoyed the land warm up although it was really hard, and the swimming was even harder, but I think I did well, I trained really hard and I really enjoyed it, and I got McDonald's afterwards! I think I have been training really well in the last week, and tonight is the last session of the week, and also 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here' starts!!! I am going to go now but I will post later as I have to go, so until next time!

Excited!

Hello! I am now doing homework on the computer, and then I am going to watch some telly then go to bed, ready for swimming in the morning. I went swimming on Monday morning, which was fun, although quite tiring as it was a fly set. I am not the fastest at fly, but it was ok as it was quite quiet. Then on Tuesday morning I enjoyed it a lot as it was a backstroke set, which is my best and favourite stroke, so I really enjoyed set and I worked hard and I led the lane for some of it. Then this morning went well, it was an IM set, which I did enjoy, as I really enjoy IM, and I think I am getting a lot better at it. Netball was fun last night, although we have lost a few members of the team, also the nights are turning a lot colder, meaning that most of us are freezing within the first few minutes! I am also really excited 3for the next long course training session this Saturday, I really enjoy long course, even though it is tiring, but I cant wait!Well I must get on as I have hw to do, and I don't have much time to do it. One of the problems with swimming is not having enough time to do my hw, I have already missed a few! If I miss too many I get a detention! So must get on, bye for now!

Back to school.

Hello! Wow this week has gone fast! Right so this week most of the swimming club have been on the swim camp in Majorca, so all the sessions have been fairly quiet, especially in the mornings, which I have quite enjoyed. I have been able to catch up on my sleep, as it is the half term, which is good, I am nice and refreshed for the week ahead, when we start back at school. So I am now going to watch The X Factor and then go to bed, ready for swimming in the morning.

Sickness bug.

Hello, unfortunately I think I am coming down with a sickness bug, as I have been feeling really sick and have had a really painful headache over the weekend, therefore I did not go swimming tonight and I wont be swimming in the morning. Hopefully I will be better before my next open meet, but for now I am going to relax, go to bed early and have a nice long lie-in in the morning, so night!

Headache.

Hello. This will be a quick post as I am going to bed early as I have a really bad headache, which is why I did not go swimming tonight, I am now going off to bed so night!

Exhausted!

Hey, I missed Tuesday morning training as I think the long day on Sunday caught up with me and I felt absolutely done in. I trained Wednesday morning and felt like I had a good session and I worked hard. Thursday morning was a different story - I was so tired, due to a combination of things, and I found it really hard. My body felt as if it wasn't going anywhere in the water. So when Erica told us we were doing 6x200m I felt really unlucky. But I got through it, just. I then went swimming tonight which I enjoyed, but I was still feeling exhausted. I really enjoyed the set, we did one of my favourite sets, we also got to practise starts and turns at the end. My dives have really improved and I am starting to jump of the blocks and really launch myself into the water. I am now off to bed, so night night!

Beckenham Open Meet.

Hello again! I am now doing homework and then I am going to bed and having a early night as I am swimming again in the morning. Right so to catch up, Thursday morning was tiring but I really enjoyed it, then Thursday night, I was very tired and I found the session quite hard, but it went ok. There was no swimming on Friday night as they were having some technical difficulties at the swimming pool, which allowed me some rest, as I had a early start on Saturday, as I had a netball match. The netball match went great, it was a really close match, but we won, and I think I had a great game. I got home and I went back to bed and I slept for 3 hours! I also had a early night as I had to wake up at 5 the next morning to get the club coach to Beckenham Open Meet. I really enjoyed the coach journey, but I didnt enjoy the meet. I only got one pb, which was in my frontcrawl, so I was a bit disappointed, but my aunty and uncle came to watch, which was fun. I am just going to move on and forget about it, and I am looking forward to my next meet, which is the last chance to get county times for this year. I am going to try and not let it get to me that it is the last chance, and just relax and enjoy it. I went swimming this morning aswell, it was very quiet, but the set was tough. I got moved into a lane with Charlie, who has recently just got a national time in his 200m back, and Rebecca. It was tough, and I was really tired, but I pushed on and I think I did well. I am now going eat my dinner, finish my homework, and go to bed, ready for another early start in the morning.

Improvement.

Hello, I went swimming again this morning and I think I did well. We did a lot of frontcrawl drills today. I have recently been focusing on my front crawl arms, and they are looking good I think! I used to just have this scrappy front crawl, that used to be all over the place, but now they are looking much better! I think I have really improved in all strokes, and I am really looking forward to the open meet at the weekend. I will be swimming in the morning as well, so its bedtime soon for me! Until next time, bye!

Tired.

Hola! At this moment in time I am on my bed eating a bowl of cereal, whilst blogging. I have just got back from swimming. You may be surprised, as I do not usually swim on Tuesdays as I do netball and athletics. I had to go tonight as I missed this morning as I woke up and could barely talk, my throat was in pain. So mum let me have a lie in as long as I could, then dosed me up with medicine. So as I missed the morning I had to go tonight. I liked it tonight because it was quite quiet, although I was really tired tonight, I felt a bit sick and had a pounding headache, but I soldiered on, and my coach said I did well. I enjoyed the set, even though I was finding it difficult, I felt like I wasn't moving anywhere. I found it hard and tiring, but hopefully after the medicine mum has just given me, I will be ok in the morning. I have got an open meet at the weekend, which I am really looking forward to as I am taking the club coach for the first time, and my aunt is coming to watch! I hope I do well and get some good Pb's. I am hoping to do better in my IM, as recently I think that it has really improved and I think that I can get a good Pb. I am going to go to bed now, and hope that I will be a lot better in the morning. Night!

Busy!

Hello! I am sooooo sorry I haven't been blogging recently! Our Internet connection was down so I couldn't blog and I have been really busy! The sessions have been going well, although recently I have been quite tired out, I have had netball tournaments and I think that the long course open meet tired me out and I haven't completely caught up with my sleep yet, but I have still been working hard at training. I think that my fly has really improved as recently we have done a lot more fly, and I think it's really starting to come along.  I am really enjoying swimming at the moment and I really hope that I will get some good pbs and get closer to the Essex times. I am now going to go to bed as I am really tired and I am going to catch up on as much sleep as I can.

Exhausted!

Hello! I am knackered! So I will soon be off to bed, but first I will tell you how I got on at Crawley Long Course meet. I think I did really well in all my events, with the exception of my 100m front crawl. I don't know what went wrong, but I did rubbish! It was a long day and my events were all really tough, as I am not used to racing in a 50m pool, so it was good as I got a lot of experience out of it.
The event I did best in was the 200m breastroke, which I didn't do that well in at club champs, although I did get a Pb. My coach Pete was really shocked as not only did I beat my short course Pb by 7 seconds, I also got a bronze medal! I couldn't believe it as I don't think I have ever won a medal in my breastroke at an open meet before, so I was really happy.
I did ok in my 200m IM although I mistaked the false start rope for the flags so I started to count my strokes for my back-to-breast turn and got a bit of a surprise when the wall wasn't there! But I quickly realised and carried on going,and in the end I got a good Pb. I really enjoy long course and I think it suits me better, and I really enjoyed the open meet, even though it was really tiring. We got home at about 8.30pm and I ate some dinner then went to bed and fell asleep straight away! I then had swimming this morning, which went well, it was quite quiet and relaxing. I was tired, but I still worked hard and the session went ok.
Well I am now going to bed, as I have swimming again the morning and I need to get as much sleep as I can, I don't want to fall asleep in citizenship tomorrow!

Crawley long course meet.

