20km NZ vs Au

The Hobart 20km NZ vs AU Road walk.

Due to an abnormality in the weather, there was a hot wind blowing down from the Desert and across on to Hobart. This produced Hobarts hottest day in 17 years! It touched 38 degs just before the start of our race.

We had all made sure we had hydrated well and had spent the afternoon in our motel room away from the heat. I had also decided to start eating some of my electrolyte jells and sugar blocks as I knew that the conditions were going to make this a very hard race to complete.

We made our way over to the check in and then milled like sheep under the trees in the middle of the road. You could spot the elite walkers a mile away.....they were the ones wearing Ice Vests and sitting in ice water pools. Plus they kind of had an air of grander about them too or maybe that was just me being a little awe struck.

The Course was a 2km loop with the start finish being about half way. Heading off from the start the first aid station was the food and special drinks table – approx 400m away from the start. You then went up a small rise and around into a dead end for the turn. Heading back the water station would be set up opposite the aid station. You then carried on down to pass next to the start and then on and around in front of the cafes and restaurants to the next turn point after the turn point you came back past the restaurants again and here they had a sponge station. If you timed it right you could get two sponges and then you round the corner and back to the start finish.

We all line up for the start. We seeded ourselves on the start line and the gun goes and we are off. My instructions from my coach was to be very conservative for the first 10km and then pick it up from there. With the temperature at the start of the race 37.6 degs it was a matter of race smart. I felt great at the start off and felt that I had picked a nice pace. It felt easy and within 400m there was only 3 of us at the back ... the main pack had pulled away and left us. As I completed the first lap (2km) and I saw that I had done 11mins, I knew then that it was way too fast and that I may end up paying for that. Normally I would think that time was too slow but in this heat...it was too fast. All ready two had dropped back behind me. As we came up to the aid station I could see there were problems ... no one seemed ready for us. All I wanted was just water but there was no water there and my pre mix bottles had been mixed up. I came around to pass where we were told the water station would be to find it had not been set up yet. This would mean an further 2km in this heat before any of us could get water again. We rounded the second lap and my time had dropped dramatically, I was down to 12mins now. I got my special drink passed to me at the station and then came back around and picked up my first water. The heat was intense and I could feel my shoulders burning and my legs were getting heavier and heavier. I came back around for the 6km and took on both special drink and water again. It was here that I say my NZ team mate laying on the side of the track and then not much further on a number more of Australian and international walkers. As I passed next to the start finish I saw our NZ Male Mike Parker off the course. I was to later find out that the 6km marker was the point were most of those that didn’t finish ended their walks, all succumbing to lack of water and the heat. At the 8km mark the Australian girl Alegra passed me, and I was in no shape to chase so I had to sit back and just watch her go. It was a heart breaking moment as I knew in normal race conditions I would not have let that happen. I continued on but I was starting to really struggle, as I came back up to cross for my 10^th km, I was starting to wilt badly. I was down to nearly 7min kms and was weaving across the course, at one stage tripping on the centre cones. My coach was watching me very closely and had decided he was going to pull me off the course once I passed back near him. The saving grace for me was at the 10km point a breeze picked up from off the sea and suddenly cooled things down....temp dropped about 5 degs and I am guessing the special drinks I had made up were starting to take effect because my 11^th km I picked up my pace and was looking better. Each lap I was picking up my pace and as the race progressed and the temperatures dropped, I got stronger and felt better. I started gaining 40 secs per lap on my one remaining NZ team mate. But best of all, I was gaining ground fast on the Australian. By 16km I had caught and passed Alegra and was gaining ground on Rosie (NZ team mate) not that I was racing her but I was using it as a challenge to keep me going. After using all my mental will and determination to push though the 8 – 10km marks I had to have something to keep me focused. Hearing that bell to signal just one more lap ...never sounded so good!!! I picked up the pace as best as I could and pushed hard to finish. I desperately wanted to be under 2 hours but sadly that was not to be today. I was close though. For as much as I am disappointed in my time, I take comfort in the fact that EVERYONE was 5min – 10mins off their times.

