core, yoga, 8K

Yesterday morning after my 3K fartlek I did a bunch of core work: sit-ups on exercise ball, Russian twists with 8-pound medicine ball for obliques, V-sits, and planks + side planks.

In the afternoon after work, I did my yoga DVD again - it was a bit easier this time but still challenging and it definitely left me a bit sore.

***

This morning I woke with some well-deserved soreness from the 3K fartlek + yoga. Mostly normal muscle soreness; possibly a bit of the weird soreness mixed in - hard to tell. That's good - if it wasn't hard to tell then I probably overdid it, but as it is, I think I got it about right. I knew the yoga + core would tire me a bit and make me slower on my 8K this morning but I also know that I need the strength more than the speed right now. Jim says I need to focus on my technique most of all and not worry about the speed, as it will come. I repeated that to myself this morning and thus had a lovely workout even though my legs were sore and I was obviously a bit slower than I'd like. I kept telling myself "I have to do this technique work and strength work so that I'll be a better 50K walker down the road, so I won't get injured, and so I can walk half marathons in a few months."

I worked VERY hard on my technique today. Posture #1 - remembering all the great posture stuff from my yoga DVD and incorporating into my RW. Then, weight back, allow hips to rotate, keep arms from sideways motion, drive arms back, don't "play the piano" by allowing arms to be too far in front, and then back to posture. Oh, yes, and widen stance a bit, be sure to get a good toe-off, watch those knees, etc. Quite the task of concentration, let me assure you. It's one of the things I love and hate about racewalking!

Anyway - some totals. 8K in 53:32 for about 6:41/km with ave HR146. And how did I feel? Legs sore and a bit heavy, but felt decent until the last 1-1.5km when it became a bit tougher and I just allowed myself to go slowly and focus focus focus on technique.

Garmin data here.