Slamming Kicks

I'm a great believer in having the right tools for the job, for Running I always wear NewBalance; personally I don't think there's a better brand out there, their tech is top of the range and they manufacture in both the UK and the US which no other Global Sports Brand does. But yesterday I had to find a pair of Handball trainers, and that's another matter entirely...

As ever when shopping for kit I'd done my research, very few specialised Handball brands sell into the UK market, it's just not popular as a sport over here (given that Handball shares traits with Football - other Brits who are useless with their feet really should give this a go!), so I was having a mare finding them and me being me I needed them for tomorrow (Saturday).

Coach Kuller Rabaca had advised me that Basketball trainers would be fine, and though I did manage to find a brand German called Kempa (named after Bernhard Kempa, a Handball Hero back in the 50's) but they only look to have one English stockist and I couldn't be sure that I'd get my kicks through the post in time.

So I switched the focus of my research to Basketball and of course only one brand kept coming up on the world's favourite search engine, Global Sports Goliaths: Nike.

I saw that my working day would take me right by their newest UK store, at Westfield Stratford City; conveniently located right by the main London 2012 Olympic site.

I located the right area within the store within a minute and had been intent on buying a pair of Lebron James 8PS which had just launched. Michelle in the store was quick to kit me out with a UK11 but after a few cheeky shuttle runs in a quiet corner, I could feel my toes jarring into the front so switched up to 12's.

The ankle padding compared with a Running shoe is vastly different and cushions movement at a higher level in the leg than needed for just forward motion, I could tell these kicks would be excellent for Basketball but maybe too bulky for Handball and another pair had caught my eye which Michelle informed me were better for speed but less of an all-round option...the Zoom BB 1.5.

Michelle with the Zoom's which I opted for and a card from The Everyman Olympian

Michelle also told me a website I could use to help find a Basketball team, that she'd live in the States for 5 years and played BBall out there, her son's a special player and making his way up the rankings AND even gave me some tips! Nice one Michelle ; )

For the uninitiated you can check out a Handball goal here:

Saturday 22nd October I'll be at The Brentwood Centre, joining my team Brentwood Handball Club for our first match of the season against Warrick - starts at 3:15pm, feel free to come and watch.

Walk Jog Run Podcast - Interview 17th October 2011

Yestereve before I went off for my first training session for The Handball Challenge I had a call from the states, Caitlin from WalkJogRun.net was on the line and interviewed me about all aspects of The Everyman Olympics.

You can check out my interview for this site here.

WalkJogRun.net is a great site that I came across through a friend when I was looking to see where I could run when I was away from home, it's great for mapping walks, jogs and runs; does what it says on the tin.

First Handball Training Session

My back aches, my feet are sore, my clothes dripping with sweat an my right hand feels like it's been through a strenuous workout of it's very own (hold back the sniggers you in the back), and I feel great!

I drove over to join the Brentwood Handball Club this evening for my first taste of training for The Handball Challenge and thanks to Coach Kuller Rabaca I may even being joining the team for the whole season.

Coach Kuller Rabaca put six of us through our paces while three others practised Goal Keeping drills at the other end of the court, then we joined to play a 5-a-side match that ensured I was thrown in at the deep end.

I loved the training element and the warm-up drills as they were varied and I felt I was learning pretty quickly - I now need to work out how to put this into practise during a game, because I was pretty shoddy in the mini match.

This Saturday (22nd October) I'll hopefully make it there in time to get my first competitive match in too, if you're around from 3pm in the Brentwood area then why not come along, here's the address:

Brentwood Centre

Doddinghurst Road

Brentwood

Essex

CM15 9NN

Telephone: 01277 215151

Coach Kuller Rabaca and The Everyman Olympian - as taken by Ralf, who had shaky hands after remaining from 12 years in the Handball Wilderness

Shooting The Awel Fain

Thanks to Coach Morris' lasting support and help, I managed to get an interview with Jamie & Louise on BBC Radio Wales yesterday, you can listen to how it went here

Click 'Listen Now' and Skip to 35 miniutes and 10 seconds for the start of our chat.

I went along to BBC Radio Leicester where I was put in a room on my own and linked into a call with Jamie, Louise and Coach Morris - live on air.

The Everyman Olympian looking like a hospital radio DJ.

I had a great time in that room on my own and would like to also thank Paul and Julie of BBC Radio Wales and Val of BBC Leicester for their help and being so welcoming in this process.

Best regards,

The Everyman Olympian, available for radio and other forms of interview upon request.

Radio Ga Ga

Thanks to the ingenious approach of Coach Morris to The Shooting Challenge, tomorrow morning I shall get the chance to be on national radio for the first time in the adventures of The Everyman Olympian.

Tomorrow from 9:30am - 10am tune into BBC Radio Wales if you get a chance, I'll be on there along with Coach Morris, being interviewed by Jamie & Louise - here's how you can listen:

FM: 93-96 & 104 if you're in Wales or the West of England

Or try Medium Wave: 657 & 882 AM

Or online, here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/radiowales/sites/info/pages/frequencies.shtml

I'm really looking forward to it and hopefully you can join me.

Best regards,

The Everyman Olympian

The Archery Challenge: Training Day 1 / Boris Hood

Saturday at noon I was met by Richard Hennessy who rescued me from posh-looking, independent shopping destination, the Rutland Rural Centre, because I'd got lost on the way to the home of the Bowmen of Glen Archery Society.

The clubhouse sits on the right side of a private field which has distance markers running along the left fence, so that the bosses (the frames upon which the targets sit) can be measured out away from tram lines set into the ground near the start of the field that mark where archers stand to fire their arrows.

