I got a letter on Saturday morning from the Police regarding my application to join. I stared at the envelope. I knew what it was, it was a request for me to come to the next stage of the recruitment process, the fitness and medical. “Well that’s me screwed”, I thought to myself as a opened it. I spend the next 1.5 seconds bemoaning the wasted opportunity to get fit that has been the last sixteen months. I’ve known this was coming, I just didn’t know when, and I had done nothing about it barring a month of infrequent cycling last year.
It was the realisation and panic that set in at that point which made me realise just how much I want this. I’m just not very good at taking things seriously until it’s absolutely necessary. There is no way I would pass the fitness test now. I expected I’d have some notice, maybe four weeks, but even that would be a struggle.
So I opened the letter with a mixture of excitement and dread. Finally after all these months there’d be some contact, but I had left it too late to prepare.
It read:
I write to advise of changes to our planned recruitment. Your application has been on hold for some considerable time.
You will now be invited to attend a final interview and it is anticipated these interviews will be held in March.
No fitness test? No medical? What’s all this then. Excitement and dread turned to confusion and relief. I thought the assessment centre was the ‘interview’. Why was there no fitness. What’s going on?
Than I took a moment to think about it. It’s been 16 months since the assessment. People will have changed in that time. It makes sense to see if they’re still interested and if they’re still suitable.
It also means there is more time to prepare for the fitness test. I know it will be soon. I know I have a lot of work to do. I know I need to start now. I no longer have the luxury of time. Things are hotting up and if all goes well at the interview I could be taking a fitness test within the next two months. I’ve given myself eight weeks to prepare.
I’m not going to think about it or try and be clever about it with plans and schemes and things. I’m just going to work. Exercise each day. Cycling mostly but some running in a couple of weeks when my fitness has improved. Once or twice a week I want to go swimming. Weights every other night.
My core strength isn’t all that bad. It is my fitness that is of the most concern.
This is it. It’s now or never. Get busy training or give up on the idea. I want this. That needs to be enough to drive me on.
Reports will be irregular as usual.
