Jades Journey

Sooo, we’re near the middle of the second month of 2012, so far, so good! Training has gone well over the past few months. I’m excited to be in this new phase of speed. Everything will start coming together a bit more over the next few weeks which is great as I will be opening up my season early March in Loughborough. Followed by my first ever indoor Discus meeting in Vaxjo, Sweden. It has pulled in some big names since starting only a few years ago so excited about that! Then I will be looking towards potentially competing in Montenegro for my 2nd European Winter Throws Champs, although this is yet to be confirmed.

The body seems to have held up nicely over the gruelling months of winter. I can feel my adductors working a bit harder now with the increased intensity of throwing. This just means I need to stay organised and get in enough recovery work so I don’t over do it and create an injury. Easily managed- in theory!

As you can see, I now have a little page on my sponsor’s website- www.tudorwholesalefoods.co.uk. If you click on the RED writing, it’ll have some info on what I’m up to, how to support etc. I’m also making some headway on getting support from other companies too, of which I am very grateful for! I think it’s really good to see so many athletes (including myself) trying to make the most of the Home Olympics and get so many local people/ companies involved in supporting them! I’ve never seen so much effort from people to help out athletes as positively and enthusiastically as this! The Olympics has put a good vibe across the nation!

That’s all from me for now. I’d like to say a quick thanks to Sarah Hewitt who is my training partner and has trained eyeballs out with me since August when we started winter training. You’ve been a massive, massive help and I definitely wouldn’t have got anywhere near as many PB’s in the gym (or anywhere else for that matter) if you weren’t there! -Also my rep counting is rubbish so without you, I well may have turned into an endurance athlete by accident had you not been there to count for me!!

Speak soon!
@JadeNichollsT69

Sorry for the delay folks. Been really busy training, working and other new bits in my life!

So, training has been going well. Stronger than even before, maintaining speed and flexibility despite being a bit heavier. PB’s are coming out of everywhere in both the jumps and lifting Great times ahead! I am however coming to the end of my strength block now. Couple more weeks to go and we’ll be into the phase of Mission: 2012, which will be specific strength. Exciting times!

In other news, my attempts to spread the word about my potential Olympian status is on the up! Been doing a number of award evenings, school visits and other things. Getting quite a lot of requests now so am finding myself having to turn down a few! So juggling and prioritising my time is becoming increasingly important. God knows how the likes of Jess Ennis and Mo Farah do it! I’m some way off that and feel really bad when I have to say no!

Other things in my life, I’ve been informed that my training venue in Horsham may be demolished next year in December! Bad news for everyone that trains there in all sports! Hopefully there will be enough people to change the council’s mind! Please sign the petition and help me save my (and others) training venue! http://nicky.epetitions.net/

Thats been the majority of my life so far, to stay updated, follow me on Twitter @JadeNichollsT69 for daily posts and updates.

‘Sup!
So, I’ve done my first block of winter training, 4 weeks in the bag already. Was a shock to the system to say the least when I started on that first day. But I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to get started earlier than everyone else who went to Daegu. I’m off to Cyprus today which will be a nice rest week. I’ll probably just be doing some light stuff, active recovery type training whilst I’m out there, but nothing more. Mostly just tanning it up ready to come back and hit it hard again!

Outside training, things have been moving along in terms of publicising myself and trying to get some additional sponsorship. Aside from my current sponsors- Tudor Wholesale Foods, I have been trying to gather more interest to help me get to the London Olympics. I have also cut down my work hours to just 16hrs per week. Means living on a bit more of a budget but if that’s the difference of making the Olympics and not making it, it’s a small price to pay!

So that’s pretty much everything. Nothing else major is coming up. Next milestone will be Christmas as we go into the new year. But between now and then, quietly keeping my head down and getting ready for the biggest season to date.

…Next blog will be when I’m a bit browner!

Hey,
Sooo…news was not so great when the World announcements came out! Can’t say I never saw it coming though. Unfortunately I didn’t get my second B standard so I could not be considered for the World Champs, even after guesting at 2 competitions of which I was begging to be part of!

