February 2009 Archives

So, it's the morning after the Step class at Highgrove and I'm shattered. I had a really big lunch yesterday as well so I was shattered even before I got to the class. I probably wouldn't have gone if it wasn't for this blog and the fact I had already paid for the class.

For some reason I thought the class would be similar to the Legs, bums and tums and Aerobics class. It never actually occurred to me that it would be based around an actual step. Why I thought that I do not know.

As I was setting up my step (I used two rather than one because I obviously thought I could take it) the instructor came over to me and asked if I had ever been to the class before. I of course said I hadn't and when I said I had never even been to any sort of step class before she looked quite shocked. She told me the class was in week six out of eight and so it was quite advanced. My heart sank. She then took my extra step off of me. Embarrassing!

As I have said in a previous blog, I am not very good at choreographed dances - especially the advanced type.

However, reassuringly, she told me to go at my own pace and not to worry about what everyone else was doing. She also said no one else would be looking at what I was doing. I didn't believe that though.

We started off with some basic steps on and off the step and also on the floor, and I found this confusing enough. I had a huge mirror in front of me but I tried not to look in it because I didn't want to look at myself making a fool of myself - I left that up to everyone else.

After a little bit of stretching we really started to get into the swing of things. We started with one move and carried on adding another until there was a long sequence of moves.

I managed to get the hang of it (a bit) towards the end but there were still a few moves I just couldn't get. Considering I started in week six, rather than week one like any other normal person would do, I think I did okay.

It was really quite fun actually and I did work up a bit of a sweat. My calves were killing me for two days after the class. I'd definitely consider going back, even if it was just to better my coordination.

It was also the first fitness class I had seen two men in. Amazing.

My next challenge is Stretch and tone at Highgrove.

A FUNDRAISING sporting dinner with a well-known guest speaker is being held in Ruislip.

The Wealdstone FC Supporters Club are holding the event at Ruislip Social Club, in Grosvenor Vale, Ruislip, on March 19 at 7.30pm.

Ex football manager and now director of football at Peterborough United Football Club, Barry Fry, will be the guest speaker.

The event will also be supported by Radio Five Live presenter, Rob Nothman, who will act as Master of Ceremonies.

Tickets are £40 and can be bought from the club shop, the Supporters Club Committee and from behind the bar.

For more information call David Albert on 07941 122 442 or email him at david.albert@sky.com.

A MEMORIAL service is being held for a popular Ruislip man who died of a heart attack.

The mass for Paul Swallow, 58, who died after having a heart attack in Shenley Avenue, Ruislip Manor, on January 23, will be held at the Church of the Most Sacred Heart, in Pembroke Road, Ruislip Manor, at 6pm on Sunday (8).

SOUTH Ruislip Safer Neighbourhoods Team are holding a community event.

Members of the team will be on hand at Goals, in Victoria Road, South Ruislip, on Friday (27) from 5pm until 7pm.

A TEENAGE girl was taken to hospital after an assault in Ruislip.

The London Ambulance Service were called to the scene to reports of an assault on Victoria Road near the junction with West Mead, in South Ruislip, at 9.55pm on Saturday (21).

They sent one ambulance crew and a fast response car to the scene and the girl was taken to hospital.

A TOP Volkswagen apprentice got to spend the day at Silverstone as a reward for being one of the best in the country.

Daham Liyana-Gedera, 22, a newly qualified service technician from Volkswagen retailer Citygate, in Victoria Road, Ruislip, spent the day driving performance cars around the track to celebrate his graduation after three years of studying.

He said: "The experience was fantastic and I'm over the moon to now be a fully fledged technician."

His next challenge is to become a master technician, a process that will take a further six years of training.

A GIGANTIC chess game with human pieces is being played in Ruislip.

Ruislip Operatic Society is hosting the big outdoor game to publicise their next production called Chess.

The game is being held at the Cow Byre in Manor Farm, Bury Street, Ruislip, from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday (28) and admission is free.

Email general@ruislipos.org for more information.

