The camp didn’t start off to well as a few of us had our bags go missing! Luckily we had all packed our swimming stuff in our hand luggage so we were able to start training. I also got ill with a cold from the travelling but was able to shake it off pretty quickly.
Whilst we were in Sierra Nevada we did some testing for a group of people that are researching the benefits of Altitude training.
For the first 10 mornings that we were there we had to take our morning heart rate, weigh ourselves and do a breathing test. We also had to do a urine sample every morning but this was for our sports scientist. When your training at Altitude you need to make sure that you stay hydrated so they monitored this the whole camp. For the researches we had to do a couple of tests in the water as well. This is to see how we coped with our breathing. It’s much harder to breath normally at altitude. You get really out of breath just walking up a flight of stairs!

Each week we did the same main sets in the pool. Most of us improved each week, which showed that we adapted well to the training environment.

Sierra Nevada is a Ski resort. It’s absolutely stunning up there and we were very lucky to get some snowfall within the first few days we were there.

Whilst we were they we also did some walking up the snowy mountain! We did 3 big sessions whilst we were there. Jeremy our strength and conditioning coach that went with us took these sessions. On two of the sessions we had to take med balls with us and we did small circuits up in the snow. On the Tuesday before we returned home we did our biggest session. We were out for 4 hours. We did a challenge called ‘London” We got to a steep part of the mountain which had in areas snow up to our knees and we had to carry a 20Litre (20kg) water tank up this hill. I honestly didn’t think I would get it up to the top! I could see the boys were struggling and I thought there was just no way I was going to make it. I did make it and its one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I’m so glad and proud that I did it.

It was a great 3 weeks and I did some of the best training I have ever done. I had a great time with my training group. Everybody did so well!

This Month we have been preparing for our training camp to Sierra Nevada, Spain. We
fly tonight (27^th Oct).

The reason that we are going there is because it’s at altitude. It is 2320m above sea level.

To prepare ourselves for the camp we have been doing some training in an altitude
tent. We don’t swim in the tent, we do land work. This involved, biking,  running and stomping on the treadmill, Burpees and weighted step-ups.

Because there is less oxygen in the tent it made it much harder to do the activities
and it was harder to breath normally. It got very hot and sweaty in there too
with 9 people!

We have also been going on a long walk/stomp on a Thursday morning. We go out of
the city to where there are lots of hills and do hill climbs at pace. One
Thursday we went to a place where there is 1000 steps and after hill climbing we had to then climb the steps! We are going to be doing lots of walking whilst we are away. We have also been doing are usual swim session as well so its been a tough week.

Yesterday we did some testing. You will see on my video blog that we did some blood
testing and breathing testing. This is so we can compare when we return from  Spain. We also did our skinfolds yesterday. This is wear they measure how much fat you have on your body. We are likely to loose weight at altitude so we are  testing before and afterwards.

Next month I will be writing from Sierra Nevada Spain so keep an eye out! Now to
carry on packing……….

The first few weeks back we did a lot of high heart rate sets in the pool and a lot
of work in the gym. This has been really good as I got my fitness back pretty
quickly. Not so great on my muscles though, I’ve had to have plenty of physio
and massage to get me through it.

Now we are heading into summer and the weather is getting better we are back
outside on our bikes once a week. We have been doing some sessions in the park
where we can do hill repetitions. Last week it was a beautiful sunny day in
Melbourne so we decided to do a bike session on beach road. It was the hardest
bike ride I have ever been on. The wind was really strong that day as well, so
one way on the ride was easy and on the way back in was horrendously hard! All
the way back to the car it was like riding up a hill. A couple of times I
nearly came off my bike because the gusts of wind were so strong. Altogether we
went 32k and its took us just under 2 hours. It was a great work out for my
legs even though it did take me 2 days to recover from it!

On the 26^th October we fly to Sierra Nevada, Spain for a 3-week
altitude training camp. Next week we start our altitude training in a chamber
in the gym. Altitude training is when you train a couple of thousand metres
above sea level. There is less oxygen, which makes training harder, it also makes
normal activities such as walking up stairs more difficult. I have never done
it before but lots of Athletes do it, also lots of athletes from different
sports. I am looking forward to the experience.

