Sponsers and Training

Photo is of me on my training walk today, it had stopped snowing and was a little warmer tonight.

I have not had a chance to get on line and up date my blog this week. It has been a busy week.

To start with I had set myself a goal of how much sponsorship I wanted to achieve. I wanted to sell 10 golds, 10 silvers and 10 Bronze. I am thrilled to say that I have sold all 10 of my Golds, 3 of Silvers and 4 Bronze. I will try for one more week to sell off the last of my silver and bronze and that will be it. I have put my sponsors on my training top (as per photo's) and yes I do train in it. My training partner says its like walking with a advertising billboard .. haha...funny man!! I have also put the same names onto my training bag, it looks very official now.

My physio is now over and my injury is holding. I wouldn't say I am completely healed but I am managing to train with no pain...its just very tight when I have cooled down. So with ice and gentle stretches it is slowly getting better.

I have dropped my shoes to the podiatrist and he is working on a support to take the pressure of my nerves. I have opted to only have one pair done...just in case. So I am hoping to have them back for next weeks training.

So this week I have done

Tues 22 - 5 km in 29:40 avg pace 5:56/km
Thurs 24 - 6 km in 35:16 avg pace 5:53/km
Sat 26 - 7.5 km in 45:46 avg pace 6:06/km

Am off for another 7km walk in the morning with my coach and hubby.

My training top below with all my "gold" sponsors

Shoe Clinic - Podiatrist in store today

Today I went into the Shoe Clinic and saw Chris Gates. He is one of the best Posiatrist's here in Nelson.

I have been having trouble with my feet for some time and have not know quite what to do about it.

I can racewalk but often feel like I have a pebble stuck in the bottom of my shoe at the base of my toes (ball of foot)...it does hurt but more feels annoying. When I wake up in the morning, the initial standing up on my feet hurts sooooo bad. Its like someone has smacked them with a bat in the night. But once I get going I am ok. Where I once wore high heels all the time....now I can last an hour....if that...sighs.......

Well Chris Gates spotted it right away. I have Inter digital Nerve Pain (Morton's Neuroma/Neuralgia) Its where the nerves are squashed up between the toes and they get inflamed and swollen. Mine have been like it for years really but Racewalking has really flared it up.

Good news - it is fixable.....bad news....not in the time I have before the worlds. So quick fix is to pump up the soles of my shoes to take the pressure off the nerves. Then build me orthotic's to go in all my shoes.

But he did say that the operation on my feet when I was a teenager was botched up and that was why I flick one foot funny when I race walk as the mechanics of the foot have been changed. Nothing can be done about it now.

Public health system has a lot to answer for in New Zealand!!

Seeking Sponsorship

Well a good friend on mine gave me the push I needed.

I used her idea and ran with it.....and its working...so far its been really popular with only 1 business saying no we dont sponsor sports.

I have offered the following and below is the A4 poster I have made up for them to disply in a window or wall......Each is printed on the correct colour metalic paper.

Gold Sponsorship $100 = your company name on my training outfit and gear bag, in large type, and a thank you advert in the local paper when I get back from the World Games in October.

Silver Sponsorship $50 = your company name on my gear bag (smaller type than the gold sponsorship) and a thank you advert in the local paper when I get back from the World Games in October.

Bronze Sponsorship $20 = a thank you advert in the local paper when I get back from the World Games in October.

Spoke too soon...back to physio

Well I was all excited about getting back out on the roads again...Friday ended up with awful weather and was very cold so I opted to sit it out and wait for Saturday. For some silly reason I still had it in my head that I would and could race the 10km but a phone call to my coach ended that very quickly. (In hindsight...a good idea) He suggested a rec walk for 2 km to warm up...a good 10min stretch and then a slow gentle 4 km race walk.

So hubby and I headed up on the the walkway behind our home and started out. The rec walk was ok...didn't feel anything...so I was feeling confident and optimistic that the race walk would be easy. Stopped and did our stretches and then headed off back down the track. I only lasted 500m when I could feel the muscles pulling again...I walked through it for another 500m but it didn't let up. It didn't hurt as such but I could feel it the whole way. (feels like when you are doing a stretch and you are at the top end of the stretch..muscle is sore but not 'ouch' sore) So we walked slowly back home and rang my coach. I am back to the ice and stretches and will ring physio on Monday.

I did try to walk a little around the house and its right when the foot comes under you and takes the weight of your body...that's when it pulls. Not sure what can be done or how long it will take to heal.....but its soooo frustrating. I only have 28 days before the World Games......talk about cutting it fine.