Hello! Man has this week gone fast! And I need to get you updated! Right well most of the sessions I have had this week have gone well, although I missed Wednesday morning as my dad was away again this week, so that meant that in the mornings I had to get my little brother and sister up, so they needed a break as well as I did. Also on Wednesday I had my first HPV jab, which didn't go so well, I fainted. I fainted after the jab and then woke up, cried into a sick bowl, then fainted again. Luckily I don't swim Wednesday night, so I got some rest, although I had swimming in the morning which went well and I enjoyed the session. Then on Thursday after school before swimming I had a school netball tournament, so I was very tired by the time I got in the pool. I still worked hard, but I still found it difficult. Then yesterday I competed in the first round of a national cross country competition, and I came 10th, unfortunately my brother Monty, who is in year 7 pulled his hamstring and had to retire from the race. My race was a mile and half long, and was quite hilly, it was very hard and tiring. Then I went swimming and again I was tired and found it quite difficult, but I worked hard and I enjoyed it. Recently we have been doing lots of drill work, which is good because I think that my technique has improved by quite a margin on all my strokes, compared to this time last year. I am now off to bed as I have got Crawley long course open meet in the morning, which means an early start as we have to be there by 7.30am, I am really excited, as I think that I am better at long course than I am short course, although I am also very nervous. I will be doing the 100m backstroke, 100m front crawl, 200m IM, 200m front crawl, 200m breastroke and 200m backstroke. So night night!

Medals!

Hello, I am back from an absolutely amazing party! This will be a quick post as it is very late and I have to go to bed. Right so on Friday night I had to do my first ever 800m race! It was really hard and I thought I was gonna throw up on the last 50m but I kept going, and I got bronze! I was over the moon! Then today I had a netball match, which didn't go so well, we lost 34-9. But then I had club champs. This night it was 50m fly,100m breast, 200m front crawl and then 200m IM. I got Pb's in all of them by quite a bit and I got bronze in the 100m breast and then another bronze(although I cant remember what I got it for!). I am really pleased as its the first time in a long time that I have been winning medals. Then I went straight to the party, which was amazing! I am extremely tired and am now off to bed, night! xxx

Update.

Hola! I am really sorry I haven't blogged recently, its been busy these last few couple of days! Right time to catch up, so I went swimming Monday morning,I did ok and the session went well, then I didn't go swimming Tuesday morning as it was my little sister Elizabeth's birthday. I went swimming Wednesday morning which went well, I was a little, but I still worked hard and had a good session. This morning went great, I worked really hard and I felt really good. I really think my fly has improved and I am confident that I will get a PB at club champs. Unfortunately tonight I cant go swimming as I have have school commitments. Which in fact I have to go and get ready for! Adios amigos!

Long course training.

Hello. Right now I am sitting down doing homework. I went swimming Friday night, which went ok, we have been doing lots of drill work recently, which I'm not the fastest at! But it was ok, then yesterday night I had long course training in the 50m pool at Basildon. We did one hour of land training in the gym, which was really fun and then we did 2 hours of swimming in the pool, it was really tiring but I really worked hard and enjoyed the session. We did 200m IM which was tiring, but recently I have really started to enjoy IM's and have got some good times, I am hoping to improve my 200m IM time at club champs. Well I have to go as I must finish my homework, bye!

Sad news.

Hello. I did not swim this morning as I needed a rest and then tonight I did not swim as an incident happened involving my dog Kaiser resulting in him unfortunately being put down so I did not swim. Sorry this is a short post but I am going to go now, until next time.

Tired out!

Hola! I am just about to go to bed, after doing homework all night. I also did netball after-school, where we trialed for a place in the U14 tournament team, I think I did well and will find out soon whether I have made the team or not. I am very tired especially after swimming this morning. I also went Tuesday morning, which went well and I worked really hard and I really enjoyed the session, and then this morning, I was a little tired, but I still worked hard and had a great session and I am looking forward to long course training at the weekend. I think that long distance is definately my thing, in and out of the pool. We recently had a cross country race at school, which I won and I also beat the school record by almost a minute, which I was really pleased with, especially as I was faster than the girl who beat me last year. Well I am off to bed now, as I am really tired so, night night!

Hard work.

Hello, I am just doing a bit of homework then I am going to have a early night as I am very tired. I went swimming this morning and waking up at 5.00am and going swimming is very hard, especially after a whole weekend of club champs!  I was put into a lane with my two friends Georgia and Rebecca, who are very good and it went really well. Pete had set us a hard set as he said that now we have settled back into things its back into proper hard training, I worked hard, trained well, and over all enjoyed the session. I also had to do cross country at school today, and I won! I also think I have broken the school record for the girls, unless somebody has gotten faster than me, which is quite exciting, I am tired out from it all so I will be having an early night as its swimming in the morning again. So bye, bye!

Club Champs!

Hello! I am now sitting down in my onesie watching the X Factor after having just competed at club champs! Right so on Friday night I competed in the 400m frontcrawl, for the first time ever! I won my heat and I think I got a good time and am really pleased as I got a bronze medal out of my age group! Then yesterday I did well, as I managed to get a good Pb in every event, then today I did the 50m back, which I am one second off the county for, I didn't get it, but it is early in the season so I think I will get it later on, hopefully! I also did the 200m breastroke , which I pb'd in and also got a bronze medal in! I am really glad because I tried really hard and it really tired me out, so I am glad my hard work paid off! Next was the100m frontcrawl, which I pb'd in even though I was tired out from my 200m breastroke. So all in all its been a successful club champs so far, hopefully the Pb's will keep on coming. So until next time bye!

Preparing.

Hello! Wow the last few days have gone so quickly! I had a brilliant birthday I got a pair of Doc Martins, a pair of Lacoste t-shirts and a pair of grey jack wills track suit bottoms. I  didn't go swimming or netball or athletics as we had Dominoe's pizza and watched a film so that was fun. Then wednesday morning was good although I was a bit tired from the night before. This morning, Thursday, I felt really tired again but we did some races at the end and I did really well in them, especially on the backstroke. I went to swimming earlier this evening but we'd got the time wrong so I'm just about to go back again. Then I'm having an early night because club champs start tomorrow night with the 400m freestyle. Bring it on!

Birthday!

Hello! Sorry I did not blog yesterday but I was at a christening all day and then went straight to swimming and then when I came back I had completely forgotten and went to bed! So to get you updated, last night swimming was fine, although I did feel quite tired as I had been at a christening in Kent all day, but I still did ok, it was quite tough though. Then this morning was fine I found it a little tiring but still enjoyed it. I am really concentrating on my stroke and checking which times I am coming in on to set a marker for club champs which is starting soon. I will not be swimming in the morning as it is my 13th birthday!  And if I go I wouldn't have time to open my prezzies! So will probably not blog tomorrow as I am not swimming at all, so until next time!

Family time :D

Bonjour! I am sorry I forgot to blog but my family have all come down from Birmingham and I haven't seen them for ages! So very sorry about that. Thursday morning I didn't as we weren't able to, but I did go on Thursday night and it went really well and I enjoyed the session. I really think my swimming is doing well at the moment and Friday night went really well as well and I worked really hard. I will not be going on Sunday as I will be at a christening in Kent and I am also missing the first long course session which is a shame, but I am doing all the other long course sessions which I am really looking forward to. I really think that my stroke techniques have improved a lot over the last couple of months and I can't wait till club champs! I am now off to have a shower then sit down to a nice dinner of my dad's famous meatballs with my family, so ta ta for now!

Mind battles.

