I started C2K with the clear understanding that 'training wise' I was severely underdone, and rather overweight (when considering my usual shape when I do my best running). My eating habits during injury (mental & physical) were disastrous and I now have a long weight loss journey ahead of me.
Since pulling out at 55k in the 24hr World Champs (due to fears of reinjuring the hamstring) my self confidence in both my physical ability and mental dedication has been at an all-time low. I had slowly increased mileage and intensity in training since then and lost a bit of weight, so with 10 weeks of reasonable volume prior to C2K, I was prepared to commit to C2K again … even if I needed to ultimately ease off the pace to ensure a finish.
C2K for me was more about maintaining my own composure, staying positive and finishing. The time did not matter, though I personally wanted to get my crew off the mountain before dark on Saturday.
Race day – Up at 4:30am and into my starting gear. A quick coffee and we were away. I was as ready as I could have been after a good lead in week of very little running, lots of rest and carb-loading - perhaps too full still from eating slightly too much at the pasta party the night before. Car packed and my experienced crew were all ready for the task.
At 5am we arrived at Boydtown Beach, Twofold Bay just outside Eden. After signing in and engaging in that electrically charged chatter with other runners, race organisers and crew members we were able to get some pics of the our team under the C2K run banner. At 5:30am – we were away.
The first 3k's were rather steep trail. I felt shin irritation down the right leg, which I stretched and rubbed a couple of times slowing my progress. My plan right from the start was to stay well within my comfort level in terms of HR regardless of where I may be in the field as a whole. Once warmed up, the achy shin feeling dissipated and I maintained a slow but comfortable pace until we met up with the crews around the 25km mark. I think I was about the same time I had done the previous year.
I trundled along to the bottom of Big Jack and though it was heating up, conditions were probably better than last year's event. It was never too hot and we had a slight tail wind at times.
My feet felt great until after Big Jack except for one small hot spot on ball of the left foot. But because there was not much discomfort I continued in my trail shoes. Ascending Big Jack was difficult, but I finally caught up with Lisa Spink and by the top I had pulled away slightly. Allison powered up the hill and then later passed me around the 80km mark at good pace… You go girl.
After about 9 hours of marshmallows and sports drink I became nauseous. Sabina actually asked me at one stage if marshmallows were bothering me, but I said that they were still going down. In hind sight I should have added something different before I did.
Somewhere after 100km I started getting very achy in the lower back, the down hills hurt the quads already and the cramping in the gluteus, hamstrings, adductors started to be more frequent and of worsening intensity. My pace dropped again and I began walking more than jogging. I had hoped to run to and through Jindabyne, but understood that there was every chance that this might not happen. So I wasn't upset by the need to walk.
Keeping to the right side of the road the camber from left to right became annoying and my ankles started to complain each time the camber was severe. The rolling comfort of the la Sportiva shoes however took me to the highway at 105km into the event. La Sportiva – Quantum rock for the unsealed and hill section in general. Apart from a small hot spot under the ball of my left foot my feet felt great. Pace sucked because of the general integrity of the muscles, and extra weight I am carrying, but no other lesions on my feet.
Despite the generally crappy legs and achy lower back I enjoyed the scenery and felt quite positive. Maintaining 140bpm was hard, so I just trundled on around 135 – 140bpm for the next few hours.
Leaving the compression socks on, I changed to my Hoka's when I hit the bitumen. Blissfully soft compared to any other shoe I own - even my moccasins! The hot spot still did not worry me too much but overall achiness through my body was exhausting and jogging down hill was getting more and more uncomfortable in the quads and difficult to tolerate.
Late afternoon became night and finally with a good way yet to Dalgety, darkness closed in. Justin accompanied me 22km to Dalgety so Sabina and Ken could have a good feed and rest. Considering now that walking was the only tolerable gait, this part seemed to drag on…and on…..and on.
Thanks to my fine crew I had company all the way to the summit of Kosci, except for the last bit going up to Charlottes Pass so they could all get their gear ready to accompany me to the summit. My crew rock….. they never gave up on me and encouraged me when I struggled.