After the race we lined up and were presented silver medals for the NZ vs Au race. This was awesome as it was unexpected. I then spent a good portion of the evening consoling our team member who had pulled out after succumbing to the heat and lack of water. It was heart wrenching for her and to have not had the support of her coach made it even worse. I must admit to being bitterly disappointed in her coach for not being supportive of his walker in her time of distress. I can only hope that she has taken the experience of this race and moved on. You only have to look at the results and see that over HALF the field did not finish! This is including some top international experienced walkers. With some being taken away by ambulance.

So my time was 2:00:56 I now have 3 weeks til nationals were I feel I must pull out a good time to redeem myself. Looking at my data it is interesting to see the negative splits - those kick downs really work!

This race was sadly marred by the shocking organisation of the water table. I realise that there is a rule about no water on the first lap but surely on the hottest day in 17 years they could have excused that and plus it doesn’t take a math whizz to work out that it will be 4 km until anyone could take on any water. There should have been TWO water stations and the sponges.

20km NZ vs Au

5km around the block

Last walk before Hobart.

Not much to say about this one....was not a great walk.

Stupid Rain, stupid slippery road, stupid old slippery shoes.......just stupid.

Its done now..........so its back to the ice pack and heat pack...........GREAT!

Fly out at 11am .... should be an epic weekend. Will let you know.

5km around the block

10 km out an back atawhai

Tonight it was a 10km walk. I had just received my NZ uniform and I was going to test out my shorts. These are the shortest shorts I have ever tried to wear. So I put my skins on under them and tried to get used of them. Well a dual layer of material was NOT comfortable! Tomorrow I will try them out with just the shorts and see how badly my legs rub.

Plus it was a test of my hip. It was just a spasm of the muscle but it still hurt and annoyed me. I had no idea of what pace I was to walk tonight, but I felt pretty good and just thought I would wing it and walk to how my hip felt.

I had a couple of sharp twinges but nothing major or lasting. Most twinges were able to be sorted with a posture shift. I felt good and strong and looking back through my data I sort of did a kick down.

total time 58.14

10 km out an back atawhai

800 + 200 x 7

I felt awful this morning. I have had a flemmy throat for two days and just felt crumby. But I knew that this walk had to be done.

I had planned to take a little easier than last week as I really didnt want to end up with a runny nose as well.

I started out and felt ok, I was breathing pretty hard and having to swallow thick crud. I had company at the track today. A runner came down and was doing 3km, 2km and 1km...well thats what it looked like. When he was on a lap recovering I was able to catch him and pass him and he would laugh and say he has never yet been passed by a walker. Lol

About 4km I was having great trouble with my breathing...only due to my throat being so fully of crud and my lungs were feeling thick. I started coughing as I was walking but I carried on and continued my walk. My legs never felt tired and I was happy enough with how things went.

4.08.1+1.00.5= 5.08.6

4.07.3+1.00.5= 5.07.8

4.07.9+0.59.5= 5.07.4

4.13.5+1.01.8= 5.15.3

4.16.6+1.01.6= 5.18.2

4.16.9+1.00.9= 5.17.8

4.16.6+0.59.0= 5.15.6

800 + 200 x 7

16km out and back

After getting up and down, up and down repeatedly yesterday while painting the wee thin stripe around our house....my hamstrings were very sore and tight!! Plus with having 16km to walk today...it was going to be a painful walk. But as luck would have it...not so bad in the end.

I filled up my drink bottles and headed off up the track. I was ticking along nicely and enjoying the day. Overcast and 20degs...nice. I had my long sleeve top on as it was meant to rain but I had to take it off half way through the walk. At 8km I stopped briefly to take my top off and tie around my waist and to stretch my hammy out. Then it was pick up the pace again and head for home. By 13km ...even though I felt fine and still felt I had plenty in my legs, my tank ran dry and I suddenly felt very heavy and my times slowed up. I was on the up hill part anyway but I just dragged my self up the next two km. The lack of food and lack of enough water took its toll. Nothing major, no injury or anything like that. I just went heavy and slowed up.

