So where do I start. For some time I have felt tired and have been struggling with my workouts. Some days are great and some are really bad. I only train about 4 times a week and I just couldn't work out what was going on with me. I used to train 5 - 6 days a week and walk up to 50 - 60 km per week and here I am struggling to get out 30???? One of my friends in USA discovered she was very low in B12 and has started in on the slow recovery by taking oral B12 tablets. At this time I thought I would google what B12 is and noted that I had almost 3/4 of the symptoms and I remember discussing this with Jim and Tammy at different times......and so I started taking B12 as well. Didnt think it could do me any harm.
So needless to say the whole stress thing at work was probably manifested and made worse due to the fatigue I was constantly feeling. I went to the Dr last week and decided to get a full blood work done. I just was really feeling off colour. I got my results back today and the word pernicious anemia was said a number of times.....and I was told to stop taking the B12 as my body was not absorbing it. My B12 level was 267 which is VERY low. My iron is 10, my calcium is below base line and my liver function is not good. So first course of action is to start me on Bcomplex injections starting on Monday. I am told this will be almost instant and I will feel 100% better in just a few days. I will need to have these once a month at least for a few months. He is also checking my vit D too as that is needed to absorb calcium.
So a few life changes coming up.
I then went out and brought a new Garmin 610 and got to use that tonight. This was my present for myself as I also just landed a new job. I really like all the new features but it will take some getting used to.
Tonight I did 8km with kay and paul as this would be my last walk with them. I wont finish work now til 5pm ... by the time I make it to the walkway they will be half done. We all enjoyed our walk and chats and the walk was a nice easy one.
Total time of 56.54
AVG HR = 117
AVG Pace = 6:59
AVG SPM = 81 (cadence - steps per minute)
Training effort = 2.3
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
3000m Sunshine Coast University
I got up at 5am and quickly dressed and headed out the door to collect Robyn and head off to Sunshine Coast. Its the furthest I have driven since being here and I was a tad nervous of this. But turned out that was not needed and we got there in quick time.... 1.5 hours :) and NO speeding either.
It rained on and off along the way and we both were not overly thrilled about the prospect that we might be getting wet. We signed up as soon as we arrived. It was nice to met new people and when they called for the walkers we giggled that it was again pretty much Gold Coast walkers there.
As we were about to start, a very large WILD kangaroo slowly hopped through the open gate and proceeded to hop half a lap around the track. The officials red carded it for lifting/loss of contact and helped to escort it from the track.....to which the kangaroo just "hopped" right over the fence and hopped off to the near by paddock where there was a joey and 3 others waiting.
Our race got under way after that. I went out a bit quick and felt it at the second lap. First lap being 2 mins and my lungs were burning. I was working hard and I quickly accessed that I would blow up very fast if I didnt ease back a little. That helped alot and I was moving freer now and starting to smooth out. On the 4th lap I started to lap the others which surprise me alot and I used them to help me keep pace.
The last km was looming and it was now that my legs were fatigued and I was starting to struggle. I tried to hold in my core and tuck my butt under but I cant say for sure that I managed it now. I crossed the finish line in a respectable 16:40:04 and I am very happy with that.
Lap 1 - 5:26:01
Lap 2 - 5:37:08
Lap 3 - 5:36:02
It rained on and off along the way and we both were not overly thrilled about the prospect that we might be getting wet. We signed up as soon as we arrived. It was nice to met new people and when they called for the walkers we giggled that it was again pretty much Gold Coast walkers there.
As we were about to start, a very large WILD kangaroo slowly hopped through the open gate and proceeded to hop half a lap around the track. The officials red carded it for lifting/loss of contact and helped to escort it from the track.....to which the kangaroo just "hopped" right over the fence and hopped off to the near by paddock where there was a joey and 3 others waiting.
Our race got under way after that. I went out a bit quick and felt it at the second lap. First lap being 2 mins and my lungs were burning. I was working hard and I quickly accessed that I would blow up very fast if I didnt ease back a little. That helped alot and I was moving freer now and starting to smooth out. On the 4th lap I started to lap the others which surprise me alot and I used them to help me keep pace.
The last km was looming and it was now that my legs were fatigued and I was starting to struggle. I tried to hold in my core and tuck my butt under but I cant say for sure that I managed it now. I crossed the finish line in a respectable 16:40:04 and I am very happy with that.
Lap 1 - 5:26:01
Lap 2 - 5:37:08
Lap 3 - 5:36:02
Me on lap 3 or 4 - walking strong
Medals!!!
Friday, July 26, 2013
10km along the walkway
Wow......I bombed today.
It was 19 degs out side. A BEAUTIFUL day and I while walking down to the start of the walkway couldn't feel my toes or my fingers. They felt like they would on a frosty cold day??? what is up with this? I started out and instantly felt like my feet were concrete blocks. I was slapping down on them, my shins were just screaming at me and my legs were DEAD. Not sore.......just totally dead. I felt tanked! At the end of the 2km walkway I stopped and stretched out my shins and then got my thumbs into them. I figured if they were still this sore when I got back to the other end I was going to pull the pin! ..... 12:45 for 2km....UGH!
So back I went....there was an improvement and so at the end of this 2 km I stopped and stretched again and figured I felt ok and the shin pain was going....I was just starting to feel my feel and hands.....was kinda like pins and needles.....So I started back out again. I went through 5 km in about 31:35 I was putting in about 70 - 80% effort so my breathing was shallow I was not struggling.....I just had nothing in my legs to give? Have I walked too much this week...... It is more in total kms than I have done for some time.....but I didnt think it was that bad. It is day 2 from my faster 8km...so maybe they were just a little thrashed from that.
I continued on and managed to get out 10km. I didnt feel good at any point of this walk......not bad as in pain or injury. I just felt off. The zero energy threw me a little but I guess we all have days like this. Plus my GPS decided today it was going to read different to the markings on the walkway. I did do 10km only...but my watch has gained me an extra 100m So my km splits are out by a good 3 secs
Total time for my 10km is 1:03
10 km data
It was 19 degs out side. A BEAUTIFUL day and I while walking down to the start of the walkway couldn't feel my toes or my fingers. They felt like they would on a frosty cold day??? what is up with this? I started out and instantly felt like my feet were concrete blocks. I was slapping down on them, my shins were just screaming at me and my legs were DEAD. Not sore.......just totally dead. I felt tanked! At the end of the 2km walkway I stopped and stretched out my shins and then got my thumbs into them. I figured if they were still this sore when I got back to the other end I was going to pull the pin! ..... 12:45 for 2km....UGH!
So back I went....there was an improvement and so at the end of this 2 km I stopped and stretched again and figured I felt ok and the shin pain was going....I was just starting to feel my feel and hands.....was kinda like pins and needles.....So I started back out again. I went through 5 km in about 31:35 I was putting in about 70 - 80% effort so my breathing was shallow I was not struggling.....I just had nothing in my legs to give? Have I walked too much this week...... It is more in total kms than I have done for some time.....but I didnt think it was that bad. It is day 2 from my faster 8km...so maybe they were just a little thrashed from that.
I continued on and managed to get out 10km. I didnt feel good at any point of this walk......not bad as in pain or injury. I just felt off. The zero energy threw me a little but I guess we all have days like this. Plus my GPS decided today it was going to read different to the markings on the walkway. I did do 10km only...but my watch has gained me an extra 100m So my km splits are out by a good 3 secs
Total time for my 10km is 1:03
10 km data
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
The week so far......
Well - Monday started off on a roll with me being made redundant. Oh Happy Joy!!!
Tuesday - I woke with a very sore lower stomach...deep core? perhaps I had over done it with the core exercise's the night before. Felt like I had twisted an ovary!!! So I decided to head out before lunch and do a gentle walk so I invited Cat to come along. She jogged along beside me while we were doing 500m start and stops. In total we walked 4.5km Cat and Nyle 4.5km
That night I met Paul and Kay and we walked the walkway deciding to do 8km and as both had said to me they want to get fast I suggested that I up the pace to help them. So we did up the pace sitting on 6:52 per Km as opposed to 7:15 per Km. Total for that walk was 55:00 Kay and Paul 8km
Wed - Woke up and tummy was feeling alittle better so decided to head out for a training walk. It was 15 degs...just perfect. I had planned on 10km but I turned at 4 km because my TFL was just starting to get grumpy and my shirt was chaffing me under my arms really badly. So I decided it was better I stop so I finished up at 8km and was very happy with my time. I would guess about 90% effort in this walk. Total time for this walk was 47:52 and my heart strap seemed to work today....so the avg 152 is not too bad. I will take it. 8km walkway just me
the one DOH thing that I did do. I discovered as I uploaded my data that I had not changed the settings on my watch. So I didnt record any lap splits. Oh well, the overall is the most important at the moment.
My total kms for this week
Sun = 10km
Mon = 0
Tues = 4.5 + 8 = 12.5
Weds = 8
Total = 30.5
Tuesday - I woke with a very sore lower stomach...deep core? perhaps I had over done it with the core exercise's the night before. Felt like I had twisted an ovary!!! So I decided to head out before lunch and do a gentle walk so I invited Cat to come along. She jogged along beside me while we were doing 500m start and stops. In total we walked 4.5km Cat and Nyle 4.5km
That night I met Paul and Kay and we walked the walkway deciding to do 8km and as both had said to me they want to get fast I suggested that I up the pace to help them. So we did up the pace sitting on 6:52 per Km as opposed to 7:15 per Km. Total for that walk was 55:00 Kay and Paul 8km
Wed - Woke up and tummy was feeling alittle better so decided to head out for a training walk. It was 15 degs...just perfect. I had planned on 10km but I turned at 4 km because my TFL was just starting to get grumpy and my shirt was chaffing me under my arms really badly. So I decided it was better I stop so I finished up at 8km and was very happy with my time. I would guess about 90% effort in this walk. Total time for this walk was 47:52 and my heart strap seemed to work today....so the avg 152 is not too bad. I will take it. 8km walkway just me
the one DOH thing that I did do. I discovered as I uploaded my data that I had not changed the settings on my watch. So I didnt record any lap splits. Oh well, the overall is the most important at the moment.
My total kms for this week
Sun = 10km
Mon = 0
Tues = 4.5 + 8 = 12.5
Weds = 8
Total = 30.5
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
5km training along the walkway
I got up today and decided to train in the morning. I was still feeling alittle bit stiff and sore but I really needed to get out and have a stretch out.
I still dont have a heart strap ... mine has well and truly broken now. But I kinda gauge how I am by my breathing. I was not gasping and felt pretty good.
It was about 17 degs so just perfect. I started out and felt good straight off. I decided to just walk and not push to hard. I worked on using my upper arms and shoulders and the push off today. I think I kept my butt tucked the whole way.
I was feeling pretty good....while I was not pushing my self I certainly didnt feel I could have gone much faster if I had wanted too.
Total time for the 5km was a quick 29:24 and I am VERY happy with that.
On a side note. My head is finally starting to clear and I am feeling much better. My anxiety is fading and I am sure I am going to be ok to cope at work again.
5km data
I still dont have a heart strap ... mine has well and truly broken now. But I kinda gauge how I am by my breathing. I was not gasping and felt pretty good.
It was about 17 degs so just perfect. I started out and felt good straight off. I decided to just walk and not push to hard. I worked on using my upper arms and shoulders and the push off today. I think I kept my butt tucked the whole way.
I was feeling pretty good....while I was not pushing my self I certainly didnt feel I could have gone much faster if I had wanted too.
Total time for the 5km was a quick 29:24 and I am VERY happy with that.
On a side note. My head is finally starting to clear and I am feeling much better. My anxiety is fading and I am sure I am going to be ok to cope at work again.
5km data
Sunday, July 14, 2013
10km Qld State Champs
I have been off the grid for a wee bit. Just reassessing my motivation and myself.