I returned to Melbourne from the World Championships in Shanghai on the 1^st.
I really enjoyed myself in Shanghai. I had another great experience and another
world championships to add to my list of achievements. I learnt a lot from my
experiences there and I know the things that I need to improve on heading into
my preparation for next years Olympics.

I always take a break after a major championships before the work starts again
for the next one! Myself and my boyfriend Kevin went up to Cairns and Port
Douglas. This is north of Melbourne. The reason we choose to go there is
because its guaranteed sunshine and its where the Great Barrier Reef is.

We spent a week up there. It has some amazing rain forests so we did the usual
tourist things and saw all the sights.

The one thing I have really wanted to do since we have been in Australia is to hold
a Koala bear. They do have them in the wild over here but I haven’t been lucky
enough to see one yet. You usually find them sleeping up in eucalyptus trees.
We went to a zoo where I was able to hold one and it was amazing! I gave her a
big cuddle and she was so soft! They are definitely one of my favourite
animals! So cute!

We took a boat trip one day out to the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef
is one of the seven wonders of the natural world.  The reef is made up of thousands of different
coral islands. There is thousands of marine life that live at the reefs. We saw
lots of colourful fish, small and huge fish! My favourite being the clown fish
(nemo fish) We were really lucky to also see a reef shark, these are tiny and
harmless. We were also really lucky to see a turtle. Usually the turtles are
scared of people so we swam away from the crowds and were luckily to come face
to face with one, it was amazing!

.

Its whale season at the moment up there to so we were really lucky to see whales
with there young. It’s awesome to see wildlife in its natural habitat.

The rest of the holiday we just spent relaxing on the beach. Port Douglas has some
of the most beautiful beaches in Australia.

I had another week off when we returned back to Melbourne so I finally got my
Olympic rings tattoo done. It’s only taken me 3 years to pluck up the courage
to get it done. A lot of swimmers who make an Olympics get the five rings as a
tattoo.

I started back training last week after my 3 weeks off. It’s been pretty tough
but its good to be back in. Training now is all about next year and the Olympic
games. It’s going to be a challenging but really exciting year!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/5345480.stm - check out the red button !

This month didn’t start off so well. Firstly I found out that my family had got no Olympic tickets in the ticket ballet which was really disappointing. This really upset me and I felt like it put a downer on the Olympics. I then learnt that lots of my friends and other swimmers families had also missed out on getting tickets. We were then told that all the swimming tickets had been sold out and that there would be no chance of getting hold of them!

To me the Olympic games is the most important thing in my career. Every athlete wants to be at an Olympic games and that’s why we spend hours and hours training so we can really live that dream. I swam in the 2008 Olympic games and it was one of the best experiences of my life. The London Olympics is going to be fantastic. As an athlete having the Olympics in your own country makes it that bit more special, as an athlete you will never experience anything more special. So having your family and friends in the stands supporting is really important.

Luckily last week we found out that British swimming had been working with the British Olympic association to get tickets for parents of the swimmers who will be competing and luckily we will now get two tickets for each swim. Obviously this is great because my mum and dad will be able to be there watching. They have been involved in my swimming for years! I remember the days that my mum and dad would get up at 4.30am and drive me to training. They have put so much time and money into my swimming so I am glad that they will be able to be there.

I’m still slightly disappointed that my other family members and close friends didn’t get tickets. I’m especially upset that my boyfriend Kevin didn’t get tickets. He has given up a lot and has moved with me to Australia so that I can live my dream. I really hope that there will be some way of getting him in to the aquatic centre so he can see me swim.

The trials aren’t till March next year and then the games start in July so still plenty of time!

At the weekend I found out that I have been selected to swim at the World championships in Shanghai, which is next month starting on the 24^th July. I will be competing in the 50m Breaststroke and hopefully the 4x100m medley relay team. I’m really excited and it’s great to be able to add another worlds to my swimming achievements!

