Proud Dad - Neils Blog - Part 9

Hello again,

This is going to be a little different from the normal blog as I would like to take this opportunity to share the achievements of my daughter Madison.

Those of you that have read my blog before know how sporty Madi is but as a quick recap she participates in a lot of the school activities but also competes in trampolining and CrossFit.

I’ll start with CrossFit.

The highlight of most CrossFitters year is the ‘Open’. This is an online competition where you compete in a number of workouts at your own gym and submit your scores online. This is worldwide so you can see how you shape up against people of your own age from across the globe. The top athletes from the various divisions then go onto a regional competition and then the finalists of that go on to the CrossFit Games in California where the fittest male and female athletes are crowned. Last year the Open introduced a couple of teen categories but Madi was too young . This year was the first time she could sign up and compete.

And she exceeded all expectations! She finished 1^st in England , 1^st in the UK , 7^th in Europe and 86^th in the world!!! Unfortunately for the teens there are no regionals and only the top 10 in the world go through to the actual games.

This last weekend Connect hosted the British Teen Championships , which saw teens from all over the country come down and take part in 3 workouts and then the top 5 went on to a final elimination style workout to crown the champion. Over 50 competitors took part in total and after the first 3 wods Madi was sitting in 4^th place and so made it through to the final. As it was an eliminator anything could happen and it was back to a level playing field. She was unbelievable and won (which included climbing the rope twice as she forgot to collect the tag the first time round!!)

She also has competed this year in trampolining and qualified to represent the South East in the region finals where she finished 7^th and qualified for the National Finals in Telford. It was quite a tough build up to Telford with Madi having to change her routine a week before but she still came away with a 4^th place.

We don’t have enough words to say how proud we are Madi and her achievements this year have been staggering. I want to say a MASSIVE thank you to all the coaches at Connect who are always there to lend a hand and to keep pushing her forward.

 I have said it before , and it will probably embarrass her,  but she is a real inspiration to me.

 Love you Moo xxx

Tough Times - Neils Blog - Part 8

Hello and a belated welcome to 2016..........

And wow, what a start its been.

Let me explain.

Over Christmas my dad had a minor fall which unfortunately led to bigger problems. On the 1st January we all ended up in A&E and he had to be kept in (reluctantly) for a few days. I won't go into details but we all realised the next few weeks would be tough for everyone.

What does all this have to do with Connect I hear you say? Well, no need to point out my mind was on other things and I stopped training. I was spending pretty much all my spare time either at the hospital or at my parents house.

The first couple of weeks out of hospital were particularly tense but slowly things were improving. However my mind was on 101 other things so training took a back seat.

My family did their best to get me to get me to go with them to the box but I always had 'something else to do' or I would come up with some excuse such as 'I'll start next week'.

After 4 weeks I still wasn't training and I have to say the thought of going back filled me with dread. I felt scared to go back as I had been of for so long. After another couple weeks went by and I was so scared I was seriously thinking of quitting. One evening however I had a call from a friend who I used train with. He had also been away from Connect for a while but was going in the next morning and asked would I like to join him. This caught me by surprise and so I had no excuses. I therefore reluctantly agreed. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made and within minutes of training that following morning I remembered why I train.

Through speaking to other members and coaches I have learnt that it's perfectly normal for training to take a back seat because of things happening in our lives and its normal to have reservations about returning. It seems that almost everyone feels this from time to time. The important thing, that I seemed to forget, was why I train in the first place. 

The feeling it gives me, the people, the community, the atmosphere, everything!

It's now a couple of months on and the good news is my dad is doing much much better and I am enjoying Connect more than ever.

Connect is still THE place to train.