The summer is a great time to get involved with Sport and try something you’ve always wanted to but never had the chance to do. Well Weetabix is going to change that, this summer they are giving everyone who buys one of their promotional boxes across their entire range a free sports session and if that’s not enough there is also the chance to win a top tier sports prize.
There are 15 million special packs which will inspire people of all ages and abilities to have a go and get active. Each pack contains an instant win code to be entered online and a voucher that will give you either a free sports session of a 2 for 1 sports session. The sports sessions include a variety of activities from scuba diving, paintballing, football and dancing. The top tier sports prizes include team sports kits, five year gym memberships, a family bike package and even ‘money can’t buy experiences’ like a training session with a great athlete (including Denise Lewis OBE former Heptathlete)
Weetabix have challenged a number of sporting legends including Wales International Rugby Star George North, Former Heptathlete Denise Lewis OBE and Football legend John Barnes to take sporting challenges that will push them all outside their comfort zones. They will have the help of nutritional balanced and natural balance of Weetabix. These Sporting Legends along with the ‘Summer of Sport’ promotion aims to encourage the Nation to get up, get active and try a new sport.
Denise Lewis, heptathlete and OBE, commented: “I’m very excited to be involved in this campaign, and with my background in sport I have a huge passion for nutrition and exercise. I have been presented with the challenging opportunity of learning women’s cricket…something I only played in the garden as a child, so this could be a very interesting experience for myself and somewhat comical for those watching!”
Denise Lewis OBE shares her #Sportingstarts
Victoria Westwood, Senior Brand Manager at Weetabix, said: “I’m hugely excited about our Summer of Sport campaign which demonstrates our great Weetabix nutrition through getting the nation active. We hope the new campaign helps to highlight the importance of a proper breakfast as well as staying active; and with the help of some well-known sports stars we will be inspiring Britain to do just that!
“A bowl of Weetabix in the morning helps with stamina, muscle building and bone strength for all the family. This, coupled with our on-pack promotion giving away free sports sessions throughout July and August, means there’s no excuse to stay on the sofa this summer! Our exciting promotion will run across the entire Weetabix family, so look out for it on the shelves and get involved.”
One of the top tier prizes includes a sporting experience with Denise Lewis OBE, where you can have a crash course in Heptathlon. Along with Coach Ian Grant, Denise has been giving some hints, tips and insider knowledge of the Heptathlon. Here is what Denise had to say:
What is the Heptathlon?
Heptathlon is a track and field combined event, consisting of seven elements, taking place over two days; with the first four contested on day one, and the remaining three on day two. Each competitor undertakes the below as part of the competition;
- 100m Hurdles
- High Jump
- Shotput
- 200m
- Long Jump
- Javelin throw
- 800m
Scoring in the Heptathlon is points based, so it’s not always about winning. The only ‘head to head’ event is the 800m, so as an athlete & coach you need to understand the tables to assess where the ‘easiest’ gains can be made.
Ian Grant said; “It’s seven events but you don’t actually have to be best at any of them, to be a good heptathlete. But you don’t want to be bad at any of them. It’s minimising your weaknesses, but don’t neglect your strengths.
“In theory you could win a heptathlon and never win any event, you could be second or third in every event but because you’re so close to winning your points could be better”
How did you get into Heptathlon?
Denise Lewis: “I watched the Olympics in 1980 and just loved it.
“I didn’t know something like that existed, I was riveted, I watched all of it during the summer holidays, and I just wanted to be an athlete!
“I knew wanted to learn how to be an athlete; I didn’t know what it entailed but I joined up with my local club, so I was pretty active by the time I joined secondary school.
“My first coach was amazing, he was brilliant, so much fun and made everything entertaining.
“We learnt the discipline quite early, where to be on the track, being observant and, well that was the hook.
“That kept me coming back each week, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunday mornings.”
Ian commented,
“Typically, there are two types of athlete in the heptathlon;
Sprinter and Jumper or;
Sprinter and thrower.
…And the key is speed and explosiveness!”
“In theory you could win a heptathlon and never win any event, you could be second or third in every event but because you’re so close to winning your points could be better”
Why heptathlon?
Denise Lewis: “I loved it, apart from the 800m. I found that I could put together two days relatively well and I didn’t look back.
“Then it was adjusting the training so I could accommodate all the events,that was quite challenging.”
“Once I embarked on heptathlon I didn’t want to change, there’s just something special about it.
“Training’s tough, but it’s interesting because it’s ever changing.”
“You feel much more immersed in the sport because you are covering so many different events.
“You’re learning a lot more about your own temperament and personality.”
There are many elements that go into the competition side of Heptathlon, but you have to get there first and that takes hard work and dedication. Some of the key training requirements include:
- Conditioning – this is a can be a stressful event!
- Background work – circuit training, working on your mobility and using the medicine ball
- Running –
- Sprints – for the hurdles and 200m, along with the need for some speed in other events such as the long jump
- Endurance – for the 800m. Plus, you need to have a certain amount of ‘pace judgement’ so as not to tire yourself out too quickly or miss out on points
- Strength – weight training
- Psychometrics – think elastic type activities, hopping & bounding
- Technical – learn anything and everything about each event!
- Nutrition – know what to eat and when to keep your body hydrated and functioning at 100%
Denise said; “Certain events are more tricky. Sprinting, speed endurance, hurdles, you’ve got to be very careful how you position that in your week (of training) as the most vulnerable places are your hamstrings, calves, knees, everywhere actually.
But if you’ve got a hard running session and the next morning you’re coming back to do a hurdling session which is effectively speed, you’ve got to be very careful because the hamstrings don’t always respond very well.”
“A great impact is on how you fuel yourself, as a young athlete I probably wasn’t the best, although my mum did give me good food!
“Understanding what fuel you really need to take in to not only replenish, but give you the energy to train full time, twice a day, six days a week, starts with a really good diet.
“Understanding the importance of hydration, starting the day off well with a good breakfast and I have always had Weetabix in my life, in the 80’s Weetabix did a very sporty campaign and I used to collect the stickers and stick them in my scrapbook.
Weetabix is the nutritional expert that can be trusted to deliver the full package of: vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients your body, heart, brain and muscles need to stay healthy and active.
“So that relationship with good food balanced with diet is imperative, when I wasn’t eating properly and I didn’t have a nutritionist in my life something was a bit ad hock, just trying to think you’re doing the right things but not realising just how much you have to learn still.”
Any advice for the next generation?
With the school holidays just around the corner and parents always in need of some entertainment inspiration; it’s the perfect time to pick up a pack of Weetabix, grab your free sports session and start something new!
Denise commented; “What I think is important for most children is that when we first go into an environment like that is that they’re having fun.
For more information about the Summer of Sports campaign please visit https://www.weetabixsport.co.uk/get-inspired