Today we headed in towards Brisbane for the Qld State Champs. It was raining and rather miserable. The way my body was feeling I knew it was going to be a hard race for me. I had done a speed session on Friday and then gone to dance for an hour. All day Saturday my glutes were aching...they had been well worked - as I am a 2 day DOMS girl, I knew it was going to be a painful race.
Sure enough, when I tried to warm up I could barley stretch out and walk. Even the judges all commented that in the first km I looked terrible, very still and sore. I started to come right about 5km but by then my glutes were totally fatigued and it was just a matter of hanging on to the finish. My only goal for today was a sub 60min. I managed that JUST.
Finishing in 59:15 - the course is a punishing one and not for fast times with two rises in the middle as it comes up and over the cycledrome.
Side note: I was told I should have received a new number with laurals up the sides as I had won this race last year and also won the 20km. When I asked about it they realised that there had been an error and so I will be recieving my State Champs new race number with laurals up the sides.....cant wait for that.
10km race data
Today we headed in towards Brisbane for the Qld State Champs. It was raining and rather miserable. The way my body was feeling I knew it was going to be a hard race for me. I had done a speed session on Friday and then gone to dance for an hour. All day Saturday my glutes were aching...they had been well worked - as I am a 2 day DOMS girl, I knew it was going to be a painful race.
Sure enough, when I tried to warm up I could barley stretch out and walk. Even the judges all commented that in the first km I looked terrible, very still and sore. I started to come right about 5km but by then my glutes were totally fatigued and it was just a matter of hanging on to the finish. My only goal for today was a sub 60min. I managed that JUST.
Finishing in 59:15 - the course is a punishing one and not for fast times with two rises in the middle as it comes up and over the cycledrome.
Side note: I was told I should have received a new number with laurals up the sides as I had won this race last year and also won the 20km. When I asked about it they realised that there had been an error and so I will be recieving my State Champs new race number with laurals up the sides.....cant wait for that.
10km race data
Monday, July 01, 2013
5km treadmill
Its raining....not the drizzle it will be ok rain but the torrential soak you to the bone in 2 mins rain! We have a weather warning out for today and I can see why. So its back to the treadmil for me.
I had a very busy and stressful day at work so desperately needed to walk. I really wanted the zone you get into....own space, own thoughts etc.
So I went downstairs and jumped on the complex treadmill. I was pleased that I could get it cranked up fairly quickly and it felt comfortable. After 2.5km I started ramping up the pace as I strode my anger out. I was really pleased that nothing was hurting.
I ended the last km on 10.5km/hr and was still feeling good.
Total time was 30:03 even better!!!!
I had a very busy and stressful day at work so desperately needed to walk. I really wanted the zone you get into....own space, own thoughts etc.
So I went downstairs and jumped on the complex treadmill. I was pleased that I could get it cranked up fairly quickly and it felt comfortable. After 2.5km I started ramping up the pace as I strode my anger out. I was really pleased that nothing was hurting.
I ended the last km on 10.5km/hr and was still feeling good.
Total time was 30:03 even better!!!!
Thursday, June 27, 2013
5km treadmil kick down
Its pouring with rain. All the others had bailed on me and I thought stuff getting soaked on my own...so I came home and headed down to the complex gym and jumped on the treadmill. There were a couple of guys mucking around on the gym equipment and they chatted away as I set the treadmill up.
its takes about 50m until the treadmill is up to speed and I can turn my watch on. I set it to 9.5km and ticked along happily....each km I would click the speed up one but with two km to go I clicked it up to 10km and then for my last km I had it up to 10.5km.
I felt great and had no pain in my hip or glutes. My shins are pretty sore but I think that is more from the speed session. The two guys thought I had my music on and I could hear them talking to each other....said one guy to the other....far out I cant even run that fast! tee hee always makes you feel good.
Total time for 5km was 30:19
5km treadmill data
its takes about 50m until the treadmill is up to speed and I can turn my watch on. I set it to 9.5km and ticked along happily....each km I would click the speed up one but with two km to go I clicked it up to 10km and then for my last km I had it up to 10.5km.
I felt great and had no pain in my hip or glutes. My shins are pretty sore but I think that is more from the speed session. The two guys thought I had my music on and I could hear them talking to each other....said one guy to the other....far out I cant even run that fast! tee hee always makes you feel good.
Total time for 5km was 30:19
5km treadmill data
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
3km Fartlek
Tonight I thought I would try a short speed walk. I figured a 3km fartlek would be a good distance to test how the body goes.
I used the first km on the walkway as my warm up. I hit the start and pushed off. The walkway was busy and I was having to weave between kids and people. I got the first km done in 5:36 (hmm thought it would be faster than that) in my error I hit stop and not lap...... I turned back for the next 500m but just as I was about to hit lap I realised my watch had not changed time and I had accidentally hit stop. Doh.
So I hit start again and away I went for my next fast 500m. I was breathing hard but feeling ok. Nothing was hurting. I was not feeling so smooth today. Alot was on my mind and I was struggling to push it to one side and focus. Next 500m was the recovery and I knew I was going to slow but its my first one in a while so I was trying not to stress too much about it.
Last 500m and I tried hard to push for this but I was a couple of seconds slower.
first km = 5:36
500m = 3:12
500m = 2:43
500m = 3:10
500m = 2:45
total time is 17:26
Sunday, June 23, 2013
5 km Corporate Challenge
This is the last race in the Series. There are 5 in total and I have done one other. I kinda look back now I think I should have done all 5 races but that is something for next year.
I didnt fancy driving into Brisbane on Saturday for a 10km race so I opted to race in the last 5km. It was a chilly morning today. Was 11 degs when I got to the park.....yes I know that it is WAY colder back home lol....but I have finally climatised. I warmed up with Kay and Paul doing 3 laps of the track, then headed out to the start line. I did opt to take my jacket off and walk in bare arms ...it wasnt too bad once I had warmed up.
The race started and I hit out fast. I was trying a faster turn over with a shorter front stride but longer at back and gosh it felt fast. After a couple of km's I noticed that Paul's wife was jogging not far ahead of me and so I decided I would try to catch her.
It took me another km to get within 2 metres of her and just as I got close enough to touch her she switched from the road to the foot path with out noticing that I was there. LOL As we went up the stop bank she pulled away from me. It was now 1km to the finish. I was feeling great. Nothing was hurting and I still felt reasonably fresh. Again I closed the gap but as we hit the track and started on the one lap around the mondo track....she found some new speed and was off again.
We crossed the line with in seconds of each other. I had runners coming up to me after the race saying how great it was to pace off me. It was funny as I was doing the same to them.
It was a great confidence booster......I had no idea what my time would be today. It was nice to see it was faster than the last time which was 28:41 so it was a vast improvement.
Total time for 5km was 28:09 (my watch says 28:12 but my official time is the 28:09)
5km data
I didnt fancy driving into Brisbane on Saturday for a 10km race so I opted to race in the last 5km. It was a chilly morning today. Was 11 degs when I got to the park.....yes I know that it is WAY colder back home lol....but I have finally climatised. I warmed up with Kay and Paul doing 3 laps of the track, then headed out to the start line. I did opt to take my jacket off and walk in bare arms ...it wasnt too bad once I had warmed up.
The race started and I hit out fast. I was trying a faster turn over with a shorter front stride but longer at back and gosh it felt fast. After a couple of km's I noticed that Paul's wife was jogging not far ahead of me and so I decided I would try to catch her.
It took me another km to get within 2 metres of her and just as I got close enough to touch her she switched from the road to the foot path with out noticing that I was there. LOL As we went up the stop bank she pulled away from me. It was now 1km to the finish. I was feeling great. Nothing was hurting and I still felt reasonably fresh. Again I closed the gap but as we hit the track and started on the one lap around the mondo track....she found some new speed and was off again.
We crossed the line with in seconds of each other. I had runners coming up to me after the race saying how great it was to pace off me. It was funny as I was doing the same to them.
It was a great confidence booster......I had no idea what my time would be today. It was nice to see it was faster than the last time which was 28:41 so it was a vast improvement.
Total time for 5km was 28:09 (my watch says 28:12 but my official time is the 28:09)
5km data
Saturday, June 15, 2013
5km - starting to feel the benefits of the strength training
Well its week 2 and while yes I have dropped back on my mileage and speed work - I have had no pain!
I am doing strength Pilates every second day and will now try to do them every day. I am so pleased to have walked with no pain for my last few walks.
I did catch some kind of a stomach bug this week and it has made walking a tad difficult. I did go out on Thursday and walk 8km with Paul and Kay. Very slow and steady pace but there were two emergency loo stops.
Today I was starting to feel a little better. No more flying dashes to a toilet or curled up with stomach cramps. So I decided to head out and do 5km. I felt good and kept to a steady pace. I was not pushing hard and was pleased to see that after my first warm up km the rest were pretty much 6min kms.
Before I left for my walk I had changed the battery in my heart strap and when I finished and saw that my heart was 251 beats per minute ... I knew I had fritzed my strap. So I googled it when I got home and found that you are meant to wait for a minute between battery change. Well there you go.....it works now :) Yay
Total time 30.15
5km data
I am doing strength Pilates every second day and will now try to do them every day. I am so pleased to have walked with no pain for my last few walks.
I did catch some kind of a stomach bug this week and it has made walking a tad difficult. I did go out on Thursday and walk 8km with Paul and Kay. Very slow and steady pace but there were two emergency loo stops.
Today I was starting to feel a little better. No more flying dashes to a toilet or curled up with stomach cramps. So I decided to head out and do 5km. I felt good and kept to a steady pace. I was not pushing hard and was pleased to see that after my first warm up km the rest were pretty much 6min kms.
Before I left for my walk I had changed the battery in my heart strap and when I finished and saw that my heart was 251 beats per minute ... I knew I had fritzed my strap. So I googled it when I got home and found that you are meant to wait for a minute between battery change. Well there you go.....it works now :) Yay
Total time 30.15
5km data
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
5km - testing out new shoes
I finally got the chance to head out and test out my new shoes.
Adidas Adizero Feather 2 and at 5.6 oz they are my lightest shoe yet. I also fitted a half size smaller too. I had tried them on the treadmill last night at the gym I really wanted to see how they went on the road/walkway.
I started out and quickly settled into a steady pace tonight. My shoes felt good...a tad stiff but that is to be expected. After a km my left foot, second toe (which is longer than my big toe) was just rubbing a little. Enough to annoy slightly but not enough to say ouch. My hip/glute and ITB all felt good tonight but at about the one km mark that familiar knot in the centre of my hamstring was there.
I kept going at the pace I was doing as it felt ok.....if I slowed it still hurt so I just stayed as I was. I felt about 85 to 90% effort tonight. I did try to slowly pick up the pace per km. Looks like I did but nothing to dramatic.
I am pleased my heart rate seems to be settling and sits at about 169ish for most of my walks....much better than the resent 190's .... geeep As my Cairns races are only 3000m and 5000m I am not too worried about my distance work at present. I am just trying to walk pain free.
I have the Gold Coast Half Marathon coming up soon but I intend to be walking that very slowly. There is a 3 hour cut off so I am in no hurry.
Got home and had a good stretch session. Will do my pilates strength exercises soon.
Total time for 5km was 30:17
5km data
I started out and quickly settled into a steady pace tonight. My shoes felt good...a tad stiff but that is to be expected. After a km my left foot, second toe (which is longer than my big toe) was just rubbing a little. Enough to annoy slightly but not enough to say ouch. My hip/glute and ITB all felt good tonight but at about the one km mark that familiar knot in the centre of my hamstring was there.
I kept going at the pace I was doing as it felt ok.....if I slowed it still hurt so I just stayed as I was. I felt about 85 to 90% effort tonight. I did try to slowly pick up the pace per km. Looks like I did but nothing to dramatic.
I am pleased my heart rate seems to be settling and sits at about 169ish for most of my walks....much better than the resent 190's .... geeep As my Cairns races are only 3000m and 5000m I am not too worried about my distance work at present. I am just trying to walk pain free.
