Track session and first real push

Tonight had planned to push a little and see how I went.

I am a little courteous at the moment as I have developed a small complication called Mondors Cord.  Its where the tendons and veins become inflamed from the surgery and they form cords...you can feel them running from under the boob to my hip bone.   They are a little tender and I did feel them a little at the end of tonight's walk.

I warmed up with Paul, Kay and Debbie and then decided to walk my first km with them....more for social reasons than anything else.  We did our first km in 7:51 mins - taking it very slowly as its Pauls first walk after nearly 2 weeks off with a back strain.   Once we hit the next km mark though I was well ready to push and see how I go.  

I felt great tonight.  No shin pain, no glute pain ... just a little breathless and can feel the lacking of strength.

My kms went great...I picked up good speed and felt smooth.....trying hard to push with my arms now - not so afraid of using my chest now.

2nd km was 6:07
3rd km was 6:07
4th Km was 6:10
5th km was 6:04

All up my 5km was 32:21 but I can take off a good 1:30 from that ... so I am very happy.   Plus a low heart rate as well....  avg 144 max 164

I am off to New Zealand tomorrow and will continue to train while I am over there.   I am going to attend the burial of my Grandmothers Ashes.   I was just devastated that I was unable to attend her funeral due to my surgery in Bangkok.  So this trip will give me closure and some much needed family time.

Slowly goes it

I started slowly training last week.   Making sure that I kept to easy paces and didnt go pushing my self.   Its normally hard holding back, but my fittness is down so it was pretty much the best I could do anyhow.

Tuesday -  I went to the track and opted to do the same 4km that Kay was doing.   My goal was to let my body set the pace and then try to match that kilometer time for the other 3km.   I did pretty good.   Finding that 6:15 per km was my easy pace.   I felt good ticking along at this pace.  Total time for the 4km was 25.00

Thursday - Was going to walk with Shane tonight but when I got home a storm hit and no way can you train in that.   So I decided I would use the treadmill.   Boy was that ever a botch up.  I walked in to find the treadmill locked at its highest incline.   Great, some muppet has jammed it and left it.  So I turned it off at the wall and let the treadmill reset.   Turned it on and it lowered back to what should be 0 incline.   But some one has also screwed in the feet at the back of the treadmill... GGGGRRRRRR.... so when I went to start my walk I nearly shot off the back as it was such an angle.   I ended up pressing it to as low as it would go....-2 incline and it was still about a 1% incline.  I decided I should be able to walk with it like that.   I had to work pretty hard to keep at the top of the treamill.  Each time I relaxed I would find myself at the end and nearly off.  By 5km I was pretty knackered.  32.46 was my time.

Friday I woke with a very sore Left Glute/Hammy.  I spent the day nursing it and hoped it will be ok for a short walk on Saturday

Saturday -  I just headed out along the walk way for a 5km walk.  It was a little brisk and windy this morning and my glute was still bugging me.  It did settle down eventually but I was worried that I had done more to it.  I didnt have as much up and go today.  Body feeling the effects of the gentle walks already,  my legs were aching (which is normal)  but for some reason my upper abs were feeling really sore???  I was not sure about this cause when I finished my walk and squeezed in my abs it didnt hurt.   But taking a deep breath did....so stretching up my rib cage made my abs kinda hurt.   Will investigate when I get home.   2nd half of my walk was much quicker and I am now tryind to add 1km at a faster pace.   Which I did for my 4th km (6:11)  the rest were about 6:25 ish.  Total time for 5km was 31.56

I have now found what was hurting my ribcage.   I could feel like hard veins in my tummy and wondered what on earth they were.   Turns out that I have a small complication from my surgery called Mondors Cord.   Its when the surgery causes irritations to the veins and you get small clots in the.   The veins get inflamed and hurt.   Does go away after a few weeks.  Its just annoying and tender.

5km Gentle Race walk

Today was to be an awesome day.

1st -  I went to the track for our AGM for the GC Masters Club and have been selected back onto the committee but they were also giving out their trophy's for the year and I was awarded the Gold Coast Masters Walker of the Year.   Something that I didnt expect and was totally blown away.   I had been injured for a large part of last year and had left my coach to start coaching myself.  In the later part of the season I did pick up and improve immensely and started to show some great form on the track and at away meets.  But I had not thought for one second it would be enough to have gained me any awards at all.   So very very happy right now.  

2nd -  I left the track and headed to Pacific Fair Shopping Plaza as for me to start training I am going to need a proper fitted sports bra.   Myer have a special on at the moment with buy two bra's you get 30% off   -  so with the help of a lovely assistant I am thrilled to say that I measured up as a 14DD before my op I was an empty 14C  so while the improvements are not HUGE ... there sure is an improvement.   Plus the new berrilli bra's are that supportive I am majorly trussed in - there is zero bounce happening here.   Then as I finished up there I popped into my fav clothing store ICE and asked the assistant if she had any longer dress's, fitted, low cut front .....  she raced off and came back with a dress over her arm but said.... I only have a Small....but you look so slender I am sure you will fit it no problem.  Normally I would leave and not bother but the dress looked sooo nice that I thought for a laugh whats the worst that can happen.   Bugger me it fitted and it fitted awesome.  So I had to buy it.   Winning!!!!

3rd - When I got home I decided that I would give the new bra a test walk.   I just threw on my long skins and headed out.   **** hindsite**** should have put a training top on and not left my muscle tee shirt as it rode up and my skins rode down....it was not a pretty site and I ended up stopping and putting my long sleeve around my waist.

It was a little cooler tonight...about 20degs (yeah stop laughing Tammy!  lol )  and the sun was just setting.   I was still unsure if I was going to racewalk or street walk but once I got to my normal start point I guess old habits just kick in and before I thought any more about it I had hit start on my watch and was racewalking at a brisk pace up the road.   400m into it and I felt my tee shirt rising up under my long sleeve top and my skins were settling down in the LOW position....grrrrr so every 400m I am tugging top down or pants up.  By the 2.5 km turn mark I was over tugging at my clothing so I quickly stopped and took my long sleeve off and tied it round my waist - thus covering my bare stomach and proceeded to head back home.   I kept the walk to an easy pace, didnt push myself and was constantly checking off my body as I walked......glutes activated - check,  knee locked - check,  boobs ok - check       yep all the normal things we check off.   LOL  My shins didnt bother me too much which was good.   I was only doing 5km tonight....and I am so pleased to say that nothing hurt.  The sports bra is a good one and worked so well.  Nothing rubbed or chaffed either.   YUS!! so I can officially start light training this week and slowly build up distance and pace over the next two weeks.  

time for my 5km was 32:15  with an avg heart rate of 133     ---   nice and easy!   

 

First walk back since Bangkok

I am not able to racewalk with speed for 4 weeks.  But I am able to walk normally for a week and then next week I can do a brisk walk.  

I was hanging out so badly to walk tonight.  I have wanted to walk all week but as I have been ill with a nasty gastro bug, I have not been able to.   Walking is my stress relief and I adore walking with my hubby, as we talk about everything.   Its our undistracted time and we make the most of it.

So tonight we just wandered along the walk way and enjoyed watching the sun set.  Plus we were passed by Kay, Deb and Paul who were out doing their 8km.....(you have no idea how much I wanted to walk after them)

But no matter how slow we were.... I got to stretch my legs for 5km and it felt wonderful.   In the weekend we will go for a walk around emerald lakes.  

5km in 45 mins .... nice and easy.

For those that are curious - I have decided to share a before and after photo wearing the same sports crop top.    See if you can spot the difference.   :D