Despite the difficulties and generally constant discomfort I maintained the desire to continue and enjoyed the journey. The weather was perfect and walking to the summit the clarity of view spectacular. It took 3 years to finally get up onto the cairn at the summit and take some photo's – and oh what a view this was. Here is a pic of our team on the top of Australia.
Here is a link to a You tube slideshow for this year. We might make another one with some of the video sections in time. Hope you enjoy…
SHAZ is making a comeback.
Tuesday 27 November 2012:
Family - Well done to Justin on his win at the 68km Razorback Run last weekend. Great controlled run. Whilst Justin ran, Jasmine and I scrambled at good pace up to the top of Hotham and then later made the 4.2km trek from the Mt Lock Car Park to Derreks Hut and return. The views were amazing and we had a lovely time exploring. As I witnessed Justin's trek toward Diamantina (along the Razorback) I just wanted to be out there running too…… Rock on C2K. Here's a nice shot of Jas and I at the summit of Hotham and another of Jas chasing Dad off the Razorback:
Training - Great couple of weeks. My mileage has been steadily increasing, my fitness advancing and I'm slowly shedding some of the extra padding I attained throughout injury and recovery.
I am still slightly nervous when pushing intensity or stride length as in the last couple of years these activities have flared the hamstring injury and set me back time and time again. Though with training in the last few weeks, some hill sessions and speed work creeping in, I am looking forward to C2K and feeling carefully optimistic of a good result. What is a good result you ask? Running a good controlled event and finishing strongly. Overcoming the adversity all runners face when pushing the body's capabilities and being mentally tough enough to eek out the best result I can helped by my wonderful crew…. What that means in terms of finish time – who knows, who cares. :-)
With both Ken Self and Sabina Hamaty helping again for 2012 (as they did in 2010) it is great to have the entire team back together.
Wangaratta Marathon & Fun Runs - Well done Ken Self for signing up for the 10k event in the 2013 Wangaratta Marathon & Fun Runs.
We have over 230 entrants already and invite everyone to join us in February. The events cater for all abilities and fitness levels and we encourage everyone to visit Wangaratta for a great weekend. We also have our first international marathon entrant from Hong Kong. Our list of Community Teams is increasing, and the Primary School Challenge has now been introduced to our local schools and we're encouraging as many children to enter as possible.
If you haven't entered yet, please consider doing so HERE.
Monday 5 November 2012 - A really good week last week.
My training week started with 32km in the Kokoda Challenge with some work friends of Justin's. Below is Tracey, Kym, Justin and I.
I pulled up well from this hilly session and ran comfortably enough on Monda and then had a good pace session on Tuesday. Wednesday Justin and I hit the hills again this time with higher intensity. My average HR was 147bpm and the hot conditions were unexpected but good for training. Thursday was tough, despite being cooler, so Friday I rested and ran 9km on Saturday to complete 100km by foot this week - YAY!
Jasmine has been running to gain fitness and in preparation for the Myrtleford Cup Fun Run. Jasmine was intent on doing the best she could on the 6km course. Last year I could not run due to the hammy injury, so both Jasmine and I ran the 6km race this year while Justin did the 12.6km event. We woke to a brilliant clear day and despite a little cough and cold we all still suffered from, we drove to the start. With the people milling around you could sense Jasmine's excitement. We were soon off and running. Our event was out and back along a flat track. At the turn Jasmine was only about 300metres behind me. She managed to finish in the impressive time of 29:47 (faster than 5min pace), winning the under 16 Girls event. I was 2nd open female and Justin 6th male with 52:53:77. So it's been a really good week.
Today however, I am a little tender in the gluteus and hamstring on the left. This further strengthens my belief that I need to be wary of 'speed' sessions and I will undertake them a little more cautiously for the next while. Today I still ran 10k comfortably in the morning, but stiffened after cool-down. So gently does it for the next few days and no intervals for me as planned originally for tomorrow.
Ab's have started again 3 times a week too. Already seeing improvement in abdominal strength and ability.