I have the Gold Coast Half Marathon coming up soon but I intend to be walking that very slowly. There is a 3 hour cut off so I am in no hurry.
Got home and had a good stretch session. Will do my pilates strength exercises soon.
Total time for 5km was 30:17
5km data
Sunday, June 09, 2013
4km to test the hip
I really needed to get out today. Since hearing the first news of my friend Lesley, I have not walked. I found my self lost and drifting....wrapped up in disbelief and then grief.
But, sadly.....life does still go on and I have slowly exited from my state of grief and felt that pull to walk again. With injury's that just wont heal, I have been taking it very easy and so I decided to just do 4km today.
Its a good enough distance to get a good sweat up and to keep concentration up on style.
I felt good which surprised me and I kept up a pretty good pace for all considering. The stretches and strength exercises I have been doing seem to be working. I stopped at 2km to stretch and then continued back. I felt a small discomfort on the way back in my glute but nothing to rate as pain. A vast improvement.
Total time for 4km was 24:00
4km data
But, sadly.....life does still go on and I have slowly exited from my state of grief and felt that pull to walk again. With injury's that just wont heal, I have been taking it very easy and so I decided to just do 4km today.
Its a good enough distance to get a good sweat up and to keep concentration up on style.
I felt good which surprised me and I kept up a pretty good pace for all considering. The stretches and strength exercises I have been doing seem to be working. I stopped at 2km to stretch and then continued back. I felt a small discomfort on the way back in my glute but nothing to rate as pain. A vast improvement.
Total time for 4km was 24:00
4km data
Saturday, June 08, 2013
Lesley
Wow, how do I begin this......how do I put into words the shock, numbness and denial I feel.
When I saw the first news article that you had collapsed after your race and were in critical condition on life support.....I thought someone was playing a sick prank. How could that be???? you had only a few hours earlier been private messaging me about your race. You had posted that you were nervous...and we all reassured you. Then we hear you had won and in a fantastic PB too and had even beaten the younger women on the track.....something I know you were secretly hoping to do.
How did you die and so quickly??? Papers say it was a subarachnoid haemorrhage..... I guess that is like an aneurysm....something that just happens so quick with little explanation. Which again leads to us all to be more in shock. It was just too sudden and while you were just reaching your prime and potential.
Lesley, you were a truly special person. So positive in everything you did. A wonderful mother to Brooke, partner to Tony and special friend to all who met you. I wish I could show you all the amazing messages that are pouring in from around the world....people who you didnt think even knew you. You touched everyone!!! You touched me with your compassion and your spirit. You over come so many obstacles
.....epilepsy, shin pain and remoteness to become one of NZ's top walkers.
I wish to extend my love and condolences to your family, wee Brooke and Tony. A life taken far too soon.
The world truly is a duller place with you gone.
When I saw the first news article that you had collapsed after your race and were in critical condition on life support.....I thought someone was playing a sick prank. How could that be???? you had only a few hours earlier been private messaging me about your race. You had posted that you were nervous...and we all reassured you. Then we hear you had won and in a fantastic PB too and had even beaten the younger women on the track.....something I know you were secretly hoping to do.
How did you die and so quickly??? Papers say it was a subarachnoid haemorrhage..... I guess that is like an aneurysm....something that just happens so quick with little explanation. Which again leads to us all to be more in shock. It was just too sudden and while you were just reaching your prime and potential.
Lesley, you were a truly special person. So positive in everything you did. A wonderful mother to Brooke, partner to Tony and special friend to all who met you. I wish I could show you all the amazing messages that are pouring in from around the world....people who you didnt think even knew you. You touched everyone!!! You touched me with your compassion and your spirit. You over come so many obstacles
.....epilepsy, shin pain and remoteness to become one of NZ's top walkers.
I wish to extend my love and condolences to your family, wee Brooke and Tony. A life taken far too soon.
The world truly is a duller place with you gone.
R.I.P Lesley Cantwell
1987 - 2013
A photo of the NZ team for Hobart 2012. One of my best memory's.
Monday, June 03, 2013
Gentle and easy 4km
I have made a really big decision. I have opted to stop my coaching for a couple of months. I seem to be constantly injured and with long sessions, speed work and the pressure of competitions - I feel I just cant do justice to the program given to me and feel that I am just wasting my coachs time.
So I have gone right back to basics. Back to the gym to start back on a strength program adding in some core and hip pilates to help build some strength into those supporting muscles. But more important.....I have cut back the distance and the pace. Tonight I just went out and did 4km. I had no set time in mind - tonights goal was to just walk correctly and with out any pain. I didnt care if it was at 7min/km.
I managed the 4km and it was very easy. My heart strap again has gone nuts so I think a new battery might be due. But it was very easy. I had minimal discomfort. At about 3.5km my piroformis was just starting to ache...but only just. I was going to stop and stretch but with a slight change to my posture it stopped.
I had a long stretch after and then walked back up the walkway to met up with Shane.
Total time was a very easy 26:09 for 4km
Body is feeling a little sore - but that is from they gym workout last night. Pleased with this walk.
4km walk data
So I have gone right back to basics. Back to the gym to start back on a strength program adding in some core and hip pilates to help build some strength into those supporting muscles. But more important.....I have cut back the distance and the pace. Tonight I just went out and did 4km. I had no set time in mind - tonights goal was to just walk correctly and with out any pain. I didnt care if it was at 7min/km.
I managed the 4km and it was very easy. My heart strap again has gone nuts so I think a new battery might be due. But it was very easy. I had minimal discomfort. At about 3.5km my piroformis was just starting to ache...but only just. I was going to stop and stretch but with a slight change to my posture it stopped.
I had a long stretch after and then walked back up the walkway to met up with Shane.
Total time was a very easy 26:09 for 4km
Body is feeling a little sore - but that is from they gym workout last night. Pleased with this walk.
4km walk data
Color Run - Most Happiest Event in the world
There are NO words to really express how amazing this was. So I will just let a couple of the photos do it for me.
A must do for everytime it is on!!!! I will never miss another one ever.... I wanted to go around again. It was just amazing.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
10km that became 4km
OH [insert your worst swearword here]
Its been raining on and off all day. I was not overly keen to get out and get wet ...again. My nose is back to dripping and I was just feeling a tad off colour. I sat in the car and got my watch sorted ... rummaged through my bag looking for my music to realise I had left it at home. GRR
Arrh well, time to pull on the big girl panties and just get out there. As soon as I stepped out of the car the rain stopped.......OH Yay!!! I started out along the walkway......not overly happy with only having a concret path as my training ground but its better than nothing. For the first km I was feeling good. My SI joint was a tad stiff for the first 50m or so but then it settled and I was able to stretch out. After a km I decided to try adding in the 3min burst of race pace. As soon as I pushed to power on I had an instant sharp pain in the back of my right hamstring. I continued on hoping it would settle...I tried tucking more, pulling my core tight. I even tried being more upright.....nothing helped. Infact tucking my butt hurt it more - so I thought my piroformus has spasmed and grabbed the nerve again. I pulled up just before the 3km mark and then reassessed how I was feeling. I did find that when I slowed down my hamstring didnt hurt as much but my hip would ache instead. I got to the 4km and stopped. Got in my car and called my coach. He feels that my hamstring went into a spasm and possibly tore a couple of fibres. It has not been 100% since the 20km, so a couple of days rest with ice and foam roller for me.
I look at my data and wonder what was going on with my heart?????? either the heart rate strap is faulty or my heart went coo koo for the first km.
so 4km done in 25:58 ....yep ugly time.
4km data
Its been raining on and off all day. I was not overly keen to get out and get wet ...again. My nose is back to dripping and I was just feeling a tad off colour. I sat in the car and got my watch sorted ... rummaged through my bag looking for my music to realise I had left it at home. GRR
Arrh well, time to pull on the big girl panties and just get out there. As soon as I stepped out of the car the rain stopped.......OH Yay!!! I started out along the walkway......not overly happy with only having a concret path as my training ground but its better than nothing. For the first km I was feeling good. My SI joint was a tad stiff for the first 50m or so but then it settled and I was able to stretch out. After a km I decided to try adding in the 3min burst of race pace. As soon as I pushed to power on I had an instant sharp pain in the back of my right hamstring. I continued on hoping it would settle...I tried tucking more, pulling my core tight. I even tried being more upright.....nothing helped. Infact tucking my butt hurt it more - so I thought my piroformus has spasmed and grabbed the nerve again. I pulled up just before the 3km mark and then reassessed how I was feeling. I did find that when I slowed down my hamstring didnt hurt as much but my hip would ache instead. I got to the 4km and stopped. Got in my car and called my coach. He feels that my hamstring went into a spasm and possibly tore a couple of fibres. It has not been 100% since the 20km, so a couple of days rest with ice and foam roller for me.
I look at my data and wonder what was going on with my heart?????? either the heart rate strap is faulty or my heart went coo koo for the first km.
so 4km done in 25:58 ....yep ugly time.
4km data
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Some catching up - Mozi Run and 10km training
Gosh I have been busy.
Today I had a 10km - pacing - easy with a slight push.
I suggested to Paul and Kay that rather than go up Hedges Ave where it is dark and hard underfoot that we go back and forth on the walkway. They were happy to do so and it meant that we would be passing each other randomly during the walk.
I started out with Paul and Kay jogging beside me. At just past 1km they broke into a racewalk and I pulled away from them. My hammy was still sore but nothing like Saturdays walk. It was really stormy tonight with it raining for the first 2km and gusts of wind knocking us around. By 5km my hammy stopped hurting which was good. My itb (down side of thigh) was grumbling from time to time..but didnt bother me too much. I felt like I was pushing for a good time but checking my watch at the 5km showed I was not. Hmmm odd but I carried on.
By 8km my deep inner tummy (core) was really starting to ache. I had pulled something deep inside on sunday night at the gym - doing a leg raise with the ball between my ankles. I was not strong enough in my core to do this and it showed. Any how I just continued to walk as best I could. I was just pleased my hammy didnt hurt any more.
Total time for 10km was 1:04:09 - slower than I had thought but avg heartrate was only 144 so rather low. I am thinking the wind factored into this alot and the sore core too.
10km data
Saturday was the 5km Mozi run. This was just a fun run to raise money for kids in Mozambique. Shane was going to walk and jog it. I was racwalking it and was going to try for a good fast time. The reality......with 50 kids lined up across the start line....it was not happening. The first two km were just picking my way through 5 year olds that had run flat out for 800m and were now walking. Grrrrrr
By 3km the path had cleared and I could pick up the pace. I had Paul infront of me. He got a good gap at the beginning and went for it. He remained about 50m ahead of me for the first 3km but I did start picking at the gap. I did manage to pull off a sub 30min.
Injury front - my right hammy bothered me the whole walk. Still has a good knot in it from the 20km.
Total time was 29:11
Mozi run data
Today I had a 10km - pacing - easy with a slight push.
I suggested to Paul and Kay that rather than go up Hedges Ave where it is dark and hard underfoot that we go back and forth on the walkway. They were happy to do so and it meant that we would be passing each other randomly during the walk.
I started out with Paul and Kay jogging beside me. At just past 1km they broke into a racewalk and I pulled away from them. My hammy was still sore but nothing like Saturdays walk. It was really stormy tonight with it raining for the first 2km and gusts of wind knocking us around. By 5km my hammy stopped hurting which was good. My itb (down side of thigh) was grumbling from time to time..but didnt bother me too much. I felt like I was pushing for a good time but checking my watch at the 5km showed I was not. Hmmm odd but I carried on.
By 8km my deep inner tummy (core) was really starting to ache. I had pulled something deep inside on sunday night at the gym - doing a leg raise with the ball between my ankles. I was not strong enough in my core to do this and it showed. Any how I just continued to walk as best I could. I was just pleased my hammy didnt hurt any more.
Total time for 10km was 1:04:09 - slower than I had thought but avg heartrate was only 144 so rather low. I am thinking the wind factored into this alot and the sore core too.
