Thursday, May 29, 2014

8km - blasted SI joint and stupid Garmin

today I sent my Garmin 610 back - I can only hope they let me upgrade but I fear they will send me a new 610 or worse......just refurbish my old one and send it back.  

So for today's walk I fired up my old Garmin 305.  It felt like wearing a brick on my arm.  I had forgot how big it was.  But for how the walk went - I shouldn't have bothered.

I was walking by myself tonight so I thought I might go a bit quicker and get a good fast 8km out......errrmmm I think my body didnt get that memo!  From the start of the walk I could hardly get my right leg out in front of me due to pain and stiffness in my right SI joint (well kinda between the joint and my spin)  It took about a km to setttle and allow me to stretch out a little.  But with it hurting I was unable to drop my hip and get the hips moving forward. .....  instant brakes basically.

I cant remember how I have this older watch set up and so my pace just didnt seem right.  I really felt like I was walking at 6:10 pace..... so my first km chirped at 6:38 ................WHAT THE HELL????

So I tried harder and felt that I had gotten faster...........but I just didn't, couldn't, it hurt and I had nothing...ZIP NADA!!!!  grrrrrrr

But it was nice to come home and have shane surprise me by taking me out to the opening of Malificent.... that made my day.

so 8km in 52.37

8km data here

Sunday, May 25, 2014

an ugly easy 12 km

UGH!

Yeah that describes this walk well.

I woke up today and hurt, just hurt all over.  My abs, my hips, my glutes, my back and my hammy's just ached.  Not really sure why,  as I only did a very easy 8km on Thursday.  I did do some exercises on Saturday but nothing that I thought was too strenuous.

So I am very glad I had made the decision to not race today.

I started out and took my first km easy to warm up and get things loosened and moving.  I was having doubts I would even make 12 km but I was prepared to give it a shot as I have 16 km to do in a couple of weeks.  Each km ticked over and while the pain and aches didnt go away they didnt get worse.  I was able to tick along at a comfortable pace around 6:20ish.  By 8km I was starting to get tired and very sore.  I just feel weak in my right hip - as if it will just give out.

I got back onto the walkway at 10km (1:03) and I figured what the hell......this will be the worst pace I can do in the 16km race and if thats what it takes for me to just get round then so be it.

I did make it to 12km in a slow time of 1:16:16 ...... and yes ... I HURT!.  

12 km data

This will also be my last week with my Coach.  I have decided to take a break from coaching and just coach myself for a while.  It will take the pressure off me and I can walk as I feel I can and to what pace I feel I can.  I feel I will heal doing this.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

6 x 500m repeats

Over the last couple of days I have been doing some glute stretches to try to get some movement into my hips.  

Today I have eaten soley gluten free foods but for some reason about 20mins after eating my lunch my stomach started to REALLY hurt.  From that point it just continued to hurt all the way through my whole tummy.  When I got to the track I was bloated and very sore.   

I warmed up for one lap only which I know is not enough.  But I was planning on doing a gentle 2km and then some 500 m speeds ..... Everyone at the track was doing 500m only.....so I thought I would jump in with them.  

I figured so long as I dont push 100% and control my speed I would be ok and I had already decided I would walk within my pain barriers.   The first 500m I was stiff and tight and just felt really OFF.  I was trying to hard to do all the "right" things...tuck this, plant foot here, push this - and all the walk my hip hurt. 

So as we walked down to start our next 500m I decided that I would just WALK.....walk the way my body wants to do.  If it means I am not as tucked or my feet cross again so be it.   The next 500m I felt GREAT....I was smooth and strong and faster.  Everyone commented on how different I looked.  Still no hip moving but my arms were down, my stride had lengthened and I just looked more relaxed and still only at about 80% effort. 

I continued doing this for the rest of our 500's and felt strong the whole time.  Only once did my hip twinge me.  It was so nice to just relax and not worry about my time, my style or anything.

My 500's are here
2.43
2.40
2.41
2.40
2.41
2.45
and my MAX heart rate was only 167 - I am really pleased.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

10km that become a 5km Club Race

Hindsight is always 20/20 isn't it.

