Holmes helps duo to a new high (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Holmes helps duo to a new high

9:35am Thursday 22nd December 2011 in Athletics By Chris Flanagan, Sports reporter

EAST Lancashire duo Alison Leonard and Leigh Lennon were handed the opportunity to experience training in an altitude chamber during their latest session with Dame Kelly Holmes.

Blackburn Harriers athlete Leonard, 21, and Ribble Valley Athletics Club’s Lennon, 20, are part of the ‘On Camp With Kelly’ mentoring initiative as they aim to continue their development in the sport.

The initiative allows young athletes to work with Holmes, who won two gold medals at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and involves regular workshops.

Leonard and Lennon both met up once more at Leeds Metropolitan University on Saturday and started the day with a running session led by Holmes.

They then took part in a series of other exercises before a workshop on altitude training with English Institute of Sport senior physiologist Dr Barry Fudge.

After learning about the theory of training at altitude, Leonard and Lennon had the opportunity to experience exercising in an altitude chamber set to 3,000 metres above sea level.

Lennon said: “The workshop on altitude training was very interesting and being able to experience the altitude chamber was really good.”

Leonard added: “Going into the altitude chamber was a good experience, although cycling in there was hard work.”

Leonard, an 800m runner from Clayton-le-Woods, has been a member of the ‘On Camp With Kelly’ initiative since 2007, while Lennon joined a year later.

n Rossendale Harriers duo Andrew Fell and Callum Davidson took second and third place at the Lynne Edmondson Memorial Cowm Reservoir Race in Whitworth on Sunday.

Davidson was also the first junior to finish, while Hyndburn Athletic Club’s Hannah Williams was 16th overall and fourth junior.

n Chorley AC’s Jan Mayor was third in the ladies’ veteran 55 section at the Great Langdale 10k race in the Lake District.