10km data
Saturday was the 5km Mozi run. This was just a fun run to raise money for kids in Mozambique. Shane was going to walk and jog it. I was racwalking it and was going to try for a good fast time. The reality......with 50 kids lined up across the start line....it was not happening. The first two km were just picking my way through 5 year olds that had run flat out for 800m and were now walking. Grrrrrr
By 3km the path had cleared and I could pick up the pace. I had Paul infront of me. He got a good gap at the beginning and went for it. He remained about 50m ahead of me for the first 3km but I did start picking at the gap. I did manage to pull off a sub 30min.
Injury front - my right hammy bothered me the whole walk. Still has a good knot in it from the 20km.
Total time was 29:11
Mozi run data
Thursday, May 23, 2013
10km with 3 x 3min bursts
I have been feeling off for the last couple of days, but more so today. Twice I nearly went home from work but as I knew I was still going to try and do my walk tonight.....I stayed. I am not feeling off enough to say that I am sick but I do feel miserable. Head ache, nausea body aches, hot/cold sweats, slight sore throat, slight drippy nose and just lethargic. If I wake like it tomorrow I think I will just stay home and sleep.
I was to do 10km today with 3 bursts of race pace but to be honest I was not feeling able to do any bursts of speed. I started out and my right hammy was tight and sore which in turn pulled on my piroformus/glute. My first km was pretty slow as I was trying to ease into the walk and not put too much stress on my hamstring. I was hoping it would ease and then I would be able to stretch out more.
I managed a burst at 3km (not that you can tell in my splits) as I reached the start of the walkway to complete 4 km I passed Shane as he had come down to walk and just be out on the path way for me. I turned and zipped past him. I was feeling really drained and was struggling to find any speed at all. I was feeling lightheaded and queasy and did considered stopping at 8km. I kept going on the hope I would feel better. I managed another burst at 7km and again passed Shane as he had turned and was heading back up the walkway. I hit the top for 8km turned and walked back to the 1km mark passing him again. It was so nice to have him out there as its dark and I still dont feel so comfortable being alone on the walkway.
Finally my hamstring has stopped hurting, so I pushed for another burst of speed. I finished the 10km and went back to met up with Shane. Total time was 1:02:43
I have a 5km race on Saturday but I may end up walking with Shane so I will do a 5km speed session in the morning to make up for it.
10km data
I was to do 10km today with 3 bursts of race pace but to be honest I was not feeling able to do any bursts of speed. I started out and my right hammy was tight and sore which in turn pulled on my piroformus/glute. My first km was pretty slow as I was trying to ease into the walk and not put too much stress on my hamstring. I was hoping it would ease and then I would be able to stretch out more.
I managed a burst at 3km (not that you can tell in my splits) as I reached the start of the walkway to complete 4 km I passed Shane as he had come down to walk and just be out on the path way for me. I turned and zipped past him. I was feeling really drained and was struggling to find any speed at all. I was feeling lightheaded and queasy and did considered stopping at 8km. I kept going on the hope I would feel better. I managed another burst at 7km and again passed Shane as he had turned and was heading back up the walkway. I hit the top for 8km turned and walked back to the 1km mark passing him again. It was so nice to have him out there as its dark and I still dont feel so comfortable being alone on the walkway.
Finally my hamstring has stopped hurting, so I pushed for another burst of speed. I finished the 10km and went back to met up with Shane. Total time was 1:02:43
I have a 5km race on Saturday but I may end up walking with Shane so I will do a 5km speed session in the morning to make up for it.
10km data
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
10km Recovery walk - No watch
My legs did feel better today. My right hamstring is still very tight but over the day it did start to feel a little better.
I met up with Kay and Paul at the start of the Broadbeach walkway. They were doing 10km and my coach had said to walk with them for the recovery. I realised I had forgotten my GPS watch but I was not too worried about it. We started out and for the first km my right hamstring was really hurting and I was starting to think I was going to have to turn back....but it did warm up and start to feel ok.
We headed up along Hedges Ave....its dark and has a terrible camber. It doesnt seem to effect me too much going slowly but as soon as I start gearing up my pace I will need to find another route.
It was a great walk, with us all chatting away and then meeting up with Robyn on the way back. Paul and Kay are training for the LGB in Canberra but I have opted not to go to this race. I will instead head to Cairns in August for the 1st Great Barrier Reef Masters Games. I am really looking forward to this trip as I will get to have a look around. Last time I was in Cairns I was focused on my kids and grandkids so this trip will be a look around and site see while competing.
Total time for our 10km walk was 1:13 and I am more than happy with that.
I met up with Kay and Paul at the start of the Broadbeach walkway. They were doing 10km and my coach had said to walk with them for the recovery. I realised I had forgotten my GPS watch but I was not too worried about it. We started out and for the first km my right hamstring was really hurting and I was starting to think I was going to have to turn back....but it did warm up and start to feel ok.
We headed up along Hedges Ave....its dark and has a terrible camber. It doesnt seem to effect me too much going slowly but as soon as I start gearing up my pace I will need to find another route.
It was a great walk, with us all chatting away and then meeting up with Robyn on the way back. Paul and Kay are training for the LGB in Canberra but I have opted not to go to this race. I will instead head to Cairns in August for the 1st Great Barrier Reef Masters Games. I am really looking forward to this trip as I will get to have a look around. Last time I was in Cairns I was focused on my kids and grandkids so this trip will be a look around and site see while competing.
Total time for our 10km walk was 1:13 and I am more than happy with that.
Monday, May 20, 2013
QUEENSLAND 20KM/30KM ROAD WALKING CHAMPIONSHIPS
I was so nervous about this race. I had very little distance training....infact almost NONE. It has been almost 18 months since I last walked 20km. I am still recovering from hip/glute injuries that keep reoccurring. But in a moment of madness I decided to go for it...what the hell - training pace - ok!
I had to get up at 4.30am and drive into Brisbane. That is seriously STUPID O'CLOCK!!! but I did it and go there an hour too early....sigh. So I tucked up in the car and dozed a little.
I warmed up briefly with Donna. I was planning on using the first couple of km in the race as my warm up and then go from there...but as I walked I was concerned at how much my hip was hurting. I stopped to vox my coach who thankfully didn't reply. Before I could dwell too much on it we had lined up and they started us. There were 6 of us - Myself, Donna, Noela and Jessica doing the 20km and Peter and Nick doing the 30km. I set off and just settled into a pace that felt nice and easy. I was aiming for smooth style, little effort and good form. The course is not an easy course with two 10m up and downs just 200m apart. After 10 of them they feel like mountains.....by 20 they were almost crawl able.
I was surprised to see my first km was 5:54 I didnt feel like I was trying to go any faster than I should and I took check of myself again. Yes I was aching but it was remaining at a 2/10 and I could push that to the back of my mind. So far nothing else was hurting and I was not breathing hard so I kept going. I had already decided that 2:10 was a FANTASTIC time to aim for. My coach had said 2:04 or 2:05 and I kinda chuckled at that as I didnt feel I had that in me at all. But as I was ticking through the kms and starting adding up the time I had in the "bank", I started thinking 2:05 was achievable.
I went through 5km in 30:13, 10km in 1:01:04, 15km in 1:32:22
at 16km I was hurting. My hip was up to a 3/10, my right hamstring was the same and the lower hamstrings above my knees were just starting to sing....... 4 km to go, I have to do this. I got my one yellow warning just as I crested the top of the rise (stupid place for a judge to stand....but never the less) so I tried to stand tall and make sure I was tight in my style. I was really thrilled to have encouragement called out from the invitational walkers that had entered the 5km, 3km , 2km and 1km. I was told that I looked comfortable and strong ( I sure didnt feel it) It was nice to be walking back and forth with the other walkers - with each of us calling support to each other as the race was starting to take its toll on us. Peter was walking an incredibly fast pace and it was awe inspiring to see. Nick succumbed at 14km and stopped - I think he was just walking with us to see how far he could get and he sure held a blistering pace while he was out there.
Coming down on my last km never felt so good......passing Peter and giving each other a high five as we passed was awesome. I crawled up that damn 10m rise and pushed hard for the last 100m to cross the finish..................I dared not stop walking for fear I would not be able to move again....so I kept slowly walking up and down the grass until I felt I could stop and stretch. It was then I looked at my watch and saw my finish time.....Holy Smokes...where did that come from. 2:03:31
I drove home and we walked down the beach for me to soak my legs but the water was too warm and the waves to strong to brace against so we came back to the complex and I stood in the pool as it was much colder. Later that day Shane and I went for a 5km walk so he could have a walk too and I struggled to keep up with him....my SI joint was sore and stiff now and my hamstrings were getting tighter and tighter. Later that night we drove into surfers and had dinner at an Irish bar and then walked along the night markets........I was nearly asleep on my feet so we came home and I just crashed. Next day my legs are tight and sore, but the good news is my hip feels fine :) so shane and I walked the 5km again tonight and it felt better.....just sore hamstrings.
I had to get up at 4.30am and drive into Brisbane. That is seriously STUPID O'CLOCK!!! but I did it and go there an hour too early....sigh. So I tucked up in the car and dozed a little.
I warmed up briefly with Donna. I was planning on using the first couple of km in the race as my warm up and then go from there...but as I walked I was concerned at how much my hip was hurting. I stopped to vox my coach who thankfully didn't reply. Before I could dwell too much on it we had lined up and they started us. There were 6 of us - Myself, Donna, Noela and Jessica doing the 20km and Peter and Nick doing the 30km. I set off and just settled into a pace that felt nice and easy. I was aiming for smooth style, little effort and good form. The course is not an easy course with two 10m up and downs just 200m apart. After 10 of them they feel like mountains.....by 20 they were almost crawl able.
I was surprised to see my first km was 5:54 I didnt feel like I was trying to go any faster than I should and I took check of myself again. Yes I was aching but it was remaining at a 2/10 and I could push that to the back of my mind. So far nothing else was hurting and I was not breathing hard so I kept going. I had already decided that 2:10 was a FANTASTIC time to aim for. My coach had said 2:04 or 2:05 and I kinda chuckled at that as I didnt feel I had that in me at all. But as I was ticking through the kms and starting adding up the time I had in the "bank", I started thinking 2:05 was achievable.
I went through 5km in 30:13, 10km in 1:01:04, 15km in 1:32:22
at 16km I was hurting. My hip was up to a 3/10, my right hamstring was the same and the lower hamstrings above my knees were just starting to sing....... 4 km to go, I have to do this. I got my one yellow warning just as I crested the top of the rise (stupid place for a judge to stand....but never the less) so I tried to stand tall and make sure I was tight in my style. I was really thrilled to have encouragement called out from the invitational walkers that had entered the 5km, 3km , 2km and 1km. I was told that I looked comfortable and strong ( I sure didnt feel it) It was nice to be walking back and forth with the other walkers - with each of us calling support to each other as the race was starting to take its toll on us. Peter was walking an incredibly fast pace and it was awe inspiring to see. Nick succumbed at 14km and stopped - I think he was just walking with us to see how far he could get and he sure held a blistering pace while he was out there.
Coming down on my last km never felt so good......passing Peter and giving each other a high five as we passed was awesome. I crawled up that damn 10m rise and pushed hard for the last 100m to cross the finish..................I dared not stop walking for fear I would not be able to move again....so I kept slowly walking up and down the grass until I felt I could stop and stretch. It was then I looked at my watch and saw my finish time.....Holy Smokes...where did that come from. 2:03:31
I drove home and we walked down the beach for me to soak my legs but the water was too warm and the waves to strong to brace against so we came back to the complex and I stood in the pool as it was much colder. Later that day Shane and I went for a 5km walk so he could have a walk too and I struggled to keep up with him....my SI joint was sore and stiff now and my hamstrings were getting tighter and tighter. Later that night we drove into surfers and had dinner at an Irish bar and then walked along the night markets........I was nearly asleep on my feet so we came home and I just crashed. Next day my legs are tight and sore, but the good news is my hip feels fine :) so shane and I walked the 5km again tonight and it felt better.....just sore hamstrings.
