Christmas!!! 

The festive season is in full swing, Christmas is here already and 2016 will be upon us in no time! Christmas and New Years means family gatherings, eating, drinking, partying and just generally celebrating the end of the year!

So what does that mean for me as an athlete and what do I get up to during the jolly season? 

During this time of year I believe there should be a balance between personal life and training, not tipping the scales one way or the other! I will be traveling this year for a big family Christmas, but I will also continue to train. My program and training load will be adapted according to my travel days as well as available facilities, and yes, Christmas day off! 

The programming from my coach will be smart, to maintain my training load and ensure that I’m not at risk of injury when we start back in 2016. The aim is to keep my body ticking over, maintain the strength I gained during the past few months, as well as keep my shoulder rolling through throws and retain good rhythm and timing on the runway. Doing these things well will help ensure I stay strong and healthy, so I can hit the ground running in 2016, and be confident knowing I’m in good shape to do so. Knowing that I’m in good shape doesn’t just depend on my training but also how well I fuel my body over the next couple of weeks.   

I think most would agree that during the holiday season there is lots of delicious food and drink consumed. I will definitely be enjoying some Christmas ham and pudding this year, but as most of us athletes do, it will be in moderation. I know what my body needs to stay healthy, strong and well fuelled for training.

I will be mindful in what I eat this Christmas season, and won’t be falling off any bandwagon! 

2016 is going to be a big year, filled with fun, adventure, lots of javelin throwing and the Olympics! But, before we get to that, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, safe travels and Happy New Year!! 

@thatjavelingirl 

xx