Hola! I am back from my first day back at school, and it seems weird that a year ago it was me coming up into year seven and now I am in year 8 and its my brother who has come up to year seven! I am really going to put my best efforts in this year and get the levels I want to achieve. I have been put into all the top sets, Maths, Spanish, Science and French and so have all my best friends!  I bet that makes us sound like a right bunch of nerds! Netball and athletics went well last night and it was good to be back.  Then this morning I went swimming and I was a bit more tired than I usually am although I still tried hard and well. I focused mainly on my technique on front crawl and my coach has been telling me what I have been doing wrong, one arm has been coming round and the other arm has been close to my body, making me uneven. Either of these techniques can be used but both arms have to be the same so I am working on using one technique on both arms and making sure that I am getting it right. We did some 100metres front crawl at the end, flat out, and I did well my coach was telling me to try and get a quicker time each time and I did just that, with the exception of the last one, as I was very tired by then. But my coach also spoke to me and about how psychologically I am very unconfident and that half of my battle is in my mind and that  I need to stop going to gala's worrying about getting my times and that instead I need to be monitoring which times I am hitting in training and set a realistic goal. I also need to just relax and not worry about getting the time or not, so this is what I am going to practice and make sure that I am relaxed whenever I am swimming in a competition.Well I am off now, so until next time! xxx

New season!

Hello I am really sorry I havent been blogging, but it has been a hectic last week of the holiday with getting ready ready for school and everything! But I am really going to try and blog more, although my training schedule is hectic! It has been good to get back into swimming and I cant wait until I start competing and I am really gonna put 100% into my swimming training and competition. I was disappointed to find out that my new coach has quit which means that for the time being Pete will be my coach(which isn't a bad thing!). Am now off to get ready for athletics and netball so goodbye for now!

Back home again.

Hello! I am really sorry I have not been blogging lately but I couldn't log on to my blog and then we went on holiday to Thetford Forest for 4 days and only got back today. It was really fun although I ended up with a lot of mosquito bites, the worst being one on my jawline that is swollen! But apart from that it was brilliant. So to get you up to date, the last training session I did was last Thursday and I think I did well actually and I tried to focus on my frontcrawl and got advice from my coach on how my arm position should be in and out of the water and we did some drills. I think that my frontcrawl has really been improving over the last few months and hopefully I will get some good times at the Club Champs. Well I am now off to bed so bye for now!

Getting back into the swing of things.

Hello! I am just back from another training session, which I really enjoyed, I wasn't doing that well for most of it but the last set we did was 8x100m IM's and I came from the back to the front and I felt really good and it was a good session overall. My coach Pete asked me at the end why it had taken the whole session for me to push myself to the front and I had been thinking the same thing. The answer is, I don't really know but I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again.  Also, in September, the new groups start and I think we will really push each other as we are all similar speeds and are all trying to get County times. Each of us is strong at different strokes and different drills so we should help each other improve all the time. I've really enjoyed getting back into the swimming and I can't wait for the new season to start again. The competition calendar is already filling up and I have something on most weekends up to Christmas, what with the netball and having a QPR season ticket! I also went to Luton yesterday to run in a 800m race for the athletics club. It was really hot but I really enjoyed it and came 5th out of 9 so I did ok, especially as I have been on holiday for 3 weeks and haven't done any endurance training for a while. I got a pb as well so that's always good and I have something to aim for next time. I'm actually looking forward to the cross-country season because I love running outside when it's freezing cold and I love jumping over ditches and running through fields in the mud. Yes, I may well be a bit mad. Well it's bed time for me. Ttfn.

Back home!

Hello I am back from a long relaxing holiday in Cornwall. It was very fun and we had a lot of beach days. I have been watching the Olympics and was a bit disappointed that we didn't get many medals in the swimming but it has really inspired me and I can't wait until I get back into swimming. It also inspired me to start running more than I am and I actually fancy having ago at triathlon as I am getting a bike for my birthday and cycling would help my swimming. I will soon be finding out whether I have made the Essex satellite netball academy which I am a little nervous about. So I am just about to go and have a picnic and enjoy the good weather so bye for now!

Holiday time!

Hello this will just be a quick post as I am going on holiday tomorrow, to Cornwall for 3 weeks! I cannot wait, especially as we will be getting surfing lessons! But back to the swimming, so in the end I could not go on Tuesday night and we then overslept on Wednesday, whoops. But I did go as usual on Thursday morning, which went ok there was only three of us in the lane, therefore it was a nice calm session. Then last night(Thursday night)I turned up with my brother as usual for training, and found that instead it was Splash and Dash nigh, which is a whole night of 25m races. I did ok and it was really fun, but I think I am much more of a long distance person. So now I am just getting ready for my holiday, and that reminds me I will most probably not be blogging during my holiday so happy holidays for now!

Long course.

Hello I am very sorry that I haven't blogged in just over a week, I have been fairly busy this week. I will just recount the sessions that I think we're the best ones, or the ones that I did well in. Well last Thursday morning it went really well. I was put in a lane which I knew I had to work hard in order to lead the lane. I did lead the lane and the coach who took the session, Erica, said that I had a really good session and told Pete that I had been on fire! So that session went really well. I did not go on Friday as my brother Monty had just got back from his week long school residential trip, so we all had pizza and watched a movie. I also had been selected to take part in long course training at Basildon pool, which is a 50m pool. It was the second time that I had taken part in a long course training session, and it went great! I really enjoyed and my dad who watched said that my front crawl looked awesome and that he really thinks that I will come out of club champs with two Essex times, but I must not worry if I don't and just keep the faith and get the best out of my swimming. It was a hard, but enjoyable set and my coach Pete was really pleased with me, so it's looking good! Then on Sunday night I didn't start of to well but when we got to the last part of the main set and it was 10x100m front, and I just thought myself, come on Vez you can do better than this. And then I managed to work my way up from the back of the lane to the front and then led! I was really pleased with myself as I think it really showed my determination. So I even the session was not going well at the start, I soon changed it into quite a good session. Then I did not go last night as I was extremely tired but I did go this morning and it was a nice session and I liked the sets. I will be up early in the morning for swimming so I will now be off to bed. I also have my netball academy trials, wish me luck!

New groups.

Hello! I am just back from another Monday night session. I was a little tired today and was at the back as usual for the pull as I am not as strong as the others, but I still had a good session. My coach said that I am really doing well at the moment. FRiday night I did ok and I worked hard. Recently our coach has done the new groups for the September and unfortunately I am not with Rebecca or Georgia anymore, and I will not have Pete as my coach anymore, but instead I have Vaughan. I am a bit a bit disappointed as I liked Pete as my coach, but I like Vaughan and he is a very good coach. I am now in a group with people who have similar times to me and we are all trying to get Essex times. I do really like my new group and I know that we are all hard workers. So on Friday night I was with a few people who I will be with in September and the session went well. Then all weekend we had family down for my grandma's birthday and me, my mum, aunts and cousin all went to see the Olympic torch! It was a great experience, one that I will never forget. On Sunday we all went swimming before I had to return a few hours later for swimming training, which was really fun as there was hardly any people there so me and Rebecca shared a lane. It was nice and calm and relaxing. I am now off to bed so night night!

Awards!

Hola mi amigos! Well what a week it has been so far! I need to catch you up with my lastest news and updates. Well Monday was fun I did quite well, the session was really good and I enjoyed the set. Tuesday morning was fine I led the lane and trained well. Tuesday night I could not go as I had my schools sports awards evening, which was brill, the netball team all got an award as we were the district champions, I got an award for coming 5th in the district cross country competition, I then also got one for taking part in the indoor district athletics final, and then the best award was the Team Of The Year award which we (the netball team) won! We were very chuffed! It was a great night and the guest speaker was Karen Atkinson-an England netball captain who has just retired. It was really interesting listening to her and her determination to reach her goal, which she did.  Then I did not go swimming Wednesday morning as I had a late night after the awards evening. Then this morning was really good and I led the lane for the whole session and I worked really hard to keep ahead. My swimming felt really good and I am looking forward to club champs, where hopefully I will do well. I am just off to have dinner now then swimming so bye for now!

