So I gave it a go......

On-call Fire Fighter 'Have a go' Day has arrived!

I did wake up wondering what I'd let myself in for! However, I went anyway to see how far I could get.

Everyone there was really positive and supportive, even when I was rubbish! There were 7 tests to try, which you have to pass to be accepted. This was oy a taster say so not a test but gives the opportunity to try the tests  see how you get on and whether you are at the required standard or not. 

So, assembly,  no problem all done and with plenty of time to spare 😁

Climbing the ladder and leg lock, it was either 8m or the test is 8m and this was 1 storey less  I can't remember... Anyway, that was fine, took a couple of goes to master the leg lock (I think I need longer legs!) and you have to climb differently to how you would normally  or at least how I would normally  so I had to think about what I was doing but no problems and I was up and down ok. I liked that one!

Next up, dummy drag. This was lifting and dragging a 55kg dummy 30m in 37.4 seconds (that .4 must be crucial, no idea why!). Puffed me out but I did it in just over 30 so pleased with that!

Then came my achilles heel....the equipment drag...the one I had been dreading! I managed to do the run with the hose and carry the hose reels up and back but was then knackered and stopped. Really cheesed off with myself that I didn't get past that bit 😥 I didn't do the running but did go up and down with all the other bits of kit to see how heavy they were etc.  Felt really disheartened after this one 😭

Next up, ladder lift....I think it was 15kg on it's own to lift to waist height, push up to shoulder height, then up above your head stepping forwards. That was fine until the 10kg weight was added then lifting was no problem but couldn't lift it over my head ☹

Ladder extension.... using the pulley, this was extending the ladder then bringing it back down into it's lower housing, first on its own, then with an extra 10kg added.  First time was OK, with the weight was more of a struggle raising it, but I did it so was pleased with that 🙂

Black-out maze thing.....basically two tiers of metal cages with only 1 route across the base and back along the top row, wearing a blacked out respirator. Well I started out well...but I wasn't prepared for the obstacles in the cages which slowed me down! Once I'd worked it out though I was OK and managed to squeeze my way through holes etc., get around top, back down and out. I didn't do it in the time (4 mins 16 seconds instead of 3 mins) but I did it and wasn't bothered by not being able to see and didn't feel claustrophobic so felt OK about that one!

All in all, it was good, I enjoyed it, apart from the ones I couldn't do, and it didn't put me off so now all (!) I need to do is train!

The applications for this round need to be I  tomorrow with tests in 2 weeks so I think I will have to give this round a miss but, if I work at it, maybe I can be ready for the next round!

For anyone else who thinks this could be for them, give it a go! You never know unless you try!

#nevergiveup

A wave of motivation and inspiration strikes...again!

 Yeah yeah, I know, you've heard it all before....

However, this time there is a true motivation to see it through.  As you have probably gathered from the absence of posts, the couch to 5k did not last....

Since my last post we also had a sudden house move to deal with, in lock down, whilst I was shielding, our new place needs a LOT of work and things have been slightly chaotic! So there you go - they are my excuses and I'm sticking to them!

Moving on....

Restrictions are lifting, shielding is over and I am allowed out! Whether it is that or a mid-life crisis I will leave for you to decide!  I just had a strong feeling that I need to DO something so the health kick has re-started!

I started with the 7 day soup diet to kick things off 🤢  This was badly timed though as the last day coincided with election day. Now, as some of you may know, I historically spend this day as a poll clerk in Broughton Astley with our same fab little election team.  This year was slightly different as our usual station was out of bounds due to covid so we were stuck in a new station which really did  not meet the comfort and standards we are used to! I digress, my point is the last thing that is possible on election day is healthy eating! It is such a long day (in this year's case 4.45 am Thursday to 4 am Friday 😴) and comfort food is essential! Baking done it was a day of Noggin, Shortbread plus cakes provided by the other poll clerk's wife. Friday and Saturday were also spent counting and eating.... resulting in the 10 1/2 pounds I'd lost the previous week reducing to 6 pounds but hey that's still an achievement! I've since been (mainly!) On slimming world and gradually losing the lockdown pounds so all good!

The next step - exercise. So this bit is still to start....and this is where the motivation and inspiration hit!

Again, maybe down to a mid-life crisis, even though I love my job I've felt for a while that I could do something more to physically/directly help people and have have had a couple of attempts at joining the police, unsuccessfully! I've been keeping a casual eye out and on going through my group notifications on FB, there it was.  'Have a go day' at our local fire station. This was it! If the police don't want me, maybe I can burden the fire service instead🏭🤣

In all seriousness though, why not? What better motivation is there than to do something that will give something back to your community! I mean, ok, most people's first thought of a fire fighter is still a strapping young man, not an ageing, overweight, completely out of shape woman with dodgy lung capacity but so what?! You never know unless you try!  Which is how I found myself outside the Co-op chatting to 2 fire fighters about whether or not I was completely crazy to even be contemplating this! They convinced me I wasn't so that's it. I came home and watched the videos on the tests I'd have to pass - quietly confident on 4 of them and no surprises at my lack of confidence on the equipment carry/fitness test! I'm sure I felt my lungs shiver and shrink even more just watching it!  Still, I registered for a remote introduction session tonight and for the earliest physical session in Saturday (hoping that everyone else would go for the later times leaving just me to make a fool of myself on my own with no witnesses!).

I felt even more inspired and motivated after the zoom session tonight and am feeling equal measures or excitement and dread for Saturday!  Excitement for the challenge of being able to train and do something so worthwhile whilst still being able to keep my current job and dread that the say may prove that I am physically not capable. But, if you know me, you will know how determined I am, I don't back away from challenges and if there is something I want to achieve, I will do everything I can to achieve it! Every conversation I have had over the last 48 hours has consisted of positivity that the required fitness level can be achieved and I will be helped to get there.

Whether I make it or not, at this stage, I don't know but the journey to try and get there starts now. 

Bring it on!