10 Things We Learnt From Liam Heath MBE Olympic Canoeist
Outdoor Fitness|March - April 2017

With a gold and silver from Rio Liam Heath explains his love of canoeing.

10 Things We Learnt From Liam Heath MBE Olympic Canoeist

CANOE SPRINTER LIAM HEATH won two medals at the Rio Olympics, to add to his bronze at London. In the K2 200m, paddling with team mate Jon Schofield, the pair raced to a silver medal. Heath then went one better in the individual K1 200m, racing to gold. He also has five gold European Championship medals and another five World Championship medals. Yet, his success nearly never happened, however, after he gave up the sport at university. He was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s 2017 New Year Honours for services to canoeing.

01 When I was finishing my degree, in industrial design and technology, I decided after having appendicitis to give paddling a break and focus on my studies.

After that finished I started thinking about where I wanted to go, and at about the same time the 200m was announced as an Olympic canoeing discipline. London 2012 was the first time the event had been included. I have always been fairly quick in a boat over short distances, so I just went for it.

02 We paddle at Dorney Lake, home of the 2012 Olympics and at Bisham, which has great access to the Thames, so we have a great choice between paddling up the river and the lake. You’re waking up as the wildlife around you is waking up, and you really appreciate the scenery. I head back to my club occasionally as well and paddle up and down the River Wey. There are so many rivers and waterways within the UK where you can jump in and have a paddle.

Esta historia es de la edición March - April 2017 de Outdoor Fitness.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición March - April 2017 de Outdoor Fitness.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE OUTDOOR FITNESSVer todo
Get Confident In The Mountains
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

Get Confident In The Mountains

Taking a Mountain Leader course isn’t just for those who want to do it for a living – if you enjoy exploring the mountains, you’ll feel more confident and safer if you undertake this training.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2020
15 Ways To Be A Better Runner
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

15 Ways To Be A Better Runner

Whether you’re hoping to run faster, further or simply increase your motivation, Christina Neal has these top tips on how to improve your running

time-read
5 minutos  |
January 2020
PUTTING THE TRAINING HOURS IN
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

PUTTING THE TRAINING HOURS IN

Are your training goals ambitious? How can you find time to work out when you have a busy job and a family, yet want to train hard and long? Personal trainer Jeff Archer has some advice on finding the right balance

time-read
5 minutos  |
January 2020
SECRETS OF THE 100 MARATHON CLUB
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

SECRETS OF THE 100 MARATHON CLUB

Just how do the members of this small but high ly prestigious club, some of whom have run over 500 marathons, race 26.2 miles or more, week in, week out? Lisa Jackson finds out

time-read
6 minutos  |
January 2020
HIKING HOLIDAYS TO BOOST MENTAL HEALTH
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

HIKING HOLIDAYS TO BOOST MENTAL HEALTH

While hiking is a wonderful way to get fit, it is also noted for its benefits for mental wellbeing.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2020
‘I CLIMBED MY WAY OUT OF DEPRESSION'
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

‘I CLIMBED MY WAY OUT OF DEPRESSION'

Thomas Palmer was suffering from anxiety and felt unable to leave the house. Then, he was inspired to climb multiple mountains despite having no previous climbing experience. He tells Christina Neal how he turned his life around…

time-read
8 minutos  |
January 2020
DON'T BE A FAIR-WEATHER CYCLIST
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

DON'T BE A FAIR-WEATHER CYCLIST

British pro cyclist Alex Dowsett, a six-time national time trial champion and former hour world record holder, reveals how to stay motivated to keep cycling in winter.

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2020
MICRO-RUNNING ADVENTURES
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

MICRO-RUNNING ADVENTURES

You don’t have to go on a grand expedition to have fun on the run – here are quirky ways to rev up your running mojo that will add a dash of excitement to your training.

time-read
5 minutos  |
January 2020
DARK SKY ADVENTURES
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

DARK SKY ADVENTURES

locations are areas where the sky at night is unaffected by light pollution from big cities, enabling us to have a much clearer view of the stars Angela Youngman explains where they are and how to combine viewing them with outdoor exercise

time-read
5 minutos  |
January 2020
BRAVING THE WATER IN WINTER
Outdoor Fitness Adventure

BRAVING THE WATER IN WINTER

We often associate surfing with summer, but many UK surfers happily do it all year round. With the right kit and a little winter sun, it’s an invigorating and fun activity, says Ruth Pocock

time-read
4 minutos  |
January 2020