It's all about the breathing

Joanne Carroll spent her training for the Real Women's Duathlon pounding the Lake Hayes Track...
Joanne Carroll spent her training for the Real Women's Duathlon pounding the Lake Hayes Track last week. Photo by Tracey Roxburgh.
My training for the Real women's duathlon was up and down last week.

I'm ashamed to say I haven't been on my bike at all.

My training programme said I should have had two 30-minute bike rides, but I think I found every excuse in the book not to do them.

I think the soreness and uphill struggle last week put me off for a while.

That's the bad news over with.

Now for the good news.

I'm proud to report I jogged the 8.3km walking track around Lake Hayes.

It took me over an hour and I did have to walk up some of the steep bits, but I did it.

It was my day off, the sun was shining and I really enjoyed it.

I took it slow and concentrated on my breathing, so I could last the distance.

I also had another shorter jog, a long walk, and I attended a fitness class and a pilates session during the week.

I had a one-on-one pilates session with physiotherapist Louise Parker at The Studio on Gorge Rd.

She took me through some exercises and gave me good tips on how to get the best out of my body for jogging and cycling.

She told me my quads were tight, my core muscles weren't as strong as they could be and my glutes (or bottom muscles) weren't working as well as they should be.

Given the roundness of my "hour-glass" figure, that didn't come as too much of a surprise! I left with three exercises to strengthen those weaknesses, which I have to do every day.

One of them involves balance, which I don't have.

I have to stand on one foot and squat down to pick up an object on the ground - 10 times on each foot.

I've been wobbling all over the place with my muscles screaming, but hopefully it will get easier.

It was very helpful in understanding what I need to do to get my body working its best.

She also gave me breathing techniques for running, which I put into practice on my run around Lake Hayes.

The secret is breathing from the diaphragm and exhaling all the way before inhaling.

She also told me to slow down, so I can go longer and enjoy it.

It worked, because I didn't get a stitch and I didn't give up because I was completely out of puff after 20 minutes.

So, despite failing miserably on the bike element of my training, I think I'm getting there with the jogging.

 

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement

OUTSTREAM