Thank you for all your kind feedback following my latest blog post, I’ve really enjoyed hearing about everyone’s little tips and tricks they use on the build up to a particular test or race. I even had to follow some of it myself as I developed a head splitting migraine which stuck with me for over 24 hours – so thanks! In this post I’m focusing more on the long term, rather than just making sure you’re race fit. Although more key in winter months with long ergos and hours of gym work, it’s still extremely useful to keep these good habits up into regatta season. Don’t risk ‘self-diagnosis ..read more

Last week I asked on twitter what you guys did to keep illness and injury at bay whilst you focussed on your training. This was a topic of debate at Leander, with Womens Eights Head only a few days away and many crews chopping and changing due to athletes health it was important for me to focus on what I could do to keep myself in the best of shape. Large volume training takes a big hit on your body and can lead to a weakened immune system. This stems purely from the fact you’re spending a lot more energy trying to repair and strengthen used muscles. It’s no surprise then that the biggest tim ..read more

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. If anything, it’s a sign of strength. You’re able to self-evaluate and realise that you can’t quite manage everything on your own. So many people push through difficult times in their life without reaching out – it took a huge amount of courage for me to finally realise I needed help whilst I was at university. And this doesn’t just mean with mental health. I would refuse to ask for help when it came to money, getting myself into situations where I’d honestly just live of a can on beans a day until my bank account was replenished. But now I’ve realis ..read more

Happy Tuesday! Sorry for the week break in blog posts, I have had a tough time recovering from testing week and then I went on holiday – but I’m back now! Last week I went on holiday to sunny (most of the time) Calpe in Spain, it was a glorious few days of ultimate relaxation and peace. Something I had actually been long overdue. I tend to always go on quite busy holidays, with site seeing and days out. As much as that is nice, it was actually so great to have the chance to unwind. Going on holiday with friends was also great and you’ll be happy to know there was absolute 0 drama as we all lo ..read more

I am writing this post with shaky hands, as I recover from my 2nd day at Leander and the 2nd day of testing. Yesterday was a fantastic day! We started off with a 12km paddle where I was in a double, despite the boat being set up wrong (I think the lightweights had been using it), the session actually went very well. We then did a 30min test, during which I had one of the worst mid-row stitches I’ve ever had! Note to self: Don’t drink lots of water before a threshold piece. Today was the same in terms of water work, but we tested max upper body weights, it was something different and interesti ..read more

Hello, well, yes…this is a strange one! Anyone who has spent any length of time with me will know that doughnuts are one of the things I miss most since being gluten free (that and peshwari naans). It has now been roughly 8 years since I last at a real doughnut and as of yet I don’t think one month has passed where I’ve not contemplated one week of crippling stomach pain just to grab a custard filled delight from Greggs. For my 21st birthday my mother made me a pile of gluten free doughnuts instead of a cake, the sentiment really hit a chord with me and as much as I enjoyed every bite…they we ..read more

Today I’m writing up my review of the MyZone® HR monitor! I’ve been using mine now since May and have tested over a range of activities, so now I really believe I can give y'all a fair and informative review. Now, let’s start with the basics. I have the MyZone® MZ-3 physical activity belt, which retails for £129.99 – which, for a heart rate monitor, is fairly pricey considering you can get something like a Wahoo TICKR belt for ~£65. Purchasing through a MyZone® representative is generally the best way: these tend to be personal trainers or gyms affiliated with the brand. For example, where I ..read more