World Record Breaking in the London Olympic Stadium

Hi,

Over the past couple of months, I have been away in Portugal preparing hard for the up and coming track season. With all the training done it was time to put myself on the starting-line of a race.

Your opening race is usually a local one, but this year is different. I was about to jump in at the deep end right from the start. I was going to compete in the Visa Paralympic Test Event in the Olympic Stadium, London.

What a spectacle it was; If competing in the stadium wasn’t good enough, I went on to win my event and set a “World Record” and also become the first male in history to set a World Record in the new London Olympic Stadium! The photo was taken at this race. It was an amazing day. I was on the TV and Radio news – no one else is ever going to be able to say that they were the first man to set a world record in that stadium. That honour is mine forever.

It’s been all go again since that wonderful day. Training has been going very well, so with this in mind I decided to open my able-bodied season at a race in Sports City Manchester. I managed to run 3.52.19 which was a slight improvement on my lifetime best. Let’s hope this form continues right through the season up to and including London.

Mick

London’s Calling!

Since my birthday celebrations, it’s been all hard work and no play. I opened and closed my indoor season, running the 3000m at The Irish Championships at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast. I produced a very solid performance, just missing out on a personal best amongst a very strong field. Now it’s back to some hard training with my sights set on the outdoor season ahead. I’ve booked two weeks in the Portuguese sunshine over Easter, to help me get some solid training in away from the unpredictable N.I weather.

I also travelled to London for a familiarisation camp with my coach, to help me get to know the area surrounding the stadium and check out some of the venues. During my visit I got to go and watch the World Track Cycling in the new velodrome.  I even got to see Sir Chris Hoy in action! The atmosphere was electric. If this is any indication of what the Paralympics are going to be like we’re in for a fantastic games. After all that excitement, there was more in store as I got to accompany the Irish Prime Minister into the Olympic Stadium, photographed above. I got to meet one of my sporting idols Lord Seb Coe, and we were given a tour of the Stadium. Seeing the Stadium has given me more drive and determination, making all the hard work I’ve been putting in all the more worthwhile.

Mick

The Big Year Begins

It’s now the year 2012 and London is drawing closer. It’s been a busy start to the new year. Training is in full flow and going well, ‘touch wood’. 

Currently I’m averaging around 65 mile per week. This involves various types of training from an easy run to a hard session on the track. The work that is done off the road and track is equally important. These strength and conditioning sessions, which I have twice a week, are important for every athlete but especially for myself, as they allow me to strengthen my weaker side, which helps create more of a balance between my left and right.       

Another year and the racing continues. The Northern Ireland Senior XC championships was first on the list. For me and my team mates this was an important race. We were trying to retain our title for the third year running. Sadly a couple of days before the race, we got very bad news. One of our team mates injured his calf and was out of action, so the pressure was really on for the whole team. After putting up a good a fight, we managed to finish second as a team. However on an individual note, I ran a solid race especially after my recent struggle with injury. I now have a positive outlook on the races ahead.

At the end of January, I had the privilege of announcing the name of the 20,000th child to take part in the 5 Star Disability Challenge, alongside a fellow World Record Holder Jonathan Edwards who holds the triple jump record. The  ‘5 Star Disability Sports Challenge’ is a Disability Sports Northern Ireland education project inspired by London 2012. Paralympians like me visit primary schools to raise awareness of Paralympic sport and allow children to try out a circuit of 5 different Paralympic sports. 

I also got to attend the announcing of the partnership between Paralympics Ireland and London Irish RUFC. This was a personal highlight as I am a big rugby fan. Meeting the players, being treated as a VIP and even getting asked onto the pitch at half-time made the experience even better.

I recently celebrated my 22nd birthday. I got lots of presents from friends and family which made me feel like a big kid again. The best birthday treat was being taken Rally Driving. I now know that post London 2012, I will be setting my sights on a new challenge - becoming a professional Rally Driver…. unless Rio is calling in 2016.

Speak to you again soon,

Michael

Happy Christmas!

It’s been a busy couple of months since I last checked in.