I've got my mojo back.

Bonjour! I am very truly sorry for how bad i have been this month, always forgetting to blog! Right so I will get you updated on what has happened since my last post. Well we had a wonderful time visitng family and it was great to see them again. Then Sunday was exciting, I had a gala! It was tough competition and it was really fun, I was really happy because I was chosen to do the 50m back. I was up on the blocks and in the zone, then there was a power cut. I had to 10 minutes to start again! Eventually when I did start the race I came 4th and got the pb I had wanted to get, and it was quicker than last years county time which means I only have to knock around about 2 seconds off to get this years essex time! So then we won not only that gala, but the league!!! We then did a victory lap and jumped in the pool! Overall it was a great night and we did really well and it was a great night. Monday was good and I worked really hard, I was a bit tired but it was fun. Tuesday night I found out that I am in the top team for netball so good news on that point. Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning both went well and i was high up in the lane I pushed hard and was feeling really good. Thursday morning was actually disgusting as sand had come through the filter, making the pool sandy and murky, yuck! Pete said that the session would also have a bit of an impact on the new groups in september, so I really pushed hard and worked hard. I led the lane and did well, I actually quite enjoyed it. Then Thursday night I didnt go because I had something on at school. ThenFriday went really well, I really pushed it to my max and led the lane! I was really pleased with myself and my coach Pete said it was a brilliant session and that i had 'got my mojo back'.  I am really excited and pleased with how well I am swimming at the moment. Then yesterday morning I decided to go for a 3 mile run and it was really fun.I am going to try and focus on my running this summer and entermore meets to get some good results. Then tonight I felt a bit tired, as I had just had a big roast dinner as we have family round, and I didnt start off to well but I did really well on the main set, I worked really hard and it feltreally good, I was high up in the lane and Pete said that I had a great session, I just need to keep it going. Well I am just watching the Euro 2012 final and then I am off to bed so toodledoo for now!

Busy, busy!

        Hello! Wow what a week! Right so let's catch up. Tuesday morning I went swimming and I think it went quite well, I led the lane, and I concentrated on my technique especially on my front crawl. Then Tuesday night I had my netball trials again (we had a re-trial) and I think I did quite well and I enjoyed it. Then I didn't swim Wednesday morning as it was my brother Monty's 11th birthday, also I had district sports that day. District sports was really fun and I really enjoyed it. I got picked for 3 events (2 of which I hadn't done before!). We got there and Sir said we had to pick two girls and two boys to do hurdles! I had never done hurdles before but Sir told us to go round the track and have a practice and see who would like to do it. I went with the other girls and me and my friend Maisie had a go, I was scared at first but after jumping over a few i quite enjoyed, but then we were told to stay off the hurdles! Me and Maisie were chosen to take part in the hurdle race, which was the first event, I was so nervous, but I came 2nd in my heat! Maisie came 1st in hers, so overall we did quite well.
         Then I had high jump, which I had only practiced once at school, I came 6th along with two other people, so I think I did ok in that. Then I had the race I had been waiting for, the 600m. I was really nervous at the start but once I started running I was fine. I started of 3rd then went to 2nd, then back to 3rd and I then stayed in that posititon for the rest of the way round, until the last 80m when my friend from another school(who I have been against before) caught me up, we then were both sprinting hard, but she just beat me at the end. It was a good race and our school did quite well.
          That night I also had my netball camp for two hours, so I was very tired when I got in! Then Thursday morning I really worked hard and led the lane again, I really enjoyed the session. But I didnt do as well that night, I was a bit slow, but I still worked hard.
        Now onto last night, that didnt go so well. We did 16x100m pulling, which I was at the back for, as I am not as strong as the others. But then we did 8x100m kick and I was doing ok but, I along with Rebecca and Jordan, was not making the times. Our coach Pete told us that if we didnt make the times he would move us into lane 1 a a punishment. We were still not making the times, so we were moved into lane 1 and then we weresoon taken out and made to do press ups until our lane had finished. We then soon got back in to do the main set which was 5x200m IM then 300M Back then 5x100m IM then onto cooldown.I was doing ok on the IMs but I was a bit behind, although my coach said that I looked good but just needed to push it a bit more to get a bit more rest. I felt slow and tired but I still tried. So overall it wasn't the best session.
Right now I am just getting ready to go visit some family, which I am really excited about. Then on Sunday I have an M11 Gala which I am really excited about, I just hope I do well. But bye bye for now!

Good day!

     Hello, well today has been a very exciting day for me! I received my district sports letter and it turns out I am doing high jump, as well as the 600m! Also, I received my letter for the sports award evening which I am very much looking forward to!

    Now on to the swimming. I enjoyed tonights session, although it is hard getting back into it and I am mostly at the back of the lane, but I am working my way back to where I was. The set was a enjoyable one, although I would of preferred the main set to have been 100m instead of 50m, as we did 24x50m backstroke to breastroke. We also practiced our back to breast turns, and I really need to work on mine! I am going swimming in the morning so I am going go to bed so night night, sweet dreams!

Update

     Well i am very sorry that i have not blogged for a whole week! I looked at my blog today and realised that i havent blogged in ages, so i am very sorry. Now i must get you updated!
      Sunday night(last week): It was the first session back after a nice break, and i have to say it was quite hard! But it was good as many people were at the Regional Championships, so there was not many people, therefore resulting in a quiet lane. I struggled and was at the back, and a bit behind along with my friend Jess, who had also been away all week. I felt really uncoordinated, but it was nice to be back.
     Monday night: I was swimming a lot better than i did on Sunday and worked really hard. I enjoyed the set and pushed myself to keep up and do well, and that i think i did accomplish.
      Tuesday morning: Tuesday morning went quite well and it was quite quiet again, it was also my first morning back after my break so it was quiet hard getting back into it.
     Wednesday morning: Wednesday morning went really well and i really enjoyed the session. I worked hard and led the lane for some of the 8x100m breastroke set we did. I worked really hard and i didnt feel as uncoordinated as i had felt before.
      Thursday morning; Thursday morning i was quite tired, probably the reason i got the warm up wrong, whoops! But i woke up after a few lenghts in the pool and i really worked hard. I led the lane and worked really hard to stay leading the lane. I enjoyed the sets we did and practiced my technique on my fly, which has improved.
       I didn't go swimming Thursday night as my mum came in and found me asleep in my bed! She did try to wake me but after a few minutes she left me, so i had a night off.
       Friday night: I wasn't supposed to go swimming on Friday night, as my dad was back from a business trip, but as i didn't go on Thursday i had to go. I am quite glad I went as we had some new swimmers joined the club, one of them i knew as she lived in my village. They had moved swam at Halstead Swimming Club, but left the club and are hoping to join our club. A girl called Alex and her older sister are going to be joining the performance squad. Her sister swam with the Youth Performance squad, and Alex swam with the Age Group Performance squad(my squad). I started talking to Alex, who is my age, and it turns out that we are both doing the same event in the Distric Sports Athletic competition! We will both be doing the 600m, whether we will be in the same race i dont know. I worked hard, but i was at the back of the lane for the main set as it was24x100m pulling with a pullbuoy, which i am absolutely rubbish at! I work really hard and try my best but the others are a lot stronger than me so i am always behind, and i find it really tiring, but apart from that i did enjoy it.
       So i also received some good news this week, which i have already mentioned, and that is that i have been selected to represent my school in District Sports, in the 600m! I am over the moon, and i also have been asked(along with some others) to go to the Notley High School Sports Award evening! I think this means that i am going to win an award, most probably for netball, as the whole year 7 netball team have also been invited.
       Then today i went to watch my brother play in a football festival, where i met my best friends Evie and Kaitlyn, we had a great time and my brothers team won, with him scoring the goal in the final!

