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AMBER MASLEN
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Love to train, love to race

I've learnt so many things from slalom I don't think I could have learnt anywhere else. I want to share them because I think if they make a positive difference to a single person's journey, then it's worth writing. 

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Space to Breathe

12/9/2018

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Today is the end of rehab week five. I've got tons to say, but I'm gonna stick with what I wish I'd known five weeks ago. So I thought instead of rambling about theory in this post, I'd write to myself like I'm sitting next to me writing the previous blog post. Hope that's ok and not too abstract for everyone!

Well done. You've made a very uncharacteristic move. You've managed to make a calm, logical decision without a meltdown. (Ok there were one or two but luckily Oscar was on damage control.)

Consider this. In a pull up set, you often do things like 5 x 5 reps @ 20kg. That's 500 kg. It's all going through quite a small tendon in quite a small person. Half a ton is a LOT. Think about reasons we change gym programs regularly. Brain/body is all one big system. The whole lot needs to rest and regenerate.

You'll be surprised. At how much you like running. Now we know it's very easy to get over excited and over do it. You'll also be surprised about how much you hate the watt bike. 

Energy isn't just physical. Once you get over how twitchy you are about not being in your boat, you'll be amazed about how much energy you have relax. That sounds ridiculous. But actually chilling out is a skill, and I've been terrible at it. You get into a tired cycle of moving from one task to the next without pause, and perhaps at 98% of your potential. Actually when you're watching your body, and sleeping more, and being less cold, you get so much more energy to do 100%. Just remember that when you get back in your boat. 

Winter. Isn't just a time of year to suffer. Ok running (especially Wednesdays - I have an interval session that actually makes me want to die) is the embodiment of suffering. But winter really is beautiful. Everything slows down, and it takes more time to do things. Scraping the car is shit, but watching the ice melt off the headlights into little clouds while you do it is beautiful. You need to remember things like this too. 

You'll change. I mean, not in a significantly spiritual way. I still love food, I'm still an explosive person, I still want to tire myself out and be dynamic and I'm hurting to get back in my boat. But in a time where you think you'll be depressed every day, you'll actually be amazed at how nice every day is. It's like there's something to look forward to at the end of every session. In the mornings when you wake up you're not pissed off you can't get in your boat. You're excited to feel the cold air outside, and the burn in your cheeks when you finally warm up again. 

It's just four weeks to go until I get back in my boat. I'm learning new things every day, and I think the most valuable lesson so far is the art of chill. I'm definitely still a beginner but it turns out when the evenings are dark and the radiator is hot there's nothing I'd rather be doing than resting. Who'd have thought? 
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    Amber is a whitewater slalom athlete specialising in K1. Her top events to date were:
    U23 World Championships 2016
    U23 European Championships 2016
    Augsburg ICF World Cup 2018
    Tacen ICF World Cup 2018
    Bratislava  ICF World Cup 2019
    ​Tacen ICF World Cup 2019
    Leipzig ICF World Cup 2019
    Pau ICF World Cup final 2022

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