Progress Continues

 I just finished my 6th week of training for the new season and I am finally settling into a good routine. The adjustment of figuring out how to fit everything in for training with Isabella has been challenging. Before I could just do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. A typical training day goes like this: im training much earlier than I used to so that Tim can watch the baby before he goes to work. I have to get up, feed her, go get my training in and come back right away. I stretch when I get home (if I get a chance) and then I have to feed her. I take a nap if/when she does. Play with her all day and then we go running and I push her in the Chariot jogging stroller. I come home, make dinner and after I am done I go to the gym to do weights. If I want to go to the gym during the day or go get some treatment (massage, etc) I get a babysitter. Everything revolves around the baby. Some days it can be a bit hectic but I feel so much more relaxed then ever before. Even though the daily schedule may be difficult some days, I am handling things extremely well. I guess its like "they" say, you really change and step up to the plate after you have a baby. I feel like I have gained new perspective and I have high expectations for myself without the pressure, if that makes sense?! I feel like I am much tougher as a person and as an athlete and I look forward to see how this transpires into my racing.

Training has been a good steady progression. I have now worked my way up to 128km's which is the highest mileage I have done since July 2012. I continue to feel better and more like my old self every day. I have now started to do zone #2 workouts once a week. First week was 2 x 4km/1km fartlek and second week was 2 x 5km/1km fartlek. I am thrilled with how both workouts went and how easy and relaxed they felt. I cant believe how strong I am already without pushing the training at all. My heart rate continues to be 10 beats lower than any other year while walking the same pace as before. I dont feel as though I will need to get faster for my zone #1's so it will be nice if my heart rate will get lower and lower for the same pace. I have started to work with a strength coach and I feel like it is really helping already. I cant wait to see how it benefits my training and racing this year.

The race I did a month ago in Encinitas went very well, especially considering how hilly the course was. I had no race plan going into it, I just wanted to see how I felt as I went. First km was flat and I did 4:37, next km was a mix of flat and uphill and walked 4:42, next km was a nightmare hill and I powered up it as well I could and hit that km in 4:57. You could tell how bad the hill was as I went down the 4th km in 4:19. The last km was nice and flat and I finished it off in 4:31 to bring me to 23:08 for my final 5km time. This was a 34 second improvement from a month earlier on a much easier course. I am happy with the improvement but of course felt like I didnt have another gear since I hadnt walked anything faster than 5:30/km pace in training.

My race plan for 2014 is very tentative right now. I am planning on walking at Millrose Games again to try and reclaim my title and record. Its a good way to start my comeback to racing with a fun and no pressure race. I would then like to walk 10km's in Huntington Beach early March to get a feel for where I am at and then soon after I would love to do my first 20km race in Lugano, Switzerland on March 16th if all goes well and to plan. I hope to have my big peak for the season in early May at the IAAF World Racewalk Cup in Taicang, China. After that I would like to try and race a few 5km and 10km races to try and lower my personal best times as much as possible. Plans of course could change as the season progresses but I cant wait to jump back into racing and challenge myself as much as possible. I know that big times are in me, its time to get them out!

Thanks for the continued support. Here's to my best season even!

Keep on walking,

Rachel