Back from Wales.

Hello! I am now back from my very wet, very stormy, but lovely holiday from Wales. It was nice to have a break from swimming, although we went swimming almost everyday as it was raining, but it was a nice break from training. The pool on the campsite was so mank its unbeleivable! I came up from under the water and my brother Monty told me that I had a plaster on top of my head! It was absolutely DISGUSTING! But apart from the rubbish weather and the vile pool it was a nice holiday and we all had a lot of fun. I will be getting straight back into swimming tomorrow night and i am looking forward to it. I was quite gutted to hear today that there will be no school swimming galas this year, but it will be every two years! I am really disappointed because I have really been looking forward to it. But at least it hasnt been sacked completely. Well i am of to go and watch Germany vs Portugal in the Euros, so bye bye for now!

A lot of improvement

Hello I am back again well ok so let's catch up a bit, so I had a day off on Tuesday like my coach said and then I also decided to miss Wednesday so that I would be completely better for Thursday. So I went swimming Thursday morning and I started at near the back but the I worked my way up and led the lane, then my coach moved me into the next lane where I think I did really well. Then Thursday night went quite well and I worked really hard and did well. Then on Friday night there wasn't many people as it is regionals this weekend and a lot of people are going, so at first I had a lane to myself then I was joined by some of my friends from another group, who I don't usually swim with. I was at the back and due to a bit of goggle trouble wasn't keeping up that well, but then I sorted my goggles out and really worked hard then worked my way to the front of the lane, where I led for the main set. I think the session went really well and I am hoping that this means I am back to full health and that I can back to where I was. I am now going away for the whole of the half term to Wales with my family so I will most probably not be blogging this week, so I wish you all a very happy half term and enjoy the Queen's jubilee!

Recovering

Hello, I am back! I am very sorry that I have not blogged in ages but I was very ill all week the week before last, was very busy last week and then I fell a bit ill again this weekend, so I havent had much time! Right ok so lets go way back to the West Suffolk open meet. Right so I did ok on Saturday and got a pb on my 100m breaststroke which I was quite happy about and also one on my 200m backstroke, although I do think I could got a bit of a better time, I was very gutted about my 50m backstroke as I didn't get a pb or a very good time, and the same on my 50m frontcrawl, although I was close. I did ok in my 200m IM, although again I think I could of done better, but then again at the time I was coming down with a virius. I spoke to my coach Pete and he said that I must stay positive and that he thinks I don't beleive in myself and that I can do it, but it's all in my head and that I must stay positive and beleive that I can do it. Then I woke up on Sunday with a fever and a bad throat, so I couldn't go,which I was quite gutted about as that was the day of my 200m frontcrawl and 50m breastroke which I really wanted to try and get a good time in. Then I had to have the whole week off school because of my virius and fever, although I was determined to go in on Friday but after two lessons mum had to take me home and apparantly I looked half dead. Then I was better on the Saturday which was good as we had a wedding in Newcastle which I had been looking forward to. I had a great time at the wedding with my cousins and other family members and it was a great wedding. Then on the Sunday we all went to an all you can eat buffet! It was simply marvellous and such tasty foods to choose from! Then we headed home. Then last week I got back into my swimming regine, which was tough and I was very tired Friday after getting back into swimming, netball and all my other sports, and I also ran an 800m at school which i won, which also made me very tired. I have started to get back into the swing of things and my coach had a talk with me. He said that I was at the point where I was doing really really well and then an incident happened which he knows did effect me even though I said it didn't and then I was ill and now I need to get back to doing really well, which he said is going to be hard but I must push myself in training and keep on working hard because he is starting to look at groups for September and he really wants to coach me but I need to get back to the point of doing really well so that he can coach me. I am now going to really push myself in training and get back to where I was. Then yesterday I was sick in the car and later on in the night so I going to have had to miss my swimming and karate today, but I will be back into it again tomorrow.

I'm ill

Hi, I am very sorry but I am unwell this week and will be back online when I'm better.

Preparation

Hello! I went back to school today after my day off for the dentist yesterday which didnt go so well... I fainted. The needle to numb my gum really hurt and I had to have it top and bottom gum and I got really worked up and started feeling dizzy and hot then when she had finished and was putting the chair back up I just fainted. I woke up to see the dentists face looming over me and calling my name. I was only unconcious for under 10 seconds and it was the first time I had ever fainted and my mum had never seen anyone faint so it was a weird experiance for both of us, well for me anyway, as once she knew I was ok my mum started laughing and said that she wished she had filmed it as aparantly I looked very funny! But I still got my two teeth taken out, although I have to go back in 3 months time to get the root of one of them taken out. So yeah it didnt go that well. Then later that night we had some friends round and me, my best friend Millie, my brother Monty and Millie's brother Archie had a hilarious time and made some very funny videos! Right then I didn't go swimming toight as I have a very important event this weekend its the West Suffolk open meet! We have an early start tomorrow and Sunday and we stay there the whole day on both days. I have been waiting for this a long time and I am quite excited. I really hope that i get some new pb's and that I do well,but i know that I musnt think about the times and that I should just go out there and swim because if I get nervous to much it will effect my swim. I am really excited and am now getting an early night for tomorrow, so night night and I will feedback on the results as soon as i can!

Getting better.

Hola! I am now at home,as I am not going to school today, because I have got the dentists and there is no point as I cant eat or talk  because I will have two cotten things in my mouth, which is also the reason why I cant do pe today so really there is no point going into school. Right well Wednesday morning went really well as I was second in the lane when we did the breaststroke which I was quite happy about as I havent done well on my breastsroke at all and I havent got a new pb in ages so I am hoping that it is another good sign that I have improved and hopefully I will get a new pb at West Suffolk at the weekend. Then Wednesday night I had...my first Essex Netball Academy camp! I was really excited and looking forward to it. It lasted for 3 hours! One hour for theory where we learned all about nutrition and all the things we need in our diet and about high GI and low GI and that we must stay hydrated. Then it was two hours of netball training, we practiced our ball skills and about finding space. There were a few girls i recognised from other clubs and the trials, overall i got some really good advice out of it.
Then this morning I had the usual training session, and I think that it went really well. I worked really hard and then got ahead and led the lane! It was quite a hard set the first set we did  and i was tired after it. I am quite tired after this morning but haven't got school today so I might be able to get a bit of rest in, maybe a little nap.

A good sign!

Bonjour! I am about to get a ready to go to my usual athletics and then netball. If i am honest i do feel a little tired, probably because of swimming this morning. Talking of swimming this morning, the session today went really well! I worked really hard and i managed to lead the lane for the whole session, which was a change as it has been a long time since i led a lane, although i did have a bit of a blonde moment at one point! I like to think that it is a good sign for the weekend! Although unfortunately i will have to miss Thursday night training session as i have the dentist, where i will be having two teeth taken out! Which if i am honest i sort of have mixed feelings about this as i am nervous but also get to miss school and also i am also having to miss a important training session.

Preparation for the weekend.

Hello am now just going to bed ready for swimming in the morning and i have had a nice relaxing day as there was no swimming on as it was a bank holiday. The days are counting down towards West Suffolk so i really need to get out as much practice as i can in these next few training sessions in preparation for the weekend. So night night!

New laptop!

