The 24 Hour Gymathon!

Just sat down to blog this and realised I have no coffee, this is essential today, I'm feeling a tad sleepy. Be right back!
I have coffee!

So, Saturday 25th February, 6am I was up! Legged it out with the dogs round the field, packed the last of what I needed for the epic and then I was off to Torquay!

I unlocked the gym, but today was like no other, no setting up, no hoovering, no work except hard physical endurance.
Not long after I got there the lovely Spartan Survival Team turned up. So then there were 3!
I put on some music and started to get my head in gear for a slightly different kind of Torquay all-nighter!

The 3 of us started to warm up whilst we waited for the tiny and indestructible Julie aka Twitter lady (according to Amy) eventually she turned up making us 4!

To be fair, I had a flu virus the week leading up to this, I had some medication which was working ok and I felt the best I had in days, but my cough was still there, for the entire 24 hours! There is nothing more annoying than a sinus headache and a 24 hour endurance event!

So the first hour of cardio circuits went ok! I will say this, and I know that all concerned in the event will agree with me - rowing! Never again! You will never get me on a flipping rowing machine for more than 5 minutes ever again! I think I am mentally damaged from it, sat in the corner staring at the wall going forwards and back and never getting anywhere! I'm getting a Flashback, I think I may need therapy!

Onto the first area of resistance - I trained my back! Which was nice :)

Gemma, the tiny little dancing Zumba Queen arrived and promised us an easy time! Cardio-wise I thought it was ok, however, I dont think any of us managed to get any of the routines right, but we did laugh, and laugh and laugh at ourselves an awful lot!
As many of you know I'm not a fan of the Zumba, but I am a fan of the way Gemma takes her classes, if you've never tried Zumba and want an ace instructor she's your gal! Enthusiatic, smiley and great fun.

And then on we went, I attempted a pilates-style class which half killed the Spartan Survival Team haha but they were to get revenge in the Boxing session.

I loved the Boxing section, it's nice for me to get taught new skills, I know I do Kickboxing, but there is a difference between what I do and straight Boxing. To be honest, I fancy getting into it in a bigger way now,the way we were taught was fun, but firm and I have to say it was the first time in the event that I struggled with my lungs! With some marching (fast) and exercise military-style to finish the Spartan Team were a huge success.

I don't want to bore you anymore with individual sessions, but a brief run-down of what went on for the rest of the time we were there.

Ed' abs! Never have I been in a class where the Instructor starts every exercise with the words, 'well go on then!' Ed is hilarious and seriously worked our abs. I am still in pain now, I have also made a mental note to nick his exercises for my classes now! You lot are going to hate me even more when I introduce these bad boy exercises!

Late night aerobics, 11pm, Jo had joined us and the Spartan Team left, so instead of just staying in the studio for the aerobics, we decided to take it round the gym, making full use of the steps and punchbags. It was hilarious, and the cancan-style legwork laying on the benches was so so funny it really picked up the mood and kept us going.

Another highlight for me was the 2am kettlebells! Jo had never done them before and Julie and I shared exercises. It was a brilliant session. All of us counting, together in sync smiling away in the mirror giving ourselves the biggest round of applause between sets.

I think if anyone had been filming us in those early morning sessions they would have thought that we should have been locked up. I think an endurance event, particularly one that involves a lack of sleep will make your mind a little muddled at times. But I also think with this muddling that it helps you get through it.

Every time my pain killers wore off I suffered, but the next lot kicked in and I was up and at it again, the music helped, we had some old skool dance music on for most of the event and when I hear the Urban Cookie Collective - The key, the secret again I will have fond memories of us doing the conga around the gym as part of our cardio aerobic session!

We made it though, for the stretch at the end we tucked ourselves into the the Boxing ring with the mats, like we were in a playpen, we stretched all that was possible to stretch and finished the event with a massive cheer and group hug!

Amazing time, amazing company, and I would like to thank Oscar Phillips for letting us use his gym, Peak Physique TQ, very generous. I hope that the donations to VETERANS CHARITY will give some relief and benefit.
There is still time to donate - justgiving.com/FightingFitDevon

Thanks for reading :)

Kickboxing Quickie!

Hi all

No pictures on this one, just wanted to give a few words on tonight as I'm still wired from it and my feet have the most epic carpet burns!