A SCHOOL is appealing to former pupils and staff members to send in their memories and photos.

Bishop Ramsey CE Lower School, in Hume Way, Ruislip, is closing on March 27 to move to a single site.

The school, which opened 31 years ago, is putting on a display of photos and memories before Years 7 to 9 move to the upper school in Warrender Way.

Andy Lunnon, head of Lower School, describes the closure as "the end of an era" but is looking forward to the opportunities of the new building.

Pauline Moore was an active member and former Chair of the Friends of Bishop Ramsey for many years and now works in the Careers office at the school. She remembers lively fund-raising events, particularly the year a BBC Dalek attended the school fete and a another fete at which a deputy headteacher dressed up as a baby.

Sixth former James Francis, 16, recalls stories of the 'Lower School ghost' and of the building being used as a hospital during wartime.

Send your memories and photos to Margaret Buck on 01895 671059, email her on mbuck1@hillingdongrid.org or write to her at Bishop Ramsey CE School, Hume Way, Ruislip, Middlesex, HA4 8EE.

So, unsurprisingly, studio cycling was very different to my previous two classes.

It took me a while just to work out how to use the bike, but luckily the other people in the class were very friendly so I didn't have to make a fool of myself for too long.

After lowering my seat to the right level and adjusting the resistance to what I thought it should be I jumped on. That first second on the bike made me realised how much pain I was going to be in the next day....and I was.

It wasn't like any other moving or stationary bike I had ever been on. There were no buttons to press and the seat was a lot more painful. Fortunately I bumped into a friend (she does five fitness classes a week!) so I got to have a little chat in the breaks.

The class wasn't too full - probably because it started at 6.15pm on a Friday - but don't let that fool you. It was still pretty hard.

I stupidly sat right next to the speaker so I had loud dance music pumping into my ears the whole way through the class, which was very annoying.

The 45-minute session basically involved everyone following the instructor and turning their resistance dials up, but occasionally down - fortunately.

We alternated between sitting, standing, hovering (basically that means standing but not moving your top half) and normal cycling but without actually having your bum on the seat. It was mainly two minutes of hard cycling - pretending you were cycling up a hill - and then a short water break. However, towards the end of the class we had to do eight minutes with no rest. That almost killed me.

Most of the time I ended up just watching my stomach hoping it would get smaller by the end of the class, but funnily enough, there was no change.

As I haven't exercised in a while I decided not to push myself too much because I was actually quite scared I would faint. Don't get me wrong, I did sweat a fair amount, but my legs weren't aching the next day - a clear sign I hadn't working hard enough.

I was horribly sweaty by the end of the class, but I didn't exactly find it fun.

I think my next challenge will be Step at Highgrove

PLANS to build a shelter in a Ruislip Manor park as a place for youngsters to gather have divided the community.

About 70 people turned up to Ruislip Residents' Association's general meeting and open forum last night (Wed) held at Ruislip Manor Library, and a lot of them were there to discuss this issue.

Students at Ruislip High School, in Sidmouth Drive, Ruislip Gardens, have helped to design the shelter for Shenley Park, in Shenley Avenue, Ruislip Manor, as a place for teenagers to hang out.

However, even though Manor councillor and school governor, Douglas Mills, said there are more people in support of it than against it, a lot of people at the meeting said they think it will encourage anti social behaviour.

Another popular topic of discussion at the meeting was the development in Herlwyn Avenue, Ruislip Manor, that has been built without planning permission.

Manor councillor, Mike Cox, spoke on this and confirmed an enforcement order is being prepared so the extension will have to be knocked down - unless the developer appeals it and wins.

Plans to refurbish Victoria Road and maybe widen the road in 2010/11 were also mentioned as well as plans to introduce a stop and shop parking scheme in the road to stop commuter parking.

The Safer Neighbourhoods Team also spoke about how they are dealing with the main problems in the area, including burglaries and anti social behaviour.

To comment on the park shelter proposals, which can be viewed in Ruislip Manor Library, Linden Avenue, email Penny Maas at office@ruisliphigh.com.