Picked up the pace alot on the last km - downhill to home. Total time for 16km was 1.37.34

Plus today is Valentines Day here in NZ and its also our 9th Wedding Anniversary too.

16km out and back

5 x 2km with 2 min rest

I got up early and went to the track to do this before my group of walkers arrived for drills and training. I am NOT a morning person, so I hated being out there at 8.30 am.

My right glute was still sore this morning plus my whole body was aching abit after the entire day of scrubbing ceilings! My poor shoulder and back are both telling me they had done enough. I started out and just picked a pace that I was happy with. I was not pushing hard just tinkering along. I was not particularly worried about my times for today, I just wanted to get this done.

I stayed fairly consistent and strong for most of this walk. Pace dropped off a little towards the end as my glutes started to fatigue and I had little left in them.

so here are my two km splits.

11.05.2

11.06.7

11.13.2

11.13.1

11.11.1

I am happy with that.

5 x 2km with 2 min rest

10km out and back

Its a funny day to day. Its over cast and every now and then it will try to rain, the wind will pick up and bluster for a bit. Then next thing, its sunny and very muggy.

My nose has finally stopped running. I ended up with exercise induced rhinits. I get this when ever I exert myself too much and it normally lasts between two and three days. It annoys the hell out of me when it happens, as it is not like a normal runny nose. This is like someone has turned a hose on and it just pours......NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU BLOW.

So I bumped this walk back a day, so that I could breath while out. I had Bex this morning and we are both very happy with how the body is holding up. My only niggly spot is the peroneal tendon on each leg. Running my fingers along the tendon it feels like a row of peas......all lumpy and it is rather sore. So Bex gave it a good massage today and I will continue twice daily to ease it.

The walk itself went well. I was cruising along, it was a little windy and twice it started to rain. So I pushed a little bit on the way home as I was getting cold.

total time 1:00:07

10km out and back

800 + 200 x 5

This was a fantastic workout. My glute pain had settled - probably pulled a little due to all the squatting down while painting. I got down to the track and unlocked the rails, then did a 400m warmup.

My first 800m I decided to not push too hard as I wanted to try for some good speeds for the total 5. I would stop for 30secs and then really push hard for the 200m.

My body held together well, with no glute pain during the whole walk. I did have one dizzy spell but I managed to get through that with out stopping. I felt strong the whole walk and didnt feel too out of breath.

here are my km splits. Each has 30secs between 800m & 200m and then a 2min recovery.

4.07.1 + .59.5 = 5.06.6

4.04.4 + .58.2 = 5.02.6

4.04.0 + .57.0 = 5.01.0

4.05.0 + .56.7 = 5.01.7

4.06.0 + .54.7 = 5.00.7

800 + 200 x 5

12 km Fartlek

The blog has been a little quiet this week. I did do a 15km out and back on Weds. Nothing exciting to report.

Today I had a 12km fartlek and I was very apprehensive about doing this one. After an incident on Tuesday at the track I was nervous to push my self again, but my coach had told me that it was ok to stop and start again and so I just decided that I would do just that if I needed too.

I started out and I felt really good and strong. It was nice to have a rest day before a speed session. It wasn't planned but my mum was over from Blenheim and I really wanted to see her, so I bumped my speed session a day. My first km was a good speed and then my recovery 500m felt quite slow but the time said it wasn't. 2:52!! and it carried on like this for a wee while.

I did stop at 4km, 6km and 10km. I needed to drink and also to gather myself. But I didn't stop for too long. I went through 5km in 27:08 and 10km in 54.58 (huge pb) and finished up the whole walk in 1:06:01

I would have to say this is probably my strongest walk yet.

data below

12 km Fartlek

3km, 2km, 2km & 1km

I had a very restless night....no reason really....just couldnt settle and sleep. I knew I had a tough walk ahead of me today at the track but felt that I was up for it. I had an extra day for recovery as my glutes were still very sore from my 24km.

