Photos From Wellington - Style Time

Well I guess we are our own worst critic's, but for a change I can look at these photos and say that all in all my style is not too bad. I still pull my shoulders up when under stress but am learning to recognize when I am doing it and to roll and drop my shoulders.

The link in the title takes you to the photographers site and you can see all the walkers photos (if interested)

But here are some of my favorite shots of the day.

The bottom photo is taken on Lap 3 where Teri and I battled back and forth for 1st & 2nd but she walked a great walk and lead out by Lap 4.

Wellington Road Champs

Early morning and hubby gets up and drops me to the airport. Its a crystal clear day here in Nelson. A nice sparkly frost but clear Sky's, I can only hope that Wellington gives up the same.

Its a quick uneventful flight and I just parked up and listened to my MP3 and tried not to think about any thing.

One of the organisers kindly picks me up from the airport and takes me out to the event. Trentham is about a 40min drive from the airport. The day is glorious, I cant rave enough about it as it was so not a typical Wellington day. Not a breath of wind, no clouds in the sky...just beautiful hot sun shine.

When we arrived I wondered over and started chatting away with other competitors and we all got so engrossed in our chat that time just flew and before I knew it I had to quickly race over to the change rooms and get ready so I could spend time warming up. I went through my list of drills and stretches and then did a few quick 100mts to get my heart rate up. I had started hydrating the day before as I still felt off colour and thought the extra fluids would be a help.

I was hoping to do a fantastic time of at least 60mins. Its a nice flat course so I had a great chance of doing so. The course was a 2km lap with a tight dogs leg just past the 1km mark but other than that it was a nice fairly straight course. I was getting nervous as the start loomed.

We all lined up and we're off in a flurry of feet and arms. I zipped out in front to follow close to Peter Bailey (a top NZ walker) and thought gosh I feel great but its a bit quick. I kept going thinking that if I get far enough out front I just need to maintain that.....(that was my first mistake!!) My first lap was 11.32....I knew then it was too fast. As we rounded for our second lap I could here the feet of a walker gaining on me and it took another kilometre for her to catch me up. We tussled back and forth for a further 500m and then I thought I would just tuck in behind her and wait till the last lap (This was my second mistake!!) very slowly she pulled away from me and each time I would push to catch she would increase too, which really played havoc with me mentally. I just couldn't gain on her. By my 4th lap (the 8km mark) I had run out of energy and lost my bounce (as the judges put it) and I guess mentally I had given up too. It was getting very hot out on the course and I had not grabbed a water yet. So on my last lap I got some water, gave myself a stern talking to and dug it in, but it was a little too late. Coming second didn't bother me in the least, but clocking in at 1:01:30 did. I was very disappointed in myself as I knew I had blown it. I had gone out too quick and had let myself give up.

But the most positive of all was getting NO Marks on the board and NO warnings!!! And that was the main reason for going across. I also had all the judges come over and offer advise and compliment me on my style and my progress over the last couple of years. So all in all a great trip. I know now what needs to be improved and where I need to focus more energy with my training and that is distance...I need to be doing longer distances for endurance. The speed will come back again.

Here are my lap times and I will post some photos as soon as the club puts them up on their site.

Nyle Sunderland #1- 11:32 #2- 12:19 #3- 12:27 #4- 12:40 #5- 12:32 total - 1:01:30

Off To Wellington in the morning.

Just a quick post.

I have not "raced" a 10km for about 4 months. So I opted to fly to Wellington this weekend and race in their Wellington Road Champs. Main reason is that this race is judged and I need to get in front of judges before I go to Sydney.

I am also looking at it as a time trial too. I do hope I can get a fast time...a lot will depend on the weather as Wellington is well known for its "winds" and its forecast for clear sky's but northerlies.....

I also get very flustered when I am in front of judges. I tend to doubt myself and it does tend to make me go slower as I try to hard to have perfect form....the off shot of this is I normally end up with too short a stride and get warnings...so that makes me more nervous and the circle goes on.... So tomorrow I am going to try really hard to not look at them and just go hard out and if I get a card to ignore it and push on harder. (easier said than done)

Due to me not belonging to a Wellington club, I cant win any medals or trophy's but I can get a certificate of entry......but that's OK I have not gone there for the medals, this time.

So......my best time for a judged 10km is 1 hour 3 mins. So anytime better than this will be fine.

Track in the RAIN......and.......

Well I got up this morning feeling fantastic....got my training gear on and was going over my program when my darling husband says......"is it raining???" So I draw back the curtains and sure enough.....it is pouring!!!! I said ... Yup...and I'm going to get wet.....

Our nice new mondo track was built smack bang in the middle of reclaimed swamp and it is the habitat for many ducks and herons etc. So every time we use the track we are always walking in duck poo. Paradise duck poo is the size of a small cows!! I kid you not. On a dry day it is annoying as you try hard to dodge it but when its wet it washes over the whole track. I cant see it will ever be any different. The ducks wont leave so it will always be covered in it.

