Hello everyone! Sorry to have missed the last monthly newsletter - but I've very been busy in July and August!

As most of my patients know, I was away in mid July for a wedding in Norway. Beyond it being a tad expensive to our poor "Brexit-pound", I have to say that Norway is a stunning country of natural beauty and super friendly people. With waterfalls and fjords around literally every corner, we soaked up some fantastic weather there whilst doing a mini-road trip around the Hardangerfjord. Bergen was nice as well, great for a wee potter around, but the real attractions in Norway are definitely outside of the city. We also got a true taste of Norwegian culture and hospitality at the wedding itself!

On the training front, some of you may remember my last post where I outlined my summer challenge to up my game and overall fitness levels by quickening my running pace to sub-7-minute miles consistently over a series of 5.5 miles runs, done a few times per week. Well, I am quite chuffed to say that I've already met that first target, and almost a full month ahead of schedule. And though the first 2 to 3 weeks saw me struggle a bit with some minor calf strains, as of 10 days ago, I not only crossed the 100 mile mark for total distance run (over approximately 6 weeks), but I posted 3 consecutive runs in a single week at sub-7-minute pace, with a notable "PB" (personal best) of 6:49 pace on the 15th August. 

So what's next?  Pack it in and eat chocolate for a month?  Heck no, I have decided to push myself a little farther in the next month to see if I can get to 6.5-minute pace at the same distance. This would effectively mean breaking the 36 minute barrier over a 5.5 mile run. Now, I think this next target will stretch me a bit, and it will be much harder for me to shave off those extra seconds as my times get faster. However, I'm up for the challenge, and remain open to the prospect that I may still have some good gains to be made. Plus, I can already see a HUGE benefit to my hockey, noting recently during trainings that I am considerably faster, fitter and even more agile. And, of course, this was the ultimate aim of my challenge in the first place - to prep myself for what I hope will be the best hockey season in recent memory when things kick off in mid to late September.

On the hockey front itself, I also have some news. I was selected again to Team GB to play in an open international inline hockey tournament in Savona, Italy, which will take place over the first few days of September. Some of you may be aware that I will be away on my normal Friday that week, the 31st of August. While this tournament will not quite approach the World Cup, it will have most of the top European teams attending, including the French (current World Champions) and the Czechs (World Champs from 2014-2017). So I expect the quality of this tournament to be very good, though a tad more relaxed and friendly. And hey, Savona is on the beach, so lest we forget to thoroughly enjoy ourselves and soak up some sun along the way!

Finally, to take the spotlight off of me, some of you know that I work with some of the UK's top professional and amateur athletes. It's a small passion of mine. Whether it's to balance their bodies, address an injury or niggle, improve their performance, or simply to reduce stress and tension, the merits of chiropractic for top level athletes is well known amongst the sporting elite. For those who are no longer following the tennis post Wimbledon hangover, I am delighted to mention that Jamie Murray and doubles partner Bruno Soares have recently won both the Washington Open and the Cincinnati Masters, en route to the upcoming US Open which kicks off in about 10 days. I am absolutely delighted for Jamie, who has himself fought off the injury bug this past year, and come back "swinging" to top form. It has been my distinct pleasure to work with Jamie these past few years and to watch him achieve some incredible things - including 2 majors, an OBE, and a world #1 ranking back in 2016.  So go Jamie - wishing you the very best of luck at the US Open!