Monday 29 October 2012 -
Today's blog is an extended version of my issues from 2012. No use feeling sorry for myself and no sense not sharing these thoughts with others. My journey over the past 2 yrs has been less than smooth. After an amazing 2010 I found 2011 a constant struggle between striving to achieve the results I believed I was capable of, and juggling a niggling injury that held me back both in training and in events. And in life to some extent. In Feb 2011 I started complaining about my left hamstring and glute being strained. I spent the next 10 months in a state of war with myself, constantly in pain. I trained as much as I could and backed off if the injury flared up. In July I relented and decided to get an MRI which showed a small tear in the inner hamstring. This in itself should not have been too difficult to fix. Twice in the following months I tried to get rid of the injury by resting, then strengthening and finally adding mileage only to wind up sore as soon as the intensity and mileage increased. By December 2011 I felt as though my life was falling apart. Never before had I felt defeated and incompetent in terms of being able to figure out how to fix the injury for good. In Feb 2012 at my wits end with the recurrent injury I consulted the Olympic Park Sports Medicine professionals in Melbourne.
I was still writing weekly blog’s at this stage, but these were both delayed and full of whinging and negativity as far as I could see – Blogs became obligatory instead of sharing my strength to inspire anyone reading. Feeling like a fraud and less than inspiring the blogs petered off until cessation late Feb when a whole host of pressures and issues in life caught up. Until March 2012 I had kept myself busy and focussed on the Wangaratta Fun Run. Up to this time I had hoped to run at Coburg 24 hour in April and then be in good form for the World Championships but with a bad prognosis from Melbourne specialists and full rest suggested for between 8 and 12 weeks Coburg was now not going to happen. I felt like life was shattering around me.
I rested as prescribed for a total of 12 weeks. Coming off 100km+ of running and 200km+ of cycling each week this was extremely difficult. I was instructed to not even walk at anything other than a very gentle pace. My self esteem fell, and my weight increased due to over eating. Obviously I lost a whole lot of my fitness. But I remained somewhat resolute and still hoped to recover sufficiently to do well at the 24 World Championships in Poland.
After the prescribed rest period I increased volume very slowly and commenced strengthening of the injured area. I was never hopeful of a PB in Poland, but did believe that I’d done enough to target a careful 200km. My training, albeit low in volume, gave me some belief in getting through. Knowing I was seriously under par fitness wise though my focus was on support the team and ensuring a complete Aussie Female team. With this as my guiding focus, rather than being committed to my own performance I was bound to fail on the day.
Weak in mind and body I opted to stop at about 6hrs in Poland because the hammy and gluteus started to really ache. I had to make the choice of continuing for a crumby total and risking further injury or stopping and recommencing my recovery. So with Justin’s full support I withdrew. Considering I was able to start running only a couple of days after the event suggests that I may have panicked and stopped before I needed to. But I remain content with my decision.
Over the last 6 weeks I’ve been averaging over 10km per day of running and 20km of cycling. Most of the running and cycling has been gentle, but I have just started to add a little intensity and some hills. It is a slow and gentle approach, but one that seems to be paying dividends at the moment. I am injury free. Last week I even completed 5 x 1km hill reps and noted that I was sore in the quads and calves, but the hammy and glute areas that have plagued me felt great. I have also recommenced strength training and abdominal work, but once again in a limited and gentle capacity. Yesterday I completed the 32km Kokoda challenge in Melbourne and that event has some serious hills. today I ran 10km and cycled 20k and feel terrific. Even did a hard Abs session.
This entire difficult 2012 process has had its benefits however. For too long Justin and I were focused on the 1% where we could improve rather than the 99% success. That sort of expectation intensified negativity when things didn’t go to plan. We are now celebrating achievements along the way and enjoying the journey of life and the journey of my recovery. We communicate well and discuss issues as they arise. By sharing our troubles we are more understanding and supportive. We are able to keep a tether on the gremlins in our minds before they overwhelm us. And so it suggests that from a potential negative, great positives can be achieved if the mind is willing.
I am yet to step on the start line of a race as a real contender and athlete again, but that’s okay. I’m being a little more patient and nice to myself. I’d like to achieve the sort of results that I did in 2010 once again and believe that it’s possible. For now I’m happy to be virtually injury free and starting to enjoy my running again. Bring on C2K.
