Listen to your body

I start this post with something I didn't do!   For months I have had a niggling right leg.   It's either been my glute,  my hamstring, my hip bursa or all three!  But still I have kept training and kept entering events.  

The final straw came when I had a small trip in my walk,  I caught my toe on the pavement and fell forward at pace.   This resulted in me really over stretching the hamstring and it went ping.  

I gave myself a week off before testing it at the track with a gentle 5000m... but it was still hurting center and high on the hamstring.   So off to physio I went.  

He laughed at my one week rest...😩... how rude!  Lol .... and said it takes 3 or 4 weeks rest.    Sigh.

So,  I have a small tear in my hamstring (grade 1) and I'm on 3 weeks no walking and 1 week no excersise at all.......I'm not liking this.   But next week I will try out the pool and see if I can swim a little.   I will also start using our home gym and try to find a pre beginner yoga to follow 😁

So,  that's what's been going on with me!

Rebuilding.....again

Well, here I am again.  

I had a very successful trip to NZ for the NZ Masters Nationals.    2 golds and I'm very proud of them.   The talk walk was incredibly challenging with very strong wind through the whole 3000m so the time I had hoped for was dashed.    Then backing it up for the 10km Road Walk.   But this race went much better and I ended up winning this race out right.   Spending time with family and friends was the absolute high light and already I miss them all.

So I have come home to work on strength training.   My hip bursa is back and has set of the glute med aswell.    So sitting hurts and walking even more so.   But I refuse to give up.   Slowing down and sorting this is my only option.

I will get through this......I will be back stronger.  

Last speed session 8km fartlek

Well this is it.  My last speed session and wouldnt you know it.....my stomach has decided to kill me all day.....a slow agonising death.   Days like today I hate my body.  I look 6 months pregnant and have moments where I cant even stand up straight.  All I can do is hope it passes (no punn intended)  and that I can walk.

I was lucky and my tummy eased enough to walk.  Was still tight and crampy which made walking fast challenging.   Infact i am sure it effects my psoas as at 5km my right leg started playing up with pain in the hamstring and calf.

By 5km I nearly quit.  My fasts were getting slow and my slows were becoming OMG slow.  But it is better to get the distance so I spent more time focusing on technical stuff......and from the video on my fb wall....its paid off.

So now its time to reflect.   While I have not lost any weight,  i am faster and stronger.  That alone has to be an advantage for me.   I am used to heat so that puts a small advantage to me..........time will tell and it will come down to who is hungrier for the win.

Bring on Perth......I'm ready

48.19 for 8km fartlek
8km data

8km windy walk

I procrastinated today.....alot!   I had a much needed sleep in ....went out to a committee meeting, got my nails done and brought home lunch.   I was silly and had brought some yummy stuff from the bakery for lunch......an hour later my tummy let me know that it didnt like my lunch choice.  So I spent an hour curled up on the couch dozing.   Finally heading out a 4pm.  It was really windy and a little chilly.   I was happy ticking along at an easy pace with focus more on form.  Tucking butt more and being more upright.  When I made it down to the beach it was a real struggle to push into the wind.....but when I reached 4km turn, it was great to have the wind at my back.  Everything flowed well today.  Heart rate was nice and low, body felt good and strong.

50.43 for 8km

8km data

David and Lis have arrived at the house in Perth.   I cant wait to get down there next week.   The cool thing is....we have a pool  yay.

10 x 400m

My last big speed session.  While 10 x 400m hurts.....I'd rather this over 2km reps any day.

I made sure I had a good warm up and stretch.  Its been so long since I have tried 400s that I really had no idea of what time I would do.  I would be happy with anything under 2.15 per 400m.

As always, I started out way to fast and nearly whiped myself out before I started.   But I carried on as best I could.   I was constantly making it to 200m in 1 min but just dying on the second 200m.   Infact in the last 3 I was struggling to get my legs to even work....my fast twitchs were firing all over the place.

All in all I am happy with this walk and feel I have done all that I can for my preparation for World Masters in Perth.

2.02
2.08
2.07
2.07
2.06
2.09
2.09
2.09
2.10
2.11

10 x 400m

3 x 2km and 4 x 500m

2km reps intimidate me so much.   Its an odd distance to me as I'm not a short distance walker, i like to get into a pace and work with that.   2km are not long enough to do thst but too short for my fittness ....... ugh material.

My legs were still pretty tired from the 20km but i was still going to put my all into this.  Even Kay, Paul and Deb did 2km reps to help me out.

My first 2km was probably exactly what Jim wanted.   5.43 and 5.49  so an avg of 5.45
But i struggled to even flow tonight.  Even the video had me looking like an old clunker.  Next km 5.44 and 5.53  ...yeah im getting really tired now.  Third and last 5.46 and 5.57  and im done.  

2km data

Now i had 4 x 500m .......i did almost quit.  These were slow but i got them done ....2.52   2.50    2.47   2.46

4 x 500m data

20km training walk

This is my last long walk before worlds.  I'm tired .... 10km yesterday left me pretty wiped out and my toes feeling very battered.    I was not feeling too confident that this will be a good walk.  But turns out my body surprised me and the walk went better than I thought.

Its a gorgeous day and I started out at 6am.  I tucked a gel away and planned to take it at 10km.   I felt surprisingly strong and managed to walk easily at 6.20 pace.  I even managed a few bursts ... nothing huge but bursts never the less.

There was a cycle race on through southport so I got to see lots of riders go flying past. Lots of people were out paddling on the water and walking dogs.  It was just lovely.  I ended up walking over the southport bridge and around towards sea world.

On my way back I bumped into Robyn and her freind out on a nice sunday strole.  I stopped breifly to chat and then was off again, taking on my gel and stopping again to drink from the fountain.

15km and my body was starting to feel tired, glutes were hurting and my toes were really sore.  I kept telling my self its the home stretch now.  Once i got to the last km, I thought I need to push hard now .... and I was really please that I got a 6.04 out.

2.07.22 for 20km training walk.  I'm good with that.

20km data