Tears, Bails and Tiredness.

 

After more bad weather in recent weeks, this weekend seemed like it was going to be a good one, with the weather prediction and the attendees. I was excited to be out again and wanted to adventure as well! Sadly, we wouldn’t be seeing Adam this weekend, as he was away (whipped) seeing his girlfriend. James wasn’t out this weekend either, instead opting to go to the cinema! Part timer… Coming along to a training session late one week and then not being out the next weekend, even though he is a ‘committed’ community practitioner. As well as being out ‘all’ the time, in all elements, his words not mine… I know I’ll get stick for saying that!

At first, it seemed like not many would be present after all but in the end we ended up with nine people out. I had made a point to adventure within the event, which likely enticed more people out who were unsure. Stating the plan of action and the areas we would visit, so others knew the route if they needed to find us. Once I arrived at Plaza, a little after twelve I found that hardly anyone was out, why so lazy? Where were they all… Steff was going to be late again, but at least he let me know. People slowly trickled in, up until one. It was good to see Nico out this weekend as well, nailing the kong precisions at Plaza none the less.

 

Gio – Dive Kong.

 

Sean arrived just after we got moved off from Plaza and we instead trained across the road at the Atrium while we waited for the stragglers to arrive. There was some human excrement on the floor, the size of a cow pat, stinking the area out. I really wasn’t feeling training, I felt sluggish and heavy, my shoulder had pulled while warming up too. Zain needed to hurry up as well, he said he would be out today! We trained beside IBM on the giant industrial skip seen in the above image. With Reece nearly destroying his ankle while slipping off the wall on a downward precision. I should mention Gio doing a downwards diving and double kong (seen above) on the walls there was complete madness too!

Then into IBM area itself. Steff, Luke and Ryan arrived just as we were leaving! Good job as well, because we could have been anywhere. Josh had knocked off one of the loose slabs just as we were leaving too. Many of them are now becoming loose or wobble, so it was inevitable that at some point one would tip over, more so for people unaware of the loose ones. We bumped into Zain as we headed up to Mansion Studios for a stint of jumps. Drilling pop lazy and side vaults, precisions and other tic tac based movements. Along with getting Sean to do some of the precision jumps at higher points on the walls which at first he was afraid of.

 

Reece – Sideflip.

 

While we were doing some awkward, diagonal stride precisions and then into a catleap. Ben had managed to destroyed some plastic guttering as he grabbed it for a cat, after overshooting the jump. That didn’t leave the rest of us hopeful in using it for a cats 180 back to the wall. Small victories with the linking of movements for the precisions though. Luke had put himself out of action when he did a gainer off the wall, nearly landing into the giant glass window of the building below as he landed in the stones below, stumbling and kicking them to the window! He had landed on his heel and now found it hard to walk or move around. Every time he is out, he gets injured within the first hour and then is done for the day!

2017 – New Year, New Beginnings.

 

It’s another New Year and with it, a fresh start for many, in regards to training…

You will have already heard the classic New Year, new me line. The same false promise made by each person that says it at the start of year. That same false promise which 98% of people only last a a day or two, with the rare couple lasting a week or so at most, before things fall back to how they were before the start of the year. It’s hard not to fall off the bandwagon, with so many temptations and an engrained way of thinking and habits which are hard to break out of.

It was looking like it was going to be a great day of training, with lots of the community members out. I was feeling rather excited for it, so much so that I found it hard to sleep the night before! I woke up at seven, drifting back off until nine. The sun was bright and shining almost through my closed curtains, I could see a bight blue sky too. It all seemed very promising indeed. When I did finally lull out of bed at around ten and opened them, it was a different story all together! It was misty, wet, like it had rained heavily over night. I doubted it would dry up today. Quite a few people had their doubts too and decided not to train today due to the wet weather.

 

Patryk – Portrait.

 

The day was ruined and I wasn’t feeling like training now either, such frustration. Sark asked if I was out (since when does he come out?!) I said no. He didn’t want to waste petrol, only for no one to be out training and so thought he would check first and then decided against it. Michael was going to be out, even with this bad weather. His reason was that he wanted to get out of the house and jump. Perhaps I should go out regardless too? I do hate training when it’s raining or has been raining, as your trainers remain wet. Worse is getting to and from spots, feeling like you have been trampling through puddles due to the constant contact with moisture. It drains my motivation no end and when you slip you are reminded why rain training is a bane.

James seemed to be on a downer about the day too. Patryk was feeling the same but said lets just go anyway, forget about the rain! I was nearly ready anyway, so I might as well go and see how the day turns out, motivated or not. I will be honest with how it was currently I was fully expecting it to be rubbish day, so with that expectation anything other would be a win? While on my way into town on the bus, I could see all the paths and roads were still wet, wetter than I expected and it looked like more rain was to come if the horizon was anything to go by with all the dark clouds. It’s why I was so amazed to find Reece, Adam and even Luca out once I arrived at Plaza.