Coach Hennessy and his wife Chris, along with Kev (also a Coach, but I've yet to learn his last name), are all extremely welcoming and seem already to have worked out the schedule and how the 'final' will work - I felt right at home almost immediately, though worried slightly when Phil (a chap who was firing arrows as I arrived) mentioned that he'd been learning since May and as yet hasn't reached the distance of my competition (which will be 70 metres).

Over a cup of coffee I learn the various Health & Safety aspects and tried to settle the nerves of Bertie the Great Dane - a beautiful yet giant dog, owned by the already lovely Hennessy's.

There is a safety line, from which non-active competitors and spectators can stand, while active archers are at the slightly advanced, firing line. Ahead in the field, in line with the different distance markers, sit the bosses (easel-like stands) and affixed in front of these are the targets.

I learn that there are two different sized targets, the smallest obviously being the more difficult.

Normally beginners would start by practising firing arrows into the ground, to get used to using the bow, then they would progress to firing at a blank boss (one without a target) which is set at 15 yards.

However, I am being fast tracked and so I'll start by firing at a blank boss, 30 yards away...no pressure then!

Chris, Kev and Coach Hennessy kit me out in all manner of garb; including a bow made from various sections of smoothed wood, an arm guard (to stop the string from peeling my bow-arm of skin once I'd fired an arrow), a strap that would stop me dropping the bow, a little leather thing to stop the string taking the skin off of my firing fingers (I'm starting to get the idea that this was quite a dangerous sport) and later I would add a shoulder harness with breast 'plate' to stop the string from flaying my left pec after an arrow is fired.

Kev teaches me the basics of how to fire the bow and I take my first shot...the arrow whistles past the boss and off into the field beyond.

Tips, encouragement and adjustments to my posture are given and once fired my second arrow finds its target with a satisfactory thump - I soon learn the pleasure of this unique sound.

After failing to meet my target of getting all 6 arrows onto the boss in one go (I managed 5 a few times but that was my best on a blank boss), Coach Hennessy moves me onto a boss with a target and begins to fine tune my sight; this is a small round piece of plastic mounted onto the bow, featuring a lolly pop shape in the middle - the trick is to line the head of the lolly pop with the centre of the gold (the bulls eye equivalent) on the target, then release the arrow...as a fat lad I know how to maneuver a lolly pop!

5 Scoring Arrows...on Day 1!

My efforts start to pay off and I soon manage 5 scoring arrows - just call me Boris Hood!

Encouraged by my display I continue to focus on what my coach tells me and look to improve with every shot, meanwhile Phil and Chris have a mini shout-out against once another at 50 yards.

Coach Hennessy later remarked that he'd have been really happy if I'd scored one in the blue ring, to my sheer delight I managed to go a lot better with my next 6 arrows...

The Everyman Olympian stands proud next to 6 scoring arrows...including my first gold!

There's a maximum of 60 points available per round, this can only be achieved by getting all 6 arrows into the centre of the gold circle, with my second from last go I fire a whopping 37:

The Everyman Olympian: Chuffed to bits - 37/60...on day one!!!

Another piece of kit is added, this time it's a device to help balance the bow, providing better accuracy.

I weight up the increasingly heavy kit - the bow I'm using is set at 24lbs of tension.

After a few hours, Bertie and I are on stroking terms, my collective coaches are pleased and I'm as happy as a pig in poop.

The Everyman Olympian thanks Coach Richard Hennessy, formerly GB No.10 - it's a true honour to meet the great man, his lovely wife Chris and Coach Kev.

I leave the field 'of battle' knowing that soon I'll return, I may not be up to splitting apples atop peoples heads as yet, but in my mind I will be...some day.

Rising Star

Friday was an exceptional day for two reasons, firstly I managed to get a mini interview on my fave Indie music station in London: XFM, and secondly I had my first attempt at the Rising Trot for The Equestrian Challenge, here's how they both 'went down' (keeping up with the cool kids aight).

Driving to a work appointment in Kingston-upon-Thames I was enjoying the late September sunshine and had some cracking tunes on in the car, courtesy of XFM, it was a mighty fine start to a day I think you'll agree.

Camfield (the DJ on air at the time) mentioned that he'd seen a poster advertising all the paraphernalia that would be available for the London Olympics; trinkets such as umbrellas and mugs, that kind of thing. So thinking on my feet I pulled the car over and sent in this cheeky text:

'Ian - I'm all over the Olympics, literally: I'm attempting a challenge in EVERY Olympic sport...blah blah...you get the idea' (Obviously I didn't add this last bit but as you're reading this, I think you'll know what I'm doing).

Then my phone rang from a private number and it was the DJ himself, we had a brief chat after he'd played some tracks and then as I drove off again, buzzing I switched the radio back on and heard myself 'on air' - how cool is that?!

A few pals text me having heard the mini interview and I received a few tweets too, my pal Suave sent me this:

'Nice work cocker, making the big time now!'

After work later that day I rocked up at Wildwoods Riding Centre for my second lesson, this time Jenny would be my coach, she'd just returned from a hack on the Epsom Downs.

Another half an hour on Trojan, the robotic simulator, and then I was introduced to Bailey - a huge steed with a chilled demeanor that suited me just fine.

I learned how to get onto the horse and then had to walk him to a fenced section of field not far from the stables, he didn't seem to fancy putting much effort in on a day as hot as this one as Jenny had to convince him to walk on a few times.

Once in the lunge pen Jenny had hold of a long lead while I rode Bailey as he walked in circles around her. Following instructions I would kick my legs onto the horses flanks and the steed increased his pace from a walk to a trot, then we tried the Rising Trot.

Here's how it should work:
.

I kind of managed to do this a few times, it's all about the timing don't you know.

Jenny washed Bailey down after my lesson.

My pursuit of The Equestrian Challenge continues, hopefully I get some more radio interviews too - stay tuned!