My Forum

 I have two girls and I have found with the right encouragement they can aspire to anything. I have a daughter ,27 who played football since she was 11 years of age and still playing; it was hard for her as in those days girls playing the game was still not accepted but in time she won a lot of respect. My little one, 9, now enjoys running, she does the odd park run and has joined a athletic club. Both girls have had my full backing. Now and again remind them how much fun they get from sport and the good friends they meet in the teams clubs rather than listen to silly girls in school who do not get involved in sport or are even jealous.

 With regards to schools and introducing 'girlie' activities, my wife works in a primary school as a sports co-ordinator. They offer a wide range of traditional sports (football, rugby, hockey, netball, cross-country and athletics to name a few) as well as Zumba, street-dance, gymnastics and something else which involves waving ribbons in the air.

The latter classes have fewer attendees than the traditional events as most of the girls are out on the field! The girls who never joined in the sports before the introduction of the new classes, generally still don't. They either like being active or don't and unless they get the right encouragement, nothing seems to change.

Hi LeedsNick This year i tried to follow a sub 3.30 marathon plan from runners world. The issue I have is that when I start training on work days I break. Throughout the year i just go for a steady  run on my change over day. So at the moment I am promising myself to keep doing that and not run after work. It is very hard to find a plan designed for shift workers I have to work weekends so cannot even plan a long run every Sunday and every plan I read has that.  What plan for next year ?as yet not sure. I am going  to speak to the knowledge in my running club. Also my physio got me out on a bike and swimming which I hope to keep doing . Also although recommended I struggle with hill training probaly to do with the way run (Like John Wayne I am told) the going down bit always brings strange aches n pains!