So the Trials were nothing more than ‘OK’ for me. I won which was half the job, but did not get that 2nd 59.50m I needed to secure my place on the team. Although conditions were not great, I was pretty unhappy with my distance that day (56.19m) and felt it should have been further. The following weekend (last chance to qualify), I guested at Lee Valley at a UKWL where the wind is likely to be helpful. But again I fell short of the qualifying mark and threw 58.7?. Just not good enough. To take my mind off the selections, I went to Helsingborg in Sweden to compete at another venue where the wind is known to be good for Discus throwers. Warmed up around 59m+ but only managed 57m in the comp. Just not meant to be this year!

Upon reflection, although I am disappointed with the inconsistency this year, my top 5 throws are better than last year and I did manage to break the 60m barrier. So there are a few positives that have emerged. As for the Worlds, well I will be watching from my sofa at home and using the time to my advantage. Me and my coach (Andy Neal) have had a conversation and decided to start winter training on 15th August 2011. Much earlier than ever before but for good reason. These will be my most important winter months to date. Traditionally I hate winter training but this year, were training for the Olympics. This is a whole new ball game! I’m actually looking forward to it and we will be trying a few new things this year which I’m very excited about. Also I estimate that I will have approx. a month if not more before the rest of the world starts winter training. Not going to the Worlds could prove a blessing in disguise.

I have one more scheduled competition this year in Birmingham which is the UK Challenge but would have started winter training by then so not too sure what will happen at that! Going there to win. Any prize money will be added to my ’2012 fund’ that I am saving myself.

Wish me luck!

So its the big day tomorrow! Really looking forward to it. Its the day most of the British athletes have been waiting for and is the time to shine! And the sun is meant to be joining us!!

Prep for this comp has been good. Weather has been decent recently and I have been training well at the elite training camp that is Maplehurst Farm (field in West Sussex that my training group throws at in the company of sheep but more recently, alpaca). ’tis fun! Had a rest day yesterday however work was crazy busy and a had some photos done straight after my shift so didnt really feel like a rest day at all! Never mind. Today is a proper rest day just with a visit to my Chiropractor and the drive to Birmingham. Then compete tomorrow at 4.38 precisely! Should be a good comp tomorrow. It’ll be another head-to-head with Eden Francis- both of us have 1 ‘B’ standard for the Worlds and will be looking to get the all important second qualifier of 59.50. Also Philippa Roles is down to compete which, to my knowledge, will only be her second comp of the year. Phil has been winning medals at this Championships for the past 15 or so years so I will be expecting a battle from both of them.

Have to big up my training partners Chris Scott and Dave Coleman who go in for a much improved level of competition that is the mens Discus on the Sunday. 4 guys with the ‘A’ standard, 1 with a ‘B’, only won can win…ladies and gentlemen, place your bets!

Other than that, all is well in my camp and I am ready to go! Should be a good one to watch so watch this space. Saturday coverage on the BBC starts at 6pm

Hey hey, what a good start to July! After a few wet (and bad) performances, I had some sun and things went well!

My first comp was a league match for Shaftesbury Barnet at the home track of Copthall. I produced a new SB of 58.17m and broke the divisional record. Also went to the top of the rankings

Then couple of days ago we had throwsfest. Oh throwsfest…..!!!!! Wow what a great, great day and we couldn’t of had better conditions. This was a big comp for me as I was going against Eden (Francis) who is the main British rival for me right now and also I had Diammond League the next day. Eden started off really well and opened with a PB (59.72). I had 2 no throws for the first 2 rounds :-/ which wasn’t exactly my plan. Then round 3 came and I PBed with 59.60- an Olympic and World B standard although 12cm behind Eden. Then round 4 I threw the magic distance of 60m! 60.76 to be exact! I can finally say Im a 60m thrower! whoop whoop! Great feeling although I didnt show it. I think I’ve become one of those miserable people that never look happy, even when they’ve hit their first Olympic standard!! I need to work on that. Round 5 was 58 something (over my previous best of 58.38) and the final round was 59.70. All 4 of my leagal throws were PB’s. What a good day. Really happy with my distance and happier about my competitive response.