Training has been going really well. I have been working really hard on my new technique. My coach has been making my stroke more efficient and this should hopefully make me swim faster! We have different training phases and are now just going into the ‘train to race’ phase. This means that I am now working on my speed! I have done all the technique work, now its time to pick up my stroke rate and get some speed. Hopefully by worlds I’ll be swimming fast! The last 6 months have been a big change to my swimming training. I am learning and trying lots of new things. I still have a lot to learn leading into next years Olympics but I am now starting to feel some of the benefits of my new training.

We caught up with Lucas Meagor and asked him to provide us with a few answers to post here on our blog in order to give Splish Splosh parents and students the opportunity to find out more about what keeps Lucas running:

1. It is nearly a decade since you began your marathon of marathons, but what was the reasoning behind your fund raising activities?

I first fund raised for London 2001 as I signed up to a charity and had always said if I were going to run a marathon I’d seek sponsorship.  I now have an expectation from friends I’ll run marathons and support charities, and this helps motivate me to keep going.  The first charity I chose to sponsor was Christian Aid, as their CEO, Daleep Mukarji, inspired me when he spoke at an event in 2000.

2. The charity you are raising money for this year is The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, how do you decide which charity receives your support?

For this year’s plans I placed a vote on my website (www.lucaskeepsrunning.co.uk) of seven charities I had either support in the past or had considered/been asked to support.  It was down to those who voted as to whom they wanted to see me raise funds for.  Over 4,000 votes were cast and CFT won by a huge margin with over 50% of the total votes.

3. This year you are moving (some) of your attention away from land and into the water, with a mile swim in Lake Windermere. What made you take up this new challenge?

I know I can run, and I know I can run the marathon distance.  I have never been a strong swimmer and wanted to ensure something in my year would be a physical and mental challenge that I would have to break my own boundaries.  I lack confidence, and at the start of the fundraising year could still swim no further than 50 metres without need for a stop – I had never gone further than 500 metres in any swim session!

4. You will soon be receiving complimentary swimming lessons from Splish Splosh; as swimming is already an integral part to your fitness, what do you hope to achieve from working with Splish Splosh?

My swimming has continually been poor and adhoc.  The support and training from Splish Splosh will be integral in building up my confidence and ability to succeed in my ability to swim.  Working with Splish Splosh will enable me to show you can overcome fears and challenges while maintaining your fitness and health and also helping support others.

5. How important do you feel learning to swim is?

Very important and from the younger the better.  I lack confidence swimming because I have not grown up a strong swimmer.  Swimming is an easy way to keep fit and relax as well as helps give you confidence.

6. Do you think the number of aquatic charitable activities may increase after the event at Lake Windermere?

I would like to do a triathlon and if I enjoy Windermere may try another lengthy swim some time.  I once said I’d never do a 2^nd marathon yet now find myself 21 marathons on in this 10^th year of them still relishing more, so I suspect the water challenges will continue!

7. How can Splish Splosh students and parents track your performance and support you in your mission?

I have a website covering my events – www.lucaskeepsrunning.co.uk and sponsorship can be donated via www.justgiving.com/lucas10thanniversary or by emailing me via my website for other ways to donate.

I travelled to Sydney on the 6 April to compete at the Australian world trials. The trials were held at the 2000 Olympic games pool. I just went to race the 50m breaststroke, as I wasn’t allowed to swim the 100m. As I am English I am not allowed to swim the events that they select for worlds. Unfortunately I was still feeling under the weather, with a cold and as a result wasn’t feeling my best although I still raced and swam ok, coming 5^th overall and .6 of a second off my personal best time.

My boyfriend joined me in Sydney after the racing had finished and we went sight seeing. I have only ever been to Sydney to race, so it was awesome to go and see the sights. Sydney’s harbour, with the famous Harbour Bridge and the iconic opera house, is stunning!

We went to visit two beautiful beaches: Bondi beach and Manly beach. Bondi beach is famous for its surfing, unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to try it out!

We went to the botanical gardens in the centre of Sydney, and saw lots of really scary looking spiders that I didn’t like! There were also fruit bats; I think I have mentioned this in my blog before about the bats that fly over at dusk everyday here in Melbourne. We were able to see the bats up close; I can see why they are called the flying foxes, as their heads are brown and fury just like a fox!

