Catch up

So I've been lazy with my blog, but I do have some good reasons:
1. I've been training most days
2. I started a new job
3. I am moving house this weekend
4. I've been coaching & covering shifts in my old line of work

So, my apologies for not keeping you up to date, but let me catch you up on everything.

Since I last blogged, I've done several walks up Mt Ainslie with varied success. I've also been on a few runs and swims (which I finally confessed to my physio today but he is pleased with the progress of my shoulder).

Summary of my Ainslie walks - I've was joined by my friend Derek on one walk which I made it all the way to the top without stopping which was pleasing given my first attempt I had to stop twice and was pretty shattered that I had appeared to have lost so much fitness. Next time I headed out, poor DJ joined me. It was raining and we got soaked which was fun and we hit the AIS pool and spa to warm up which was great. The downside was that I had to stop three times which was really flattening. I'd found my ventolin and used it in hope that it would save the day but it seemed to make no difference.

The whole lack of fitness thing was getting embarrassing - I am after all a triathlon and swimming coach, how can I be so unfit? I decided to head out on my own after work last wednesday and I think I know what's going on but I don't know why - each time I needed to stop, I took my heartrate (I was timing the walk so I counted the beats pulsing through the caroted artery while watching for 6s by my stop watch and then timesed the result by 10 to get my BPM). My counts when I was stopping because it was getting hard to breathe were all over 22, meaning my BPM was between 220 and 250. This is really not good. I waited until I felt like I could breathe again then took my heartrate again - I could breathe when it was under 200. Why haven't I been to the doctor yet - I don't want to be told I can't go.

So, onto the next Yay moments - I've been on a couple of runs and it isn't hurting my shoulder anymore which is awesome. I am taking it easy and building it up - first run I did 1 min run, 4 mins walk recovery over 5km. Second run was in the rain and so I stepped it up and ran 90s then walked 3.5min recovery over the same course. Last sunday I ran in the Jogalong (womens only 6km cross country) Derek threatened an intervention because I'm not supposed to be running yet but I promised to stick to a run plan of 2 mins on 3 mins off. I predicted 50mins for the course and did it in 50.09, so I'm pretty damn ok with that!

DJ and Will have taken on swimming as part of their off season Dragon Boat training for the might Ice Dragons (only the best Dragon Boat club EVER!). Slight hiccup was that neither of them had really done any swim technique work since they did kids lessons many moons ago. Step in Super Fiona the Swim Coach! The boys weren't as bad as they thought and I was ecstatic to get back into the water - so much I had a little swim. DJ and I went for another swim a few days later and I stepped up the length a little more in the stroke part (was doing mostly kick so to not aggrevate my shoulder given swimming over load was how I injured it - Yes, I know, I'm a swim coach how did I over load it? Showing off a little perhaps? Nope, raising money for MS). DJ, Lachy and I swam on Sunday night just gone and wahoo, stepped it up again and it still felt ok. Physio was so unimpressed but he'd tested my shoulder before I told him and was really impressed with my progress so he wasn't cross. Steve the physio is not a guy to get cross - at 6ft10in and 127kg, he's frame is intimidating enough, but he also happens to be a boxer so I'm not going to be too silly.

On a fundraising front, some invites have gone out for Casino Royale with a great response from those who've looked at the invite. It's amazing the job Steve the host has done. I will try and get some screen shots to put up on here soon.

So now you are caught up. I do have an incredible story to tell from today, but that needs a whole separate post!