Gunners Training Camp 2011

“Blisters, Bridges and Ball Tickling”

Apparently we all have a Supraspinatus…well that hurts and a Teres Major….it hurts as well and so do the other 86 muscles in the body that until this point have been happy not to be bothered – they’re not happy anymore..

The Gunners started dribbling into the lovely Camp Wyuna on Friday night, iron Chef Disco Stu hit the local Safeway with Venkat and loaded up with food, Farkey and Rowie then hooked on and we made our way to Wyuna. The ‘lodge’ as Rowie pointed out had the smell of a hospital about it – and we quickly discovered that it weas some sort of converted retirement home that may are or may not have been formerly a palative care hospice – which was pretty apt seeing most of us were almost terminal come the end of the weekend….

After some midnidght and early morning arrivals – 19 fired up Gunners gathered in the kitchen to sort teams out for the weekend. The 4 teams were called the ‘Flesh Tuxedos’ (refer to Picture Magazine) the ‘Anti Flesh Tuxedo’s’, the ‘Unripe Bananas’ and the ‘Kings of Queenscliff’. Captains for each team were chosen and we all then set off on a “1500” metre (4km) jog to our first place of torture (local park).

We got to the park expecting perhaps a little bit of a warm up and then maybe a little bit of ‘Torunce Ball’ a hit of cricket etc etc….we were all delightfully surprised to find that wasn’t on the cards and instead we got 4 hours of the most intense work out we’ve expereinced since the last time Mrs Blackburn made her way to Kingsbury. Boxing, sit ups, shuttle running, push ups…I can’t talk about it any more…the horror…..

There were some amazing stand ourt efforts from Cassie, Sheep Dog, Ash Morphet, Julius, Terminator and Dush who went very hard. We made our way back for a great salad lunch from Iron Chef McCleary before heading to the beach for a relaxing arvo…..’But Tim why do we need sandbags for beach cricket’?????

Arriving at the beach we each filled sand bags, then we ran up the beach along way carrying our sandbags – brilliant effort from Zac Martin, Trouncey, Sarah L and Mawbs again in working very hard. Then after we couldn’t breathe we skipped into a nice little bi-athlon just for fun – Sam blitzed as did super fit Dush, Ash and Yu Lu and gutsy Heatseeker didn’t stop. Then after the nice little bi athlon it was back to running with sand bags…the fun just didn’t stop. it got very heated in the Lifesavers sprints – Rowie and Cassie fought it out brilliantly, Terminator perfected the bump and Mawbs ate some sand…but won.

We finished the arvo with some beach cricket, Jacob and Scoby batted well, Farkas nearly won the game but Sheepy topped scored – and then headed back to our palative care lodgings – all very spent.Sam told us all on the way back that the hills were on fire – heatstroke does funny things….

Iron chef Stu with the help of Ash M cooked up a storm for dinner and after everybody was well fed it was time for the ‘Gunners charades’…..we all learned many things during charades, the Gunners club rooms are prone to getting broken into, you can’t describve what the Wrap up is by folding tea towels and apprently felatio is wasted without ball tickling….(yes you read correctly).

After much laughter and a great evening we all retired to bed to fight another day. Sunday morning again we woke to a screaming radio in the hall way (a nice touch) and dragged ourseleves down for brekky. After brekky – we were back running again, Dush led the way and we had a good look at all of Queenscliff before we decided it was time to meet Tim at the oval to start our training again. We ran and we built bridges and we lay down and we got up again – Venkat blitzed in the sprints, Dush did twice as many as the rest just because he could and then when we thought the sun would never shine again – we played Trounce Ball, oh and Tim Blackburn can tackle….just a tip for the future.

We fiinished with a cool down in the Sea and we made our make back to our old peoples home. Iron Chef Stu cooked up a storm for lunch – bacon, eggs, sausages and everything else left. We discussed Zac’s 5 and a half foot python, and we awarded prizes for the weekend (Zac got one for the python) – The “kings of Q’Cliff’ only just got past the post after very good work from all teams with the Flesh Tuxedos just missing out.

The Gunners Guts – for the people who put in the most for the weekend went to Ben Mawby and Tim Hunt. Both didn’t stop trying hard all weekend – Terminator continued to inspire everybody, even when exhausted…and Mawbs running back down the beack to help others get their sandbags home was amazing.

Tim Blackburn did an exceptional job as our Personal Trainer and we will be booking him in regularly to knock us into shape.

Next year we will do it again and hope to double the numbers. Everybody who went down got $300 worth of value for the weekend for only $80.

Well done to the 19 sore and sorry Gunners who went down – it was a great weekend.

 

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