Training with Kelly Holmes

Last September my 8 year old daughter joined Ribble Valley Athletics Club, inspired by a week of free athletics activities over the summer holidays.

The club is particularly strong in middle distance running, with the head coach Don having previously been a middle distance runner.

His daughter Leigh, only sixteen, a few weeks ago won gold in both 400 and 800 metre events at the north of England under 20s championships. As a result of that she has been selected to represent England at U20 level. On top of that she has now been given a place on a training camp with Kelly Holmes.


My little girl has been so inspired by all this - she trains twice a week, in all weathers, indoors, on the outdoor track, and cross-country. Last week she dragged me out for a 2km run in the snow. What I think is great about her joining the club is not whether she wins anything or not, but the fabulous supportive atmosphere at the club, where you will find 13,14,15 year old kids looking out for all the younger ones, 16,17,18 year olds coaching younger athletes, and a great turn out from club members to support their team mates even when they are not taking part in an event.

A few weeks ago my daughter took part in an indoor sports hall games event, setting 3 personal bests and scoring points for the club. She was so chuffed!

If you live in the Ribble Valley/Blackburn area, and you've got kids who like sport, get them along to RVAC. Just turn up on a Monday, 6pm at Witton Park, Blackburn, or Oakhill Academy, Whalley, on Wednesdays at 7pm. Just look out for the large group of polite, healthy looking kids and introduce yourself.

Sporting a bandage

My daughter has joined a local athletics club. This involves training twice a week , with transport provided of course by Dad's Taxi. She is settling in really well, and can run far better than I ever could. The warm up last night consisted of a one mile jog before they even started training properly. She is only 8! The club has the 3rd ranked U15 800 metre runner in the country, and my daughter is wanting to follow in her footsteps.

Before training, she told us that she had a sore ankle, she had gone over on it at school. As you do, we jollied her along, told here that when she started running it would be ok, and, off she went, good as gold, completed the session, coach told her how well she had done, and then home to bed.

This morning we felt incredibly guilty as she limped downstairs, ankle sporting a technicolour bruise and swelling. So we had to send her to school with an elastic bandage and a note asking that she be excused PE.

Croatia see yellow, not red

Looks like English referee Graham Poll will be heading home early. He's obviously a cricket fan, who feels Australia need extra handicaps. It seems his rules are that its two yellow cards for a sending off for Australia, but it takes three yellows for sending off if you're playing against them!

Actually I'm quite pleased to see Australia get through to the next round. I thought they played really well against Brazil, and were definitely the better team in the first half. Brazil, on the other hand, have been disapointing throughout. Whilst they beat Japan by a margin yesterday, they once again played poorly, and really don't deserve to win the World Cup on present form. Mind you, neither do England. Both teams need to buck their ideas up for ther knockout stage.