6.10 the lovely Cy - Famous for Dartington Village Stores and being a Red Belt Kickboxer, picked me up, he already had our newest Kickboxer, Matt in his massive vehicle and off we went to Plymouth!

Down the A38, off on the 386 (oh yeah baby, I know my road numbers!) to Derriford and The Devonshire! Oh my life what a massive sorted place of exercise that is!

Anyway, we went in and I saw my most favourite sparring partner ever, Joanna (I cant spell or pronounce her surname as yet, but I will) and I knew all was gooooooooood :)

So in we went into a sort of 'rough-veloured' area (I dont know how to spell the fabric name sorry! Or even what it is) and got hot and sweaty!

It was a Kickboxing Seminar to be reckoned with the lovely Sir, Mr Houston is a man that I like a lot. He does a lot of punching, lots and lots, that's what I loved about my grading, he let me punch a lot! And we did that tonight and it was so so so so good I am excited, can you tell?

Anyway, the finish was a brilliant CV circuit, me and Joanna went head to head (without cheating .... unlike others!) and sweated or wotsits off!

Anyway, the main point of this blog is that I had another epic adventure! And the best bit was Cy's Amy Winehouse joke on the way back that had no punchline, that I still laughed at!

Night all, had a fantastic night and lost a whole kilo in water :)

Black belt grading and road trip!

Hi all, great 'Epic' one for you today. There will be less blogs on this one I think as Epic adventures cant happen any more than once per week, sometimes not even that, but I will try my best ;)

Friday night grading preparation, off to the lovely Keileys house for Cider and Whiskey. I have always said I train better after a drink, sounds odd but the times I have actually behaved myself before something sporty I have been pants!

Up early, aired my smelly sparring gear, sorted out 'Road Trip' CD's ate a massive omelette and I was ready to go.

Ma'am (aka Lesley Mc Ghie my awesome Instructor) turned up, into the van and off we went to pick up Mr Wood!

As I have a new future ahead of me in terms of training Lesley and I had a great chat about ideas of how we can work together, expand South Hams Martial Arts and also get me earning some money. We will discuss further, its an epic in itself!

Picked up Mr Wood at Exeter Park and Ride (not sure yet if to Blog the dropping off at Park and Ride yet!)

So off we go, happy little Road Trip to Salisbury! :)

3 hours later, we arrive at the Boxing gym, Joanna, Debbie and Sam, Mr Wood's students were already there, beautiful sunshine we went through all we had to do outside on the grass.

As usual I was fired up on Coke and Haribo! Hand Wraps on, belt on, hairband on and off we go! Bring on the grading :)

Inside the gym is a beautiful Boxing Ring, something I've never been in before, it's always been mat sparring, even when I did American style Kickboxing. Soooo excited!!!

Warm up, line work, ankle holding up due to immense adrenalin rushes! haha

Onto the padwork, one of 'Sirs' Instructors held pads for me, he is a kickboxer, and a good one at that, held pads beautifully, I loved it. I could give it my all, he could take a good punch so I went all out and smacked them as hard as I could!
Then the other students change over pads, and I get my second session! Fantastic! I was so so hot and tired, out of breath, it happens so rarely I love it when it happens. Got me grinning like a Cheshire Cat, I love the pressure and pain!

Padwork over! Phew *deep intake of breath* I was absolutely cream cracker'd!

Sparring Gear on!

Back in, floor work sparring, felt good, wired and tired all at the same time!

Then in we go! Hands up who want to go into the ring first, guess what? Me and Jo my lovely Thursday night training partner, we were so excited in we went and held the centre of the ring! haha, we are so used to sparring with each other on the balcony in a tiny space between the bin and the railing it was commented that we could have had a fight in a phone box!

Had a good session with the Instructor there, Jo said I didnt kick enough, fair enough but I had my punching head on and got him on the ropes so that made me happy :)

Sparring kit off, Debbie dug herself into a bit of a last minute 'I want to do more padwork' hole, at which we all watched and then we were done!
The Road trip back was ace, lots of 'sing-along-a-Whitesnake' much to Mr Wood's annoyance, but it was a happy trip home, I wont comment about Mr Wood's car and the park and ride, but he got home ok!

I am now a 2nd degree Kickboxer and I am the happiest person in the world!

New epic coming soon, maybe even next weekend??? Watch this Blogspace :)

Thanks for reading :)