QUEENSLAND20KM/30KMROAD WALKING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Murarrie SportsReserve
-
19May 2013(Hosted by Racewalking Queensland)CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS
Open Men 30km
Name Club Time
Peter Bennett Mayne Harrier 2:52.08
Nick Dewar Racewalking Queensland 1:08.07 (14km)
Open Women 20km
Nyle Sunderland Gold Coast Victory 2:03:34
Donna Beikoff 2:27.55
Noela McKinven Racewalking Queensland 2:41.07
Jessica Wright Jimboomba 2:44.50
Thursday, May 16, 2013
12km along the walkway
My legs were feeling fresh....but that was all. I had been feeling sick all day with nausea, sweats and terrible stomach cramps. I was really unsure if I was going to be able to walk at all.
I got to the walk way and started out. Instantly I was having great trouble and at 250m I stopped and quickly shot over to the toilet. I started out again and just had no power, but the fact that I was unable to hold my stomach tight meant I was unable to engage my core. I kept going hoping that it would improve. I got to 3km and while things were no better, they were no worse. I wore a head light tonight but I had it hanging around my neck. I knew it was going to be pitch black soon. I was having some sharp twinges in my knee tonight. The camber on the road is really starting to get to me. I got to 4km and noticed a bike just sitting behind me and so I moved over thinking I was in their way and was really thrilled to see it was Shane. He had come out to make sure I was safe.
We got to 6km and turned back. My stomach was starting to settle and I was able to hold my stomach taught which gave me a little more power. My legs remained feeling good and I felt very good at the pace I was going. It was steady but easy. A runner had past me at 7km and I noticed that she was not really pulling away from me so I decided I would try to catch her. I caught and passed her at 10km :) and bugger me she huffed away and crossed the road to take a side street away from us.....I giggled to myself and slowed a little. I was starting to feel my butt and tfl (side hip) ... it was about a 2 on the pain scale. Not huge but I could feel it. I was still getting the odd pain in my knee and I could feel my piroformus/SI joint starting to get tight.
I have a 20km race/training walk on Sunday and my coach has said I can do it as long as I can walk tonight pain free.................I am hoping he says I can still do the race as I have entered it already. My goal will be to walk it in about 2:10....that will be a very slow time for me to record but I have to start back somewhere.
Total time for tonight's 12km is 1:17:29 for an avg of 6:27 per km
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
10km VERY easy on the walkway
Tonight I got to walk with Kay and Paul. I was so happy with this that I didnt care how long it would take to do the 10km. I got to have company!!!
It got dark pretty quickly and so having the others with me helped keep us safe. I wore my new clip on USB Light and I clipped it on my shoulder strap. The others thought it was a great idea ... kept us visual but I think from now on I will wear the headlight that also has a flashing red light to the back as it was pitch black.
The walk itself went really well. I had woken today with an extremely sore back and I have no idea why. I had done nothing yesterday other than alot of walking back and forth to my car in the rain in small heels as I mucked around at the courthouse for work. Perhaps that was enough....but the disc in the small of my back just THROBBED all night and all morning. I even took anti flam this morning. But thankfully by 4pm it had eased and I was able to walk just fine with no pain at all.
We all just cruised along at a pace we all could walk easy. We chatted away and caught up over the last two weeks. Nothing hurt at all and I just really enjoyed ticking along. Thursday I will try for 12km on my own.
It was very easy in a total time of 1:13 with avg heart rate of 115 :)
10 km data
It got dark pretty quickly and so having the others with me helped keep us safe. I wore my new clip on USB Light and I clipped it on my shoulder strap. The others thought it was a great idea ... kept us visual but I think from now on I will wear the headlight that also has a flashing red light to the back as it was pitch black.
The walk itself went really well. I had woken today with an extremely sore back and I have no idea why. I had done nothing yesterday other than alot of walking back and forth to my car in the rain in small heels as I mucked around at the courthouse for work. Perhaps that was enough....but the disc in the small of my back just THROBBED all night and all morning. I even took anti flam this morning. But thankfully by 4pm it had eased and I was able to walk just fine with no pain at all.
We all just cruised along at a pace we all could walk easy. We chatted away and caught up over the last two weeks. Nothing hurt at all and I just really enjoyed ticking along. Thursday I will try for 12km on my own.
It was very easy in a total time of 1:13 with avg heart rate of 115 :)
10 km data
Sunday, May 12, 2013
8km to test my hip
It was meant to be 10km today - but mentally I was not ready to jump from 5km to 10km. So I decided I would do 8km....besides if I felt great when I was finished the 8km I could always turn back and do the extra 2km. Turns out I made the right call.
Shane came with me today on the bike and it was so good to have him buzzing around me. It had been drizzling before we headed out so I wore my new light jacket but after a km I took it off and let Shane carry it. It had come out nice and sunny. I had started out at a pace I felt was easy and while I felt slow I was surprised to see that I was 3:05 for my first 500m. Well I will just stick to this and see how we go.
I was so pleased to feel NO pain. A very slight stiffness to the SI joint but overall I was feeling good. My hip felt weak still but I couldnt feel it. No ache so another good thing. As I was walking I kept tossing up whether I should carry on for 5km but in the back of my mind I kept thinking that if I start to hurt thats further to make it home. So at 4km I turned and headed back.
I got Shane to give my form a once over and he thought I was looking good. I passed through 5km and was still feeling ok. My legs felt fresh and I was still holding the pace ok. I was not breathing hard and just enjoying the walk. But as I went through 6km my hip started to ache. I slowed up as I had noted I was picking up the pace alittle. I took the 6km to access my style and make sure I was tucking and extending my stride. The ache settled to the point it nearly went away...it felt like the tail edge of a bruise. So as I hit the 8km I stopped. My hip had settled but I decided to end on a good note and not push it.
total time was 49:22
When we got home I asked shane to pop down with the camera and take a short video. So we down to the basement where we park our cars and I just did the length of the basement. I think I look ok....but will wait to hear what my coach has to say.
link to video of style
8km data
Shane came with me today on the bike and it was so good to have him buzzing around me. It had been drizzling before we headed out so I wore my new light jacket but after a km I took it off and let Shane carry it. It had come out nice and sunny. I had started out at a pace I felt was easy and while I felt slow I was surprised to see that I was 3:05 for my first 500m. Well I will just stick to this and see how we go.
I was so pleased to feel NO pain. A very slight stiffness to the SI joint but overall I was feeling good. My hip felt weak still but I couldnt feel it. No ache so another good thing. As I was walking I kept tossing up whether I should carry on for 5km but in the back of my mind I kept thinking that if I start to hurt thats further to make it home. So at 4km I turned and headed back.
I got Shane to give my form a once over and he thought I was looking good. I passed through 5km and was still feeling ok. My legs felt fresh and I was still holding the pace ok. I was not breathing hard and just enjoying the walk. But as I went through 6km my hip started to ache. I slowed up as I had noted I was picking up the pace alittle. I took the 6km to access my style and make sure I was tucking and extending my stride. The ache settled to the point it nearly went away...it felt like the tail edge of a bruise. So as I hit the 8km I stopped. My hip had settled but I decided to end on a good note and not push it.
total time was 49:22
When we got home I asked shane to pop down with the camera and take a short video. So we down to the basement where we park our cars and I just did the length of the basement. I think I look ok....but will wait to hear what my coach has to say.
link to video of style
8km data
Friday, May 10, 2013
5km along the walkway
Today seems to be my "DOH" day.
First "DOH" was I did exercises that Jim had given me this morning but I was meant to wait a day in between until I am used to them. So needless to say my Left SI joint grumbled all day and both glutes!
Second "DOH" was as I always finish early on a Friday I often get busy and forget to stop to eat. Today I forgot to order lunch full stop and by the time I realised I only had 20 mins til I was finished. So it meant walking with ZERO fuel in the tank.
Third "DOH" I decided to wear my Nike's that I had won in NZ. They are very lite and I couldnt remember why I dont wear them for training in. So I put my inserts in and they felt nice and comfy. At 4km during my walk I now know why I dont wear them...the back on the right shoe ate my heel and I have a lovely blister there.
The walk itself.........well it was pretty meh! Jim said take it easy and so I tried to ... I did...I actually felt dead on my feet and very sluggish while I was walking. I was trying hard to rotate the hip back and drop my knee to get good movement. But my shins hurt, my feet felt like they were slapping the pavement and for the first km the centre of my back really HURT!!!! ..... grumble grumble grumble BUT the good thing...my hip didnt really bother me much at all. A very dull ache and my piroformus also behaved.
I must admit that I am my own worst enemy. I am so competitive and its likely to be the ruin of me. I am totally ecstatic for my friend Tammy, she is getting through her injury now and quickly gaining fitness and speed again........and I dont want to be left behind again. LOL I watch her blog and now that she is getting faster I tuck her times away in my head and then while out walking I check myself off at different markers......its all in fun and Tammy is very aware I so this and I think she is similar too. We just loved racing each other in Sacramento and we know it will be a similar race again. But never of us wants to be the one struggling and getting left behind :) I do love how we both encourage each other and pick each other up when needed.......and we both know that we are also each our biggest supporters!!! I am the one cheering and yahoooing when she wins a race or gets a super speedy time and she for me. Its just a pain that we are a world apart and at opposite ends of the time zone too.
so today I did my 5km along the walkway in 30:35
5km walk data
First "DOH" was I did exercises that Jim had given me this morning but I was meant to wait a day in between until I am used to them. So needless to say my Left SI joint grumbled all day and both glutes!
Second "DOH" was as I always finish early on a Friday I often get busy and forget to stop to eat. Today I forgot to order lunch full stop and by the time I realised I only had 20 mins til I was finished. So it meant walking with ZERO fuel in the tank.
Third "DOH" I decided to wear my Nike's that I had won in NZ. They are very lite and I couldnt remember why I dont wear them for training in. So I put my inserts in and they felt nice and comfy. At 4km during my walk I now know why I dont wear them...the back on the right shoe ate my heel and I have a lovely blister there.
The walk itself.........well it was pretty meh! Jim said take it easy and so I tried to ... I did...I actually felt dead on my feet and very sluggish while I was walking. I was trying hard to rotate the hip back and drop my knee to get good movement. But my shins hurt, my feet felt like they were slapping the pavement and for the first km the centre of my back really HURT!!!! ..... grumble grumble grumble BUT the good thing...my hip didnt really bother me much at all. A very dull ache and my piroformus also behaved.
I must admit that I am my own worst enemy. I am so competitive and its likely to be the ruin of me. I am totally ecstatic for my friend Tammy, she is getting through her injury now and quickly gaining fitness and speed again........and I dont want to be left behind again. LOL I watch her blog and now that she is getting faster I tuck her times away in my head and then while out walking I check myself off at different markers......its all in fun and Tammy is very aware I so this and I think she is similar too. We just loved racing each other in Sacramento and we know it will be a similar race again. But never of us wants to be the one struggling and getting left behind :) I do love how we both encourage each other and pick each other up when needed.......and we both know that we are also each our biggest supporters!!! I am the one cheering and yahoooing when she wins a race or gets a super speedy time and she for me. Its just a pain that we are a world apart and at opposite ends of the time zone too.
so today I did my 5km along the walkway in 30:35
5km walk data
Tuesday, May 07, 2013
4km to test the hip
Its pouring down .... sigh....Why tonight of all nights.
Well I am just going to head out and do 4km along the walkway. I am just going to pick an easy pace and see how my hip holds up. I have already decided that if the pain goes up to 3/10 then I will stop.
I walked the 800m to the walkway and then gently started out. First thing I notice is my hip is a dull ache so 1/10 on the pain scale (thanks to Tammy for this way of recording it) .... but my hip felt weak ... that's the only way I can describe it. I knew that I would not be able to push on it just yet.