I did manage to get out on the mountain bike and do an hours ride. Not quite the same but it keeps the hip moving and gave me a short workout.

Oh NO!!!!! Groin Strain?

Ok.....Had a fantastic day Saturday. Went home on such a high from the race and my time and just the whole perfect day.

Woke up Sunday feeling a little stiff and sore but nothing too major. I knew I had a 12 km walk today but knew that I would not be at coach's pace.

Hubby and I went out at 2pm. Another magic day! We decided to go around the waterfront by the port and then follow the river (which meant uphill for the last 2 km to home) off we went. My legs felt like lead and I couldn't get any speed out of them so I settled in to an average pace of 6.20/km. I really wanted to get the distance out today. By the time we hit the 12km mark I was done. No energy and feeling very stiff and sore.

Today (Monday) I had an 8 km walk and was expected to do 5.50km pace. I was more stiff and sore than Sunday. Hubby said he would come too and we headed out at 5pm. It was a little cold so we took it easy for the first km to warm up. We turned to walk down Beaston road (a steep wee road approx 800mts in length) about half way down I felt something pull in top of my leg/groin. I mentioned it but kept going. Thinking that once we leveled out it would be fine. But after another two kms it didn't get better, didn't get worse but I just knew that if I pushed it then it would really hurt. So I stopped and we just strolled home.

Rang my coach and he thinks I have a groin strain. No race walking for me till I have been to physio. So here I sit with an Ice Pack on my groin (not pleasant!) and lots of arnica cream ..........plus feeling a little sorry for myself. I think I just pushed the old body a little too much this weekend and it told me so.

Will keep you all posted. I am sure it will be fine with a little rest.

UPDATE:

I have tweaked my tendons in my hip. Two days rest....with ice and gentle stretches should see it come right. I have opted not to race this weekend but rather do a gentle walk instead. Physio said it was a good thing that I listen to my body as most athletes tend to push through it and end up with a worse injury.

So I am greatly relieved and will take their advise and rest. Thanks for everyone's well wishes and support.

Presidents Handicap 2009

Today was our clubs Handicap race. It was meant to be 9km but all of our GPS's said it was 8.83km.....close enough.

This is a great race as it gives the slower runners/walkers a chance to come first and win an event. If the handicap is done right it will have us all crossing the line in quick succession and possibly catching some of the slower ones.

Today the weather was perfect! With spring only really just starting and the snow fall last weekend you would expect it to be nippy but not today. Clear blue sky with sun and would have been a good 15 degs....Magic!!!

There had been some grumblings between the clubs about a few of our walkers that dont...basically they creep. So us racewalkers arranged for the local c grade judges to come and make them selves seen on the course. This worked a treat, the creepers still creeped but not nearly as bad as they normally do....at least this time they still looked like walkers and not slow runners!!!

I was to start off 22 mins after the first person...so I went out and had a good warm up and stetch. I was handicapped on my time in wellington and the was my first "walk" back with the club so I was being watched by all.

In my mind I had decided that if the track was 9 km and I did 54min or less...I would be really pleased with that. Well today I aced it with a time of 51:21 I am totally thrilled....but why couldn't I pull that one out in Wellington?? It just goes to show that things around you effect you more than you can realise. That gave me an avg pace of 5:49 and my coach had wanted me to do 5:53 so needless to say my coach is very happy with me....and yes...my training just got harder.

My hubby who had planned to jog it today ended up as the clock holder and was there to cheer me on when I finished. What a perfect way to finish a race.

Finding my Mogo again...

The Victor
by: C. W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will.
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you are out classed, you are.
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of your-self before
You can ever win the prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.


Today I went out and did a slow 7km walk. I needed to get my focus back on deck. It has been a stressfull couple of weeks, with flu hitting, my daughters scooter being stolen, then finding it - damaged and a few job interviews to throw into the mix. I lost my heart for it all. I went "flat" and mentally gave up.

A friend of mine emailed me the above poem and told me to get back out on the road. To focus on Sydney as it was now 6 weeks away and now was not the time for a minor melt down.

So I went out for a walk I could enjoy ... and I did. It was a gentle racewalk and my training partner (my rabbit) ran with me as he has injured his leg and cant race walk yet. We posted 43:21 but we were able to chat the whole way and have a few laughs.

I have spoken to my coach and we are tweeking my program and starting tomorrow its rebuild time.



You've got to believe if you want to succeed.