Submitted by Beth Young after her successful trip to the Nationals at Pond Forge, Sheffield in August 2018.
Monday 23rd July
Down the pool for a 6 am start. Tom is very kindly training with me for the next week or so, and Caroline kindly came to coach us as David is on holiday with his family. Of course David left a program for us to follow. Finished at 7.30 home for pancakes then off to school.?
Tuesday 24th July
Last day of school but no swimming today.
Wednesday 25th July
To the pool for a 6.30 start this morning. Tom and I were in the pool again for an hour and a half training which included working on transitions and starts. Back home for more pancakes and no school for six weeks, yah! ?
Thursday 26th July
7 am start, when we got to the leisure centre they didn’t have us booked in the diary so there was no lane for us. Luckily we soon got it sorted so we were able to get on with the set. ??♂️
Friday 27th July
6.30 am start, good session, we worked up an appetite. Tom, Mum and me went to Blue and Berry in town for breakfast, the sun was shining we sat outside enjoying, a chat, the sun and munching on poached eggs, salmon and avocado on toast for mum and me, full English breakfast for Tom (large).???
We had the weekend off from swimming, at last a lay in ??, I actually got 10 hours sleep Friday night ! ?
Monday 30th July
6.30 am start, back to the pool, training included breaststroke drills and kicks and more!
Tuesday 31st July
7 am start just one hour training this morning. David is back from holiday and he is with us this morning.
Wednesday and Thursday are rest days. I need to drink lots David tells me, I will do my best but I struggle to drink a lot of water.
Thursday 2nd August
On Thursday afternoon we drove to Sheffield and stayed at a Premier Inn as the warm up starts at 7.30 am tomorrow. We arrived at the hotel about 6.30 pm, had dinner, shower then bed. Didn’t sleep too well feeling nervous and hot (and that’s just mum).
Friday 3rd August
Nationals day is here for me! Tried to eat breakfast but I’m too nervous. We met David at the pool at 7am he left his home in Woodbridge at 3am. The water in the pool is freezing. I’m in heat 3 lane 8. It was great I achieved a PB of 35.35 and I’m really happy with that. We now have 4 hours to waste till final warm up time. We walked into Sheffield got some lunch and talked for a while. I’m very tired now.
I go into the finals in lane 3, feeling extremely nervous. I put in all I had and came 6th out of the ten finalist.
I was upset with this as I of course wanted a medal. However David told me I had started and swam brilliantly and knew I gave it everything.
My Mum, Dad and Granny were there and told me how proud they were of me and what an achievement to just get to Nationals let alone making the final. And not to be so hard on myself.
We had a three hour drive home and a McDonalds at 10 pm then bed. I had such a good sleep ?. I can relax now and look forward to my summer holiday.
I have so many people to thank for their help and support:
My Coach, David Treliving for great training and positive approach to help me get here, and believe I can achieve.
Tom for giving up his summer holiday lay ins to help me train, and being my other big brother.
To Caroline and Louise for getting up early to help Coaching too.
My friends both in and out of Waves Swimming Club for all their support.
My mum, dad and granny for being there with me and cheering me on.
And Felixstowe Rotary Club for their very kind sponsorship.
I will be in the same age category (12/13years) next year so I intend to be in Sheffield again and will do my hardest to bring some medals back home.?♂️ ?