So I headed off to our track, put my jacket on and did 4 laps to warm up. My jacket annoyed me so much that I took it off. I figured I was going to get wet anyway so may as well be able to at least move my arms while training. So I started my pyramid training.

My times today were 2.13 per lap.

First 400 was way too fast....2.02...... body felt great and my breathing was fine but my lungs were burning. So I did another 400 this time 2.10...better, by now I am soaked through and the track is about an inch deep in water and the wind has picked up. So while trying to walk your feet are dragging through the water and you are slipping on the corners. GRRRR.....so next I decided to do my 800m.....4.29....2 secs slow..I can live with that. As I walk the 200m to restart my next lap, it stops raining, which is great as I was thinking about heading home.

There were some other people at the track - they had brought umbrellas with them and were checked out gear and grounds for an up coming event etc and they called out that I must be mad to be training in this weather. Just as I start the next 400 the clouds opened up and it really came down..."great!" so I started out and got 3/4 of the way round when my heel landed square centre of a large duck poo and over I went.....legs and arms everywhere. The guys came running over to see if I was ok..............I was so embarrassed...I looked like a drowned rat and to make it worse I was now covered in duck poo!!! not a good look I can tell you. So I thought to myself..there is dedication and there is madness!!!!!.....................so I went home.

My husband is still walking up behind me......quacking......he thinks it was a "quack up"....I some how don't think I will live this one down.

Finding motivation in those I follow

I have had a whole week off with some horrid virus......my friends all roll their eyes at this statement. But to me it feels like forever.

You get into a routine and you follow a program. Then you track your results and get great delight in seeing your times start to drop as you get nearer to your goal each week. But to have a week taken - can be almost heart breaking.

So as I read the blogs I follow - I find each one inspires me and I draw from their accomplishments! One gets up at some crazy hour in the mornings and walks on her own in the dark and one has just completed a Marathon...IN THE DARK!!! WITH ALIENS!!! so its time for me to harden up and get back out there.

Coach has told me to stick to the program even with tomorrow being my "given" rest day...I am to still follow it. So its track on Saturday morning - Pyramids(stack training) which I will do in my new compression gear. I am really keen to log my times on the track in the new gear.

So I will take this wee moment to thank all the wonderful walkers that I follow and have developed friendships with. Reading your blogs and your posts brighten my day and help me when my own training gets tough.

Everyone around me has the flu......

We have three guys at work walking around coughing and sniffing.....they wont go home as being boys they aren't "sick"..... Bah hum bug I say...I have told them all that the moment they oink they are outta here... lol

On a serious note though.....by lunch time today I was breaking out in cold sweats going hot and cold and have now developed an annoying tickly cough. Enough to interfere with my drills tonight. Lucky it is rest day tomorrow. But then I have a tough track session with 6 x 1km at 5:40 / min pace and then if I still have some energy there are our Club Road Champs on in the afternoon - 6km is the distance but will see how I am feeling.

Between now and October (Sydney World Masters Games) the only race I have is over in Wellington. The wellington Road Champs - 10km and its judged. So I am heading over in 3 weeks to get time in front of the judges and also a good time trial. My 5km pace is coming along nicely but I am struggling with my breathing by the 7km mark. I am told this will change and to keep pushing but its frustrating. Plus the last thing I need now is to get sick!!!

*****UPDATE******** here is a photo of me....aren't I the epitome of good health!!! as I lay on the couch feeling like an icicle. So much for retaining my trophy at the Club Champs today, I can barely walk down my hall way.

New Compression Gear

I swear by compression gear. I first brought Skins - I brought long leg, short leg and a long sleeve top. At first I thought I had been duped into buying overpriced product until I did my first long distance walk in the long leg. Wow what a difference. So I raced out and brought the short leg and used these for official races. They were amazing. No muscle pain after a race, no wobbly muscles as you raced and just enough to keep you warm when really cold. After a year my skins were not as tight so I brought some 2XU long pants. These were good but they were rather see through from behind ... something I was rather conscious of when racing or training in groups.

So I decided to look for some new gear but I wanted some thing new. I ended up on Ebay and found the CW-X brand. These are a new product with compression bands that wrap around particular muscle groups. There were about 5 different pants to select depending on the muscle group you wanted to target. I selected the long pants and short leg to race in.

well they arrived today....................OMG!!!!! They look like they would fit a barbie doll but after carefully easing myself inch by inch...I did get them on. They felt amazing. They instantly worked each muscle group. I had just completed a fast 7km and my legs felt like bricks but once I put these on (took my 2XU's off) I felt like I could have done another 7kms easy. I will wear them tomorrow night for our 5km walk. I am very interested to see if they make a huge difference.

Click on the link above (title of post) and it will take you to the main site. I brought the Pro range. I found them on Ebay it was by far the cheapest place to get them.

But for anyone thinking about compression gear.....I recommend them. For either training in, racing in or recovering in.

*******update************** WOW is all I can say. I went out for a 5km walk tonight and was expected to do 29:30..............we rocked it in 29.09!!!!!!!!!!! these pants ROCK!!! I swear it was the pants, my legs have never felt so good.