Hello i am now blogging from my new laptop! My dad brought this laptop for my homework and because of all the hard work i have put into my sport, mainly my swimming, and it was quite funny because we went into comet just to buy me a laptop and we came out with my new laptop but also with a new bigger tv for my parent's bedroom and a massive new 3D tv! My dad said it was because our old tv was broken,but i could tell he just couldnt resist it! Ok right so, yesterday night i went to my friend Harriet's 13th birthday party1 It was really cool and i had a great time with my friends, which means a lot of dancing! Unfortunately my brother Monty was to ill to go and is still ill today, i really hope he is ok for the weekend as he is also taking part in the West Suffolk open meet and is 0.05 seconds off his 200m backstroke regional time! So i really hope he doesnt have to miss out! Tonight was a good training session, i did quite well, although i did slow a bit towards the end of the set, but i actually enjoyed the set tonight. Tomorrow there is no training as it is bank holiday Mondday so its a relaxing day for me!

Working towards my goal.

Heyo! This is going to be a quick blog as we are about to leave to take my brother Monty to his football training. Right Thursday morning was quite a good session and i worked hard. Then Thursday night i was quite tired and i didnt do that well and i wasnt doing very well. But i still worked hard. Then on Friday night i wasnt doing well on the pre-set which was pulling with a pullbuoy and i was very behind as i am not as strong as other people in the lane. I fear i am slowing down so i am really trying to get the best out ofd the sessions before the West Suffolk open meet which is coming up soon. But then after a short talk with my coach ,and him telling me to really work hard this week so i can acheive my goal to get an essex county time at West Suffolk, i worked my way back up the lane and the rest of the session went well i think as i pushed myself and worked hard. Today have got a nice relaxing day and then a party tonight, yay!

Wednesday morning

I am now in the car on the way to school. I have just been swimming and it was a good session,although my legs do hurt, as our coach let Charlie choose the main set, which was 16x100m kicking! But i still really enjoyed it. I am going to have a nice early night tonight as I am really tired, and i was in a grump this morning and my bag wasnt packed and it was stressful and then i was late out as i was messing around a bit with my friends so my mum got a bit angry. I don't want to go through all this again so that is why I am having a nice early night and I will be nice and refreshed in the morning.

Hard work.

Hello! Ok so Monday night was fine, but at first i was a little bit tired and was feeling a bit slow, but then on the main set my coach told me to push myself and me and my friend Charlotte were using each other to push ourselves. She was pushing herself to overtake me and i was pushing myself to hold her off. It was hard work and a long set and we both kept pushing ourselves and each other. Overall it was a good session. Then this morning was quite a relaxing, calm session. I worked hard but it was calm and relaxing because not many people were there. Then tonight i have got the usual netball and athletics.

Wet weekend

Hello! Wow what a day! Well before i tell you about today i will update you. Right, so the Friday night went absolutely fine, although it was quite feisty in the lane! Because there were quite a lot of us in the lane and we were all trying to work hard and do well,  and we were all trying to get ahead of each other and stay ahead, and it was a hard and long set. Then Saturday i had my friend Carlann round for a sleepover, because we had a netball rally on Sunday in Colchester. It was really fun, although unfortunately the netball rally was cancelled due to bad weather. So we dropped Carlann off home and then i went to the QPR vs Chelsea match with my dad. It was really nice to go out with my dad on my own and we went to Nando's before the match and then we went into the stadium and the match was brilliant, although we lost 6-1 and QPR didn't play that well, but the atmosphere was amazing and not many people can say that they have gone to Stamford Bridge! Although it meant that i  missed swimming, but i will be back working hard on Monday night!

Rest.

Hello! Right so Tuesday night went fine and i went running which was fun and then went to netball which i really enjoyed as we played a mini tournament, although i have recently discovered that i am actually quite small! Then i went swimming Wednesday morning went really well. I usually start at the back of the lane at the start of the session as there is a lot of people, well i tried really hard and eventually worked my way to third in the lane where i stayed for the rest of the session behind Rebecca and Georgia. The set was quite hard but i did really enjoy it, we had to do 4x300m(100m front then 200 back, all as one 300) and i got quite tired towards the end but it was really fun. Then this morning was a bit of a debate whether i should go or not as i had a UK Maths Challenge at school which i had qualified i guess you could say for,but i decided to go, as exercise simulates the brain. So I woke up at 5:15am and was very tired but i went and i was doing really really well, almost leading the lane, but unfortunately i started to feel sick, so i told my coach and he told me to miss one out and that if i felt really sick to go and get changed, but i got back in after a few minutes,but it got worse so i got out. I went to school and felt a bit better and i think the test went really well. But i didn't go swimming cause i felt really tired and miserable, because i didn't get picked for the school athletics team, which i thought was unfair as they didn't even do any trials and i have done the cross country and athletics with most of the people who are in the team and i really wanted to get in so i was really upset. But am right now resting at home and am having an early night.

Tuesday morning.

I am now in the car after a nice Tuesday morning training session which was quite fun and I enjoyed the sets but I was a little tired but I did enjoy the sets as it was a bit different to the usual sets we do in the mornings. I am now eating my breakfast in the car on the way to school. Tonight I have my usual netball and athletics which won't be much fun in the rain!

Working hard.

Have just got back from another Monday night training session. I quite enjoyed tonight although it was a fairly hard set. The main set was 28 100m front crawl,first 15m max. Towards the end it was quite tiring but i really enjoyed the set. I worked hard and did quite well. My coach said that as i do so much i must be careful not to 'burn myself out'. But i am back working hard and doing well. I am now off to bed ready for swimming in the morning.

Results!

Hello, am back from the M11 gala in Thurrock. It went really well and i loved it, and i had a lot of fun. We did really well as a team. We came third overall! I unfortunately did not get a PB in my 50m backstroke which was a shame but i am not put down by it as my coach said that it was a really good swim. I also took part in two relays, i did 25m front crawl in both of them and we did really well. My friends did really well as well. My friend Rebecca came first in one of her races and my friend Georgia had to do two 50m fly races! My friend Charlotte Speakman did really well in her 50m breaststroke too along with my friend Rebecca Moloney, who was just outside her 50m freestyle pb but swam really well. Super-swimmer Charlie Boden enjoyed a packet of Jaffa cakes that my mum took for him because he loves them so much. My brother Monty got a 4 second pb on his 50m breaststroke and he only took one breath on his entire 50m freestyle! I was then rewarded on the way home with a trip to Maccy D's!

Preparation

Sorry have not posted lately have been quite busy. Tuesday night I missed athletics before netball as it was chucking it down with rain. So I just went to netball and it was a lot of fun but very cold! Then also went swimming Wednesday morning which I thought went really well as we did a lot of breaststroke so I got to put in a bit of practice as I am trying to improve my technique. Also went Thursday morning as well and I have really tried to up my game after I talked to my coach. I worked really hard on Thursday night as well which was quite tiring but I am going to really try my best in training as I want to,as my coach says, go up another level. Then on Friday night we practiced our strokes and relays which went great and I thought that I was looking good and that my hard work has been paying off. Then yesterday was quite a relaxing day and I went round my best friends Evie's house which was really fun, and then did some homework. I have recently been thinking that i might start to write almost a little diary for my little sister to read when she is older about things she has done, funny things she has said and done, and just for her. Anyway I am now on my way to an M11 gala in Thurrock which I am really excited about for quite a few reasons. I am excited because my mum has recently brought me a new racing costume, it is a speedo lazor and it is really nice. Not the £300 suits that the top athletes wear just a normal cozzie which was £10! I find it quite hard to find a costume as I am quite long in the body but also quite skinny, so I find it quite hard to find one that fits. The cozzie is quite small, so that it will be nice and tight and won't rub. I am also looking forward to it as i like taking part in galas as it is very fun. We practiced in training which went quite well so I am ready to try and do well. I will report back afterwards on how it goes!