Sunday 14 October 2012 - The 2013 CVGT Australia Wangaratta Fun Runs are in full stride again. And more good news, in that we have added the First National Garry Nash Marathon and Half Marathon to the program for 2013. The website with all the details is available HERE.
Justin and I are thankful to the wonderful sponsorship team that has come on board for the 2013 event. We have retained all 2012 major sponsors and added a few more to allow us to provide an even better event for the community. Sponsors make the difference and so we will work hard as our way to thank them for their support.
In other news, I did poorly at the World Championships in Poland, but for reasons of which I can understand. Fortunately my recovery from injury since then has gone really well and I'm just about ready to get back to serious training. For now though I'm happy with about 10km per day at a gentle pace and 20km per day on the bike.
Jasmine and Justin have each been doing well in their training and so hopefully we're all setting up for a good final quarter of 2012 with even bigger things for 2013 and beyond.
Monday 19 March 2012 - I am delighted by the response to the 2012 CVGT Australia Wangaratta Fun Run.
Despite the rain, we had a great day, with 475 finishers of all levels of fitness braving the conditions. Some really seasoned and competent runners also took part in the day posting some fast results. Thanks and well done to all participants and I hope to see you and your friends next year when we add a marathon and HM to the program. I hope you found the event this year enjoyable and information about our next fun run will be on the website as details are sorted. CVGT Australia Wangaratta fun run
Justin and I thank CVGT Australia, our naming rights sponsor for their contribution and support over the many months of preparations leading into the event. Your advice, support and contribution allowed us to deliver a cost effective family friendly event with increased numbers of participants. Thanks also to our major sponsors, media supporters, community supporters and volunteers. Please click here Sponsors and then on the sponsors logo to read more or visit there websites (if supplied) and consider supporting their businesses as they support the community through their sponsorship to the fun run.
This year we nearly tripled the participants, totalling filling the 5 & 10k field, having to turn people away in the last week with a promise of a bigger better event next year. We plan to change the course to a location that will cater for marked growth over the coming years and continually develop, improve and expand the event to encourage greater participation. We are committed to providing the community with a fast accurate course, value for money and a warm friendly atmosphere. With the expected large field numbers we will be introducing electronic timing and a heap more. Stay tuned to the website for details.
Relating to my running: - or non-running….
As I have said in previous blogs, I have had a sore hamstring and gluteus for over 12months now and numbness in the inner foot and big toe for about 6 months. I would back off from training, letting the hamstring settle, then pick up the pace and training volume only to wind up sore again, constantly (I assume) reinjuring the hamstring to some degree. An MRI late last year showed a Grade 2 hamstring tear. Although I managed some reasonable results over 2011, I am far from content with many of my performances. Over the last 6months the level of discomfort in the leg gluteus/hammy, calf and foot has increased and has limited my capacity to train effectively. Without effective training I can't improve (….I have struggled even to maintain reasonable fitness) and have no chance to achieve the targets on the 'world stage' for 24hr running that I aspire to. After a year long battle with injury and what I deem mediocre performances, I made the decision to go to a sports specialist (hang the expense) and commit to whatever course of action is necessary to ultimately to fix the underlying issue. I can then concentrate on re-building fitness and strength to enable me to reach my potential as an athlete. So off to the Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre (OPSMC) I journeyed.
As expected the problem is a soft tissue hamstring injury creating neural tethering and pain over the proximal muscle tendon junction. Unfortunately there are no short cuts to recovery. Rehab is likely to be an 8 – 12 week process and could extend even further depending on my body's ability to repair and my own commitment ….. Rehab starting with a considerable time of that evil word - 'REST'.