On the Sunday afternoon we watched a triathlon which was down at the opera house and in the city. Some of Team GB’s best Triathletes were racing, so we supported them. They all did really well. Triathlon looks so hard, Swim, bike then run. Think I’ll stick to just the swim!

Just before I go, let me wish you all a Happy Easter. I hope you all have a great one and the Easter bunny brings you lots of chocolate eggs! I will be missing the English chocolate this Easter!

Kate

The next day I travelled up to Loughborough to start my preparation for the 2011 British World Championship trials, I had just less than a week before I competed. I was feeling slightly jet lagged and a little bit under the weather.

Unfortunately within a couple of days of being back I ended up with a cold and conjunctivitis! I knew that this was the last thing I needed before I had to compete in a few days time.

The trials were up in Manchester this year at the Commonwealth Games 2002 pool – I was only 15 when I competed there at my first Commonwealth Games!

My first race was on the Sunday morning. I was just getting over my cold and feeling ok. I raced the heat of the 100m breaststroke well and qualified first through to the semi finals that evening. In the evening the semi also went well qualifying me first through to the final the next night.

After my semi I didn’t feel to well again. I couldn’t eat my dinner, which for me is very odd! I always eat my dinner! I had a good nights sleep and in the morning headed down to the pool to loosen off. My body felt pretty tired and ached but I just tried to ignore that and carry on concentrating on the final, which I had that evening. Unfortunately things didn’t go to well that evening and I didn’t make the qualifying for the Swimming World Championships! I was very upset, as I know that I am capable of going so much better than I did.

Moving to Australia was to help me improve my swimming for Olympics 2012. I have turned my whole life upside down. I am learning and doing lots of new things in my training. All of this with the combination of being ill is probably why things didn’t work out at the trials. For me next year is the most important thing right now. Not making Swimming World Championships means that I can get an early start on my preparations for next year, and be better than I have ever been. Onwards and upwards is my motto!

I got to spend a week with my family before flying back to Australia. It was great to see everyone and spend some time with them. One of my brothers took the week off work so we got to hang out.  My mum also treated me to a new hairstyle for my birthday, which is actually next week (April fools day!!!).

I also attended a Splish Splosh Swimming School’s swim clinic at The Mount School in York. It was great to see all the Splish Splosh team, and the swim school went great. I did a great questions and answers session with the Splish Splosh students and their parents. I told them all about my swimming career and hopefully inspired them with my achievements. I then showed them my breaststroke swimming in the pool before they all jumped in to swim with me! I did a few races with them and gave them some of my swimming top tips!

I am now back in Melbourne and back training. My training group are preparing for their world trials that start next week. I will be joining them in Sydney at the end of the meet to race the 50m breaststroke, which I am really looking forward to. Going to do some sight seeing whist I’m there too!

Keep updated with Splish Splosh Swimming School on twitter @SplishSpolshSS and via their website www.splishsploshswimmingschool.net

Remember you can follow me on twitter @katehaywood and my website www.katehaywood.com

As a result we have approached all kinds of top athletes to provide us with pieces of kit for us to auction off via our Twitter site (that now boasts 426 followers!). The top athletes providing signed kit include: Rebecca Adlington; Katherine Wyld; Sasha-Faye Matthews; Jessica Sylvester; GB coach, Bill Furniss and not forgetting our ambassador, Kate Haywood.

So if you would like to support us and get yourself a top piece of swimming attire, whilst helping a good cause, then keep an eye on both our Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, although we will update the blog with further information. (Have a look at the images of the signed goodies below!)

The second piece of news that has the office in a buzz is that we will very soon be offering lessons from DW Sports Fitness in Hull. As many of you may remember we began our adventure with Britain’s top health club last year in Trafford, Cambridge, Telford and Middlesbrough (introducing swim clinics with our ambassador Kate Haywood at the Cambridge and Telford sites to great effect).

Due to their popularity we are extending our relationship with DW Sports Fitness and providing lessons from their site in Hull on Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Friday’s.

If you are in the Hull area and fancy joining the Splish Splosh family, then you can call us on 0844 2641102 or if you are still undecided why not check out our website at www.splishsploshswimmingschool.com to find out more.