Welcome Back to The Blog

Hello, avid blog readers!

I have agreed in preparation for the World Cup to continue my blog and obviously selection pending I will continue the blog throughout the World Cup, providing there is an easy Internet service.

Preparation really started the day we qualified for the World Cup back in May. We were given a hockey break back after the league finished, which is as important as the pitch time really as it gives your mind and body a small window of recovery before the hard work starts again, and oh boy did the hard work start!

At the end of this short break we played Australia and Argentina in a couple of tests. They were preparing for the Champions Trophy and we were just coming back from sometime away from the hockey pitch, so all teams were at different stages of the preparation for the World Cup, and it showed with how we played. We were in all quite disappointed with our performances but equally there were key players missing and we hadn't picked up a stick for a month. It doesn't excuse not applying what our coach had asked of us which was the case in one game but in all, the games taught us a few lessons which was best to be learnt there and not at the World Cup, and it proved we were still a long way off from number one in the world!!!!!

After those matches and camp it was again into a hockey break for a month but July was a hard physical month of simply strength and conditioning training (fitness sessions!). Two - three sessions a day of real intense hard work which whilst painful and sickening to complete made you feel great once you had finished them and gave you a great sense of well-being and achievement. Each week I felt stronger and stronger mentally and physically but I knew my body was beginning to fatigue as I drew closer to the end of this month. It's one of those battles that an athlete has to play in their head - continue to train as hard or feel guilty and take an extra rest day, mind says one thing, heart says another and legs and lungs certainly say another! Eventually, oh dear I tweaked my hamstring (should have taken that extra rest day! and as much as those around you supporting you tell you you don't hear them!) but unfortunately that was to be just the start of a bit of a downward spiral and soon after tweaking my hamstring I fell ill.

So a forced two week break off training was hard to cope with. I felt useless a month of hard work felt it was just slipping by into the distant past whilst the pending selection for the World Cup was looming ever closer. Each day felt like a lifetime and it took me a good week to come to terms with the fact that actually if I sat and did nothing it would be better and quicker for my recovery, but more importantly fortunately for those closest to me a little less annoying as they didn't hear me whinging constantly all day! Once I got my head round the fact that what was in the past was in the past and I could only affect the future I began to be far more positive and in all was the turning point as I finally gave myself the rest my mind and body needed and deserved and surprise surprise began to feel a whole lot better. Thanks to the strong support network from the EIS (England Institute of Sport) and the England Hockey Management and Players I began my road to recovery in the best fashion at the end of last week, and now under careful supervision have started training again to ensure I'm at my best for selection and fingers crossed the World Cup.

Everything I'm doing right now from the number of hours sleep in the night and day! (yippee yes that's right I've been advised to have a wld [wee lie down] every afternoon for half an hour to aid recovery) to the type of food I have for breakfast, before and after each training sessions and for each meal is essential for the most effective and efficient road to restore myself back to full fitness and surpass fitness levels of before, and learn/improve anything on the hockey pitch I possibly can before the World Cup.

I'm sure you will have all heard by now that Katy Roberts (Chelm 1st XI GK for those who don't know Chelm Ladies) has returned to International Hockey and is also vying for a place in the World Cup Squad along with Chloe Rogers.

Watch this space - as we may have three Chelm girlies in the World Cup!

For now I'm afraid I'm going to sign off. I will be back. We have matches against Germany next week so will update after those.

Get those positive vibes building we'll be needing every one of them in 44 days!