3000m NZ Nationals

A weekend away in Auckland for two races.  These were to be my last races for NZ and I really hoped I would do great.  I had trained so hard for Hobart and felt robbed when the weather and officials wreaked the race.  I will never know what the out come could have been now.  But we hoped to maintain my form and fitness for 4 more weeks to head up for the 3000m and the 20km Walks.

I flew up on Thursday night with the Athletics Team and shared a room with two lovely young ladies.  My head and heart was just not into it at all...in fact so badly that I got to the airport and realised I had left my GPS watch behind.  I have never raced with out it!!!  Friday was the 3000m.  I am not a sprinter and was not looking forward to this race.  I didnt think I would be up for a medal in this one and was really only doing it to make up numbers on the track.  My last judged 3000m was from two years ago.  Surely I had to be faster than then.  My only concern was my right leg had flared up again in the last week.  My hip and leg was annoying me and I had been to physio to try to sort it and strap it up.

My coach had flown over to watch.  He has 3 New Zealand walkers now and we were all entered.  We all lined up at 1.30pm, it was sunny and very humid.  The air was very thick and wet.  Everyone was ampid and ready.  The gun goes off and away we went.  Rosie was first off with Courtny in hot pursuit.  Next follows Kate and Alana.  I settle in behind Alana with the intention of just hanging back and trying to pick them off after 4 laps.  Lesley dropped back behind me and I felt comfortable in my spot.  As we went past our first km I glanced and the clock on the side of track and instantly knew I had made a HUGE mistake.  I had just passed Alana and was working my way on catching Kate.  I still had 4 more laps to go and I had just done my first km in under 5 mins!!!!  what was I thinking!  I have never walked a km in that time and now I had to hang on for 2 more km.  On the 6th lap I looked up on the big screen and saw Lesley bearing down on me fast.  She had picked up the pace and was taking off.  She passed me and then quickly went on to pass Kate.  I gained on Kate but could not keep the pace up and had to settle for 4th.  My finish time was 15:34  I had just given myself a one minute personal best...which over 3000m is huge!  As I finished the race I could feel my self feeling light headed so I found my way to the side of the track and sunk to my knees.  

Later that night my right leg was burning.  The nerve pain went down the side of my leg an into my foot.  I rolled on a tennis ball and tried self massage but it would not release.  

I spent Saturday with Kate, Courtney and Lesley at the Zoo.  It was a fun day, but I was struggling with my legs.  My calfs had gone tight and were hurting behind the knees and my right hamstring was so tight it would hurt going up and down stairs.  I was NOT looking forward to the 20km.