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
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
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
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
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
Monday, August 31, 2009
Champion In Woerden!
Hello,
Susan Coltman is back and has a new personal record of 5895 points! This weekend I was the champion of Woerden International Combined Events Competition and took my first podium finish at the senior level! It was a solid collection of results, with just hurdles and high jump as personal event records, but overall enough to amount to a six point improvement in my overall score, raising it from 5889 points to 5895 points!
After my share of disappointments and frustration this past season, I cannot fully express what a feeling it is to have been out there this weekend with a smile on my face event to event and enjoying my talents and seeing the benefit of just relaxing and letting a good performance happen! Thanks to my coach Bart Bennema and to Tom Patrick, sport psychologist, for bringing me to this moment!
I found this quote today, and I think it is very appropriate to share at this moment: Robert H. Schuller - "Tough times never last, but tough people do."
Tomorrow I fly back to Canada and take a small rest, before some serious training leading into the Francophone Games - October 03/04.
Your Athlete,
Susan
Susan Coltman is back and has a new personal record of 5895 points! This weekend I was the champion of Woerden International Combined Events Competition and took my first podium finish at the senior level! It was a solid collection of results, with just hurdles and high jump as personal event records, but overall enough to amount to a six point improvement in my overall score, raising it from 5889 points to 5895 points!
After my share of disappointments and frustration this past season, I cannot fully express what a feeling it is to have been out there this weekend with a smile on my face event to event and enjoying my talents and seeing the benefit of just relaxing and letting a good performance happen! Thanks to my coach Bart Bennema and to Tom Patrick, sport psychologist, for bringing me to this moment!
I found this quote today, and I think it is very appropriate to share at this moment: Robert H. Schuller - "Tough times never last, but tough people do."Tomorrow I fly back to Canada and take a small rest, before some serious training leading into the Francophone Games - October 03/04.
Your Athlete,
Susan
Saturday, August 29, 2009
It's Coming Back
Hello,
Well, I'm smiling and happy to say I'm getting it back in competition! Today was day one of the competition and finally my first personal best result of the season, coming from hurdles and high jump! This weekend the focus is about keeping things simple, just smiling, enjoying and thinking about just one simple cue for each event - and it's working!
Today's results were 13.62 sec on the hurdles. And high jump was the best comeback, clearing 1.73m on my first attempt. My previous competition was the Canadian National Championships where I had a very disappointing and slightly shocking 1.61m final clearance. I opened the competition jumping 1.58m, and jumped clean through 1.61, 1.64, 1.67, 1.70*pb, and 1.73*pb ... well officially my pb in high jump stands at 1.76, taking off from the left leg, but with the switch in take off this past year to my right, my best clearance to date has been 1.69m earlier this year in Italy and France. Then to the shot, only 13.02m. I had a solid warm up for this event and was hitting close to the 14m line, but then in competition I started to feel that mental pressure of "I wanna throw now over 14" and I shut down a little. But I was ok, I relaxed after that throw and was focused to just run the 200m, and it was ok - 24.98sec. Not a pb, but def a solid time and basically can improve yet. After 150m my fitness was failing me, but that will come back , so no worries.
All in all, a solid first day and great sense of relief that things are going back in the right direction and I'm enjoying myself out there :> Now to keep smiling and enjoy day two - longjump, javelin, and 800m!
Your Athlete,
Susan
Well, I'm smiling and happy to say I'm getting it back in competition! Today was day one of the competition and finally my first personal best result of the season, coming from hurdles and high jump! This weekend the focus is about keeping things simple, just smiling, enjoying and thinking about just one simple cue for each event - and it's working!
Today's results were 13.62 sec on the hurdles. And high jump was the best comeback, clearing 1.73m on my first attempt. My previous competition was the Canadian National Championships where I had a very disappointing and slightly shocking 1.61m final clearance. I opened the competition jumping 1.58m, and jumped clean through 1.61, 1.64, 1.67, 1.70*pb, and 1.73*pb ... well officially my pb in high jump stands at 1.76, taking off from the left leg, but with the switch in take off this past year to my right, my best clearance to date has been 1.69m earlier this year in Italy and France. Then to the shot, only 13.02m. I had a solid warm up for this event and was hitting close to the 14m line, but then in competition I started to feel that mental pressure of "I wanna throw now over 14" and I shut down a little. But I was ok, I relaxed after that throw and was focused to just run the 200m, and it was ok - 24.98sec. Not a pb, but def a solid time and basically can improve yet. After 150m my fitness was failing me, but that will come back , so no worries.
All in all, a solid first day and great sense of relief that things are going back in the right direction and I'm enjoying myself out there :> Now to keep smiling and enjoy day two - longjump, javelin, and 800m!
Your Athlete,
Susan
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Competition Time
Hello,
Well after 3 weeks of rest following the nationals, travelling back to Holland and adjusting once again the jetlag, and 6 weeks of training, I'm ready to get out there and compete! This weekend I will be competing in a heptathlon at a mini-international competition in Woerden, in the south of Holland. I say "mini" as in previous years the competition was at a higher level and more international competitors, but anyway it is still a good competition and a nice way to enjoy my last few days in Holland. Tuesday, back home in Canada!
Here is a link the the compeition: http://meeting.clytoneus.nl/ And for those interested in following results, just click on "Uitslagen" on the left hand menu.
Wish me luck!!!
Your Athlete,
Susan
Well after 3 weeks of rest following the nationals, travelling back to Holland and adjusting once again the jetlag, and 6 weeks of training, I'm ready to get out there and compete! This weekend I will be competing in a heptathlon at a mini-international competition in Woerden, in the south of Holland. I say "mini" as in previous years the competition was at a higher level and more international competitors, but anyway it is still a good competition and a nice way to enjoy my last few days in Holland. Tuesday, back home in Canada!
Woerden International Combined Events Competition 2007
Here is a link the the compeition: http://meeting.clytoneus.nl/ And for those interested in following results, just click on "Uitslagen" on the left hand menu.
Wish me luck!!!
Your Athlete,
Susan
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