I know that I am having some blood pressure issues again......finding I cant stand up fast or my head swims and I have to stand still or sit back down again. We have a monitor at home so I will check it later tonight once I have settled down for the night.

I unlocked the track and did a lap for warm up. It was over cast and muggy when I got to the track so I didnt worry about my hat or sunscreen. I did put my water bottle over at the 200m mark as I knew I would be stopping that side for the first segments. I was to do 3km, 2km, 2km and 3 x 1km.

I started out and kept my pace conservative for the first km as I let my body stretch and settle. Then with each km I picked it up a little. I stopped for my first 3 min recovery. I was breathing hard and took some water. I started out for the 2km and it took the first 200m to find my legs again but I settled down and picked up the pace but for the 2nd km I was starting to tire. I stopped for the next recovery and took 3mins not 2mins....I was feeling a little light headed. I took on some more water and then started again. I got just past the 200m mark and had a moment......I gathered myself and continued - but alot slower for this km and then as I felt stronger I picked it up again. Now I had 3 x 1km to go but I knew I was not going to be able to to continue. I did try and managed one of the km reps.

3km = 15.42.9

2km = 10.33.8

2km = 11.11.00

1km = 5.21.9

3km, 2km, 2km & 1km

24 km out and back monaco

I have to do this.....I have a small mental block with this distance at the moment.

I was so thankful that my friend Yvonne agreed to come out and jog beside me and that she was going to do the whole 24km! I really find that having company helps so much. We were able to chat the whole way. The only real struggle was from 9km to 12km as we had such a strong head wind. Yvonne felt like she was jogging on the spot!

I am glad to say that I had no hip pain or hammy pain...yay!!!! I did have to put my older training shoes on as I have now worn through the bottom of my others. Due to the blisters my new shoes had given me...they had not quite healed properly and I have now discovered that I have a lovely thumb size blister again! GRRRR I only had a few little GI moments but nothing worth mentioning at the time.

total time 2.29.39 avg pace: 6.14

I am totally happy with that.

24 km out and back monaco

800 + 200 x 8

I had no idea of how I was meant to walk this session. I kind of figured ... go hard out for each one and I guess progressively get slower and slower.

So thats what I started off doing. I went out fast for the first 800m......gasping for my 30sec rest and then fast again for the last 200m and then a 2min rest before doing it 7 more times.

By the 3rd one I was struggling BADLY....my legs had gone a funny numb feeling and I was having trouble getting them to move let alone push. As I finished my 4rd rep my ears were roaring and I was getting spots in front of my eyes. Hmmm time to slow down a tad. I was drinking water when I was able. So as hard as I tried there was just nothing in my legs. I remembered that I had a gel in my bag so I took half and started again....then on my 2nd to last one I finished the gel. It did help and in fact probably helped me continue. I had thought to quit many times during this workout.......but I am glad that I didnt.

4.05.4 + .57.8 = 5.03.2

4.03.9 + .59.2 = 5.03.1

4.08.6 + 58.3 = 5.06.9

4.12.4 + 1.01.1 = 5.13.5

4.22.0 + .59.1 = 5.21.1

4.18.7 + .59.8 = 5.28.5

4.14.9 + .59.6 = 5.24.5

4.17.1 + .59.3 = 5.26.4

This was really hard and I struggled with this.

800 + 200 x 8

12km with racepace bursts

This was meant to be 15km and I set out with every intention of it being so.

I set off up the track in a good pace. I was feeling great. Good and strong and my style felt good and everything was feeling easy. I had decided to take a gel before I left. I had a Berry flavour Peak Fuel and was curious to see how this sat in my tummy. I was making good time and from 3km on I picked up the pace to add in my 8min of race pace and I also decided to these back to back. Everything was going great until 100m from the 5km point.

