Alternative 5K Training

From our Young Person’s Project Manager, Sam Shipman (and probably our fittest member of staff…):

Fitness experts from around the world have long talked about the idea of ‘cross training’ or ‘conditioning’ when training for an event. Athletes from The Reader Organisation are currently training for the Liverpool 5K Team Challenge to raise money for our projects with Looked-after children. With only two weeks left until the big event we thought we would follow expert advice and work other muscles, giving our main running muscles a well deserved rest. The main cross training activity has been three-a-side games of football at lunchtime, a new game that completely replaces five-a-side football as being much harder and requiring more energy so a perfect way to get fit quickly. Staff have braved extreme conditions to take part, including having to play bare foot on uneven surfaces, so far injuries have been kept to a minimum which is a miracle.

Not satisfied with this two staff members have taken up ‘wild water swimming’, a discipline which involves finding (with the use of a map) and walking to places to swim in the great outdoors, no swimming pools for us. Locations so far have been in the Lake District and Delamere Forest and include Hatchmere Lake (a difficult changing room or lack of changing room experience), a freezing cold plunge pool underneath a waterfall in Rydal Beck, Loughrigg Tarn (warmer and more relaxing), and Rydal Water (great if you safely avoid the patrolling swan!).

Four swims in one weekend, three swims in one day, and walking between them left us exhausted but very happy. So, in light of all this energetic activity, dedication, and bravery in the face of adversity, please sponsor us!