Home advantage

If you can cast your mind back two weeks I mentioned monopolising the home advantage - Exeter Chiefs certainly did just that. What a performance by the Devon rugby side in the Premiership semi final last Saturday and that hard fought victory has earned them a thoroughly deserved place in the final at Twickenham. After trying every lead I eventually got my hands on a pair of tickets for that sell out game against Wasps, the speed in which the tickets went just proves the level of support Chiefs now have behind them.

I am usually a fair weather girl. I would not choose to do sport in light drizzle let alone stand and watch eighty minutes of sport with torrential rain lashing at my face but last week was an exception. My friend and I hardly noticed the weather as the excitement of such a close and vitally important match kept us in suspense until the seventy ninth minute. I am sure the challenging conditions of a muddy pitch, slippery wet ball and a typically strong crosswind all added to the home advantage but it was the sheer determination from both the supporters and players that secured victory. The game was still either teams to win until the final few minutes and the suspense was almost unbearable.

So after just six years in Premiership Rugby Exeter Chiefs are off to the final at Twickenham this weekend coming. Frustratingly I will have to support from afar as work has taken me east to Russia for the Pentathlon World Championships. Chiefs are not the only Westcountry team hoping for a perfect end to their season in the capital over the bank holiday weekend as Plymouth Argyle have made it to the play off final where a victory will move them up a league. Devon sport is certainly doing something right, I just hope we can have one more golden weekend.

Free speech

As a student and athlete I often found myself in hot water for airing my opinions. Frustratingly it might have come across to some teachers or coaches as disruptive or uncooperative behaviour, in my mind I was playing it safe. I felt it was always better to ask the questions and to remain as open as possible. Since retiring from professional sport I have enjoyed the relative freedom of speech and committed to aiding other athletes who face such challenges.

It was refreshing to hear Jess Varnish, the British cyclist, speak out about the alleged discrimination and sexism in her sport - it would have been a difficult decision to make. I was, however, disappointed when her detractors suggested she would not have voiced her opinions had she not been dropped from the team. Of course she did not as that would have jeopardised her relationship with the successful medal-winning set up at British Cycling. For those in receipt of UKSport funding there are no other options - an athlete cannot decide to train and compete with another team.

It is not just in sport that one’s opinions and the opportunity to voice them are restricted. The Prime Minister and Queen have recently been under scrutiny by the world media and public for speaking their thoughts. The press relished the snippets of conversation recorded in which David Cameron was heard commenting on the level of corruption in some countries. They were instantly looking for reactions from those mentioned yet were met with an unexpected result. The Afghan President’s reaction was to agree with the Prime Minister and state he had no issue with hearing such allegations. The Chinese have also denied any offence arising from the Queen’s comments regarding their latest state visit.

It is not only refreshing to hear a few honest thoughts and comments coming from those with a powerful voice but also reassuring to know that honesty can be appreciated by others.

Money money money

Money cannot buy a strong work ethic, team spirit or positive mindset. Leicester City and Exeter Chiefs would be rich beyond their wildest dreams if they could bottle up and sell the magic formula that has helped both clubs succeed this season. They have proven that success is not always related to the size of one’s chequebook.

I am sure the celebrations will continue on until the start of next season for Premier League winners Leicester City. As a Brit I am always a fan of the underdog story; odds of 5000-1 to win the title certainly labelled the East Midlands club as just that. Having only narrowly survived relegation last season the bookies and even the fans could not have envisaged such an incredible outcome. Statistics such as Leicester spending less than one seventh of the cost per league point compared to the extravagant bottom placed Chelsea are near impossible to comprehend. This is such a refreshing example, proving that the odds can be defied and hard work can result in near miracles.

Having wonderful facilities and coaches on high salaries is not the be all and end all as I discovered during my own sporting career. On paper the national training centre for Modern Pentathlon had the perfect recipe for success. I learnt the hard way that having a supportive team around you and a strong work ethic can play a far more significant part in an athletes career.

The ethos at rugby club Exeter Chiefs has all of the aforementioned characteristics. As a smaller club from the Westcountry they are proving my point, bringing players up through the system to cement that cohesive team spirit they are known for. Lets hope their winning streak continues and that they can monopolise the home advantage in their upcoming Premiership semi final

Dartmoor Demon

I recently mentioned the importance of goals when searching for motivation. I have entered my second triathlon, a middle distance event consisting of 1.9 kilometre swim, 56mile cycle and a half marathon to finish. I filled in the entry form months ago, popped it in my diary and rather stupidly put it to the back of my mind. That was until I received an email from the organisers asking how my preparation was going with just ten weeks to go – a timely reminder that I actually need to start some serious training.

I had the pleasure of spending a few consecutive days at home in Devon and realised there was a cycling event passing my back door - it would have been rude not to be involved. There is a fine line between a fun Saturday out and a tough training session; a distinction which became rather blurred as I stared up at the start of the fifth large hill of the course.

Sometimes ignorance can be bliss but living on Dartmoor I did not have that luxury at the weekend. I know every hill like the back of my hand and normally plan routes to avoid the steepest ascents. The ‘Dartmoor Demon Epic Route’ certainly lived up to it’s name, all ninety-five miles of it. I had to constantly remind myself it was a perfect training ride as the realisation of the exact route dawned on me. The temptation to unclip and push my bike up the final couple of hills reached a peak when it became clear I could have crawled faster. I cannot describe the feeling of dread when you are already slogging it out in bottom gear and a 25% incline sign looms ahead. On a more positive note, I am still buzzing with the sense of satisfaction from conquering hills I genuinely believed were impossible to cycle. I am at least one step closer to my goal.

The drive

What drives you? That is a question I am often asked and frequently ask myself. It is always presumed that successful sportspeople are highly motivated, that they leap out of bed in the morning ready to battle any challenges ahead. I always needed a reason, a purpose, if the goal was there I would continue to work towards it without so much as a second thought. Take away that goal and I would have failed to succeed.

If you watched the coverage of the London Marathon you will have heard the stories, seen the passion and felt the sense of achievement for those tens of thousands of ambitious runners. Thanks to social media I expect all of us will know someone who completed the iconic race. You might think your friends are crazy to voluntarily put their bodies through such a gruelling training schedule just for a few hours of pounding the streets of London. If you have not already can I suggest you ask them why? I can guarantee there will be a clear driving force behind their decision. For some it is a charity close to the heart, others it could be a fitness challenge, for the professional athletes it could be the title, the record, or Olympic qualification. Pure determination and drive was perfectly demonstrated in the elite women’s race when Kenyan Jemima Sumgong took a serious fall in the final few miles of the race. She picked herself up and pushed on to win the this years title. 

Ignore the sore legs this week, any London Marathon finisher will be on cloud nine as they look back at their accomplishment. You can not beat that feeling of elation as you reach a goal. Relish it, reflect and be brave - set yourself a new one today.