I was gripped with sudden GI pains.....BAD GI pains..........and then just as instant .... I needed the toilet...NOW!! so the split second decision was made to make a detor and head up to the monaco domain, I had to make 500m to make the toilet. .... and here my story stops.

Needless to say I returned home in a much slower time, with my old GI pains back for the return walk. Its been a few months since I have had my old tummy problems so I wont whine too much about it.

1:13:45

12km with racepace bursts

5 x 2km with 2 min rest

I was hoping I would be recovered enough to apply a good effort to this workout. I had been to see Bex that morning and she was happy with my hip. It is healing but I do still have to be careful. Today was my first walk with out the magic Pink tape too...so I was a little nervous.

I thought I should start out on my first km ....easy and then pick it up for the 2nd km and I did just that. I stopped for my 2 min rest and took a good drink. Away I went again and I quickly slipped into a nice pace that I felt happy with. I was pushing but not racing.

I get through this work out by only ever focusing on the 5 laps that I have to do at any one time. Makes it easier for me. I was really pleased that I felt strong and the walk felt good ... not easy but not too hard either.

On the last km I picked up that pace on the last 400m and it was during this lap that I could feel my hip. It was a deep ache in the hip joint and it would hurt for a moment on each heel strike. It was not bad enough to slow me up or to make me stop....but if it had gotten worse, I would have just stopped.

All in all I am very happy with this walk.

5.35.8 + 5.30.7 = 11.06.5

5.29.0 + 5.31.5 = 11.00.5

5.30.7 + 5.32.3 = 11.03.0

5.33.3 + 5.34.1 = 11.07.4

5.32.3 + 5.27.3 = 10.59.6

5 x 2km with 2 min rest

10km Wakefield Race

Its a stinking hot day!!! The race starts at 3.30pm so I had time to full in the morning. So I helped Shane paint the side of the house and made sure I wore long pants and long sleeves to protect my self from the hot sun. I spent all day drinking carefully and making sure I ate correctly. My hip had been achy on and off but nothing to bad.

I drove out to Wakefield, picking Raylene up along the way. It was her first time on this course and she was a little nervous about the heat. It didn't take long for everyone to start arriving and even Neroli made it out. We all chatted and caught up with each other. It has been a few months since I have done any club events and lots of people were asking what I had been up too etc. I was not too worried about this one today. I had planned to just take it easy going up and then depending on how I felt then I would pick it up to push for the return 5km. I also decided to race in just a crop top and shorts.....something I NEVER do and I am very pleased I did.

We lined up and we are away. Wendy did exactly as I expected her to do and she punched out pretty quick and hot pursuit was Neroli and I just sat in behind them and was happy with the pace as I knew there was a short climbing coming and so no point in wasting all my energy in the first km. There was a small breeze (a first in all the times I have raced this) but it was still very hot and you could feel the tarmac just sapping you. It is a relatively flat course. A few undulations so you get a small down hill and then a small up hill. I carried water with me this time (1 bottle was fiz water and one just water) I drank from the station on the way out and back and sipped my fiz drink....but still only a small amount. I just cant get the hang of drinking when breathing hard. It slows me down too much.

I hit the 5km turn in 28:45 and was happy with that. My hip had been achy and was feeling weak. I picked up the pace and by 6km my hip didn't seem to aching as much (perhaps as it was now more downhill it was easier on my hip?) I kept slowly increasing my pace and carefully testing my hip. I slowed a little between 7 & 8 km as I slowed up for the drink station and there was a few more rises. I then decided I was feeling ok and decided to start pushing it from 8km. I pushed the pace up and then when I hit the 9km marker I tried to push more. I am really pleased to look at my lap splits and see that it showed my increase in speed.

