Training Day 3

Gyms. Expensive aren’t they? We were members of the lovely Lions Centre, attached to my beloved Millwall. Except, due to staffing problems, it’s no longer open to the general public. That’s fine, I don’t mind lifting weights and pounding the treadmill next to Millwall’s finest!! The last time S, L and I went was back in August of last year – it closed at Christmas and no-one thought to tell its members. At least, we never knew!

It was teeny tiny (not in the league of say, Esporta) but it was cheap - £2 a session – and the session lasted as long as you could. It got a bit smelly sometimes (testosterone and sweat) but basically it did the job. L, S and I could get fit and toned to our heart’s content. Without knowing the bad news, on our first designated training day a couple of Wednesdays ago, M joined L and I as we headed gymwards. L and I were dressed to kill in all manner of tracksuit bottoms and sports bras and M was brandishing her bag full of gym attire. After hearing the bad news, we left the Lions Centre in a fairly dejected (and in my case, grumpy) mood but cheered up after deciding to find another gym. Not a chance in hell.

They nearly all want to take £20 off you just for showing you the shiny machines and then a further 50 quid a month membership fee only. You then have to pay for each class you take!!!! We decided to go for the cheap as chips option of park walking. Which is why L and I spent the early evening of last Wednesday (Training Day 2) limbering up in Peckham Rye Park and watching as a small child careered willy-nilly along the concrete path on a scooter watched only slightly by her mother. Birds were tweeting, dogs were gambolling, loving couples smooched on the grass, lone sunbathers stretched out – lovely. And there are other parks for us to train in. Greenwich, Dulwich – we can even walk the route at Blackheath. Or a nice river walk. Hiring bikes! Although L can’t ride a bike so, two bikes and one tandem. Horse-riding! Winning the Lottery and hiring a personal trainer! The possibilities are endless. Hoorah!

So, anyway, to Training Day 3. M, L and I - S still not very well - in Peckham Rye park, birds tweeting, dogs gambolling etc and blah, blah. Water bottles in our little mitts, (M had two and was using them as weights) off we strode on lap one after saying farewell to Malcolm and Monty who were wandering around the park. Lap 2 finished in the toilets because one of our number needed to use the facilities. In a couple of weeks we're going to up the park walking to twice a week so that S can join our merry band. Come 15 July, we'll be superfit goddesses! Yay!

More sponsorship........thanks to Luisa, Nicola and Steve and Alison - we're now at £240! L's mum is taking her sponsorship form round to friends and family and I'm planning on taking a copy down to Millwall on Saturday! Come on you Lions!

Oh and one suggestion received for the Team name......any more for any more?

Written by Jo