For more information, please visit the Drummond Clinic website.

Antonia can wholeheartedly recommend the Drummond Clinic and Sportsfeet as a means to helping training and general well-being. As a result of gait analysis and shoe recommendations, Alex and the Sportsfeet team were instrumental in helping her achieve her London Marathon 2008 time of 3 hours and 13 minutes.

At 5′ 6" and a little over 9 stone in the winter (8st 13lb or less at summer race weight), the chances of making it as an openweight are virtually nil. With much shorter limbs and less leverage, it is impossible to generate the same power as the top heavyweight girls. Don’t get me wrong, I have taken my share of heavyweight scalps and intend to take many more, but when it comes to internationals, a lightweight will always have his or her work cut out.

So here I am, watching the final preparations intensely, willing my former teammates to find those pots of gold medals at the end of the Olympic rainbow. They must be going through so many conflicting emotions right now. Anticipation and excitement of racing. Pride at representing your country at the biggest sporting show on earth. Fear of injury, mistakes. Moments of calm, knowing that they have put in the work and the training to reach this, the ultimate goal which makes all those cold, icy early mornings and long sweaty ergos worth it. Moments of sheer terror! It must be amazing.

I hope for and wish them all the success they could possibly want - the disappointment at knowing what could have been will undoubtedly be what they take away from the Games if things don’t go to plan. It will be of little consolation to know that in merely wearing the GB vest they have achieved so much more than the vast majority of this world could ever hope to do. I for one will be screaming their names at the telly when they line up on the start this weekend.

Good luck guys, you deserve it.

GO TEAM GB!

Symptoms of Parkinson’s are commonly tremor, which usually begins in one hand, slowness of movement and stiffness or rigidity of muscles. In practical terms, a sufferer will tend to find it difficult to initiate movements, which in turn become slower, while muscle stiffness make basic activities such as standing up or writing very difficult. Speech, swallowing and posture may also be affected. While drugs are usually prescribed to treat the symptoms (there is at present no cure), it is advisable to look at your general lifestyle to help manage the disease on an everyday basis. As movements become more and more difficult, it is easy to understand how many sufferers (not simply of Parkinson’s or any other disease, but even simply those carrying excess weight) become more sedentary – this is where exercise and a good diet are key.

Many Parkinson’s sufferers tend to breathe shallowly, limiting the amount of oxygen that can be taken in. Pilates focusses on breathing thoracically, essentially filling all of the “space” in the ribcage and getting oxygen to the muscles more efficiently. Habitual problems such as tension in the shoulders and back, as well as the “shuffling” associated with Parkinson’s may be alleviated using Pilates exercises which encourage sound movement patterns – essentially moving the limbs well by using the muscles in the correct order. The method employs exercises to improve and challenge co-ordination, balance and strength, using small and controlled movements. As we stretch the muscles and warm them up while exercising, the stiffness and rigidity associated with Parkinson’s may also be relieved. Posture will benefit directly from Pilates, by encouraging use of the strong core muscles and simply standing tall. There are many exercises which also improve dexterity, using tiny movements such as working the fingers and the toes. The beauty of Pilates is that there is no set formula for exercising – each client is an individual, and their experience of Parkinson’s is unique to them, therefore Pilates sessions must take their needs and weak points into account.

For more information on Parkinson’s Disease, visit the Parkinson’s Disease Society . Please contact me for more information on how I can tailor Pilates exercises to your needs.

You may already be part of the normal classes, however you may wish to be with other mums to be or new mothers. Either way, Pilates can be a wonderful way of helping to prepare you for childbirth and motherhood.

Onwards to the National Championships of Great Britain, where we hope to bring back some hardware.