Now that I am home and its been 3 hours since the race. My hip is very achy and so I am making friends with my ice pack. A rest day tomorrow and then Bex on Monday.

total time 56:43 (on my watch)

10km Wakefield Race

10km on tread mill

I had my hip re strapped up this morning and I was keen to try 10km again today. Once again the treadmill was the best option. The temperature soared this afternoon and I figured that I would be silly to go out and dehydrate myself before tomorrows 10km. Seeing as tomorrow's race will be extremely hot and tough.

I picked a simple pace for this one as I dont want to be worn out for tomorrow either. So I picked 9.5 for the first couple of km and then went up to 9.7 km/hr which = 6:12 / km

I ticked away at this pace easily but did start to feel tired at 7km and at 9.700 km my hip flexor started to pinch. I kept going to finish and had a good stretch. My hip is achy but but its not painful. I will dig out the ice pack and will see how it is tomorrow.

1:02:16 for 10km

10km on tread mill

8 km on tread mill

I have not written much this week. I have not been able to train due to a hip strain. We did work out that I seem to be in a constant state of dehydration and when I mentioned to Bex just how much weight I had dropped after the 24km she suggested I tell my coach as it would appear that my being so dehyrated pretty much is causing me to get injuries.

So with some great deep tissue massage and awesome pink strapping, I am starting to come right. Plus lots and lots of water = lots and lots of trips to the loo..sighs...

Today I was to test my hip out and we all decided it was best to do so on the treadmill...as I could control my speed and if I hurt at all I could stop and stretch etc.

I started out easy on 9km/hr and then went up to 9.5km/hr and did my first km in 6:24 and noticed just as the km was about to click over that I had not started my watch... DOH!!! So just as the km was about to click over I lifted the speed to 10km/hr and hit start as the km clicked over (hence my data showing only 7 km walked)

First thing I noticed was how weak I felt in the right hip but the good news was nothing was hurting. I carried on at a steady pace and felt good. No shin pain or back pain...GREAT!!!

At about 6km I felt an ache develop deep in the hip. So I made sure I was using good style and technique......the ache stayed but didnt get worse so I carried on and was gone by 7km. I was kinda naughty and thought I would pick the pace up for the last km......know that I could slow down instantly or stop if the ache came back or worse ..it hurt. I took the pace up to 11km/hr and it felt good, the last 200 metres I took it up to 11.5km/hr and I am pleased to say no ache and no pains. Still did feel weak???? but I didnt hurt anywhere.

I will stretch and put my heat pad back on later tonight.

Total walk is 48:13 for 8.021 km (as read off the treadmill display)

8 km on tread mill

2km reps

I was meant to do 5 x 2km reps. I was totally ok with this now. After talking to my coach about how this is meant to be done, I had a new appreciation for this.

After my 24km I found that the front of my right hip and right glute were aching. So badly that it kept me awake for most of the night. I figured it was either my psoas or my piriformis. Sunday I had drills with the girls and I felt some pain on my outter hip but put it down to stiffness.

Today I woke up to a numb sensation in my hip/glute. It got sorer and sorer as the day went on. I went to the track and decided to try out my new shoes. I had managed to sell some bits and pieces so that I could buy myself some new racing shoes. Only they rub alittle on one heel. I put some tape on my heel and started out. By lap 2 the tape had pulled off and was annoying me. The pain in my hip was making my right leg feel add. Almost numb. I made the first 2km and stopped for the 2min recovery. I started out for my second 2km and got to lap 3 and my heel was rubbing up and starting to hurt along with my hip and deep in my glute. I stopped at the end of this 2km and changed shoes. I had brought my other racing shoes down ..just in case. But when I took my shoe off and saw a blister already formed I knew I was in trouble. Sure enough I only made it part way round the next lap and I was done.

I was so annoyed that my new shoes eat my heels and only just after 4 km!! grrr plus I need to buy better sports tape...the tape that I had just brought.....could barely stick to paper let alone skin!

So I have booked in to see Bex first thing in the morning. I need to know what I have done to my hip...obviously the 24km really pulled it.

