The Best of Us Challenge

Hello All,

Here is a great link I cam across today - The Best of Us Challenge.

This is your chance to compete against Olympic athletes from around the world. Each athlete has created a Challenge video where they show off some of their unique talents. Check them out, and maybe even give it a try for yourself :>

Maybe you guys can come up with your favourite of the challenges or create a challenge of your own, and we can have our own version of this challenge.

Enjoy!

Your Athlete,
Susan

Photos from JDLF

Once through security, this was the entrance to the Athlete Village












Opening/Closing Ceremonies Canada Outfit









Team Canada (some 250 athletes from 7 sports) walking in the opening ceremonies












Entering the stadium from the highway













Stadium Entrance











Competition Stadium












Warm Up Track















Little dip and play time in the Mediterr-
anean Sea

Views from the bus, en route to the track

The Wooded Hills of Mount Lebanon, en route to the
Jeita Grotto








Rock Bay

Healthy Hamstring!

Hello,

Good news, this past Friday, my follow up ultrasound revealed a healthy hamstring. The tear has completely closed and there is no sign of scar tissue! On the other hand, the muscle is still quite weak and I have to complete daily physiotherapy exercises to re-strengthen the hamstring to be ready to handle the amount of stress from a regular training session.

I am continually amazed at the attention to detail of the medical staff at the ISM (institute of sport medicine). Minimizing the amount of time an athlete sits out of training due to injury is always a priority. However, it was not enough just to repair a torn hamstring in 3 weeks, compared to a recovery time of up to 6 weeks minus the injections; they needed to know why the tear happened in the first place to prevent future problems.

To do this, I was hooked up to an EMG for my hamstring and glutes to observe the firing pattern. The results we not great and clearly pointed to a cause of my tear. What the test showed was that my hamstring fires 0.3sec too quickly and before my glutes, which is an incorrect order. As a result, I have added to my list of physio/recovery exercises and have to retrain this pattern of fire between my glutes/hamstring to prevent future injuries.

And now, the goal is to work daily at the exercises and retest in 2-3 weeks to ensure I am doing the exercises correctly and then add to the degree of difficulty and get closer to adapting the drills to what I require in my sport. Therefore, it now looks like my season will be slightly delayed and begin this year at the start of December. This seems like a late start date, however, my current season has just ended at the start of October, I needed to fully recover emotionally and physically after one season before a new one can properly begin, and next season will go until the end of October with the goal of the Common Wealth Games.

Overall, I feel like things are going well and I am looking forward to what comes next. As for an update on the coaching front … still no decision … but getting there!

Hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween!

Your Athlete,
Susan

As A New Season Approaches ...

Hello All,

As a new season approaches, I am about to put this one behind me! My hamstring is coming along really well. As of last Friday, the ultrasound revealed that the tear is down to 4mm x 2mm and there is no scar tissue left. I have had two series of plasma injections, weekly massage, and started with physiotherapy to work eccentric load on the muscle. In the next 2-3 weeks I should be able to put this injury behind me and feel stronger and wiser to start a new season.

In the coming weeks I'll complete a stress test with my sport psychologist and determine my level of stress whether I've rested enough to start a new season! And where that will be ... I still don't know. I am in conversation with a couple coaches and will know for sure in the coming weeks. So stay posted!

I hope you are all doing well. I hope those of you who competed in the cross country meet performed well and had some fun out there with your fellow runners! Keep up the great work!

Your Athlete,
Susan

Support Canadian Athletes!

Hello,

Here is a great video, sent to me by my sport psychologist to help gain perspective. I hope we can all get behind our Canadian Athletes this coming Winter Olympics and just support them all the way!

Click here for the video.

Your Athlete,
Susan

Photos from Arles Competition

12 Meeting International d'Athlétisme d'Arles

6 & 7 June 2009

Final score: 5696 points - 6th place finish



Your Athlete,
Susan

Jeux de la Francophonie

What a learning and eye opening experience the Francophone Games was for me! I arrived and it was a complete shock to my system and emotional state and I even considered just turning around and going back home. However, being able to adapt to tough and uncontrollable circumstances is also a part of being at this level in sports and competing in international competitions.

Before coming, we were informed of the Canadian travel advisory to Lebanon. However, somewhat naïve, you think if they designate this a competition site, then it must be considered safe on some level. Not so much! We had 24 hour military escorts to go just about anywhere. The track was only about 20 mins down the road from the village, however, we first had to load onto a special bus, and the military and police guided the bus down the road. The frustrating thing was that this whole process took up to two hours!

After dealing with the shock, I experienced the first couple of days here and leaning to just accept it for what it was, I started to just relax and focus on the reasons I was there – to compete and take in the experience of a multisport international competition. I was training every day and just focused on being ready to compete. However, four days out of the competition, during my last speed session, and my last 150m I tore my right hamstring. It was frustrating, as there was no indication or pain or tension in the muscle, it just tore mid-stride, and I was finished. I dropped to the track, experienced the fear of being in the hands of the Lebanese Ambulance crew, as I was rushed to the medical centre. Thankfully Team Canada sent a full medical staff, so I was treated by Canadian doctors and physiotherapists.

Unfortunately, putting an early finish on an already frustrating season, I did not compete. I was determined and tried to work with physiotherapist there daily, 2-3 per day, but there was only so much that could be done for a hamstring tear. So sadly, after speaking with the doctors, and still trying to warm up and compete, the pain was too high, and the risk too great, so I had to withdraw before the start of the hurdles.

Now I am back to working with Dr. Galea in Toronto to undergo plasma platelet injections and will soon start with physiotherapy, under the direction of Kevin Hickey and resume eccentric work to rebuild strength in my hamstring. I hope that in 3-4 weeks I am fully recovered and able to start my base training for a new season.

Your Athlete,
Susan