Morning training.

I trained last night for 2 hours but my coach Pete pulled me out for a chat because I wasn't training as well as usual and he thought I looked a bit sluggish. It could be because of the cold I've had. He said I need to push through and work hard to take my swimming to the next level and that it's hard, but that's what makes a good swimmer. I am now in the car on the way to school after a another Tuesday morning training session, which was much better. My coach said I was back to normal today, so that's good. If I continue to work hard, im hoping it will all pay off one day. I've got to go now because I forgot to buy my ingredients for food tech today so we need to stop on the way to school. Whoops!

Back to school

Hello! Am back after a nice refreshing holiday in Norfolk with my family. The journey there was quite quick and it didnt take that long. when we got to the campsite however we had to wait in a que outside the campsite. We got out and went to meet my Nanna&Grandad and my Grandma and Gale and Paul. Eventually we got in and were shown our pitch. Me and my brother Monty played with my little sister Elizabeth and our little brother Henry in the park. We had a lot of fun and then in the evening we sat down and played a game of Monopoly after the little ones had been put to bed. We went to Sandringham castle, the Queen's country estate and it is big! The holiday was a lot of fun and we played a lot of really fun games together including Monopoly.  We got home on Tuesday and i went swimming that night, i was a little bit tired but it was still fun. I missed swimming on Wednesday morning and Thursday as i was ill with a very bad cold. But was back swimming again Thursday night and Friday night which were two good training sessions. Then tonight i swimming was not on as there was an open meet. Back to school tomorrow and training will get harder now the holidays are over so back to hard work!

Olympic Charity Parade!

 Hello! I missed swimming on Sunday as it was the day of the Olympic Charity Parade, which I was asked to take part in by my school. So arrived at school at 8.45am today and met my friends there, we then left on the coach at 9.00am at set of for the Olympic Stadium in London. I sat with my best friend Evie on the coach, which was fun as we had quite a laugh. We soon arrived at a coach park and we then walked from there to Westfields and walked through the shopping center, which was huge! We then went through security at the stadium, then the fun began! We were allowed to go off in groups to have a look around, although we had to meet again at 12.00. I stuck with my two best friends, who were also invited on the trip, Evie and Carlann. We took a lot of pictures as we went round. We grabbed some food and then headed into the stadium. We were so excited! When we got in the stadium we took our seats, and the stadium was massive! It was amazing to be one of the first people to see and go into the Olympic Stadium. We then met back up with our school and took our place in one of the 'pens' with another school. We were all raising money for The J's Hospice and other schools had other charities. After about an hour we got ready for the parade to start. We went from our pen and then went round a bend over a bridge and into the stadium! We were overcome with excitement as we came out onto the track. We actually walked on the Olympic track! As we made our way round they had a stage where a girl group called 'The Boxettes' performed. They were really good and used no backing singers or backing tracks at all. Then they were talking to a man who had just won the chance to be one of the Olympic torch bearers, then whilst on the stage he proposed to his girlfriend who was in the audience! She said yes and everybody cheered. Then after that the camera started to show the people on the track and then he went past me and my friends and you could see my face on the big screen with my friend's face as well! We then left the stadium and we were allowed to go and buy some food before the races started. My friend's went to get some noodles and i went with them and brought a coke. We then headed into the stadium and went to find our seats. Although when we got there there were learning support assistants from our school sitting in our seats. We said that they were our seats but they told us to just go and sit wherever we wanted because that was what everyone else was doing as long as we sat with our school, we wanted to sit together but there weren't any seats left near our school that were three in a row, so we had to sit at the top! And then Evie found three seats which were similar to where we sat, and it was in front of two teachers from our school so we went to sit there and they told us not to! So then we went back to our seats and just sat down and ate our lunch and forgot about it as the charity events started. The events were really good, we even saw a few famous people including two famous Rugby Union players, Andy from Blue Peter and Katie Price, who was there to support a children charity that helps out children like her son Harvey. After it all finished we left the stadium and got back onto the coach and set of home. We arrived at the school and i said bye to my friends as my dad picked me up and took me home.
Went swimming Monday night and was a nice easy session and it was a lot of fun. Also went swimming Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning. We are going on holiday tomorrow with my Nanna&Grandad and my Grandma&Grandad. We are going to Sandringham in Norfolk am so excited!

Easter

Today is the first day of the Easter Holidays and we are going away to Sandringham in Norfolk with my Grandma&Grandad and also Nanna&Grandad, which is going to be a lot of fun and i cant wait. Today my brother is at the Essex County Championships, in Basildon with dad while i go and help mum at my little sister's ballet show. Thursday morning was a good training session and it went well. I didn't go Thursday night as it was my first parents evening at my school. Then went Friday night and it was a nice easy session, as not many people were there. I also found out that my maths teacher has entered me in a maths challenge national competition along with others in my class, which is really exciting! Have also got my Olympic trip tomorrow which is so exciting and a once in a lifetime opportunity really!

Break

Decided to not go swimming this morning as was quite tired, but am now ready for training in the morning. Training session on Monday went well and it was fun. I was put in a harder lane and i worked really hard, i was a bit behind on certain parts, but my coach said i worked really hard and did well.  Tuesday night went netball which was fun, and my coach has said that she might hold a day camp in the holidays, which would be a lot of fun. Am also looking forward to the Olympic Charity Parade which i am taking part in with my friend and more people from my school. We are parading around the Olympic stadium, get a tour and to watch an event, cant wait!

Good news.

Hello. Have just got back from another training session.  Tonight was pretty tough, although i found the set quite exciting and i worked hard to get all 16 done, even though we were not expected to manage all 16 of the  200m IMs. I then spoke to my coach about my log book.He told me that it is very important that i stay relaxed and enjoy The West Suffolk open meet which is coming up soon. I really hope to get a few PBs and some good times but i know that i shouldn't be nervous, stressed and that here is no pressure on at all and that i should just go there have fun and get a good experience out of it. Also went Karate training today which was ok and hopefully my little sister will be old enough to join. I also got some really good news today as well. I got an email back from the people at the netball satellite trials! They have invited me to go to the academy summer camps! It is six sessions in the summer where we train and learn new skills and then at the last session we all play some matches and the scouts will be there again so it is another chance to get into the academy!

M11 Trials

       Trained as usual Wednesday morning which went well and i found quite fun. Then when i got home after school i had to then take my younger brother to his football academy training in Halstead. When we got home i went to bed and had a  nice early night ready for training in the morning. So then woke and went swimming nice and early and the training session was ok although felt a bit tired and i didn't do very well. Then after school i went home and got ready for swimming. I was a little bit nervous as it was the M11 trials. I got there and we were taken off by our coach into a separate lane and did a warm up, the we got started.We practiced relays and takeovers and it was a lot of fun. So hopefully i am in the team. Then had a an easy training session on Friday night  as i did a whole session of breaststroke so i got in a lot of practice for an open meet coming up in west Suffolk. Then today had a netball match which was fun and fairly hard although we managed to win 13-9. Am now going to the park with the family as it is such a nice day.

Hectic!

       Hello! Right wow what a weekend! Right so Saturday i had my Essex swimming gala. It went really well and i got a 4 second Pb on my 100m backstroke. And we came 4th which was really good.