So how have I gone through the last 3 weeks of nothing!!!!!!! (No run, no walk, no cycle, no stretch, no strength) OMG…. I feel like a sloth. Anyone who has taken the time to read my biography on this website will have some understanding of the journey I have taken from a sedentary unfit lifestyle to training for between 30 – 45hrs per week. My family has totally altered their lifestyle and attitude towards fitness. We have found ways to include physical activity into our lives and never want to go back. This injury has sparked the negative, depressive insecurities, which affected my wellbeing in the past and are now affecting me mentally now. As I say, I feel like a sloth…. Self esteem is low and I feel threatened (and enticed to some degree) by these 'slack' sedentary ways.
Thankfully I have been very busy with the fun run preparations which have kept me mostly sane, with only a few waves of depression threatening to engulf me. Thanks to my supportive family who have helped me gain perspective and look to the next step of the recovery process. I have however increase body weight and struggle to curb the desire to gorge myself silly during the emotionally low times.
I visited the sports specialist again late last week (another bloody expensive trip we can't afford) and now face a further 4 weeks of very minimal exercise. I am allowed to swim with a buoy between the legs (I hate swimming) but will approach the indoor pool Monday, and have been given a couple of basic strengthening exercises by their physiotherapist. They also conducted some powerful pressure point and muscular releases of the TFL & lumbar region. Ouch! I remind myself that 'pain is temporary'. In 2 weeks I am supposed to go back for more physio and after a further 2 weeks, back to the specialist for review. I am not sure if I am coping with this at all well.
OPSMC also performed an ultrasound and blood-flow examination of the left foot and ankle which showed definite differences in blood pooling and blood flow paths comparing one foot and ankle to the other. I am yet to receive the results or advice from the specialist. The specialist warned though, that there may be limited options for the repair of circulatory issues but has reassured me that many runners suffer from numbness that has not affected their performance or duration in the sport. He may consider the intervention of a vascular surgeon depending on the findings of the ultrasound. An added complication to injury recovery and circulatory issues is the warfarin (blood thinning medication) I am on for life. Some of the normal recovery options either do not work or are too dangerous when on blood thinners. Platelet injection therapy for example seems to be mostly ineffective when on warfarin and shockwave therapy is not a viable option for me. Ho hum.
So psychologically I am not trekking very well just at the moment – Though I do believe myself to be mentally strong enough to overcome this and determine to get back running well. With the added support of my family, we will get through this as we have done in the past when I suffered stress fractures in both hips.
So life is challenging, hard and frustrating. What I need is a good dose of perspective. I now reflect upon my life missions. And guess what… life just isn't that bad.
1. Inspire people to be fitter and healthier. (Tick – Success. Last month we delivered a quality, affordable fun run that encourages participation of people of all levels of fitness. This year we have increased and developed our networks which will further to help to create a sustainable event and greater participation in future years. My skills as a mentor, race organiser and media skills are improving. We have exciting ideas for future development and opportunities to inspire others to be fitter and healthier.
2. Be a good wife and mother (Working progress – Although at times I don't cope and become a grumpy beeeeep, I do try to be a good mother and wife. Sometimes I don't get it right, but I am committed and loyal as I am with other aspects of my life. Family I believe for me is crucial, and I want the best for my family. We support and encourage each other through life, facing adversity together and work to be a good family by trying to be better people ourselves.
3. Reach my potential as an endurance athlete (Okay – this is currently on hold due to injury – But we are working on repairing. My advice to myself is to allow myself to accept the challenge of overcoming this injury and then we can concentrate on achieving my potential as an endurance athlete.
Lot's of reflection and details in this honest update.
I will write another blog after a couple more weeks of rehab.
There is really only one goal for this year with regards to running. - Poland 24hr World Championships in September, so for now I need to do what has to be done. Then I can concentrate on preparing for this challenge.
I have selected another favourite saying: have not found the right one yet.
"It is true that we shall not be able to reach perfection, but in our struggle toward it we shall strengthen our characters and give stability to our ideas, so that, whilst ever advancing calmly in the same direction, we shall be rendered capable of applying the faculties with which we have been gifted to the best possible account." Confucius
"Once one determines that he or she has a mission in life, that is not going to be accomplished without a great deal of pain, and that the rewards in the end may not outweigh the pain - if you recognize historically that always happens, then when it comes, you survive it." Richard M. Nixon
Friday 24 February 2012 - WOW, I can't believe that the 2012 CVGT Australia Wangaratta Fun Run is on this weekend.
