I haven’t done any racing so nothing to share there, but things have progressed since my last report.

High Performance Sport NZ has ‘carded’ me, giving me access to their gyms.  We went to Auckland’s Millennium Institute for a week of testing.  Having the experts who helped Lisa Carrington achieve her gold medal focusing on me was a real privilege.

I will return to Auckland for regular testing and coaching.

My programme is very intense now as we build to Europe and Worlds in Canada.

I do four gym sessions a week and a lot more kilometres on the water. I live in a constant state of fatigue (which I find makes studying really hard) and hang out for my rest day.

Not that long ago I wouldn’t have coped with this workload. I think my fitness and toughness are growing but perhaps the biggest change is in my attitude. Working with the Olympic paddlers in Auckland showed me that I was just a talented amateur and that I needed to work so much harder. While in Auckland, I had a workout scheduled on a statutory holiday.  I asked Olympian Teneale Hatton if the institute would be open on a holiday.  She told me in a matter-of-fact way, “Athletes don’t have holidays!”

I think her words have helped me to ‘harden up’.

Despite the constant fatigue I am really excited and enjoying training more than ever.

I do look forward to the warmth of Europe and living with the team in ‘The Czech’ (we leave on 27 June for a month of training in the Czech Republic).

Worlds in Canada (first week of August) are a less pleasant thought. Worlds are not about fun; they are about intensity, pressure and “smashing the crap out of it” (as Valerie Adams would say).

My only other news is giving three speeches.  I spoke to this year’s Hawkes Bay Sport Academy, Hastings Girls’ High School and then at the Unison Fibre Sports Awards.  I find speeches pretty stressful but profitable. So far I have received two tanks of petrol and a free meal.  But no more till after Worlds!  (I look back and realise how important being Sports Leader at Karamu High School was…it got me used to speaking at assembly in a ‘safe’ environment.)

I also had a recent interview with Sky Sport magazine and will be featured in their “Fresh Faces” article in July or August. I doubt I will be able to get a copy in Europe.

Thank you all so very much for the help and encouragement you give me.

Aimee