2km reps

24km out an back monaco

This started out ok. I felt really good and strong until I popped out at Monaco at the 5km mark. It is not sheltered from this point around and back. It follows the sea and if its windy it is here that you will wear it. Well it was windy....really windy! I punched into it to get the 6th km down and then turned and enjoyed the wind at my back for the 7th km then from there round to the 12km turn it was head on again.

I stopped at the 12km point and took my first fuel - Peak Fuel Coffee flavour - one I have never tried before and some fizz water. I headed back to home and felt good, I had the wind to my back but by 15km I was starting to struggle. I had a funny stitch starting and a sharp pain under my collar bone and I was needing to use the toilet ... but I still had 3 km to go until I passed by the only toilet. I knew I could hold on but I could feel that bruising feeling in the pit of my stomach again. I stopped at the 18km mark, I had more to drink, used the loo and then had my lippin (I had found this in the cupboard) - side note - I hate Lemon!! I made it to 20km in 2:02:58 and I was very happy with that. But the next km had me dry retching and my stomach went into knots. I had to slow down and try to get my stomach together. Even my last km going down the walkway was slow...I felt AWFUL and this is why we try different fuels while training......so my lesson for the day is DONT EVER use Lippen and perhaps not the coffee flavour peak fuel .... I like the berry flavour.

Total time 2:30:15

24km out an back monaco

5 x 1km - road way at monaco

First and foremost.....remember that I am BLONDE!!! I had 5 x 1km and each with a 2min rest between them.

There is a reason why I do measured things on the track. I went to the track today but the Collgate games had already started. So I decided that Monaco had the flattest 1km length of foot path. I headed out and figured I would just go by the GPS function................(in hindsite...this is where I went wrong) As I drove past the route I was going to do, I flicked my trip metre in the car to get a rough idea of where the km would be. I parked my car and it read 950m so I guessed that if I started up the road alittle (I had 200m spare behind me) that I would be all good.

I started out and was feeling little stiff and sore but quickly was breathing hard and just focusing on the corner and to where I had worked out I would stop. To my surprise my GPS didnt go off until a good 100m past where I had started my trip metre. Hmmmm well ok, I hit lap and waited for it to count out 2mins. In this time I had not moved (well my watch says I did) so when I hit lap again to head back for my 2nd km....logic tells me I would finish up where I started. I didnt!!! I was about 100mt short again. Dang it!!! So for the 3rd km I walked back up the road and started again only this time when my watch chirped for 1 km my time was under 5mins!! and I knew this was seriously wrong, so I started it up again and walked a further 100m up the road. It was here that I spotted a km marker on the side of the foot path. (left over from the South Island Games 10km road walk it had 4km/6km on it ... so I knew that the 5km marker had to be further back from where I had been starting) oh well too late now. So I headed back around for my 4th km and again my watch went off way too soon....grrrrrr

It was about now that the little light bulb went off in my head and a DOH!! moment was had. Of course it was not going to read 1km cause I was pressing lap and then moving up or down the road ..hence registering as distance traveled!!! DOH ....but I did find a cool feature that I didnt know the watch had and that was found on my last km. I decided I would go 500m out and turn so that I would finish up by my car again. I hit lap and set off only this time I was not going to stop when my watch auto chirped for a km..... I pretty much know my 1km time and I know the 500m. I turned and headed back, sure enough my watch let out a chirp about 200m short this time but just as I passed over were I started it beeped to say it had done a lap. My watch knew that it was to do a km from the lap press......I didnt know my watch would do that. So my last 1km was right and possibly my first.

So I walked further up the road and sure enough there it was ..written in dazzle red - 5km turn!!! so for next time I will forget the gps in my watch and just hit manual lap from that marker to the 4/6km mark.

so I cant really tell you what my 1km splits were. I can tell you that they range between 5:22 and 5:30 and that I am realising that I am not built for speed!!! I just dont have a fast twitch in me.

5 x 1km - road way at monaco