We have everything in place now to ensure the event runs smoothly. Entry numbers have been great, huge in fact. We sold out the 200 places allocated to the 5k weeks ago and so pinched a few from the 10k. Both the 5k and 10k are now full and will not be taking entries on the day. We also have well over 110 Primary Kids signed up for the 2k challenge, so we are set for a big day on Sunday. Last year (the inaugural WFR) we were able to attract 180 participants, and we thought that was a great turn out, so when we catered for 600 places this year we felt sure that those who would like to participate would get the chance. Little did we know just how well the community would embrace the opportunity to enhance their own fitness and wellbeing by signing up for the challenge. Well done to everyone who has entered and we hope to give you an enjoyable and memorable event on Sunday.
For those who unfortunately missed out this year, don't worry. Justin and I are already planning the 2013 event and we are probably going to change course so that we can handle multiples of the 2012 entry numbers should the demand exist next year or into the future. We are also looking at expansion of the events offered (like a marathon and half marathon), and we will carefully select a venue and course that will cater for the needs of the competitive runner as well as those looking for a scenic and relaxing morning's walk. Stay tuned.
And of my training? Early this week I consulted one of the Olympic Park Sports Medicine professionals about my ongoing ache in the upper hamstring - aka pain the bum! He confirmed that there are no major structural issues and that I have a small soft tissue injury that will respond well to a bit of rest and a cortisone injection that was administered to aid healing. With a couple of light exercise weeks ahead I should be fine to bring hills and speed back into my training regime. I am relieved and enthusiastic about getting back to the harder training sessions over the next few weeks.
Incidentally I have run 570km so far this year despite the niggly hamstring issue and cycled 1015km. Still decent volume and has been enough for me to maintain acceptable fitness levels.
Monday 13 February 2012 - I have avoiding writing this blog because I really didn't think I had anything positive to say. So sorry about not updating sooner.
Over the last several weeks I have battled in terms of training volume, injury, depression and ultimately commitment to training. My left hammy and gluteus have been continually sore and/or inflamed after most decent running distances, my left calf muscle seemed to have blood pooling issues and I have also been busy with other life activities. Depression has taken a firm grasp over the past couple of weeks and the minimal energy I have had has been focused as the public front of the Wangaratta Fun Run which incidentally is shaping up to be a really good event.
Last week was a little better in terms of training, with a total running distance of 115kms. I started the week with 2 big days of running stupidly brought about due to my very bad fat pinch test identifying that my percentage had increased substantially over the past couple of months. This high volume running madness promptly resulted in re-inflaming my hamstring… yet again and totally serves myself right for trying to quickly lose weight by increasing volume.
We all really know, but I will say it again "Weight loss is dependant on diet. Fitness is dependant on training".
Somehow I forgot this last week. Anyway, after a couple of days of reduced volume, massage and a physio session I am nearly back to normal training conditions. I have learned through this negative experience that because I have lost some fitness and strength, I can't suddenly expect my body to run high mileage at solid pace without breaking. I need to ease back to training and listen to my body and of course alter my diet if I need to lose weight.
Next week I will be taking a more sensible approach. Moderate running volume, include some faster pace sessions, stretch and recommence strength sessions. I will also be consulting a sports professional in Melbourne next Monday to help me create a rehab program aimed at managing the ongoing hamstring issues and building fitness, strength and flexibility safely.
As an update to the 2012 CVGT Australia Wangaratta Fun Run, Justin and I are excited and pleased with the numbers of entrants flowing in for this event. It is lining up to be a great day. Our 5k event is full and numbers are growing steadily in the 10k and 2k primary kids events. We may allocate some surplus 10k places (if we have them) to the 5k event this week. Please let your friends and family know that we still have spots available and they are welcome to enter online. All entrants need to do is click the "FUN RUN" tab above and then the "entry" tab of the fun run website. Easy.
Thursday 19 January 2012 - The past few weeks have been both energising and positive in many ways.