Yesterday was the Birmingham Diamond League. As I currently have no sponsor, I wore the GB kit. Showers were predicted and I assumed it would rain whilst I was throwing. (Not because I’m a pessimist but because I have not worn the British vest in dry weather since the U23 Europeans in 2009!!). However, to my surprise, it was dry!! Well mostly, it was really light spitting but nothing to worry about. I was ranked 8th, was 6th up to round 3, then the Olympic Champ over took me-damn, but finished 7th. So not too bad. I threw 58.65 (I think) which would have been a PB had I not competed the day before. So cant complain. Series was rubbish but it only takes one throw to win, so Im happy I had a decent throw early on.

Overall, that weekend I had a total of 12 throws, 5 were PB’s, 3 were Olympic and World B standards and 1 was 60m. Not bad considering I dont know what Im doing technically! When I get some good feelings about throwing, I’ll be very excited!

Next for me is English Champs in Bedford, then Trials.

Quick well done to Lawrence who set a new British record of 67m, my training partners Chris Scott who also got the Olympic and World B standard and a PB of 63m, Dave Coleman new PB 56m and Simon Cooke 56m. Also well done to Emma Jackson who ran so well last night!

Ahhhh….what a rubbish day!! So jealous of everyone that competed on the Saturday!
However it was a great experience being part of a team that strong and that elite. I don’t quite consider myself elite so it was a real honour to be picked, especially as there is only space for one athlete per event. Unfortunately as we know, my day of competition was on the wet day which was a bit annoying, although I did see it as a chance to redeem myself after the week before having thrown poorly in the wet at BIG. It wasn’t to be though and I only managed to produce 53.85m which was about 80cm better than I had produced in the week previous. However despite being disappointed with my performance, CVC was happy with my performance as I did bag the points I was predicted to get. I’d like to say that it was my first time meeting CVC and I thought he was a really nice guy! He’s got a bit of bad press recently and has a bit of a reputation for being harsh. But I think he’s very fair in his comments and just tells it like it is, nothing wrong with that!

Goal still remains to be qualifying for the World Champs. These next 5 weeks are so important now and I’ll need to get my head down and get in some good training. Hopefully with some better conditions than recent times, I can throw those all important distances.

This weekend I have no competitions- which is the first one since I started competing this year at the beginning of May! So the next meet is July 3rd in copthall, league meet. Wish me luck. Fingers crossed for sun and a nice head wind!

Well this is new! I’ve not done this before so forgive me if its not a ‘normal’ kind of blog!

Sooooo…whats happened so far! Well, my season started slightly earlier than initially planned as I was invited to the European Winter Throws which was held in Bulgaria in March. Great sursprise and honor to be asked to do it. However this comp did not go to plan so I will move on quite quickly from that! From this, I properly opened my season in Eton, first weekend of May. Good start, an opener of 54m. The following 3 meets went 55m, 56m, and finally 57.35m at the CAU’s in Bedford. Was looking forward to the following week as I had progressed a metre a meet and I knew the selections for the European Team Champs were coming up. I figured a 58m throw should get me there and on current form, fingers crossed, this was going to happen. The meet was a league meet held in Swansea (never been there before, quite a nice track actually), but I only managed to throw 56m. Luckily, it was enough to get selected for the Team Champs! Whoop whoop! Its my first one, I’m excited. Don’t judge me!

Today I competed in BIG. Conditions were rubbish. A cold, wet day for all. Although the conditions were bad, I was, correction, am, very annoyed at myself for throwing so bad. Today I managed 53.89m. Pretty poor. I came 2nd to Monique Jensen of Holland who threw (I think) 56m. 5m down on my PB is bad times, Monique was 6m down on hers. I’ll put this down to experience and move on.

Looking forward to training this week. I leave for Stockholm (Team Champs) on Thursday so will have to juggle training round a bit. Hopefully weather will be a bit better than today, if not, I will welcome the rain with open arms as it’ll be a chance to redeem myself in wet conditions! I compete on Sunday (19th) so look out for me!

You can follow me on Twitter @JadeNichollsT69 should you be interested! I will be giving updates on there throughout the weekend.

Wish me luck