     Right then Saturday, which was mothers day and my parent's anniversary, we woke up early and handed out the prezzies and had a nice breakfast then it was straight out the door to the satellite trials with Millie and her mum Mel. We drove to Colchester Garrison and lined up ready for the trials me and Millie were both jumping up and down with excitement. Soon our friend Rebecca arrived and we all waited together until they let us in. The trials took place in a gym and had two courts. There was a court for the year 9-11s and a court for the year 6-8s. We registered and did a warm up, then we were introduced to the scouts. There was a head regional selector and a few more who were looking for people to take part in the county or trials, people to get into the academies and people who they may want to go to the summer session camps in the summer (hence the name).  It was a lot of fun and i tried really hard and enjoyed myself. I played five games, two as GS ( goal shooter), two as GD (goal defense) and one as GK (goal keeper). They email you and give you feedback and tell you whether they want you to go to an academy or summer camp. They said that those who they want to go to county trials they will email on Monday the latest so i haven't got through to the county trials but still could get through to the academy! Unfortunately my mum had to leave early as my little sister had a dress rehearsal for her ballet show. So we said we would take the train, which wasn't as easy as we thought.....

       So long story short(ish)we ended up wandering round Colchester not having any idea where we were and were the train station was, in the cold, rain and in netball dresses. We found the town station eventually but when we got there it was closed. So the we found a bus station, which looked like a ghost town, we went into an art exhibition museum and then finally we managed to get to the train station and got the train. We got to the station and then my dad picked us up and the dropped me of for another trianing session, which i was a little late for, but my coach didnt ind. I was shattered! And then also had training on Monday night which went really well. And then today I had training in the morning which went ok although felt a bit sick and had a sore throat.
       I also had the county school athletic final in Southend. I was a bit silly and forgot to bring my school uniform with me to swimming so when we got back to school afterwards instead of changing into my school clothes i had to stay in my PE kit. It was a lot of fun anyway and i had a great time. I would love to do it again. The bus was fun, well obviously a bus full of girls with a radio on is gonna be fun, and then on the way back, after coming 8th out of 10 teams, Mr. Ewing brought us all McFlurrys from McDonald's!!!! And then was greeted by my lovely friends when i got back. Am really tired after the last days and apparently look very pale so am missing athletics and netball tonight as to catch up on my sleep, as i have swimming i the morning and a maths test! Night Night xxx

Preparation

           Hello! Sorry haven't blogged in ages (well since Tuesday). So right Tuesday night had my netball training which went well as i got in some practice for the satellite trials which is tomorrow. Am really excited but very nervous, but if i don't get through there is always next year! So then went swimming as usual on Wednesday which was, if i may say so myself, was a very successful training session. Then also went swimming both Thursday morning and Thursday night. I enjoyed both sessions and worked as tonight i have got an Essex league gala in Basildon, so am preparing for that. Also went training Friday which was fun as i practiced my IM (Individual Medley) turns as i am taking part in the IM relay, which is when they are four people and they each do 50m (two lengths) but they don't all do the same stroke, so the first person does 50m backstroke, the the ext person does 50m breaststroke, then the next person does 50m fly and then the last person does 50m front crawl. This is all done as a relay and i think i am doing the backstroke in the relay so am quite nervous! But hopefully all will go well! We also had a PTB day on Friday ( Planned Timetable Breakout) which was quite fun, i had a hilarious time with my friends  Evie, Kaitlyn, Carlann and others. So am now preparing for my swimming gala tonight, which am really excited about! Have also got a county school athletic competition in Southend on Tuesday which is exciting especially as i get to miss 3 or 4 periods or maybe even 5! So will blog tomorrow and report back on how the gala went!

Improvement

Sorry I haven't blogged since saturday I didn't have much time. So I will get you up to date right so Sunday had my friend Millie and her mum Mel and brother Archie round for my dads famous spaghetti and meatballs. Then playedtt man hunt with Millie and Archie and my brother Monty. I had a a break from swimming as the county championships were on. A lot of my friends who were there did really well, Jordan won gold in the 100m breaststroke which was really good. Ok so then on Monday went to school and then after school came home and got ready for swimming. The training session was fun and my coach was really impressed and said I did well as it was quite a hard session. So this morning got up and went swimming and I did really well!( not to brag or anything) I led the lane for some of the session and worked really hard and my coach said that I have gone up another level and that everything is looking good. I have a swimming gala at the weekend at Walthemstow which I am really looking forward to as I think it's the first one this year and my mum is gonna be on poolside as team manager, which means she just makes sure everyone is behaving and makes their races which is a bit of a shame because it now means I have to be good!

Satellite practice.

Today i went to McDonalds for breakfast with Carlann before they dropped me of home after having a sleepover round Carlann'shouse which was really fun. Then when i got home i got ready for my netball match. We won the netball match 15-19 and it was a good game. Today i also practiced outside my house with my mum for the satellite trials which is next weekend! You have to put down 3 positions you can play so i put GS GD and GK so aswell as having to practice attacking i also have to practice defending! Although it does have its advantages because i know what an attackers tactics are and how they think so i know how to defend it and i also know what a defenders tactics are and how they think so i know how to get past them! Am very excited  but also very nervous especially as i will be up against year 8's and year 9's!

Crazy Days!

Sorry i didnt blog recently but i just didnt find time. So on thursday woke up as usual for an early morning training session and then went of to school. After school i took part in an indoor school athletics competition. I really enjoyed it and the year 7 girls was the only team from Notley to quilify to the next round in Southend. Friday was a day i was looking forward to as my dad was returning back ahter spending a week away in the middle east on a work trip and also because it was our school disco. I went round my friend Carlann's house to get readyand get ready to rave! We got to the disco and headed straight to the dance floor and started to dance. It was a great night full of fun and dancing, although unfortunately our friend Evie couldnt come as ahe was ill, but apart from that we had a great time with our friends and i cant wait till next time! I am now round Carlann's house for a fun girly sleepover!

Morning training.

                     This morning woke up at 5am again for another early morning training session. This time i was accompanied by my brother who also swims. Very nice and refreshing, and a nice enjoyable set.
                    Today is also an inset day so no school, yay! I wont be doing much today just lounging around, haha. Although i will be practicing for satellite trials!

Satelitte trials!

Today got up at 5am to eat a quick breakfast of coco pops and milk and then set of to the pool for a nice morning training session, which was quite refreshing, although for the rest of the day was very very tired! Enjoyed my food tech lesson today as was the first lesson where we were going to make some food, I made a nice fruit salad which I thought was very nice! Then tonight went to netball training, which was very cold! And after a fun training session my coach asked me if I wanted to take part in the satellite trials! I am very excited and now need to get training!

Long course training

Long course training yesterday was great fun and was a new experience that I really enjoyed. It was a challenge as i always train in a 25m pool and the long course training was in a 50m pool so I was expected to be knackered after a full 2 hour traing session. But although it was more challenging it was a lot of fun and I wasn't as tired as I expected I would be. I really enjoyed the session and my coach was impressed with how well I worked and I can't wait till the next session next month! I also had another training session today which was a bit of a challenge as I was fairly tired from yesterday but I still worked hard as I am now in training for a west Suffolk open meet which is when you enter races to try and get good times and even county times! I am entering 8 events as I am eager to get some good times this year and make it to the county championships for the first time. Also had football training in the awful weather and my knees turned red! And found out today that I am one of 8 girls at our school in year 7 who have been selected to take part in an indoor athletic competition at Braintree collage so am also very excited about that!

First blog!

Have just eaten a big dinner of chicken, rice and veg as I've got long course training tonight in Basildon. This means 2 hours of training in the 50m pool so I'll need lots of energy. Also watched Elena Sheridan today in the Olympic qualifiers. She's amazing and she's from Essex.