By now I am drenched. I am wearing my new long sleeve pink wind top with the light on the sleeve. Its dark now so I make use of the flashing light and found it to be fantastic. (no good for finding my way but great for warning others I am there)
At the 3km mark my hip started to ache more. Like a lite bruise .. so pain had increased to a 2/10 and it remained that for the rest of the walk. Time for the 4km was 25:05 so an avg of 6:16 per km.
I made sure I stretched and then iced my hip when I got home.
Two hours later and its back to a 1/10. So not painful but I can still feel discomfort in my hip.
Monday, May 06, 2013
3 days rest and a diagnosis
I made an emergency appointment with the Chiropractor on Friday. I was in way too much pain in my hip for it to be just referred pain. My coach kept saying it was my back out and referring the pain but I felt like it was more than that.
Well would appear that both my coach and I are correct.
Yes my back was out
and my SI Joint locked tight again....but I also have the starting of
Trochanteric Bursitis with a mix of Prioformus syndrome.
What is Trochanteric Bursitis?
On the outside of the hip joint there are a number of bursae (small fluid-filled sacs)Their function is to provide cushioning in the spaces between the muscles, tendons and bones and to allow tendons to glide over bony prominences without friction when they move.
WHAT CAUSES IT? Repetitive strain and mechanical trauma (more common), such as with abnormal patterns of walking / standing, poor pelvic stability (weak buttock muscles) or tight iliotibial band (outer thigh structures). Of which I have all of the above...I have had ITB problems for over a year and weak butt.....so I guess it was bound to happen.
TREATMENT?
Rest and ice. Anti inflammatory tablets to help keep inflammation down and stretching my ITB out. Plus work on a strength exercise for the butt and hip.
But it is something I need to be very aware of and not amp up my distances too quickly.
It is now day 3 of rest and Jim has given me one more day to be sure. It has taken 2 days to settle and today it feels like a bruise and I can move my right leg now with out pain. Which is great. Tomorrow I will try a small 4km walk and see how it goes. I have to be very careful as full on bursa pain can take months to heal...............and I am very lucky I caught it in the early stages.
Well would appear that both my coach and I are correct.
 |
What is Trochanteric Bursitis?
On the outside of the hip joint there are a number of bursae (small fluid-filled sacs)Their function is to provide cushioning in the spaces between the muscles, tendons and bones and to allow tendons to glide over bony prominences without friction when they move.
WHAT CAUSES IT? Repetitive strain and mechanical trauma (more common), such as with abnormal patterns of walking / standing, poor pelvic stability (weak buttock muscles) or tight iliotibial band (outer thigh structures). Of which I have all of the above...I have had ITB problems for over a year and weak butt.....so I guess it was bound to happen.
TREATMENT?
Rest and ice. Anti inflammatory tablets to help keep inflammation down and stretching my ITB out. Plus work on a strength exercise for the butt and hip.
But it is something I need to be very aware of and not amp up my distances too quickly.
It is now day 3 of rest and Jim has given me one more day to be sure. It has taken 2 days to settle and today it feels like a bruise and I can move my right leg now with out pain. Which is great. Tomorrow I will try a small 4km walk and see how it goes. I have to be very careful as full on bursa pain can take months to heal...............and I am very lucky I caught it in the early stages.
Thursday, May 02, 2013
an ugly 6km fartlek
My piroformus hurts......AGAIN......it has not stopped hurting in days. I am not keen for the 6km speed session tonight. Its stormy and very windy, which is not making me very keen to go out.
I decided to try and do some gentle stretches and to active my glute med....but this really only aggravated my piroformus. I started out into the head wind and for the first 50m nearly stopped and threw the whole walk in. My piroformus hurt....LOTS but it did come right and settled down to an annoying ache about 3/10 but it makes my whole right hip feel weak.
I hoped that when I turned at the 2km point with the wind behind me it would make the workout easier.......it didnt. I feel like someone slipped a 5kg weight on my back, I felt so heavy and sluggish. On the way back up the walkway I started thinking about all kinds of depressing things. Like quitting walking or keep walking but stop racing. I am thinking that I will stop the speed sessions for a wee while....each time I try to power on it hurt and I had NO power...I had nothing to give. I feel like the 15km totally wreaked me, and now I am considering doing a 20km race in 3 weeks (only because my coach has it on my program and the club road champs happen to be the week earlier) But now I am not so sure.
I know that if I did throw the towel in and quit.......that I would end up getting all antsy again and have to go through this all over again. I am just so over feeling sore all the time.
1st 3.03 + 3.05
2nd 3.10 + 3.01
3rd 3.14 + 3.02
4th 3.13 + 2.56
5th 3.15 + 3.01
6th 3.16 + 2.54
total time 37.16 - avg heartrate 138
6km fartlek data
I decided to try and do some gentle stretches and to active my glute med....but this really only aggravated my piroformus. I started out into the head wind and for the first 50m nearly stopped and threw the whole walk in. My piroformus hurt....LOTS but it did come right and settled down to an annoying ache about 3/10 but it makes my whole right hip feel weak.
I hoped that when I turned at the 2km point with the wind behind me it would make the workout easier.......it didnt. I feel like someone slipped a 5kg weight on my back, I felt so heavy and sluggish. On the way back up the walkway I started thinking about all kinds of depressing things. Like quitting walking or keep walking but stop racing. I am thinking that I will stop the speed sessions for a wee while....each time I try to power on it hurt and I had NO power...I had nothing to give. I feel like the 15km totally wreaked me, and now I am considering doing a 20km race in 3 weeks (only because my coach has it on my program and the club road champs happen to be the week earlier) But now I am not so sure.
I know that if I did throw the towel in and quit.......that I would end up getting all antsy again and have to go through this all over again. I am just so over feeling sore all the time.
1st 3.03 + 3.05
2nd 3.10 + 3.01
3rd 3.14 + 3.02
4th 3.13 + 2.56
5th 3.15 + 3.01
6th 3.16 + 2.54
total time 37.16 - avg heartrate 138
6km fartlek data
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
10km Kickdown along the walkway
I was nervous about this one. My hip has been bothering me since my 15km. Pain level about 4/10
I tried to pin point exactly where it was hurting...but it felt like the whole hip. The TFL, ITB, my hammy, right knee, right ankle and burning pain down in my foot again.
I had decided to start easy so I figured I can walk with my friends for the first 2.5km but that turned out to not work out right. I started out but needed to stop for a quick toilet stop so the others walked ahead and it took me a good 300m to catch back up again - which put my first km way to fast and then the others were walking easy so the next km way too slow. I saw my watch tick over to 2.5km and said my good byes and away I went. But by 4km I was hurting. My hip/piroformus was hurting and my hammy was really biting. But the time I hit the 5km turn I was having trouble controlling my right leg. I stopped at 5km and backed up to the edge of a park bench and rolled my piroformus out on it.
I started out again and did feel better after the stretching but my body was pretty much done. I had little to give and it was all I could do to try to maintain the pace I was on. Would I be able to step it up for my last kick down.....I seriously doubted it but didnt mean I wasnt going to try. While I felt that I had pushed harder I dont think it showed the drop I was hoping for. All in all it was a pretty ugly workout.
2.5 km 16.51
2.5 km 16.31
2.5 km 16.21
2.5 km 15.15
Total time 1:04:58
10km data
Next day - I can bearly walk. My right leg feels almost numb. Every muscle and tendon in my hip just aches. I cant push up on my right leg or step sideways to my right leg. I am really unsure how long this is going to take to come right. Pain level today would be 5/10 Tomorrow I have a 6km fartlek...I can just hope that my hip will hold out ok to a speed session.
I tried to pin point exactly where it was hurting...but it felt like the whole hip. The TFL, ITB, my hammy, right knee, right ankle and burning pain down in my foot again.
I had decided to start easy so I figured I can walk with my friends for the first 2.5km but that turned out to not work out right. I started out but needed to stop for a quick toilet stop so the others walked ahead and it took me a good 300m to catch back up again - which put my first km way to fast and then the others were walking easy so the next km way too slow. I saw my watch tick over to 2.5km and said my good byes and away I went. But by 4km I was hurting. My hip/piroformus was hurting and my hammy was really biting. But the time I hit the 5km turn I was having trouble controlling my right leg. I stopped at 5km and backed up to the edge of a park bench and rolled my piroformus out on it.
I started out again and did feel better after the stretching but my body was pretty much done. I had little to give and it was all I could do to try to maintain the pace I was on. Would I be able to step it up for my last kick down.....I seriously doubted it but didnt mean I wasnt going to try. While I felt that I had pushed harder I dont think it showed the drop I was hoping for. All in all it was a pretty ugly workout.
2.5 km 16.51
2.5 km 16.31
2.5 km 16.21
2.5 km 15.15
Total time 1:04:58
10km data
Next day - I can bearly walk. My right leg feels almost numb. Every muscle and tendon in my hip just aches. I cant push up on my right leg or step sideways to my right leg. I am really unsure how long this is going to take to come right. Pain level today would be 5/10 Tomorrow I have a 6km fartlek...I can just hope that my hip will hold out ok to a speed session.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
15km along the walkway on a hot morning.
I opted out of the 10km race today as we didnt get home until 1am from the Bryan Adams concert. I knew I would not be able to drag myself out of bed at 5.30am.
My training prog starts today so my option was to do the 15km. I was really freaked out by this distance. I used to love the long walks but now....they hurt! They hurt mentally and physically, I know its only temporary but its hard to push past that. I look at how fast I used to be and get so cross at myself for letting it go...but I also know that I needed the break as I was really starting to burn out.
Tammy and David were also doing 15km today (in their own corners of the world) We have all either f/b or voxed each other to boost our confidences. Each of us struggling with our own minds and bodies. As I had said to them both....forget the time just get one foot in front of the other and get the distance done. So I too had to take my own advise.
I started out at 9am (made sure I had a good strong sweet coffee for energy) I went down the walkway for 2.5km and turned back to do that part again. I passed Shane and Kelly in this 5km stretch. Then I turned back and now only had 10km to go. Now I headed up the walkway and onto the one way road. I stopped to get water at the last fountain and found it was broken. Drat NO water! .... I continued up to the surf club about 800m up the road and spotted a playground over by the beach. I stopped my watch and went over to see if there was any water....YES....man I needed that drink. I was really feeling the effects today and was already light headed and had a horrid feeling across my sinus's. I continued on up and was still feeling ok. I was not pushing hard and just turning my legs over. I was pleasantly surprised to see how good my times were but I was not going to get too excited as I still had that last 5km a head of me.
I turned back up on the next beach but I miscalculated (I can never do math while out walking...my brain just goes to mush) I should have walked another 500 m but never to mind ... it did throw me for while but I figured that I would just have to turn back at the end and make up the extra there. I did stop at this point for another drink and this time I stepped under the shower. I was hot .. way too hot. My watch says it was 24 deg but it was more like 26 - 28 degs. The water helped lots and I carried on. My legs were feeling dead now and I was starting to struggle.
So I thought about Tammy and David and figured that if they can be out there doing it so to can I. I picked up the pace a little. I was pleased that I had no major aches or pains for most of the walk. Lower back started to grumble in the last 3km. My major discomfort had nothing to do with my body as such. I was having a wardrobe malfunction and the chaffing was getting sorer and sorer. I did manage to block that out for most of the walk. (I sung like a sailor when I got in the shower though)
I made it back to the main beach front and saw that I needed to turn back for 750m .... sigh....so back I turned. I was so close to finishing but by now my body was tired. Tummy was tired and legs were heavy and tired. I dodged some kiddies zipping about on bikes and guys walking along with surf boards under their arms. Mothers pushing prams and dog walkers all blocking the path....the sea was flat and serene...no wonder it was getting busy.