I travelled to Bolton to attend the ‘Kidz up North” exhibition with Leckey. This event was very special as I got to showcase my running career in a seminar dedicated to me in the Reebok stadium. I also got to meet and chat with parents and children, listening to their stories of life with a disability.

I’ve finally put my injury behind me. However it wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland, and especially with the help of my physio Chirs McNicholl. Now that I’m back training again, Coach (Dad) hasn’t allowed me to take it easy, as the “All Irelands” were drawing closer and closer. Training had been going extremely well, until four days before the race, I was struck down with a chest infection. I travelled down not knowing whether or not I’d be able to put my foot on the starting line. However it was a team event and I couldn’t let down my team mates, as the All Ireland title was on the horizon. Thankfully I was able to run and help St Malachy’s A.C secure gold. 

I had the privilege of attending the RTE Sports Awards in Dublin this weekend. It was a great opportunity to be included amongst such talented Irish sports stars. I was phoned up two nights prior to the awards to ask if I would speak at the event. It was an honour to participate in the ceremony and represent Paralympic sport in Ireland

While all you guys are enjoying your well earned break over the Christmas period, I’ll be working hard to get fit enough to achieve my targets in the New Year, apart from having some down-time to enjoy the Christmas period.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas - see you all in the New Year.

Regards

Michael

The hard times

It hasn’t been the best start to the cross-country season, although it hasn’t exactly really started for me, as I picked up an injury to my right foot.

At first I thought it was a small niggle that comes with the territory of being back in training after a month’s break. Initially it was thought to be a joint problem between my first and second metatarsals. I had to adjust my training to non-impact to prevent any further damage to my foot. After three weeks of swimming, cycling and gym work the problem still persisted, so it was back to the drawing board to figure out what was causing the pain. I needed an MRI scan in order to find out exactly what the problem was.

Thanks to Sports Institute Northern Ireland and the Ulster Clinic, I was able to get one the following day. Even better, I got the results reviewed by a consultant and sent through to my doctor the next day. Thankfully I didn’t have a stress fracture but the joints in my foot had become irritated causing the build up of inflammation. I needed an injection of cortisone to help to remove it.

Now that I know the source of my injury, I will need to put my feet up for the next few days to let the cortisone do its job. So let’s hope in a week’s time I’ll be back to some form of impact training.

The use of the Alter-G treadmill (pictured), which is an anti-gravity treadmill where my legs are running inside a pressure-controlled chamber, will allow me to gradually build up my endurance without putting a lot of stress on my foot. This piece of equipment is vital to aid my recovery so that in a couple of weeks I will be back into the full swing of things regards training.

Wish me luck!

Mick

Media Star!

Well, “media star” might be a bit of an exaggeration but the Belfast Telegraph printed a full 2 page spread about myself and Leckey earlier this month. You can read it here:

http://bit.ly/q65UEK

Paralympics Familiarisation Camp 2011

London 2012 is just around the corner and preparations for the games have already begun. I spent last week in Portugal in a camp organised by Paralympics Ireland in order to help all athletes competing in the Games familiarise themselves with the surroundings and the facilities leading up to the Games. 

I flew in with my good friend Jason Smyth after he won another Irish able-bodied national title where he secured his selection for the IAAF World T&F Championships in South Korea. We arrived together and met the rest of the team who had travelled out two days previously. 

Day one involved us travelling to one of the two tracks that I may be training on next summer. The facilities were great but the downside was it took forty minutes to travel from our hotel, so I will have to take that into consideration before making my final decision as there was another option that I could potentially use. 

Day two, I travelled to the second option to see the facilities that were available. I was overwhelmed by the 30,000 seater stadium that stood before me! However there was a downside to the facility as the track had not been resurfaced in recent years. It was owned by a soccer team, and they had let the track fall into some disrepair. So I’ll have a lot to consider when making my decision. 

The next couple of days in Portugal involved me enjoying the sun, playing a lot of the Wii and spending time with my fellow teammates from a range of different sports. 

The last night we had a dinner organised by the mayor of Combria and also other dignitaries such as the Portuguese ambassador for Ireland. It’s great to see that we have support from both home and away in our quest for medals in London. 

I’m now off for the next couple of weeks on my holidays. Looking forward to enjoying myself and having some much needed rest before the hard work starts again. 

