New season starts - back to training

As mentioned in my last blog posting, I've not had much of a break from training this year and I'm now back into my regular training routine after only just a couple of weeks of rest.

With only a week left to go in May, it's been quite a busy month so far. I'm right in the midst of exams right now and as I'm typing this up, I've just the final one to go tomorrow which is physics. The results will be what they are, so hopefully I've done enough.

It was great to see my sport on display at the SportScotland headquaters in Edinburgh - it made it much easier to explain to other candidates

Earlier in the month, I was down in Edinburgh at my second stage interview with the SportScotland Young People's Sports Panel where I'm hoping I'll make it down to the final 16 places on the panel. The aim of the panel is to give young people in sport a voice and to represent our age groups in the development of sport and well being in Scotland. I'd be absolutely delighted if selected but I'm proud of what I've managed to achieve in making it to the final selection. I get to hear by the end of the month so fingers crossed.

In the meantime, between exams, it's back to training. The weather in May can be unpredictable or if you live in the North East of Scotland, then it can be pretty predictable i.e. WET.

So keeping dry whilst out for a long run or roller ski session can be a challenge.

As you can see from the photo below, I've managed to maintain quite a nice tan line on my legs, not due to the sun but more to do with the mud and grime that I picked up when using a pair of roller skis that didn't have mud guards on them.

Perhaps need to work a bit more on my tanlines

Over the next few months, I'm looking to put in some serious hours of training. Our sport is built on long endurance sessions so a typical session is 1.5 hours up to 3 hours then a break and the same again in the afternoon.

Our senior squad are going to be training locally in July so I'm looking forward to spending a couple of days with them training and learning from their experiences They are based all over the world in Norway and the US as well as in the UK so it's great to be a part of their training preparations even if it's only for a couple of days.

Depending on my results in the next winter season, then maybe in a year or two I'll be training with them full time. But in the meantime, I've got to try and get myself in the best possible shape for the next set of GB roller ski races which are at the end of the month. I have the first of the Scottish championship races on the 28th and then a bit of fun on the 29th in a "Colour Me Rad" 5k race in Aberdeen.

I'm looking forward to both and hopefully have a few more photos for the blog.