So, yesterday was fun. You may remember how excited and inspired I was by the London 2012 Paralympics. Life changing stuff for many people, fo' sho'.
Yesterday I had the chance to go to the Team GB Prep Camp in Loughborough, to spend the day training with Team GB coaches and athletes. It was a hell of a thing.
I've always tried to stay on the ball with fitness, despite my shady past with the ol' recreationals. Yesterday was the first time I've really tried to step it up.
I've been hitting the gym and the pool regularly for the last few years, partly out of vanity, partly out of necessity. Although CP is a non-progressive condition, for me it's one that gets a lot worse without management. Without exercise, I'd grind to a hault. Yesterday I learnt a hell of a lot about managing it, from people who really know.
The day was made up of various workshops and talks, as well as loads of hands on stuff. I learnt that everything I know about exercise is wrong, in the context of disability at least. Loads of famous faces from London 2012 were there. I said 'hi' rather sheepishly to Jonnie "Man Crush" Peacock. Chatted to Richard Whitehead(!), who assured me I'm not too old to get serious about sport. Best of all, I spent most of the day training to sprint with T35 sprinter Sam Ruddock, who qualifies as one of the coolest people I've ever met. Proper pro, and proper nice chap.
Most of all, it was fascinating to meet other disabled people, and seeing how far people can push themselves. There were kids there who you just know will be the next big stars of Paralympics GB.
As for my own future in disability sport, I came away with a feeling that it would be rude not to give it everything. I met people who had much more serious impairments than me. Some of these people were just starting out. Some of them had a few Olympic Golds to ther names. Right now, I feel like if I can do something in sport, I really should. It's not for everyone, but for me, it feels like the only logical answer to managing my disability.
One kid sticks in my mind. He had quite noticeably CP, more so than my own. During the Q&A, he asked Jonnie Peacock a question.
"Do you think that having a disability gives you more confidence than other people? I feel more confident, because, you know, you REALLY have to prove yourself!"
Not surprisingly, everybody in the room agreed...