Good Luck to Jason in the World Championships.

 Mick

Schools, iron tablets and a PB

Hey Bloggers, I hope you enjoyed my first blog - there is plenty more of it so stay tuned.

Since posting the blog live on the Leckey website, I have had lots of positive feedback. I even had a man contact Leckey asking me to design a training program for him! I ain’t a coach yet. I know nothing about training schedules - I leave that up to my dad. 

Since the first blog my training has come on a lot. After finding out that I was anaemic, I was put straight onto an iron supplement to help boost my haemoglobin, which was also very low. When I step onto the track now, I feel like a new athlete so let’s hope that this new found confidence will reflect on the starting line soon to show that the past couple of races were only a minor setback in my season so far. 

Off the track, I’ve been quite busy. I’ve attended two primary schools this week one in Belfast and the other in Whitehead.

On Monday 20th I was working for Disability Sports Northern Ireland. I was there on behalf of the organisation to try and explain to kids that sport is for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you have a disability or you don’t have a disability. We also gave the kids a chance to try out some Paralympic sports. I was in charge of Goalball and the kids seemed to have a great time. Let’s hope it has made an impression on the kids in a good way.

On Wednesday 22nd I was invited to Whitehead Primary School’s P7 records of achievement day. It was brilliant to be in a room with so many other achievers. I got to speak with the kids and their parents telling, them all about myself and also my achievements. One of the best parts of the day was when I got to meet the P7 Student of the year. A young man called Ryan. He is a fellow Cerebral Palsy buddy, so we had lots in common and lots to talk about. So Ryan if you’re reading this, good luck in your new school and let’s hope in a couple of years I can be asked to come and present you with another student of the year award. 

Thursday 23rd I was taking part in the Paralympics Ireland Golf Classic. It was a brilliant competition to play in, it gave me a great opportunity to speak with the Irish team sponsors and play on a beautiful golf course. Sadly my team didn’t win, but earlier in the day I stepped onto the 11th tee box to find a big photo of myself. (Not even Rory Mcllroy can say that).

After a busy couple of weeks, I’m back to business again. With some solid training behind me, I’m racing fit again. My hard word had paid off, when I ran an able-bodied personal best in the 1500m at the 125th Clonliffe grand prix/ Irish milers club event. 

I’ve got a few more able-bodied Races in the coming weeks so let’s hope I can carry my form into them and further lower my personal best in both the 800m and the 1500m.

Thanks Bloggers,
Michael. 

My first ever blog!

Hey bloggers, this is my first ever blog. I’m hoping this blog will give u all an insight into my journey to London 2012 and what I will be getting up to along the way, in and out of training.

I will start off this blog by first of all thanking Leckey for choosing me as their sponsored athlete for the forthcoming Paralympics.

It’s great to be a part of the ‘Leckey family‘. Thanks Guys!!!

So where to begin?  Over the last couple of weeks I have been preparing hard for the up and coming track season. Sadly I have not got off to a great start with regards to the last couple of races. I have not performed to the best of my ability and my times have not been as good as I would like them to be. Thankfully I am getting back on track (excuse the pun) with training and it seems to be going well. Let’s hope the next race will be more positive!

Talking of positives, I recently got to take a trip over to Reading to represent Leckey at a ‘Kidz South’ exhibition. This was a lot of fun! It gave me a great opportunity to meet with my new sponsors and see what fantastic work they get up to. It also gave me the opportunity to meet lots of kids and their parents, and give them an insight into my life and growing up with a disability in sport.

Now to the more important parts of being a 21 year old fella…….SOCIALISING, hahaha!!

Although, this is not the usual socialising for a 21 year old. I don’t mean going out to all hours and/or getting drunk every weekend. Socialising for me is all about spending quality time with friends and family. From being on a golf course on a nice sunny day with the boys, to being in a nice café with my mum in the lashing rain. They all give me a great release from the stresses of being an Olympic athlete.

Well that’s it first blog done and dusted, let’s hope it will make you want to read more. Ill go into more details on training and socialising in my blogs to come.

TRACKS your lot for now folks!

Thanks for reading!