I was so happy to stop my watch and absolutely thrilled to see the time. 1:32:54
15 data here
My training prog starts today so my option was to do the 15km. I was really freaked out by this distance. I used to love the long walks but now....they hurt! They hurt mentally and physically, I know its only temporary but its hard to push past that. I look at how fast I used to be and get so cross at myself for letting it go...but I also know that I needed the break as I was really starting to burn out.
Tammy and David were also doing 15km today (in their own corners of the world) We have all either f/b or voxed each other to boost our confidences. Each of us struggling with our own minds and bodies. As I had said to them both....forget the time just get one foot in front of the other and get the distance done. So I too had to take my own advise.
I started out at 9am (made sure I had a good strong sweet coffee for energy) I went down the walkway for 2.5km and turned back to do that part again. I passed Shane and Kelly in this 5km stretch. Then I turned back and now only had 10km to go. Now I headed up the walkway and onto the one way road. I stopped to get water at the last fountain and found it was broken. Drat NO water! .... I continued up to the surf club about 800m up the road and spotted a playground over by the beach. I stopped my watch and went over to see if there was any water....YES....man I needed that drink. I was really feeling the effects today and was already light headed and had a horrid feeling across my sinus's. I continued on up and was still feeling ok. I was not pushing hard and just turning my legs over. I was pleasantly surprised to see how good my times were but I was not going to get too excited as I still had that last 5km a head of me.
I turned back up on the next beach but I miscalculated (I can never do math while out walking...my brain just goes to mush) I should have walked another 500 m but never to mind ... it did throw me for while but I figured that I would just have to turn back at the end and make up the extra there. I did stop at this point for another drink and this time I stepped under the shower. I was hot .. way too hot. My watch says it was 24 deg but it was more like 26 - 28 degs. The water helped lots and I carried on. My legs were feeling dead now and I was starting to struggle.
So I thought about Tammy and David and figured that if they can be out there doing it so to can I. I picked up the pace a little. I was pleased that I had no major aches or pains for most of the walk. Lower back started to grumble in the last 3km. My major discomfort had nothing to do with my body as such. I was having a wardrobe malfunction and the chaffing was getting sorer and sorer. I did manage to block that out for most of the walk. (I sung like a sailor when I got in the shower though)
I made it back to the main beach front and saw that I needed to turn back for 750m .... sigh....so back I turned. I was so close to finishing but by now my body was tired. Tummy was tired and legs were heavy and tired. I dodged some kiddies zipping about on bikes and guys walking along with surf boards under their arms. Mothers pushing prams and dog walkers all blocking the path....the sea was flat and serene...no wonder it was getting busy.
I was so happy to stop my watch and absolutely thrilled to see the time. 1:32:54
15 data here
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
10km including 3 x 3 min racepace
Tonight I decided to head out and get the 10km walk out of the way. I am fast running out of days to fit it all in.
I started out and for the first 500m I was terribly stiff and sore...to be expected after the speed work out last night. I wasn't sure how the 3 bursts of 3min speed was going to work out. I attempted it but from my pace you can barely see it. After 2km I was feeling warmed up and managed to keep up a good pace.
The one way road is not an easy road to walk...has a sharp camber and I have to walk in the one cycle lane that has a large sign that says NO RUNNERS so I get yelled at ALOT but the foot path is paved and harder to walk on ... so I tend to just suck it up and walk in the cycle lane. Its up and down for the 3km length and then it breaks out on to another concrete path.
I headed back feeling strong and was enjoying my walk. It was dark when I got back to my car and I had just missed Shane and Kelly by minutes. I stopped my watch and was very surprised at my overall time. I had walked at about 85% and up to 95% during the race pace portion.
Total time for 10km is 1:01 with an avg heart rate of 151 which shows my fitness starting to come back.
Tomorrow I am going to try and do my 14km as it is ANZAC day here so I get a day off work. I know I will be tired and it will be slow.
10km data
I started out and for the first 500m I was terribly stiff and sore...to be expected after the speed work out last night. I wasn't sure how the 3 bursts of 3min speed was going to work out. I attempted it but from my pace you can barely see it. After 2km I was feeling warmed up and managed to keep up a good pace.
The one way road is not an easy road to walk...has a sharp camber and I have to walk in the one cycle lane that has a large sign that says NO RUNNERS so I get yelled at ALOT but the foot path is paved and harder to walk on ... so I tend to just suck it up and walk in the cycle lane. Its up and down for the 3km length and then it breaks out on to another concrete path.
I headed back feeling strong and was enjoying my walk. It was dark when I got back to my car and I had just missed Shane and Kelly by minutes. I stopped my watch and was very surprised at my overall time. I had walked at about 85% and up to 95% during the race pace portion.
Total time for 10km is 1:01 with an avg heart rate of 151 which shows my fitness starting to come back.
Tomorrow I am going to try and do my 14km as it is ANZAC day here so I get a day off work. I know I will be tired and it will be slow.
10km data
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
8km fartlek along the walkway
I was keen to get this one out of the way. I was pretty hopeful that my calfs wouldn't bother me too much as racewalking uses different muscles. The walk way is not the best spot for speed work but its all I have got that is measured ... so I should at least start to see improvement eventually.
I started out and found that I was right...my calfs were fine. I set my watch to beep every 500m but after I went through my first 500m my watch continued to beep ... constantly and I glanced and saw that it was full and not recording the data. So when I got to the end of the walk way (2km) I stopped and cleared my watch. But it didnt start recording properly until after 3km. I had passed Shane and Kelly as they were heading out for their walk and also saw Kay and Paul. We had met at the start of the walkway but they were doing 10km and I was doing 8km.
After 4km I found that my hamstring was starting to hurt a little so I stopped and gave my leg a stretch. I headed back out again and while I felt strong, I kinda felt sluggish too. So I concentrated hard on tucking my butt and using my glutes to power through. After a very brief but haste toilet stop I was away again....thank goodness for the great facilities in this area. I passed Shane and Kelly again as they were headed back to home and really wanted to can it and join them but my time at this stage was ok. I went through 3km at 17:18 and then 5km at 29:19 so at the moment things were looking ok but I was tired. My legs felt trashed.
total time was 47:24 ................. at least I managed to keep it all under 6min km in total.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
10km race - 2nd in series
I got up nice and early (5:20am) and started to get ready as Kay was picking me and denise up at 5:50am.
First thing I noticed when I got out of bed was how sore my glutes were. Like they were REALLY sore and it took me a few moments to work out why.............I had spent the day at work walking around in my new heels (4 inch stiletto's) I am trying to break them in and I forget how much you use your glutes for balance when on your toes. DOH!
Its an hour drive into Kalinga Park, in Brisbane. I like this course as it seems to be a very fast course. They always put the wheel over it and so I know that it is 10km...... its a 500m out and back plus it has tree cover over it so the GPS always reads short.
We all head out and warm up. I was hoping my butt would losen up during the warm up but it was still aching alot. Oh well....lets see how we go. All the guns are here today with the fast juniors lining up with all of us. (The road series is not Masters, its open A grade) And we are off. I let the young ones shoot out and decided to set up chase and see if I could pick off the same 2 I did last week. Plus Katya was here today and I was really encouraging her to beat me....which she can do very easily, its just not often she does the 10kms. With in the first km I had picked off one and was setting up chase on Katya and another....by 2km I had passed them both, but Katya was staying close. At 3km I was feeling great but my glute was starting to hurt. It felt fatigued and I could feel the strength draining from me. As I turned at the 500m (clockwise turns) I had a sharp pain go through my right glute and pain go through my psoas too. Oh Pox.....and just like that ..... i had a flat tyre!!!! Speed dropped off and I struggled to keep a pace at all. Damn it. The next km Katya and another had caught me back up and passed me again.
I nearly pulled out at 5km but decided ... well may aswell finish it and just do it as a training walk. But by 8km I was able to pick it back up again and gave chase after Katya. I did gain on her but not enough to catch her.
I finished in 58:17 ..... WOW, I am rapt!!! now to keep it up.
10km race data
First thing I noticed when I got out of bed was how sore my glutes were. Like they were REALLY sore and it took me a few moments to work out why.............I had spent the day at work walking around in my new heels (4 inch stiletto's) I am trying to break them in and I forget how much you use your glutes for balance when on your toes. DOH!
Its an hour drive into Kalinga Park, in Brisbane. I like this course as it seems to be a very fast course. They always put the wheel over it and so I know that it is 10km...... its a 500m out and back plus it has tree cover over it so the GPS always reads short.
Me about 7km ish
We all head out and warm up. I was hoping my butt would losen up during the warm up but it was still aching alot. Oh well....lets see how we go. All the guns are here today with the fast juniors lining up with all of us. (The road series is not Masters, its open A grade) And we are off. I let the young ones shoot out and decided to set up chase and see if I could pick off the same 2 I did last week. Plus Katya was here today and I was really encouraging her to beat me....which she can do very easily, its just not often she does the 10kms. With in the first km I had picked off one and was setting up chase on Katya and another....by 2km I had passed them both, but Katya was staying close. At 3km I was feeling great but my glute was starting to hurt. It felt fatigued and I could feel the strength draining from me. As I turned at the 500m (clockwise turns) I had a sharp pain go through my right glute and pain go through my psoas too. Oh Pox.....and just like that ..... i had a flat tyre!!!! Speed dropped off and I struggled to keep a pace at all. Damn it. The next km Katya and another had caught me back up and passed me again.
I nearly pulled out at 5km but decided ... well may aswell finish it and just do it as a training walk. But by 8km I was able to pick it back up again and gave chase after Katya. I did gain on her but not enough to catch her.
I finished in 58:17 ..... WOW, I am rapt!!! now to keep it up.
10km race data
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
5km Fartlek along the walkway
There is a storm brewing!!! Thunder and lightening has been cracking for the last hour and it is pouring down. Oh happy joy and I have to go out in that and do a speed workout......UGH
I got home and quickly changed into my gear and quickly headed out the door. As luck would have it....the rain stopped just as I made it to the start of the walk way. Yay!!!! But it was still awesome watching the lightening out over the sea.
I started and really tried hard to get some good speed going. I felt heavy and sluggish (but then the walkway makes me feel like that most days) I got to my first km mark in 5:41 (already I am 20 seconds slower)
I slowed and discovered the walkway is flooded and had to go up over the grass and sand which made my feet very slippery for the next fast 500m but I pushed on. I tried really hard on this workout. As we no longer have a track to walk on this will be where I will do my speed work. So I needed a base time so I can at least see improvement as time goes by.
My recoveries are still too high and something I need to work on.
1st km = 5:41
2nd km = 3.03 + 2.44 (5:47)
3rd km = 3.08 + 2.45 (5:53)
4th km = 3.07 + 2.53 (6.00)
5th km = 3.03 + 2.49 (5:52)
total time 29:18 I am happy enough with that.
On a sad note..........I drove to work this morning in total disbelief at what I was hearing on the news. A terrorist attack at the finish of the Boston Marathon. I spent all day following the news updates and talking to my friend Lis in Denver. I am still reeling from such a stupid senseless act. Killing everyday people enjoying a very special and elite sporting event. Even worst was a child was killed and many others terribly injured. Athletes have had many amputations and lives will never be the same again. I can only hope the catch the people responsible
Sunday, April 14, 2013
10km Race - Race 1 in the series
On Thursday night I went and raced with Kay, Densie and Robyn. We met up in Southport and headed along the walkway out there. While it was beautiful and I really enjoyed having company, it got dark real quick after 5km and so coming back Kay and I struggled. I just couldn't see and tripped a couple of times. So My time is really off and I don't really rate it much.
Today - 1st race in the 10km series. We drove into Brisbane (thanks denise for your super driving) and found New Farm Park. I went for a warm up and walked the course. It was a nice 1 km loop with a rise on one side and and slight downhill the other and double speed humps every 100m. Not what I would call a fast course but it was scenic and I could see time would pass quickly.