In early Jan I was able to join a great group of friends who had organised a cycling trip from their home in Sydney to Melbourne over 8 days. I met the group in Beechworth and accompanied them to Mansfield, cycling through the beautiful Whitlands. Later that same day I cycled back to Wangaratta to make a total cycle distance of 250km for the day. It was great to catch up with my friends and have the chance to cycle through the King Valley where I grew up. Below are pictures of our all girl group outside the Milawa Bakery and a picture of me in front of the school I attended back in 1984 in King Valley - long since closed. Thank you girls for the great trip down memory lane and letting me accompany you for the day.
2012 CVGT Australia Wangaratta Fun Run: 10k, 5k run/walk & 2k Primary Kid's on offer:
Promotions are going very well also for the fun run. We are keen to see as many participants as possible and so if you are thinking of entering or if you know someone who might need a little encouragement to enter, then please encourage them. All the run details are here CVGT Australia Wangaratta fun run. Entry is simple and payment can be made by PayPal, EFT or in person on the day.
As with the 2011 event, proceeds will be going to the Wangaratta Little Athletics Club. From the 2011 event we were able to donate $2,000.00 and we hope to achieve an even better result in 2012. I believe it a worthy organization because of the promotion of health and fitness through our young citizens and this supports my personal mission of inspiring others to adopt a fit and healthy lifestyle. Hopefully by organizing and inspiring others to participate in this event I am in some way helping to overcome the obesity crisis many Australians face. So, if you can help promote the run to family, friends and contacts please do so. Help me to inspire people to become fit and healthy.
Training:
Training and body wise I am still working hard to fully recover from injuries which affected my running over a good portion of 2011. With continual therapy and reduced volume and dedication I am determined to kick the issues to the curb and get into serious training. I will be easing into longer distance runs by initially participating in the 50km Mansfield to Buller event as a training run on the 29th of this month. I have run this event several times now and it always proves to be a great day. From there I will be concentrating on developing strength and fitness for the coming 24hr World Championships in September. Events that I am considering include the Coburg 24hr, and shorter local events that will allow me to continue to build base speed.
Thursday 5 January 2012 - Happy New Year to Everyone!
It is the time of year where we reflect upon the previous year and set new goals for ourselves. Although last year was far from smooth sailing for me and our family, we learned so much - so much about ourselves, our family, and our lives. When I look back at our achievements over 2011, we really have developed significantly. I thought this week I would give you a very brief overview of each family member and their 2011 fitness and training achievements
Jasmine Scholz –
Jasmine our 8yr old daughter Jasmine experienced many 'first's' in 2011. She continues to do very well with school academically, her teacher commended Jasmine on her excellent efforts throughout the year and she achieved 100% school attendance for the year. Jasmine also continued her running, and managed her first sub 6:00min pace 5km. she has continued to develop cycling fitness too by riding about 50km per week and she completing her first 100km cycle session (after 93km cycle the previous day). Magnificent effort Jazzy… keep up the great work. More important than achievement of course is our love for Jasmine as a wonderful daughter and person. Daddy and I love you so much and are so proud to have you as our daughter.
Justin Scholz – Again even though we have ups and down, Justin has achieved great results in terms of fitness over the year. Justin cycled well in excess of 10,000km and ran more than 5,000km in 2011. Justin also ran over 200km at Coburg 24hr, which made Justin and I the first ever Australian husband and wife to run over 200km in 24hrs.
Sharon Scholz –
2011 was a character building year full of both mental and physical challenges. These obstacles I believe have made me a stronger and better person and in time will make me a better athlete. Recurrent injuries and other health issues seemed to plague my targeted races and impede my ability to train effectively through the year. Although I found this frustrating at the time, I still achieved numerous really good results and broke some long-standing Australian records of which I am proud. A full list of my 2011 race results is available by clicking the results section in the header.
Justin and I are also excited about hosting the 2012 CVGT Australia Wangaratta Fun Run. Please take the time to have a look at the run website and consider helping us promote the event. CVGT Australia Wangaratta fun run Maybe you could encourage your work colleagues, business contacts, sporty contacts, friends and family to enter.