Its been a crazy week.  With me having a Colonoscopy and Gastroscopy on Thursday - I have not trained for days.  Friday and Saturday saw me with deep sharp pains in my bowel which I think was remnant pain from the procedure.  Add to that the pain in my Hip/Glute Med/Lower back - I was not in good shape at all.  In truth - I should have stayed home.

But nope, instead I am lining up with the others thinking about how my coach wants me to try for 58 mins.  I knew that there was little chance of that happening with how my hip was feeling...but I was prepared to try.  Canberra is only 3 weeks away and I am really freaking out about it.  I should never have brought the tickets and agreed to go.  But its done now.

So we all started out together - there was a 1km race, 2km, 3km, 5km and 10km happening at the same time.  I just couldnt power up right from the start.  I had zero hip movement and the harder I tried to get some movement in my hips (forward and backward motion)  the more it hurt and become tighter.  Dave was being really helpful and calling out tips to help me (he was later to explain to me how short my stride really was)  I tried really hard to lenghten my stride but I just cant get my hips to move.  Plus with the wider foot placement I just cant get my hips round.

At 4km I KNEW I was done and that if I try to push through I would be a cripple for the next two days.  So I called out and said I was finishing.  I had caught and passed Shane and now had my sights on Micky's back.  She was about 20 m ahead of me and I was really going to try to catch her and I nearly did.  Crossing the line in 29:04 - but sadly I am a DNF in the official results as I had entered the 10km not the 5km.

It was great to have a chat to Dave about technique and training styles - I appreciate his wisdom and I will be making some changes.  This is the 5th time I have been out with the same injury and each time I take a break I manage to heal up but as soon as I start to load up in training it goes again.  I am over it and really need to stop over thinking and over analyzing things.

I am very nervous about the up coming 16km walk in Canberra....VERY ... I guess I just need to be kind to myself and not beat myself up if things dont go to plan.
5km data

Sunday, May 11, 2014

8km Mothers Day Classic

Sorry its been a bit quite on here.   I have had a head cold for the last week and so no training for me.  Just lots of nose blowing and coughing.  I am 80% better now but I have kindly shared my bugs with my hubby and he ended up pretty sick.

We had both planned to enter this but he was way to sick to attempt it.  So he dropped me down and I met up with Paul, Deb, Kay, Bob and their family.




We all hung out and then wandered over to the start line.  Before we knew it we were off.  I broke away pretty quick and tried to get some clear area.  I had swapped out of the walk section and into the run section so I had a lot of people around me.  About one km into the race Pauls daughter Emily caught up to me, she had a good pace on and so I pushed a little harder to keep up with her.  I was so pleased she stayed near me for pretty much all of the race.  She would make a fantastic training partner for me :)

About 4km and my hip was burning and sore but a change in technique and I managed to alleviate that.  At 6km I told Emily to make a break for it and so she picked up her pace and slowly pulled away from me.  I had hoped to hold on to her but I was tired and the effects of being sick for a week.

my time was 46:06 and I am very happy with that.  My watch has it measuring 7.91km....so it prob was a little short.

8km data


Thursday, May 01, 2014

8km Treadmill with 3 x 500m bursts at 6min pace

Track ended up being cancelled and so I thought I could walk with Paul along the walkway, but he was feeling the effects of walking last night.  By the time I finished up with work I was running late so my option was treadmill.  Its raining and dark..so not the best mix for the walk way on my own.

My hip and back had been aching during the day and I was not sure how I would go.   My bigger problem was to be my stomach.  As I have to eat my old diet so that I react to Gluten ... I am reacting!  Today a Pasta Cuppa Soup nearly brought me to my knees.

I got home and quickly changed.....lucky for me the treadmil was free tonight.  I mucked up the first km as I forgot that my foot pod is not sync with my watch now....so I pushed lap at 1.08

I did my 500m bursts at 6:00min pace at 2.5km, 4.5 km and 6.5 km.

My hip and back actually felt ok though the walk...but my stomach was not.  Half way through I was in pain...I really started thinking I would stop.....I really didnt want to when my body was feeling ok.

I did make it though to the 8km and my time was 50:07

8km