We started out and I settled in behind Amie and Mikayla. I had Paul hot on my heels and really hoped he would stay on form and give me a good push. 2km's into the race and I had caught Amie (forgive me if I have the names back to front) and gave chase after Mikayla. Paul sadly had dropped off and was not feeling it today. I was not pushing hard but was trying to keep to a steady pace. Focus on my form which felt all over the show today. Each speed hump I would either step over and in between or land heavy on the top of them. I did find this very jarring on my knee.
I caught Mikayla at 4km and called to her to use her arms more and stay on behind me ... she is usually quicker than me but she also was not feeling it today. By 5km I too was not feeling it anymore and had dropped to 6min/km pace. I figured if I can hang on to this I might just do a sub 60min which was way faster than I had planned. By 8km I was feeling it. My glutes were hurting, my psoasis was hurting and I was tired. When they called out last lap, I was so relieved and I tried to pick the pace up. Crossing the line in 59:17
YUS!! I am very happy with that considering that I have been working mainly on style change and not on distance work. Guessing that will all change from next week.
Today - 1st race in the 10km series. We drove into Brisbane (thanks denise for your super driving) and found New Farm Park. I went for a warm up and walked the course. It was a nice 1 km loop with a rise on one side and and slight downhill the other and double speed humps every 100m. Not what I would call a fast course but it was scenic and I could see time would pass quickly.
We started out and I settled in behind Amie and Mikayla. I had Paul hot on my heels and really hoped he would stay on form and give me a good push. 2km's into the race and I had caught Amie (forgive me if I have the names back to front) and gave chase after Mikayla. Paul sadly had dropped off and was not feeling it today. I was not pushing hard but was trying to keep to a steady pace. Focus on my form which felt all over the show today. Each speed hump I would either step over and in between or land heavy on the top of them. I did find this very jarring on my knee.
I caught Mikayla at 4km and called to her to use her arms more and stay on behind me ... she is usually quicker than me but she also was not feeling it today. By 5km I too was not feeling it anymore and had dropped to 6min/km pace. I figured if I can hang on to this I might just do a sub 60min which was way faster than I had planned. By 8km I was feeling it. My glutes were hurting, my psoasis was hurting and I was tired. When they called out last lap, I was so relieved and I tried to pick the pace up. Crossing the line in 59:17
YUS!! I am very happy with that considering that I have been working mainly on style change and not on distance work. Guessing that will all change from next week.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
A fantastic 3 km Fartlek
Tuesday is always TRACK NIGHT. This was to be our last track session as they are pulling up the track to replace it.......they even started pulling it up while we were walking around. Even some of the walkers took away a wee chunk of it for memories.
I warmed up for 4 laps...with one lap just walking the line. The others were doing drills and then 10 laps. So I started out on my own.
I felt a tad tight from the walk the night before but nothing hurt to much. I was trying very hard to keep my hips level and my knee coming through in a straight line. Plus push off with my toes more and tuck my butt and hold my core straight...........phew thats a lot to think about.
I went through the first km in 5:24 .... ok I am happy with that. Now the work begins, can I maintain a good recovery pace, can I pick it up for the next fast 500m
the answer tonight was YES I could and YES I did.
1st km = 5:24
2km = 3:03 + 2:38 = 5:41
3km = 2:58 + 2:39 = 5:37
total time was a smokin 16:45 YAY!!!!! finally some improvement. Plus my heart rate was a good avg too 157 b/m
3km fartlek data
I warmed up for 4 laps...with one lap just walking the line. The others were doing drills and then 10 laps. So I started out on my own.
I felt a tad tight from the walk the night before but nothing hurt to much. I was trying very hard to keep my hips level and my knee coming through in a straight line. Plus push off with my toes more and tuck my butt and hold my core straight...........phew thats a lot to think about.
I went through the first km in 5:24 .... ok I am happy with that. Now the work begins, can I maintain a good recovery pace, can I pick it up for the next fast 500m
the answer tonight was YES I could and YES I did.
1st km = 5:24
2km = 3:03 + 2:38 = 5:41
3km = 2:58 + 2:39 = 5:37
total time was a smokin 16:45 YAY!!!!! finally some improvement. Plus my heart rate was a good avg too 157 b/m
3km fartlek data
Monday, April 08, 2013
7km along the walkway
Well since Canberra I have just focused on walking the line and trying to get my hips in line as I walk. Plus tucking the butt under and using my glutes to walk.
Was not sure what I was meant to do today. I missed the 10km yesterday and I thought I should do that tonight but by the time I got home from work it was getting dark. Shane and Kelly said they would do the 2km walkway so that I would have someone out there. We all started out and it was drizzling and windy. I decided then that I might just do 5km......but as I got on to the single lane road I figured I would have enough time to do 6km................turns out I was able to turn at the 6km and head back to met the guys.
Tonight I was trying to concentrate on so many things. Trying to get my glutes to fire being the top of the list and I think they did in the last couple of kms. Trying to get my hips low and lift my feet a little so that I can get a longer stride. It is tough when walking and thinking about so many different things.
Total time for the 7km was 43:24 (avg 6:14) but the pleasing was my heart rate avg had come down.
7km Walkway
Was not sure what I was meant to do today. I missed the 10km yesterday and I thought I should do that tonight but by the time I got home from work it was getting dark. Shane and Kelly said they would do the 2km walkway so that I would have someone out there. We all started out and it was drizzling and windy. I decided then that I might just do 5km......but as I got on to the single lane road I figured I would have enough time to do 6km................turns out I was able to turn at the 6km and head back to met the guys.
Tonight I was trying to concentrate on so many things. Trying to get my glutes to fire being the top of the list and I think they did in the last couple of kms. Trying to get my hips low and lift my feet a little so that I can get a longer stride. It is tough when walking and thinking about so many different things.
Total time for the 7km was 43:24 (avg 6:14) but the pleasing was my heart rate avg had come down.
7km Walkway
Friday, April 05, 2013
AMA Nationals in Canberra
I flew down to Canberra for Easter to compete in the AMA Nationals. This would be my first step out in a National comp and I was feeling very nervous. I was so under done with my training. I am still very very unfit and only just coming out of injury.
First up was the 5000m track. It was COLD....well ok...ideal racing conditions but it felt so very cold to me. It was 7 degs and 12 degs for racing. Once I had done a lap I was warming up and I must admit it felt good to be able to breathe!
The 5000m was nothing startling. My time was 28:20 giving me a Silver and I am happy enough with that. It gives me a base time and something to improve on. My coach pulled me aside after the race and taught me how to walk...normal walking!!! My right knee drifts in now and this drags my right hip forward. So he has me walking along a line and keeping my hips level....(feels like I am crabbing sideways with my left hip...thats how far out I was)
The next race was the 10km road. I knew this would be tough. I had been very consistent in my 5000m per lap...would I manage the same in the 10km. The course was not the greatest....beautiful scenery but under foot not so much. It was uneven footpath, raised footpath with tree roots and low hanging trees. Not to mention LOTS of cyclists!!!
I got a better start but Jim noted that I need to be careful for the first 50m. I set chase after the leading ladies but my fitness was letting me down. I resided to try to be consistent. It was also april fools day and my coach Jim was helping out - he was incharge of the DQ board. I came past for my first lap and he called out that my name was up.......I was guttered to glance and see my number .... then he moved his hand and I saw in large letters APRIL FOOL!! man he was lucky I was racing as I would have slapped him!! but it was a good prank and got me good.
total time was 59:08 so I did what I set out to do and crack 60mins. I also got silver for this one too.
I must admit that all my family drama weighed heavy on my mind while I was away. I dont accept that I am "playing the victim" .... yes I will agree that by accident, an item of importance was originally broken and then thrown out. But I honestly didnt know the importance of that item. (plus we were selling our house and throwing out ALOT of our own important stuff) Seeing as I picked out every other important item I would have thought it obvious that I had no clue to the importance of the glass containers. Any how....what I don't accept is the after math and finding out that "my worth" was measured by the two glass bowls and teddy bear chimes. That the not posting these items would cost me my daughters and my grand children. That a year later it would also cost my Mother her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
To get back from racing and be told that they have both unfriended my mother was just heartbreaking. That was the last tie that my own grandmother had to the girls and great great grandchildren. This whole mess has just been taken to a whole new level and now almost an entire family has been removed. The stupid thing is ... it hasnt been my mother that has been giving me photos or updates. It has been one of the 28 joint freinds or family that we share. I wonder now how far they will go. Will they dare to unfriend all family and friends that we share? Will they continue to read my blog.....which I find amusing seeing as one minute they tell friends "I am dead to them" and the next tell family that they "avoid me at all costs"
Well one thing for sure........I am totally over it. They really dont want me to care about them any more..they got it. They want me to forget about them and not try to contact them any more...they got it. I will be in Cairns during August....I wont bother trying to contact them. They can explain to their kids why I am not part of their life. I have the returned cards that show I tried. I am so over their drama and selfishness. Their lack of respect for family and elders is just beyond words......I didnt bring them up that way.
It is so time for me to walk away. Its their loss now....not mine. Their choice .. not mine.
First up was the 5000m track. It was COLD....well ok...ideal racing conditions but it felt so very cold to me. It was 7 degs and 12 degs for racing. Once I had done a lap I was warming up and I must admit it felt good to be able to breathe!
The 5000m was nothing startling. My time was 28:20 giving me a Silver and I am happy enough with that. It gives me a base time and something to improve on. My coach pulled me aside after the race and taught me how to walk...normal walking!!! My right knee drifts in now and this drags my right hip forward. So he has me walking along a line and keeping my hips level....(feels like I am crabbing sideways with my left hip...thats how far out I was)
The next race was the 10km road. I knew this would be tough. I had been very consistent in my 5000m per lap...would I manage the same in the 10km. The course was not the greatest....beautiful scenery but under foot not so much. It was uneven footpath, raised footpath with tree roots and low hanging trees. Not to mention LOTS of cyclists!!!
I got a better start but Jim noted that I need to be careful for the first 50m. I set chase after the leading ladies but my fitness was letting me down. I resided to try to be consistent. It was also april fools day and my coach Jim was helping out - he was incharge of the DQ board. I came past for my first lap and he called out that my name was up.......I was guttered to glance and see my number .... then he moved his hand and I saw in large letters APRIL FOOL!! man he was lucky I was racing as I would have slapped him!! but it was a good prank and got me good.
total time was 59:08 so I did what I set out to do and crack 60mins. I also got silver for this one too.
I must admit that all my family drama weighed heavy on my mind while I was away. I dont accept that I am "playing the victim" .... yes I will agree that by accident, an item of importance was originally broken and then thrown out. But I honestly didnt know the importance of that item. (plus we were selling our house and throwing out ALOT of our own important stuff) Seeing as I picked out every other important item I would have thought it obvious that I had no clue to the importance of the glass containers. Any how....what I don't accept is the after math and finding out that "my worth" was measured by the two glass bowls and teddy bear chimes. That the not posting these items would cost me my daughters and my grand children. That a year later it would also cost my Mother her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
To get back from racing and be told that they have both unfriended my mother was just heartbreaking. That was the last tie that my own grandmother had to the girls and great great grandchildren. This whole mess has just been taken to a whole new level and now almost an entire family has been removed. The stupid thing is ... it hasnt been my mother that has been giving me photos or updates. It has been one of the 28 joint freinds or family that we share. I wonder now how far they will go. Will they dare to unfriend all family and friends that we share? Will they continue to read my blog.....which I find amusing seeing as one minute they tell friends "I am dead to them" and the next tell family that they "avoid me at all costs"
Well one thing for sure........I am totally over it. They really dont want me to care about them any more..they got it. They want me to forget about them and not try to contact them any more...they got it. I will be in Cairns during August....I wont bother trying to contact them. They can explain to their kids why I am not part of their life. I have the returned cards that show I tried. I am so over their drama and selfishness. Their lack of respect for family and elders is just beyond words......I didnt bring them up that way.
It is so time for me to walk away. Its their loss now....not mine. Their choice .. not mine.
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